Are there any good alternatives to YouView?

blizeH

It's my nan's birthday next week and we're hoping to chip in and get them a YouView box or similar - they have Sky (the full package) and whilst I think multiroom would be better for them, and IMO since they pay ~£70p/m should be able to get a Sky multiroom box for free with a bit of haggling, that's not an option they want to go down.

Anyway, sorry, YouView... are there any decent, cheaper alternatives? I love the idea but the reviews of it seem to be rather average, and it is probably the most expensive Freeview recorder around... and it doesn't have WiFi which is quite a big drawback

Any suggestions would be very welcome, thank you!

closed

humax do other cheaper pvr's that have some on demand functionality, and wireless adapters, as do some other manufacturers. youview is essentially similar, but the go back function is combined into the epg. Going to need an aerial feed whatever you choose.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-HDR-FOX-T2-Freeview-Recorder/dp/B004BMB2XC/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1368316232&sr=1-1&keywords=humax+hdr-fox+t2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HUMAX-DONGLE-HDRFOXT2-FREEVIEW-RECORDER/dp/B0055GVOCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345322390&sr=8-2

older boxes

https://humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10068

VisionMan

blizeH wrote: »

It's my nan's birthday next week and we're hoping to chip in and get them a YouView box or similar - they have Sky (the full package) and whilst I think multiroom would be better for them, and IMO since they pay ~£70p/m should be able to get a Sky multiroom box for free with a bit of haggling, that's not an option they want to go down.

Anyway, sorry, YouView... are there any decent, cheaper alternatives? I love the idea but the reviews of it seem to be rather average, and it is probably the most expensive Freeview recorder around... and it doesn't have WiFi which is quite a big drawback

Any suggestions would be very welcome, thank you!

Are you joking, blizeH?

It won a Which? 'Best Buy' Award. And won the award for the best PVR of 2012.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/digital-tv-recorders/humax-dtr-t1010-1138834/review

And you can pick one up now for £199. Nice.

MartinSpoon

Seems a bit odd to me. I have a YouView box and I'm a fan, but what is it they want, that the YouView box will do, but their Sky service does not do? And once that's clear, is buying a YouView box on top of an existing Sky service really the most sensible way of achieving that?

All I can think of is they want the on demand players like iPlayer? And if that's the case, would they be better looking at cancelling Sky and taking a BT YouView package? What are the aspects of the Sky service they want to keep?

VisionMan

MartinSpoon wrote: »

Seems a bit odd to me. I have a YouView box and I'm a fan, but what is it they want, that the YouView box will do, but their Sky service does not do? And once that's clear, is buying a YouView box on top of an existing Sky service really the most sensible way of achieving that?

All I can think of is they want the on demand players like iPlayer? And if that's the case, would they be better looking at cancelling Sky and taking a BT YouView package? What are the aspects of the Sky service they want to keep?

You mean what does the OP want from a box. Yes?

penrhyn

The Humax You-view box is the best on the market.
However, if they are and wish to continue with Sky they only need to connect the Sky+HD box ( assuming they have one) to the interweb to get all the catch up players.

Upstairs I'd suggest a magic eye link from the RF2 output from the box downstairs.

BTW Do they have a TV aerial?

ab48uk

As your nan is already getting Sky perhaps the easiest alternative is the satellite version of YouView, such as:

Humax HDR-1010S Freesat+ <freetime> HD Recorder - 1 TB. However at around £300 this is not cheap, although it does have built in WiFi. I have one of these and thoroughly recommend it.

£840 per year for Sky is a great deal of money for most people. I have cancelled Sky completely and hardly miss it at all.

blizeH

Thanks all Cancelling Sky is definitely not an option since my grandad loves football, but it's good to have these other options! I've just suggested multiroom to her again but if she isn't keen, will go for the YouView

That Freesat box sounds great ab, but where they need it, it's probably easier to get a Freeview box as there's already a cable there... shame as WiFi would have been great!

closed

are you planning to use powerline for internet?

MartinSpoon

Not to sound like a broken record, but..

You still haven't told us what 'requirement' you are trying to fulfil here!

My from your last post is this is to give them a TV service in another room?

If so, what do they want to do with it? Watch terrestrial TV? Watch Catch Up? Record things..??

[Deleted User]

blizeH wrote: »

Thanks all Cancelling Sky is definitely not an option since my grandad loves football,

Remember to remind your Grandad that they'll only be able to view Sky Sports in the other room if they have Multi-room.