Reply to: Recording TV: DVD or HD recorder?

[d000hg]

Why don't you go Freesat? Just get a dish installed and a Humax satellite box and you have SD & some HD channels for the price of an install. Then you can have Sky HD added at a later date as they use the same dish. Some TVs (some Panasonic Plasmas) have Freesat built-in.

Sky+ does need a dish. You need 2 cables for HD plus if you want Freesat that also needs a cable. I have 3 cables running from my dish - 2 for Sky+/HD and one for Freesat.

I am a bit geeky about this - sorry.

We're just moving in to a rented house... don't know if bolting a satellite onto the house will go down well...

[dezze]

With twin tuners I think you can either (a) record two channels and watch a previous recording, or (b) watch one channel while recording another. I'm fairly sure you can't watch one channel and record programmes on two others simultaneously, but I could be wrong.

PS PVR and DVR seem to be synonymous, worth knowing when Googling for reviews etc.

On (b), you can record 2 and watch another but it depends on what channels...something to do with the way channels are grouped together. I can record BBC1 & BBC2 but not watch ITV, but can watch Channel 5. Don't quote me on the mix that I just mentioned as I'm not sat in front of the box.

[Lockhouse]

Lockhouse - what is there on Freesat that I can't get on Sky, just out of interest?

Nothing - but it's free HD rather than £57 per month for the full Sky+HD package. You just don't get the films and sport. Go to http://www.freesat.co.uk/ for more.

[interested]

Why don't you go Freesat? Just get a dish installed and a Humax satellite box and you have SD & some HD channels for the price of an install. Then you can have Sky HD added at a later date as they use the same dish. Some TVs (some Panasonic Plasmas) have Freesat built-in.

Sky+ does need a dish. You need 2 cables for HD plus if you want Freesat that also needs a cable. I have 3 cables running from my dish - 2 for Sky+/HD and one for Freesat.

I am a bit geeky about this - sorry.

Lockhouse - what is there on Freesat that I can't get on Sky, just out of interest?

[Lockhouse]

Not quite the same but I did find a couple that will at least upscale freeview->HD via HDMI output (e.g http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/p...l_pvr9300t.asp)

Sky+ just seems kind of pricey, another thing to add to monthly bills. Dumb question, but does Sky actually involve a dish or other special receiving apparatus these days?

Why don't you go Freesat? Just get a dish installed and a Humax satellite box and you have SD & some HD channels for the price of an install. Then you can have Sky HD added at a later date as they use the same dish. Some TVs (some Panasonic Plasmas) have Freesat built-in.

Sky+ does need a dish. You need 2 cables for HD plus if you want Freesat that also needs a cable. I have 3 cables running from my dish - 2 for Sky+/HD and one for Freesat.

I am a bit geeky about this - sorry.

[d000hg]

AIAU the Standard Definition boxes are single tuners, the PVRs have built in hard drives.

Neither support HD (I believe) as they are terrestrial only. To get a HD PVR you'd need Freesat (or Sky+).

I'd still get a Humax box for freeview as 1) you can record 2 channels whilst watching another and 2) when you upgrade to Sky+ you can use it on another TV.

Personally I'd go straight to Sky+.

Not quite the same but I did find a couple that will at least upscale freeview->HD via HDMI output (e.g http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/p...l_pvr9300t.asp)

Sky+ just seems kind of pricey, another thing to add to monthly bills. Dumb question, but does Sky actually involve a dish or other special receiving apparatus these days?

[Tensai]

....I was answering the question "Is the Humax box any use if the TV I already have is digital....?" Hence my reply.

Ah, I see, will read posts more carefully next time

[Lockhouse]

With twin tuners I think you can either (a) record two channels and watch a previous recording, or (b) watch one channel while recording another. I'm fairly sure you can't watch one channel and record programmes on two others simultaneously, but I could be wrong.

PS PVR and DVR seem to be synonymous, worth knowing when Googling for reviews etc.

....I was answering the question "Is the Humax box any use if the TV I already have is digital....?" Hence my reply.

[Tensai]

I'd still get a Humax box for freeview as 1) you can record 2 channels whilst watching another ...

With twin tuners I think you can either (a) record two channels and watch a previous recording, or (b) watch one channel while recording another. I'm fairly sure you can't watch one channel and record programmes on two others simultaneously, but I could be wrong.

PS PVR and DVR seem to be synonymous, worth knowing when Googling for reviews etc.

[Lockhouse]

Also I'm confused about Humax: http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/p...errestrial.asp
What's the difference between "Personal video recorder" and "standard definition" products?

AIAU the Standard Definition boxes are single tuners, the PVRs have built in hard drives.

Neither support HD (I believe) as they are terrestrial only. To get a HD PVR you'd need Freesat (or Sky+).

I'd still get a Humax box for freeview as 1) you can record 2 channels whilst watching another and 2) when you upgrade to Sky+ you can use it on another TV.

Personally I'd go straight to Sky+.

[d000hg]

Also I'm confused about Humax: http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/p...errestrial.asp
What's the difference between "Personal video recorder" and "standard definition" products?

[d000hg]

Hadn't thought of a combined Freeview/recorder, not a bad idea although strikes me as slightly confusing since many TVs come with freeview built in now.

From the looks of it, something like the Humax is not going to support HD for the simple reason that freeview doesn't support it (or does it)?

Looked at Humax's page, confused by the choice on offer

If I get a TV with freeview built in, do recommendations change to get a dedicated HD device, or would you simply ignore the built-in freeview?

[dezze]

Topfield

I've got a Topfield hd recorder, which I've had for about 3 years now. The good thing about it is that you can load lots of external stuff, such as really good EPG's etc. Also has a USB output to copy stuff off to computer and play using VLC (plus maybe others)...good when working away.

[Tensai]

PVR is much better than a dvd recorder.

WHS

Yeah the Humax ones are good.
Most of the good ones, have a usb connection so you can copy off any programs you want to keep.

Careful - I came across a couple that have a USB connection but the firmware doesn't "yet" support grabbing data from the disk using it.

I used to have in Inverto 'til a tuner fault developed, and there's zero support from the now-defunct manufacturer

Replaced it with the latest TVonics, pretty happy* so far though the EPG interface is a bit clunky.

* By which I mean the family are happy - I hardly watch TV, 95% of it is utter rubbish IMHO.

[ferret]

Another vote here for the Humax, I got one about three years ago and it is still going strong. Had to hack it to get a more reliable USB connection so hopefully the new ones are a bit better.

I am looking at upgrading to one of these with RAID 1.5 TB hard drives:
http://www.efficientpc.co.uk/desktops/genii/

So can whack music, pics and family videos on in as well as record from the TV etc.