UKC

Very recently, I bought a Humax DTR-T1010 PVR and everything was working fine...till I tried to record a programme which was in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Since doing so, everything I now view has been stretched wide and is slightly zoomed in, nomatter which channel I watch.

If I revert to watching via the tv's receiver, rather than via the receiver in the PVR box (ie one of the HDMI ports), the aspect ratio is correct. On the tv's settings, this ratio is called 'FULL'.

On the Humax however, there appears to be no way to change the aspect ratio, and a quick scan of several websites/forums also suggest this is the case.

I did a factory reset and that corrected the problem, but when I again tried to record a 4:3 programme, the same fault was recreated. Can any techy folk please suggest somehting I can try doing, or should be doing, before I return it for a replacement or a refund. Thanks in advance.

In reply to Fraser:
Welcome to AFD hell

AFD stands for Active Format Descriptor and is transmitted in the header packets of a digital TV signal. It indicates to the decoder box (STB) the format of the frame and of the picture in that frame, so you might have a 4:3 picture in a 16:9 frame, etc.

Usually there's a couple of menu options where you tell the STB what format your TV is and what your preference is for programmes that aren't in that format. The STB is then meant to take this information along with the AFD and adjust the picture before sending it to the TV. So if you've a 4:3 TV and a 16:9 frame with a 4:3 picture comes along then the STB will cut off the bits to either side and send the entire 4:3 picture. Similar things happen with 16:9 input going to a 4:3 TV etc. From memory there's 256 potential options (!) but in reality these boil down to about 20 or so as some are impossible and some are duplicates.

I've not used a Humax box so don't know where the appropriate menu option is but a Google search suggests it's in the preferences menu. Let us know how you get on.

In reply to Fraser:

When I record 4:3 stuff on the Humax, and play it back through the TV (via SCART), I have to set the TV aspect ratio manually. 16:9 programmes seem to be okay.

The main problem I have with the Humax is it sulking; you press the remote buttons, but nothing happens for ages. That and spontaneously re-booting, crashing in the middle of recordings, or not recording audio.

Still, it was given to me so I shouldn't complain too much...

Compared to the TiVo I bought in 2002, the Humax seems pretty clunky.

In reply to Bob & captain paranoia:

Thanks for the responses.

Re the preferences menu - for some reason, there doesn't appear to be an option for aspect ratio adjustment on the T1010, hence my issue. (it's there on at least some older Humax models however!)

Re the playback - that's not so much the problem, as subsequent programmes all getting stretched wider than they should be.

I might switch to a Panasonic if I can't get this issue resolved, but they don't have as many catch-up available stations.

In reply to Fraser:

not sure if it's the same model but bottom to buttons on the right "V-Format" and "Wide" alter the displayed picture.

In reply to Fraser:

I've got a Humax recorder (probably different model) and I really like it. I never have this problem. Using the remote control try Menu; TV setup; 16:9.

In reply to Fraser:

Is it only playback via HDMI? Can you check via SCART or composite if either the STB or TV have them?

Did another search on Google and came across this in a review: "Another gripe sorry to be negative is some old tv programmes switch to a 4.3 aspect ratio with no way to switch to widescreen! I contacted humax about this already and nothing you can do about this currently whilst my standard tv aspect settings do not fix this."

You may well be stuffed right royally!

In reply to krikoman:


Those options are not available on the DTR-1010, or the other Humax YouView boxes. Blame YouView, since the decisions about the firmware design are theirs, not Humax'. It's by no means the only function that is missing on the Humax YouView boxes compared to their normal Freeview PVRs. The YouView boxes are generally regarded amongst Humax aficionados as amongst the least appealing offerings to have the Humax badge on. The only advantage they have is access to all the online catch-up services integrated in to the EPG.

See also http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/dtr-t1000-youview-shortcomings.1960/

In reply to Fraser:

I see you have also asked this question on the myhumax.org forum. I would try asking it on the hummy.tv forum for the YouView boxes http://hummy.tv/forum/forums/dtr-t1000-1010-2000-2100-2110-youview-recorder... as well - there is generally a better-informed audience on that web site.

If you're thinking of ditching the DTR-1010 for something else and you are prepared to lose 4OD, ITV Player etc then you should also consider either the Humax HDR-Fox T2 (still available as a manager's special on Humax' web site from time to time) or the current HDR-2000T (which includes support for IPTV channels which the Fox T2 doesn't).

If you're dead set on having the catch-up services then there are other ways to get them e.g. many smart TVs and Blu-Ray players now offer them, or a PS3, or a Roku/Sky Now box.

In reply to Martin W:

Thanks Martin, you're right - I posted on that forum, but I'll try the other one too.

Tbh, I went for the Humax T1010, predominantly because John Lewis stock them and I know PVRs can be temperamental, so there would be no issue returning it if things go a bit pear-shaped. Also, my tv only has iPlayer and Five OD, so the Humax gave me access to the other catch-up services.

My old HDD recorder didn't have a digital receiver in it, and I needed something to replace the set-top box I'd been using in conjunction with my old CRT tv, which this Sony replaces. (basically, I coldn't record to the old HDD if the tv was switched off!)Hence I got the Humax with the two receivers and the recording facility. Plus, it seemed to get good reviews compared to most.

I'll check out your other suggestions too however as they might be a better bet, albeit not available from JLP.

In reply to Fraser: John Lewis do list the HDR-2000T, it's just showing as out of stock at the moment. It's significantly less expensive than the 1010 - you could by a basic Roku/Now box out of the difference to get your catch-up services and still have change.

I'm never convinced by devices that try to cram in too much functionality. The Humax YouView boxes are a good example, having lost a good number of basic PVR functions in order to accommodate the catch-up integration. There's also a good argument not to have everything done by one box: if that box fails, you've got nothing!

In reply to Martin W:

Thanks for the suggestions Martin. Looks like what I'd lose on the 2000T is the non-iPlayer catch-up services and some HD space.

What were the "basic PVR functions" you think are lost with the T1010?

As it turns out, the box seems to have (almost) righted itself in that I can now view non-4:3 programmes in the correct 16:9 aspect ratio via the PVR. The 4:3 recordings are still stretched, but I could probably live with that.

I've also posted on the Humax/YouView forums and have had some helpful advice from them too.

In reply to Fraser:

Concidently have in the last half an hour picked one of these up from Richer sounds - please post back if you find a fix. Surely something they will correct via firmware.

In reply to Fraser:
Sorry, on holiday at the moment so not able to respond promptly.


I wouldn't get too hung up on the disc space. I have a 500GB disc in my HDR-Fox T2 and I know that if I ever let it fill up I'd never get around to watching what was on it. You just have to be a bit ruthless in culling stuff that you've kept because "I want to watch it one day". You almost never do - and in the end it's only telly anyway.

A single hard disc is not a good place to store stuff you want to keep forever. They can and do fail, and when they do everything on them is toast. Everything I want to keep gets burned to DVD - something that's not easy with the YouView boxes because there's no way to move recorded content off to another device.

From what I've read on the YouView forums e.g. this thread https://community.youview.com/youview/topics/goodbye-1e4erz the catch-up services don't work terribly well, which rather undermines the point of the box. The most satisfied users seem to be the ones who got a box from TalkTalk or BT, since they get other networked TV services from those providers. However, the focus on functionality for subscribers seems to have left people who bought the box outright somewhat out in the cold.

As I said before, for less than the cost of the YouView box you could get a decent PVR (the HDR-2000T) and a Roku/Sky Now box for the basic catch-services. (A higher-spec Roku/Sky Now would give you access to even more online TV services.) FYI the HDR-2000T does support IP TV services linked from the Freeview EPG, which the YouView box doesn't. AFAIK there is no commercially available STB which give you access to all online TV services in one place (and, as I described before, I'd have reservations about relying on such a device anyway).


There's a list here:
http://hummy.tv/forum/threads/dtr-t1000-youview-shortcomings.1960/
(quite an old thread so some things might have been fixed since it was last edited in January 2013)
and anther one here:
https://community.youview.com/youview/topics/consolidated_list_of_improveme...

The most basic function which was missing at day one was being able to schedule a recording manually. That might had been fixed now, but managing to omit it in the first place - and the existence of a long list of desired features which don't seem to have been provided - doesn't give me confidence that they understand users' requirements particularly well.


It seems (from scanning forum posts) that "stretchyvision" is an inherent feature of the YouView firmware.

Bear in mind that all these shortcomings are down to YouView, since they write the code for the boxes with their brand name on. Humax don't get any say in it, they just provide hardware that meets the spec required to run it.

Finally: YouView was a mess for along time, and was seriously delayed before finally being pushed kicking and screaming over the line thanks to intervention from Alan Sugar. Read in to that what you will.

In reply to Martin W:

Thanks for the very detailed reply. I'd come across that list of shortcomings in a previous trawl, but interesting to note again. Most of them I can actually live with, as they don't really affect my viewing habits too much, although I do take your point about having all the 'functionality' tied up in the one box, and everything which that implies.

In terms of providing a quick update to my situation, I did manage to get the Sony remote to work whilst viewing the Humax box, and I could therefore adjust the aspect ratio to suit. This does seem to be an intermittent solution, as I can't do it every time, so I'm not sure if it's the tv or the Youview box which is the culprit. I'll post regarding this update on the Humax forum too and see if anyone there can shed more light.

Cheers again for all your comments.