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  1. #1
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Wanted Digital TV recorder?

    Hey all,

    In my home we only have Sky, no aerial for terrestial TV - so no idea about anything outside of Sky!

    My dad has asked me for help and i am a bit stuck! A few years ago he bought this stupid CD/DVD and VHS comined machine which records his TV to either DVD or VHS (Salesman assurred him it was the best bit of kit EVER! (twit!))

    Anyway, now that the Digital Switchover has happened my dad finds he can't record digital TV. He has asked me to see i can find a digital recorder that also plays CD and DVD - so records TV to the hard drive, but can also be used to play DVDs and music CDs etc.

    Is there such a thing?

    Ta all!!

  2. #2
    DF VIP Member WRATH OF BOD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    with this he is sorted for a long time with all formats.
    blu-ray/dvd player with freeview & 250gb hard drive to record to.£165 ish
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003BYRPKK/ref=asc_df_B003BYRPKK9689132?smid=A230Q07CL2JWPH&tag=shoppingmp65690-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B003BYRPKK

    or
    this one has smart tv built in.£250
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...GHS31CN1N1ES42

    Thanks to WRATH OF BOD

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  3. #3
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Not the answer to your question but there is another option which may be handy as a stop gap until you decide what recorder to go for. If you, or someone you know, have a spare freeview receiver hanging around somewhere you could hook this up to the recorder he has now, record from the scart input and use the freeview receiver to switch channels. Another option for recording, as long as he doesn't want to watch another channel at the same time, is to select, on the recorder, the scart input that the tv is connected to. Most tv's have an output on at least one of their scart sockets. You have to leave the tv switched on and tuned to the channel you want to record. As I said it's not ideal and is not a solution, but may be useful as a temporary measure. (">
    Last edited by BigBird; 16th September 2012 at 02:40 AM.

    Thanks to BigBird

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  4. #4
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    I see where you're coming from BB, but he is an OAP and not very tech savvy, hence the all in one unit he would prefer.

  5. #5
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Bone question Wrath, it does play DVDs doesn' it?!

  6. #6
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-BD-E...7781714&sr=8-2

    does this come with built in freeview?

    Jeez this is a minefield!!

  7. #7
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    right i'm struggling here to understand freeview etc. He does not have a dish, he is in a home that does not allow dishes, can he use one of these boxes i am talking about?

    Like i said i have sky so i really have no idea about this.

  8. #8
    DF VIP Member fanni's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Just read the reviews for that one and i'd steer clear of it as it seems to be very buggy

    The first one that wrath of bod linked you to seems good but only has 1 tuner which will probably be ok for your dad

    unless he really wants one that can record 2 programmes at the same time

    in answer to your does it come with built in freeview that would be yes as they have digital tuner's built into them

    Thanks to fanni

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  9. #9
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Quote Originally Posted by ivrytwr3 View Post
    right i'm struggling here to understand freeview etc. He does not have a dish, he is in a home that does not allow dishes, can he use one of these boxes i am talking about?

    Like i said i have sky so i really have no idea about this.
    Freeview is digital terrestial which is received through an aerial. If he is in a good reception area the one he was using before the digital switch over will probably do the job. If not he may have to invest in a better aerial which will cost around £20. I am assuming he has a digital freeview tv already so no problem. Just disconnect the aerial from the tv and connect to the new recorder's aerial in socket, and connect the short co-ax link cable from the aerial out on the recorder to the aerial socket on the tv.

    If he gets a recorder with one tuner he can record one channel while watching another on the tv. If he gets a recorder with two tuners he will be able to record two channels at once while watching a third channel on his tv.(">

    Thanks to BigBird

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  10. #10
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    OK, i am down to 3 now, but one question, the first one only has one tv tuner, is dad able to record one channel and still watch another at the same time? Or does he need a twin tuner for that?

  11. #11
    DF VIP Member fanni's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    with one tuner he could record one on the recorder and watch another on the tv as in effect you have 2 tuners, one in the recorder and 1 in the tv.

    If however you bought a box with 2 tuners you could in effect record 2 programmes and watch another using the tv tuner

    Thanks to fanni

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  12. #12
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    so that's the only bonus of a twin tuner - to be able to record 2 different channels? If that's the cas ethen he doesn't need that option, he just wants to record one program when he's either watching another or out of the house.

    I think i will recommend the first one at £164.

  13. #13
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    OK, plot thickens, i have been up to his house and discovered he has a freeview TV! The issue is he wants to record TV programs and since the changeover he can no longer record. These boxes seem a lot of money just to be able to record something!

  14. #14
    DF VIP Member fanni's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    if you want just to be able to record something then you could just go for something cheap like this

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGORA-PVR3...item3f1c4da985

    and you'll have to keep the old unit for playing dvd's

    Thanks to fanni

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  15. #15
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Quote Originally Posted by fanni View Post
    if you want just to be able to record something then you could just go for something cheap like this

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGORA-PVR3...item3f1c4da985

    and you'll have to keep the old unit for playing dvd's
    As long as the tv has at least two scart sockets (one for the freeview box and one for the dvd) then it is the ideal cheap option. Could use a scart switch to get round the problem if there is only one scart on the TV.

    That's a good price considering it had twin tuners and comes with a 12 month warranty - shows they have confidence in it. Many refurbished units only have a 3 month warranty - or as low as 28 days in some cases. (">

    Thanks to BigBird

    ivrytwr3 (16th September 2012)  


  16. #16
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    OK an update, the TV my dad has is this 6 - 7 year old thing that cost about £2k and it is sh*t. An Aquos 32" thing that has all its connectors built into the stand which runs into a box at the bottom of the stand! The main thing is it has NO HDMI input/output, only SCART and a few others (yellow, red, white etc)

    He has steered away from Sky (doesn't want a dish or extra wiring) and is looking at seperates, ie a freeview recorder and a seperate DVD player.

    Can anyone recommend a decent setup that will be easy to use for an old timer and firstimer to Freeview recorders?!

    Ta all!!

  17. #17
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    *UPDATE*

    Got him 2 seperates - a Sony DVD player and this:

    http://humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10067 (Humax Freeview twin tuner)

    It does exactly what he wants and he is happy with it (thanks for the advice), but the guy he got out to set it all up said he could not get it the Humax working on its own and so needed to keep the original freeview box connected.

    Surely that is not right? I was hoping to get rid of the freeview box and use the Humax to connect to the TV directly.
    Last edited by ivrytwr3; 27th November 2012 at 08:38 PM.

  18. #18
    DF Super Moderator
    DejaVu's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    Quote Originally Posted by ivrytwr3 View Post
    *UPDATE*

    Got him 2 seperates - a Sony DVD player and this:

    http://humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10067 (Humax FREEVIEW twin tuner)
    Still a Minefield. Least you sorted it out.

    Thanks to DejaVu

    ivrytwr3 (27th November 2012)  


  19. #19
    DF VIP Member ivrytwr3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    lol, i meant to type freeview - wth did i type freeSAT?
    Last edited by ivrytwr3; 27th November 2012 at 08:57 PM.

    Thanks to ivrytwr3

    DejaVu (27th November 2012)  


  20. #20
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: Digital TV recorder?

    I dunno. I must be seeing things.
    Nothing to do with the beers I've had... promise!

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

    Thanks to DejaVu

    ivrytwr3 (27th November 2012)  


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