EXCLUSIVE: Global set top box manufacturer Humax is set to upset TV stations in Australia by launching a brand new full HD set top box that allows users to easily strip out advertising commercials by the simple press of a button.Users will be able to access the device via an Apple iPhone iPad or any Android device as the new Personal Video Recorder (PVR) includes the IceTV program guide which gives consumers access to everything that Freeview delivers with the ability to skip advertising.
According to Len Wallis, of Len Wallis Audio in Sydney the new Humax 7500T PVR will have a lot of appeal with consumers because of its ability to remove advertising. “Immediately there is psychological appeal as most consumers don’t like watching advertising. The fact that it has Ethernet and wireless and can be upgrade will also appeal”.
The 7500T PVR which has been described as being the best on the market today is set to be sold by selected mass retailers, the specialist channel and the likes of National Antenna’s, NAS, SCITEQ and online via the IceTV web site.
The Ice TV electronic program guide application allows Humax to avoid the controls that Freeview place on consumers who want to skip advertising.
One executive said after seeing the device “If Apple had a PVR this is what they would use”.
ChannelNews has been told by retailers that Humax executives are set to announce the product in September.
The PVR which comes with the option of a 500GB or 1Tb drive, has Internet and wireless capability via a dongle.
The 500 GB version will sell for $449 and the 1TB version for $549.
Korean Company Humax, who is the largest retail manufacturer of set top boxes in the world and the fifth biggest overall manufacturer worldwide believes that they have the most advanced PVR offering in the world today.
Freeview which is owned by Australia’s five major TV networks delivers a free program guide, but unlike the Humax and IceTV offering, it restricts consumers when it comes to trying to skip advertising .
The Humax offering has one button that allows a user to skip through advertising.
Specifications for the Humax HDR-7500T also include a twin tuner with 500GB HDD, records 2 services while recording, chasing & time shift playback, 1080P upscaling, 32MB flash memory, DDR SDRAM: 256MB (2×128) HDD: 500GB or 1TB.
According to Brice Russell the General Manager of Humax in Australia the device is different from most other PVRs that are sold in Australia.
” It’s been said that if Apple had a PVR this is what they would use. It’s stylish, highly functional and delivers the real benefits that consumers want. Rather than use Freeview we are using the IceTV program guide. This delivers all the local TV information that consumers want including recording and programming capability”.
A person who has seen and played with the Humax 7500T said:
“This is a fantastic PVR. It has more functionality that a lot of Smart TVs. It allows consumers to easily flick advertising, it has access to services like YouTube and several other online services and in the future can be easily upgraded as new applications and services come along. A lot of the new Smart TVs are going to struggle because they don’t have a hard drive built in and are limited by a lack of applications”.
Consumers who want to buy the device online will be able to www.icetv.com.au.
