DVD Recorder and Freeview

diamondsky

Hi,

I have a video and xbox which plays DVD's but for some reason overheats and cuts the DVD short! I had a Tesco Freeview box but that conked out.

I am now looking to get a DVD recorder and possibly tape from the TV etc onto the recorder, so I can cut out my video and just use it for old videos. I may in the future want to transfer my videos to DVD. I have heard on here about DVD recorder's with hard drives for recording. I also need a freeview box possibly with card, I think these let you upgrade you viewing. I did consider SKY TV but there are only a few channels I would watch and think it's expensive.

Can anyone make recommendations as to what to look at?

grumbler

freeview: http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewreceivers.html

DVD+HD: http://audiovisual.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/cp_100304323_filter_recorder_type_dvd_recorderhd.html

P.S. also: Digital TV Cost Cutting article

Poppycat

You can also record on to Freeview pvrs basically a Freeview box with a computer hard disc and one particularly that I have can transfer recording back to pc, the Humax 9200 does this.

Pink.

Hi diamondsky,

I am going to move your thread over to the I wanna board to see if you get more replies.

Pink



Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [email="andrea@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/email].

diamondsky

Hi,

The more I look into DVD Recorders. Freeview, Sky, Hard Drives etc makes my head spin.

I had a look in Comet and Curry's today for a dishwasher and came across the TV section. I have an anologue TV and video recorder only. Started looking into things and realised I didn't have a digital TV but I think I read you can use freeview for reception. Anyway, then stumbled on HD TV, wow, really good picture.

So, it all makes me wonder what I should actually be buying now. What is the way forward without making costly mistakes?

gizmoleeds

HD-TV is brilliant, but it is only going to be used for broadcasts by Sky (for the next few years anyway) and they will charge extra for it.

Buying a HDTV TV now is, in my opinion, like buying a VCR in 1980 - you'd have to be nuts, rich or both. The price will plummet in a few years.

However, where possible, getting HDTV-compatible equipment (ie. DVD recorder) is probably a good idea. It is not a necessity though.

If I were you I would check out https://www.richersounds.com

Personally, I wouldn't bother with a hard disk recorder - I would get a DVD recorder with DVD-RAM. DVD-RAM disks allow you to do "timeslip" - watch a program which is still recording, or "pause" live TV.

And I would combine this with a separate freeview box.

gizmoleeds

diamondsky wrote:

I had a look in Comet and Curry's today for a dishwasher

And for this, have a look at https://www.empiredirect.co.uk

gizmoleeds

I also need a freeview box possibly with card, I think these let you upgrade you viewing.

Forget the card slot - this is for Top-up TV, and it is appaling value for money. It costs £8 a month for just 11 extra channels, and they are not the brightest selection: http://www.topuptv.com/

diamondsky

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

When I was looking at the HD TV my partner's eyes started getting the "I want one" look but I reminded him that every time something new comes along and he wants it, it plummets in price a couple of years later. So, I'm hoping the TV will last up to when the prices come down. The assistant said that what they are showing in the shop is pre-recorded and that next year it should be happening live.

After looking at getting another preview box again, I started looking at the TopUpTV thinking it would be ideal instead of Sky but like you said, the channels are not that great so I don't think I will do this. I had a look at Sky packages with them being 1/2 price just now for 3 months I think but feel they are pricey on top of having to pay for the TV licence as well. I am starting to look at the DVD on-line rental this seems a good option instead of going the video shop. Cheaper than Sky and you get what you want to watch and can have the DVD without fines for a while and just post it back to the company when you've watched it.

As for the dishwasher your link spooked me, as I ordered one yesterday. Fortunately, I beat the price by £20.00 from Comet on-line with 10 free DVD rentals for one month http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/screen_select_receipt.htm, so I can watch some decent TV over Christmas!

perryash1

on the topic of the dvd recorders, my husband and i are thinking of getting one for xmas, not one with the hard drive, but someone has said that there are different recording frequenses, some are - and some are +, so they will not play on some players, now i am confused, can anyone enlighten me please.

Poppycat

The Liteon 5006's are fine but they have analogue tuners as do most recorders, they support both formats + - r's, accept dvd ram.

Personnel I prefer pvr's rarely use my dvd recorder as its so simply to use click on EPG and thats it, also have serach facility for findig programs of that week and or genre.