Freesat+ recorder launches next month

The first personal video recorder to wear the Freesat+ brand will go on sale in November, it was confirmed today.

Freesat+ is the latest moniker to build on the success of the Sky+ and V+ digital TV recording brands; in July, Freeview renamed its Freeview Playback recording brand Freeview+.

The Foxsat-HDR will be the launch product for Freesat+, appearing in stores in mid-November for £299. The dual-tuner high definition box offers series recording for both TV and radio shows, live pause and instant rewind, a schedule tracking system designed to ensure that programmes that start and finish at times different to the published schedule still record in their entirety, and split recordings to record films interrupted by news bulletins. Its 320GB hard disk will store up to 80 hours of HD programming or up to 200 hours of standard definition content. In terms of connectivity, the box has 1 HDMI connector and two SCART sockets, and includes one cable of each type in the retail package.

"The launch of Freesat+ with the FOXSAT-HDR is an exciting milestone for us," said Freesat managing director Emma Scott. "We’re giving viewers the freedom to enjoy all their favourite standard definition shows, as well as the likes of Strictly Come Dancing, UEFA Champions League, England home games and blockbuster movies in HD whenever and however they want – for no subscription and no extra monthly bills."

Graham North, commercial director at Humax, added: "Humax has developed a reputation for delivering highly functional but easy-to-use digital TV products and we have leveraged this expertise to develop a technologically-advanced digital TV recorder that offers the very best in recording and viewing features for Freesat."