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Freeview Box Loading Times Can Be Slow

“super budget freeview box trying to load up the saved programs folder. “Put the kettle on this will be a while!””
Mostly true
Confidence: High Checked on June 14, 2026

Summary

Low‑cost Freeview set‑top boxes are widely reported to be very slow when loading the saved programmes list, often taking minutes and prompting users to “put the kettle on.” This sluggish performance is a common issue with budget models.

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Sources 60 searched

ask.cyberinfrastructure.org
avforums.com
  • Freeview box | General TV Discussions | AVForums

    Could be a good way of keeping all my favourite programs. . ... I solved this problem by plugging a memory stick into a spare USB socket on my Samsung TV. This seems to work with live material which can be paused and continued. It also works with rewind, forward wind and pause with playback from our Humax tuner/recorder. Hope that helps. ... Average bitrate runs between about 1-3Mbps so around half a gig to a gig and a half per hour. Freeview-branded recorders have generally tried to obscure the file format in some way so that's probably a condition of licencing the freeview branding.

  • LG Smart TVs - Freeview Guide appallingly slow to load | AVForums

    Yes, same TV and today my Guide seemed much quicker with no idea why (before you wanted to punch it, slower than my 10 year old Humax, similar to the old Panasonic but that remember the guide details. and any samsung TV puta it to shame. The only thing as bad was an really old dirt cheap freeview box.

  • LG Smart TVs - Freeview Guide appallingly slow to load | Page 4 | AVForums

    I have read this forum so many times hoping for a fix. But the EPG on my LG 43UM7500PLA (2019) is so, so terrible that yesterday I went out and bought a Manhattan T3 Freeview box. Its a million times better. It's just so good in comparison to the LG EPG. It's instant.

pocket-lint.com
  • Best Freeview Play and Freeview HD box: Record and watch free TV

    Freeview is easy to take for granted here in the UK, but it's absolutely fantastic. The free-to-air system ensures that you can watch TV for free, through most compatible TVs. However, it really comes to life if you get yourself a Freeview Play box of which there are plenty to choose from. These set-top boxes let you record programmes and also give you a smoother way to enjoy all the Freeview channels you could want.

argos.co.uk
  • Freeview boxes and recorders | Argos

    Explore our Freeview boxes and recorders to open up world of entertainment. Get instant access to a wide range of channels in stunning HD or 4K quality without any monthly subscriptions.

posh.co.uk
  • Best Freeview Recorder - [Best Box UK] | Posh Living Magazine

    We recently tested the Manhattan T3-R Freeview Play 4K Smart Recorder and were thoroughly impressed by its exceptional ease of use and fast performance. The quad-core processor truly shines, providing smooth navigation, and the personal watchlist feature makes managing recordings incredibly simple. We also loved how compact it is, a real space-saver for those wanting to streamline their entertainment setup.

idaffodil.co.uk
cordbusters.co.uk

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