Humax Launches First Circa-£200 DTT PVR in the UK Market - Nov 10, 2003

London, 10th November 2003: Humax, one of the world's biggest TV set-top box manufacturers, today announced the availability of its first combined Digital TV Receiver with recordable Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for the UK market. The single-tuner PVR-8000T is designed to replace the VCR by allowing consumers to record digital Freeview television channels without a video cassette while providing simultaneous access to analogue TV programmes. The major appeal of Humax's PVR-8000T lies in the one-off cost of around £200 making it the cheapest personal video recorder (PVR) in the UK, with no subscription model, providing a significant advantage over pay-television platforms.

The PVR-8000T makes it much easier to record programmes than a VCR: using the remote control unit, consumers simply select the TV programme they want to record from the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and can store up to 20 hours programming on the Hard Disk Drive. Automatic upgrades will ensure the product benefits from EPG enhancements as they happen. The PVR-8000T also features a start time and duration reservation setting, allowing viewers to record programmes outside the confines of the EPG.

With the PVR-8000T, broadcasts are recorded in their original digital form, with no deterioration in picture or sound. In addition to all the functionality you would expect from a VCR, the PVR-8000T allows viewers to pause and replay live TV for up to 30 minutes with its time shift recording capability so you never have to miss that crucial punch-line or goal through interruptions again.

From a digital terrestrial TV (DTT) perspective the PVR-8000T has all the functionality of Humax's leading DTT set-top box (STB), the F2-FOX T. It offers automatic installation, three-dimensional on-screen display, the Humax easy-to-use, menu-driven interface, an EPG, a range of innovative features, four games, an MHEG-5 engine allowing digital text and interactive services and high quality Dolby Digital Audio output. New channels are added automatically when available and it also offers a user-friendly over the air software upgrade capability to ensure maximum product life. Some of the DTT product features are unique to Humax such as picture freeze.

"The PVR-8000T is the first in an innovative range of combination Freeview digital receiver products that we will be launching in the UK," commented Dale Heathcote, UK commercial director for Humax. "The exciting functionality offered by PVR technology is going to be one of the key drivers of Freeview adoption in the UK and as one of the first DTT PVRs to be launched in the UK we expect that the PVR-8000T will receive a lot of interest in the market, especially as it is so competitively priced."

Key features of the PVR-8000T:

- Multiple Recording Capabilities: As well as setting recordings using the EPG or date/time function, the PVR-8000T allows viewers to pause or replay live TV for 30 minutes repeatedly with time shift recording
- Advanced playback modes: Complete viewer control over playback of recorded programmes including slow motion to forward and backward and fast forward and fast rewind, all in various speeds as well as trick play modes
- Connectivity: Every PVR-8000T includes a SCART lead. Two SCART outputs allow the consumer to connect the STB to the TV and VCR and/or DVD player simultaneously. In addition, an RCA output provides an alternative TV connection and will also connect to the hi-fi system for superior quality sound. An optical audio output (SPDIF) is also available for outputting a Dolby Digital stream
- Favourite Groups: Up to five favourite channel lists can be stored, to provide quick easy access to preferred channels, particularly useful for family viewing
- Parental Control: Access to TV channels can be denied without a password. This feature is useful for parents who wish to control their children's viewing, by denying access to digital channels at certain times and viewing rate, unless a password is provided

The PVR-8000T offers automatic installation, the user-friendly Humax interface, innovative features, fast interactivity and comprehensive rear panel connectivity to sit at the heart of digital home entertainment systems. All Humax's products come with a two-year manufacturers warranty.

For product availability and stockists please call Humax Customer Care on 0870 247 8800.

Notes to Editors
About Humax www.humaxdigital.com
Humax is one of the world's leading digital set-top box manufacturers, exporting its products to over 90 countries across the globe. The company headquarters and R&D facility are based in Korea, with offices in Dubai, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The company opened a manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland in 1997, which won a Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2002. Further production facilities are planned in India. Humax recorded revenues of US $298 million in 2002 and has announced plans to increase this figure to $1 billion by 2006.

For further press information please contact:
Debby Penton or Melanie Corbett, Wildfire PR
Tel: 01932 783838
Email: debbyp@wildfirepr.co.uk/melaniec@wildfirepr.co.uk



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