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The Humax Aura, one of the last Freeview-powered recorders to offer streaming and catch-up functionality, has been officially discontinued. This handy box lets you record your favourite programmes while also giving you access to streaming apps like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Disney+. It supported 4K and could store up to 1,000 hours of recordings.
Powered by Freeview, it unlocked access to a vast number of free-to-air channels, including GB News.
The device has vanished from shelves at Amazon, Argos, Currys, and most other big-name shops across the UK — except for a few used or refurbished options. Only a handful of smaller retailers still have any new stock left.
A spokesperson for Humax confirmed the news to Cord Busters: "The Humax Aura Freeview recorder is no longer in production, so availability is while stocks last within the retail channel."
Th Humax Aura was first released in November 2020
| HUMAX | GB NEWSHowever, Humax isn't walking away from the TV market – far from it.
The company is rumoured to be putting its energy into Freely, the broadband-based streaming platform that has been making waves since its launch in 2024.
"Humax is developing some exciting new products, and we will be making announcements on those in the next few weeks," the company added in its statement.
Freely launched in the first half of 2024. Built by the same team as Freeview and Freesat, this new platform is forecast to overtake both of these by the end of the decade, and it's already made pretty big headway. The newer streaming service has already attracted more than one million users in a relatively short time.
The major difference is that you don't need an aerial stuck to your home. Instead, live channels and catch-up content come straight through your broadband connection. That means you can set it up in any room without worrying about signal strength or dodgy weather messing with your picture
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So what's coming next? A new device called the Aura EZ 4K Freely Recorder has already popped up on websites, and it looks like it'll be the Aura's successor.
Early details suggest you'll get the best of both worlds with this one. It's expected to handle 4K content easily and let you record up to 1,000 hours of programmes — just like the old Aura.
It could include an aerial socket alongside Freely streaming. That means you can watch content through your broadband connection while still having access to traditional TV broadcasts if you want them.
Humax has confirmed the device exists and is currently going through internal testing. There's no official launch date yet, but the company says announcements are coming in the next few weeks.
Whenever it does launch, it'll go toe-to-toe with the Pleio set-top box from Netgem, which brings Freely-exclusive features to any Smart TV for the first time. This concept has been immensely popular, with the Pleio selling-out on Amazon multiple times since its launch late last year.
Upgrade your telly with Freely's Netgem Pleio from Amazon
French entertainment brand Netgem is the first brand to launch a plug-and-play box that brings Freely to any television. Connect via HDMI, and you'll be able to stream the most popular free-to-air channels, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U, and of course, GB News. Freely arrives packed with several features previously only found on paid-for options like Sky Stream and EE TV
Netgem Pleio
$119.88
Plug in the Pleio box, and you'll have access to over 75,000 hours of on-demand content (believe it or not, that's more than Netflix) and 55 live channels, including GB News, ITV, BBC, Channel 4, U, and dozens more.
The first-of-its-kind Freely box was just hit with a price rise recently — was £99, now £119.99 due to an increase in hardware costs. However, Pleio also now comes with a 12-month subscription to premium channels and cloud gaming.
Freely is the successor to Freeview, offering access to an unrivalled selection of free-to-air channels and on-demand catalogues over a Wi-Fi connection — with no aerial needed | EVERYONE TV PRESS OFFICE It's worth remembering that ownership of the hardware is deferred until the 12-month subscription period ends, which means you’re essentially leasing or financing it as part of the subscription. You can't sell the Pleio box after six months as a second-hand item, since you don't technically own it at that point.
New features are being added all of the time, too, with the Everyone TV team behind Freely adding the ability to scroll backwards through time on the TV Guide to access content from streaming services, earlier this year. Likewise, the catch-all My List feature announced earlier this year is now available on all Freely-powered gadgets.
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