PVR's / HD recorders

[goldstar0011]

Who has one?
Any bad experiences? (don't need to know if your mate had a problem, prefer first person advice)
Any easy to upgrade with larger HD's?
Can all of them record one channel and watch another?

Got my own place now so can't afford my own TV subscription so thinking a PVR so can record my programs.
Was thinking a DVD recorder version to save programs to DVD if I want.
Might get sky version but if I ever went to NTL or freeview could I still use it?
(A perk of going for a sky box is my bro repairs them etc at work)

Cheers

 

[Arnold]

With dual tuner boxes, you can watch one channel and record another. Not sure if standard boxes operate that way though

 

[James]

I must admit, I wasn't into all this PVR lark until I got a Sky+ box, and I must say it did actually change how I watched TV. And they're also user upgradable, I put a 160GB hard drive in it (normal one was a 40GB). Has sooo much recording space now! (http://sky.urlize.com/skyplus-160gb-upgrade/)

As for Freeview ones, the Pace Twin was the first one to come out, it had dual tuners but was a bit buggy. I think the Humax one is supposed to be quite good: http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/dvdpvr/0,39030417,39194399,00.htm

You may also find this site useful: http://www.pvruk.co.uk/
Along with this one: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/reviews/

/me is a bit of a Freeview geek :blush: lol

 

[Swallow]

Get one, they are one of the best gadgets out at the moment. Easy 2 record one touch,if you have twin tuner you can record one channel while watching another. Start watching a programme from the beginning while its still being recorded.pause live tv. The best bit i like is that you can rewind live tv without having to record it in the first place. I have a freeview one for about £100. Im not too fussed about the extra channels that sky and Ntl offer.

 

[goldstar0011]

I've used one at Wilsonians much to the annoyance of BooBooshi
Gotta say they are good.

The plan so far is get normal SKY in the house and maybe multiroom as it's only £10 more, can I use a separate PVR then?

 

[James]

You get Multiroom free if you get a Sky+ subscription

 

[goldstar0011]

But not extra boxes, and considering I see how many of them break, don't fancy the risk, might hold out for the BT digi box though

 

[James]

Depends which Sky+ box you get, the Amstrads are notorious for having the bugs, but I made sure on our install that the Sky installer came with a Pace box and I haven't had a single problem with it!

 

[Arnold]

I've just received a DigiFusion FVRT200 twin tuner digital recorder freeview box, and surprise surprise, it doesnt work. The front lights illuminate but it doesnt even switch on!

I checked out reviews on digital spy, most of them saying its quite buggy, loud and unreliable anyway so hopefully i can send this back for a refund. Bloody ebay people these days, im fed up with cowboy sellers on there.

Im looking at Pace boxes now but if you have any recommendations for specific models, then please let me know!

 

[James]

Don't get a Freeview Pace PVR - they're as old as the hills. I was referring to the Sky+ Pace box.

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/dvdpvr/0,39030417,39194399,00.htm - That one's supposed to be quite good

 

[paddymarsden]

sky plus all the way !

 

[Arnold]

Cheers for that mate. They arent the cheapest things in the world but am considering it.

Just wish i didnt have the hassle of getting my money back for the other pile of crap.

 

[paddymarsden]

was it an ebay buy ?

Humax are decent but only restricted to freeview unless you get one with input

 

[Arnold]

Yeah it was advertised as new (doesnt that sound fimilar) but it came with scratches and crap all over it. The internals are sliding around aswell, not just tiny bits but the entire unit - board n everything. Probably took a battering in the post, the box looked a right mess.

I was looking at something like - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Humax-PVR-920...ryZ96971QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Update

I've bought a new Humax 9200 as above for £182. The nackered one's going back tomorrow for a full refund. Seems like quite a straight forward return so far, but i havent got my money yet!! so we'l see.

 

[goldstar0011]

sky plus all the way !

Ye, until they break and then people like my brother and lazy agency workers are left to fix them and when sky say they'll send you a new one they mean a reconditioned one.

 

[Arnold]

Just a bump to this thread.

The humax 9200 is amazing! Aswell as watching one channel, it records two others simultaneously. It records Subtitles, allows two channel split screen, various forward & rewind speeds, slow motion live TV, one touch EPG recording etc etc. I've recorded loads of stuff and its still got 80% free! 2 year guarantee too.

Highly recommend it.

 

[James]

Glad to hear it! Add that to the list of satisfied Humax owners hehe