DVD Recorder with Hard Disk Drive - any recommendations?

[lupinpooter]

Hi all



I have an LG LCD TV with built-in freeview receiver, and now I need to buy something that will enable me to record from freeview channels, ideally a combined DVD/HDD recorder. I see Richer Sounds has a Sony DVD Recorder with a 160Gb HDD for £119.99 which seems like a good deal.



Any thoughts/recommendations?



PS sorry if I'm repeating something that has already been discussed - I had a quick browse through recent threads and couldn't see anything and reasoned that older threads might not contain up-to-date recommendations

[sippog]

I have 2 Panasonics -1 with a HD. Very happy with them. They took a little getting used to operating-wise but I'm now comfortable with them and find they have all the features I want.



A HD is definitely an asset - especially for editing before you archive



I'd just check that you get a built in digital tuner with your machine. My Panny is analogue and that severely restricts what I can record unless I do it "live". So I use it mainly for archiving stuff recorded on my PVR but will definitely buy a digital DVDR at some point

[Jackdaw]

name='lupinpooter']Hi all



I have an LG LCD TV with built-in freeview receiver, and now I need to buy something that will enable me to record from freeview channels, ideally a combined DVD/HDD recorder. I see Richer Sounds has a Sony DVD Recorder with a 160Gb HDD for £119.99 which seems like a good deal.



Any thoughts/recommendations?



PS sorry if I'm repeating something that has already been discussed - I had a quick browse through recent threads and couldn't see anything and reasoned that older threads might not contain up-to-date recommendations

My guru recently bought a refurb Freeview Terrestrial 80gb HDD Twin-Tuner PVR for around £35 from an ebay electrical shop owner.

This gives you the facility of watching one channel and recording another.

As far as I can tell, there isn't yet a PVR which will do the same with Freesat broadcasts, but it won't be long, I'm sure.

[lupinpooter]

name='sippog']I'd just check that you get a built in digital tuner with your machine. My Panny is analogue and that severely restricts what I can record unless I do it "live". So I use it mainly for archiving stuff recorded on my PVR but will definitely buy a digital DVDR at some point

I knew there'd be something I'd have to take into consideration that I hadn't thought of!



I don't know what you mean by built in digital tuner sippog Do you mean a built in freeview receiver? Do I need this when my telly has a receiver built in?



Sorry to be such a dunce

[lupinpooter]

name='Jackdaw']My guru recently bought a refurb Freeview Terrestrial 80gb HDD Twin-Tuner PVR for around £35 from an ebay electrical shop owner.

This gives you the facility of watching one channel and recording another.

As far as I can tell, there isn't yet a PVR which will do the same with Freesat broadcasts, but it won't be long, I'm sure.

Thanks Jackdaw - is it the "Twin-Tuner" that enables you to watch one channel while recording another?



If I were to get a PVR with built-in Freeview, would this conflict with the built-in Freeview on my TV?

[Jackdaw]

name='lupinpooter']Thanks Jackdaw - is it the "Twin-Tuner" that enables you to watch one channel while recording another?



If I were to get a PVR with built-in Freeview, would this conflict with the built-in Freeview on my TV?

Ah, lupin, I see you've called my bluff!

I will speak to said guru tonight and get as much as I can from him.

Do you receive freeview via aerial or dish?

[lupinpooter]

name='Jackdaw']Ah, lupin, I see you've called my bluff!

I will speak to said guru tonight and get as much as I can from him.

Do you receive freeview via aerial or dish?

No intentional bluff calling here jackdaw! As you can probably tell, I haven't a blinkin' clue about how these things work



I receive Freeview via aerial. I really want to get this sorted by the weekend so I can record the British B-Movie stuff on BBC4. Ideally I would like to be able to record one channel while watching another, so thank you for pointing that issue out to me.

[lupinpooter]

Have been reading up about this on the internet and in theory I think a single tuner PVR will work with my TV's built-in Freeview tuner to allow me to watch one channel while recording another. I'm loath to take this for granted though - perhaps the best idea is to get down to Richer Sounds and pick the salesperson's brain on this one (that's where I bought my telly, after all!). Thanks for your advice chaps :)

[sippog]

name='lupinpooter']

If I were to get a PVR with built-in Freeview, would this conflict with the built-in Freeview on my TV?

As far as I know you can have as many devices as you want all tuned to different things.



I have a TV with a tuner, a PVR with 2 tuners and a DVDR with an (analogue) tuner so I could in theory record 3 different things while I watch a 4th if I wanted to - problem would be finding 4 things on tv at the same time good enough to watch. Last time that happened, Halley's Comet was sighted.



Aint technology wonderful - when it works!

[lupinpooter]

name='sippog'] I have a TV with a tuner, a PVR with 2 tuners and a DVDR with an (analogue) tuner so I could in theory record 3 different things while I watch a 4th if I wanted to - problem would be finding 4 things on tv at the same time good enough to watch. Last time that happened, Halley's Comet was sighted.

Ain't that the truth!



Thanks for your advice - it has been very helpful

[Jackdaw]

Right, Lupino



Have been talking to my friend as promised.

He says there would be no point in getting a single tuner PVR since you would have to split the incoming signal between the TV and PVR, and then take another one out of the PVR.

There's no problem re the two devices having freeview receivers.

The twin tuner, which you should get, will enable you to watch one and record one, or record two and playback one at the same time.

It should also allow you to watch one and have another one visible in about a quarter of the screen.

If you want the Freeview equivalent of SKY+, in other words the pause live TV option, you need a unit with the Freeview Playback option.

There are other things to consider, such as how you are going to transfer items that you wish to archive from your HDD to another medium, say to DVD or computer hard disk.

If you already have a DVD recorder, you should be able to copy the PVR programmes from its hard disk to a DVD in the normal way via SCART, or to a computer via a cable link.

You could buy a PVR with a DVD drive and transfer archive material over that way, if there is one, of course.

The more features, the more money, I guess.

Anyway, armed with the above you should be able to ask the right questions of the man in the store.

I've just noticed this on Richer site



HUMAX PVR9200BK at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc.



Other outlets and units are available.

[lupinpooter]

name='Jackdaw']Right, Lupino



Have been talking to my friend as promised.

He says there would be no point in getting a single tuner PVR since you would have to split the incoming signal between the TV and PVR, and then take another one out of the PVR.

Yikes. That sounds complicated

name='Jackdaw']

There's no problem re the two devices having freeview receivers.

The twin tuner, which you should get, will enable you to watch one and record one, or record two and playback one at the same time.

It should also allow you to watch one and have another one visible in about a quarter of the screen.

If you want the Freeview equivalent of SKY+, in other words the pause live TV option, you need a unit with the Freeview Playback option.

There are other things to consider, such as how you are going to transfer items that you wish to archive from your HDD to another medium, say to DVD or computer hard disk.

If you already have a DVD recorder, you should be able to copy the PVR programmes from its hard disk to a DVD in the normal way via SCART, or to a computer via a cable link.

You could buy a PVR with a DVD drive and transfer archive material over that way, if there is one, of course.

That's what I am planning to do - I only have a rickety old VCR here

name='Jackdaw']

The more features, the more money, I guess.

Anyway, armed with the above you should be able to ask the right questions of the man in the store.

I've just noticed this on Richer site



HUMAX PVR9200BK at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc.



Other outlets and units are available.

Funnily enough I was looking at that exact model - I'll get down to Richer Sounds pronto!



Thank you so much for taking the time to advise me on this - I can now tackle the salesman with confidence

[Jackdaw]

name='lupinpooter']

Thank you so much for taking the time to advise me on this - I can now tackle the salesman with confidence

My pleasure. My guru is always interested in helping people out with computer and AV problems etc. He's just got that sort of head. Any more probs and it's fine to check with him.



I would be interested to hear how you get on with your set-up, especially with regard to your B-Film project this weekend.

Keep us informed.

[lupinpooter]

What an obliging chap your guru is!



Hopefully I will be able to report that all is up and running without a hitch in come Friday

[autolycus]

The nice thing about the humax is the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). I rarely use the inbuilt freeview on my TV as the EPG is inferior - as most TV EPGs tend to be. The built-in freeview on the TV can come in useful if i'm recording a couple of things on the Humax and want to watch something else - which can happen very occassionally!



You can also archive from the Humax to PC/Laptop directly via its USB port, although be warned, this function is not glitch free.



PVRs are notoriously buggy and the Humax is not perfect, but it's probably about the best one out there. There is also masses of help on the web if you do get problems, including a hunax dedicated forum at Hummy.org.uk Forums - Powered by vBulletin

[lupinpooter]

Thanks autolycus, that's all good to know. I had Sky+ for a while a few years back and it was forever going wrong: I had hoped those problems had been ironed out now that the technology has been around for a few years.



Just to complicate matters even further, I'm now wondering whether to go for Top Up TV, who are offering a free 160Gb PVR with a 12 month contract at £9.99 a month: worth it for TCM alone, I reckon (how I wish TCM were a Freeview channel!). Then I could hook up a DVD recorder to that for archiving purposes. But the Humax looks like a good bit of kit that would keep things simple. Hmm!

[orpheum]

I have a Toshiba triple which does VHS +HDD+DVD.I now record everything on HDD.If it is worth keeping it is dubbed on to DVD if not it gets deleted.It has around 270 hours of storage at SLP.I only use VHS to use my old tapes and am bit by bit transferring tapes on to DVD without throwing away the tapes.Using HDD is so easy.I always had problems in the past with DVD as often discs would not finalise.VHS would inevitably go wrong after continuous use of a year or two.

[autolycus]

name='lupinpooter']Thanks autolycus, that's all good to know. I had Sky+ for a while a few years back and it was forever going wrong: I had hoped those problems had been ironed out now that the technology has been around for a few years.



Just to complicate matters even further, I'm now wondering whether to go for Top Up TV, who are offering a free 160Gb PVR with a 12 month contract at £9.99 a month: worth it for TCM alone, I reckon (how I wish TCM were a Freeview channel!). Then I could hook up a DVD recorder to that for archiving purposes. But the Humax looks like a good bit of kit that would keep things simple. Hmm!

Decisions, decisions! I remember when the only choice you had to make was the colour of the set. Still that does look a good deal from tutv - UK gold too i believe.



Good luck - i'm sure you'll do the right thing.

[lupinpooter]

name='autolycus']Decisions, decisions! I remember when the only choice you had to make was the colour of the set. Still that does look a good deal from tutv - UK gold too i believe.



Good luck - i'm sure you'll do the right thing.

I have choice anxiety



<advocates single Trabant-style model for all>



Thanks for the advice all.

[Jackdaw]

This is cheap, innit?



NICHIEM PVR 160Gb HDD with Twin Tuners*::*Audio Visual Acc*::*UKDVDR Ltd