When connected TV platform YouView first launched in 2012, would-be adopters were limited to a single choice of box costing, for some, a wallet busting £299.
As promised by the platform’s then-Chairman Lord Alan Sugar, prices have fallen and the number of models has increased, finally providing consumers with a choice of size, style and recording capacity.
Here, in the order of their release, is a recap of our thoughts on each and our top-pick:
Humax DTR-1010
Available in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB versions, the DTR-1010 is an updated version of the original launch box (DTR-1000) with the innards mostly untouched and the outside given a bit of a style make-over.
The choice of hard drive size makes it perfect for those wanting to create large libraries of programmes and the silver and white fascia will look good underneath your TV. But the box is large which might not suit everyone’s tastes and the scrolling display often cuts short programme and channel names, limiting its usefulness.
And, while the DTR-10000 and DTR-1010 were good first generation boxes which helped YouView win over the early adopters, this box can be slow and sluggish when navigating through menus and the EPG.
Humax DTR-2100 / BT G4
Made for BT by Humax, the DTR-2100 / BT G4 is the smallest of the models currently available and has been designed to match BT’s HomeHub wireless routers in looks and size.
Updated specs, including a faster processor and more memory, also make it the fastest, outpacing both the early Humax boxes and the new retail model from Huawei (see below), with near a instant response to commands.
Improved power use makes this an ideal choice for those looking to help the fight against climate change and the addition of three snazzy status lights makes it easy to tell when the box is recording or in stand-by.
We recently reviewed the Huawei DN371T and came away unimpressed with the cheap design and build quality of both the box and remote control.
We were also disappointed to discover the box runs an older version of the YouView software which lacks a range of accessibility features available on both the Humax models.
Sadly we came away feeling that is a budget box being sold at a premium price and not one we could recommend.
The Winner
Despite it only being available in a 500GB model, we’d pick the DTR-2100 / BT G4 over the DTR-1010 and Huawei DN371T any day.
The improved hardware specs means the box easily outperforms the competition, offering a fast, reliable user experience wrapped in a modern, sleek design.
All three of the boxes above can be bought subscription free for around £200, meaning there’s no cash to be saved by denying yourself the DTR-2100 / BT G4’s vastly better performance.
In addition to the retail version, it’s also available from BT for just £35 upfront in return for a £5 or £7 per month subscription to the BT TV service.