Why doesn't Manhattan make a Freely recorder?
Freely is delivered as an internet stream rather than a broadcast signal, and broadcasters don’t allow streamed content to be recorded. That’s not specific to the Manhattan Aero – it applies to Freely on any device. Everyone TV, who run Freely, have confirmed Freely will never support recording.
A hybrid box that recorded from an aerial and streamed from broadband sounds appealing, but the trade-offs don’t add up. It would mean two different guides, different channel numbers, and a fiddly experience for both live TV and recording. The Humax Aura EZ is the only hybrid box on the market and the reviews bear this out.
Our approach is to offer two products that each do one job well:
- Manhattan Aero – streaming over broadband, with no aerial or dish needed
- Manhattan T4‑R – full Freeview recording, including pause, rewind, and series recording
The two complement each other for households that want both. You can read more about what’s new on the T4 range on our blog.