Humax HDCI-2000 review

Humax HDCI-2000 Review

Reviewed by: Chris Stevens

Reviewed on: 19 June 2006

Both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video decoders are packed into the HDCI-2000. Although you'll get the real benefits out of this box with an HD television, it will happily output to SD.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) with HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) output means that the Humax will sync with Intel's DRM (Digital Rights Management) hobgoblin. The HDCP system is designed to thwart pirates, and will downsample HD content to SD on non-HDCP compliant devices. This all adds up to a wonderfully confusing situation where you may find you're watching an SD signal instead of an HD one because a piece of hardware in your home entertainment system is not HDCP compatible.

TV programmes on the Humax may be sorted numerically, alphabetically, by TV or radio, satellite group or FTA (free-to-air). The obligatory parental lock option will let you prevent your child from watching any channels that may be unsuitable. 

A 2-slot DVB CI (Common Interface) allows for the addition of pay-TV cards, as these become available. Particularly enterprising hackers will discover that they can watch Sky using these slots and an existing Sky card. This, however, relies on getting hold of a third-party device called a CAM (Conditional Access Module) which acts as a bridge between the Sky card and the HDCI-2000's CI slot.

Users report mixed results with this option and we would advise using the Humax in addition to your current Sky box, rather than a replacement for it.

Performance
Initially we intended to set up our own dish for use with the Humax, but after an hour of fruitless malhackery on the roof, we established that the advanced level of mathematical ability required to calculate the elevation of the relevant satellites, and thus the orientation of our dish, was beyond us.

Resorting to more conventional methods, we tested the HDCI-2000 with a pre-configured dish installation. Humax provided us with a firmware update (HDXSCI 1.00.04) for our review model which allowed it to receive the new free-to-air BBC HD service just in time for the World Cup. Users will probably find it useful to note that you tune into the BBC's HD channel by searching 10.847 Vertical, sr 22000, fec 5/6. The hardcore may also find it interesting to observe that it's possible to physically turn the dish on their roof round to the satellite known as 36E and tune in ART on 11057H. This satellite broadcasts the World Cup matches the BBC aren't covering.

Reception quality was exceptionally good. The HD signal provided by the UK's geostationary satellites is very clear indeed, putting digital terrestrial Freeview to shame. If you have an HD television, you'll be aching to put it through its paces, and the HDCI-2000 certainly does that.

It's hard to predict how HD free-to-air satellite will evolve right now, but there's some serious clout behind the BBC trials. If you're an HD enthusiast disillusioned by the cost of Sky, the Humax makes an extremely attractive proposition. If you like to tinker, you'll be right at home here. Those for whom more instantaneous entertainment is a priority might be better off with Sky.  

Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Kate Macefield