New Freely and Sky Q competitor 'very close to launch', British brand teases ahead of release this month

This £69 box has the ability to let you pause and restart shows that are already being broadcast. Unsurprisingly, it has sold-out multiple times.If you don't have an internet connection that's fast enough to stream HD broadcasts or want to record shows, films, sports, or documentaries onto a hard drive to revisit any time you'd like, Freely might not be the best choice. This platform, which offers access to GB News and is expected to overtake Freeview by the end of the decade, relies on catch-up services like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and others for on-demand viewing... rather than local recordings.Sky Q, which is no longer available for new subscribers, was a critical and commercial success when it launched in 2016 by offering the ability to record up to six shows simultaneously in 4K Ultra HD quality – with recordings stored on a hard drive forever. Homes can also add Mini boxes around the home for a full multi-room experience.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSMacBook Neo is Apple's most affordable laptop everFreely strikes deal with Roku to bring its Freeview successor to more TVsExpressVPN reviewVirgin Media users gain 3 new TV channels, and watching won't cost a pennySky Glass Gen 2 reviewFreesat, developed by Everyone TV – the team behind Freely and Freeview, uses satellite dishes to unlock free-to-air channels without a subscription. Start watching exclusive Sky TV shows and Netflix on Sky Stream for just £15 Sky Stream has never been this affordable. The broadcaster has just launched an affordable new bundle of channels and on-demand services, dubbed TV Essentials. It includes its plug-and-play Sky Stream box, over 100 live channels including Sky Atlantic — the exclusive home of shows like Game of Thrones, And Just Like That, and The White Lotus. You'll also find a subscription to Netflix and Discovery+ included too and can upgrade to Sky Cinema and Sky Sports at an extra cost. Sky Stream £15 GET THE DEAL When paired with a set-top box with a hard drive, viewers can store their favourite shows, films, and sports fixtures for years after the initial broadcast. This also unlocks the ability to pause or rewind.But the current crop of 4K-enabled Freesat recorders from British manufacturer Manhattan is increasingly tough to find on store shelves. It turns out, this drought is because a new generation of Freesat gadgets is incoming.Speaking exclusively to the Cordbusters blog, Manhattan COO Alex Arbab-Zadeh said: We’re aware that potential Freesat customers may have been alarmed at the lack of available Freesat recorders on the market right now. We’d like to reassure everyone that Manhattan TV has been working on a brand-new fourth-generation recorder that is very close to launch. Keep an eye out for our full announcement shortly after Easter, with availability at the end of April.Unfortunately, Manhattan is keeping quiet about what else to expect from its next-generation box. Expected to be branded Manhattan S4-R 2TB Freesat 4K TV Recorder, whispers suggest we could see support for recording four shows simultaneously on an impressive 2TB hard drive – that's enough for 1,200 hours of storage.As the name suggests, 4K Ultra HD quality will be supported out-of-the-box, including on streamers like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and others baked into the box. If you're looking to cull monthly bills, switching from Sky Q to Freesat and leveraging the satellite dish that's already affixed to the outside of your home, could be a good plan.With an incoming release date of end of April, we'd expect to hear more about the fourth-generation Freesat box in the coming days and weeks – stay tuned. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter