Going Digital....

Idiophreak

gtd2000 wrote: »

Yeah - that's a bit "ghetto" I suppose - it would work but it's not really a practical solution overall due to the possibility of recording programs on different channels. :undecided

Yeah, that's the problem, really...all "solutions" are gonna be a bit inelegant.

The point is you need 2 tuners really - one for watching, one for recording. This is what people always used to have...one in the TV and one in the VCR. Somewhere along the way though, with the whole set top box thing, the idea got lost - so most people will have a set top box for watching and the (analog)VCR for recording still.

As digital takes over, people have three main options:
1) Only ever record what's on the set top box - kinda defeats the point a little tbh - although on some STBs you can set timers for it to change to a certain channel at a specified time...

2) Get another STB to plug into the VCR - rather inelegant and clunky solution.

3) Get a Humax or other PVR with twin tuner. Clearly the way forward. I've not met anyone with a humax that reckons they could live without it now...

gtd2000

Sounds like the Humax/PVR solutions are the only way to go then?

Any comments regarding Freeview and the TV channels available through broadband providers and/or freesat?

Poppycat

You can only record series like like Corrie etc very easy to use just use the program guide and click it the asks to record once or full series

We have two 9200 and the older version single tuner. Kids use one each for there bedrooms to record craptv

Idiophreak

gtd2000 wrote: »

Sounds like the Humax/PVR solutions are the only way to go then?

Any comments regarding Freeview and the TV channels available through broadband providers and/or freesat?

Freeview's OK.

A quick summation:

1-5, as terrestrial. (except decent quality 5 - which I still can't get here analog...would have been screwed without digital - neeeeighbours! )
BBC3 - the occasional sitcom worth watching.
ITV2 -the occasioanl decent film.
E4 is OK for music in the mornings and friends/scrubs the rest of the time.
QCV/IdealWorld/BidUp/PriceDrop - old ladies *love* shopping channels
Film4 - again, the odd good film.
TMF/Hits - occasionally OK for music - plenty of trashy american teen stuff.
More4 - seems to be Grand Designs or Scrapheap challenge 24/7 - both of which I like, so OK by me...
ITV3+ Only occasionally worth it for the coverage of footy matches etc.

Generally, the "Red Button" interactive thing is OK too - good for watching different courts at wimbledon, that kinda thing.

I don't believe I'm missing out on too much that I'd like to watch, really...I might get sky one day for the footy, but that's about it...

gtd2000

Well it sounds like Freeview will be just the job - I suppose I can have a look at what's available when I get back to the UK tomorrow (hence why I am so out of touch with most of this stuff) and I can always have a look round Asda and the usual suspects to see what's available locally first.

CrispyUK

If you're planning on using the existing DVD/HDD recorder for recording and it's only analogue then you'll need to check what inputs it can record from, if it only records from the the TV/antenna/coax input then you'll need a Freeview box with an RF modulator - this means the freeview picture is sent out on the TV/antenna/coax output, in addition to the SCART output.

A lot of the cheaper boxes only pass the antenna signal through to the RF output for looping to another device, with the Freeview picture only coming out on the SCART outputs.

If the existing recorder can record SCART inputs though it's not a problem just something to watch out for.

mollysbb

CrispyUK wrote: »

If you're planning on using the existing DVD/HDD recorder for recording and it's only analogue then you'll need to check what inputs it can record from, if it only records from the the TV/antenna/coax input then you'll need a Freeview box with an RF modulator - this means the freeview picture is sent out on the TV/antenna/coax output, in addition to the SCART output.

A lot of the cheaper boxes only pass the antenna signal through to the RF output for looping to another device, with the Freeview picture only coming out on the SCART outputs.

If the existing recorder can record SCART inputs though it's not a problem just something to watch out for.

:eek: ohmygod... what does all that mean...???

Thought I was just about getting the hang of this (Ive cancelled the ridiculously expensive sky+ now there's only me in the house) and on the verge of orderdering a humax - then this was posted..:huh: :huh: :huh:

Back to the drawing board..

Cheers

Molly

Idiophreak

mollysbb wrote: »

:eek: ohmygod... what does all that mean...???

Thought I was just about getting the hang of this (Ive cancelled the ridiculously expensive sky+ now there's only me in the house) and on the verge of orderdering a humax - then this was posted..:huh: :huh: :huh:

Back to the drawing board..

Cheers

Molly

Just order the Hummy, you won't regret it.

Crispy's warbling on about a bunch of stuff you probably won't need to worry about.

The hummy will take care of all your TV watching and recording for you - just plug it into your (digitally compatable) aerial and away you go.

If you later want to record a show to DVD, you can just connect a DVDR by scart cable, but dont worry about that for the timebeing..

The Humax really is *easy* to use...

gtd2000

Idiophreak wrote: »

The hummy will take care of all your TV watching and recording for you - just plug it into your (digitally compatable) aerial and away you go.

Is there any way to determine if you already have a "digitally compatible" aerial?

penrhyn

Beg borrow or appropriate a freeview box and try it. Assuming you have checked freeview coverage in yor area using the postcode checker on the freeview site.
BTW there is no such thing as a digital aerial, dependent on where you are you may need a wideband aerial or a higher gain one, or the one you have could be fine.