You can search all transponders of the selected satellite, or just focus on one – it's also easy to define and store a new transponder for future searches. This is the closest the 5000 gets to manual searching. Parameters here are the expected frequency, polarity, symbol rate, modulation type (DVB-S or DVB-S2) and FEC. Disappointingly, no provision for PID entry has been made and blind-search is absent.
HD HAPPY: The HDCI-5000 had little trouble finding available HD channels, but Humax has yet to implement a workaround for accessing ITV HD
With a motorised dish searching couldn't be easier. You choose the satellite you want, the dish moves to the appropriate position, then you specify the terms of the search (free and/or encrypted, radio and/or TV) and off it goes. What a shame that automatic multi-satellite searches are not allowed.
Other installation menu options cover over-the-air firmware updates and a master reset. Finally, we have the 'system' menu, which reveals receiver and CI module status.
Navigation
Humax receivers traditionally score well in navigation terms, and the 5000 is no exception, owing to its fast channel-change and sensible use of the handset's coloured fast-text keys. Channels can be sorted alphabetically, or by conditional-access status.
Another press of a button and all available hi-def channels are listed. It's also easy to list all of the channels on a specific satellite. A pop-up menu activated by a press of the 'opt+' button allows you to delete, rename or lock channels. They can also be placed into one of the five favourites lists, each of which can be renamed. It's well designed.
Then there's 'i-Bar', Humax's name for the channel-information pop-up. This gives you channel/programme name, time/date, a programme-progress bar and HD/encryption status as well as signal strength and quality.
The EPG, which supports now-and-next and 7-day schedules, also employs the coloured keys to good effect. The default mode relies on the traditional grid format, which can simultaneously accommodate up to seven channels, but there's also a single-channel list view.
GREAT GUIDE: The HDCI-5000's EPG shares similarities with previous Humax receivers, making good use of the coloured remote keys and an 'i-Bar- for easy navigation
Owners of VCRs or DVD recorders can schedule programmes so that the receiver changes channel at the appropriate time. A useful 'quick browse' will let you hop around the schedules in speedy increments.
Then there's the three-step 'zoom', but the icing on the cake is a 'find' function. Enter a keyword, and programmes containing it are listed. To quicken the search a genre, day and approximate time frame can be chosen.
Performance and features
The 5000 has few gimmicks. There's no multimedia playback or 'picture freeze', and this receiver is the first we've come across in years not to include a Tetris clone or any other games. But you can arrange for the receiver to turn itself on at a specified time, switch to a channel of your choosing and then shut down again.
Rather more useful are two buttons marked 'v.format' and 'wide'. The first cycles through the various component/HDMI output modes (576i/576p/720p/1080i), while the second either expands the picture to fit the screen or displays in letterbox format.
This is particularly useful for HDMI because not all displays give you control over aspect ratio. If you're viewing a standard-def channel it's upscaled if a HD output mode has been selected.
Other features include teletext, subtitles and soundtrack selection (Dolby is supported). In performance terms, the 5000 scores highly. Searching is commendably fast; more than 1,700 Hot Bird TV and radio services were found in under four minutes by a tuner of above-average sensitivity.
While searching is fast, this receiver's inability to accept PIDs or conduct multi-satellite scans coupled with the lack of blind search will disappoint the enthusiast.
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