Replacing all TV/DVD etc equipment

dreams_R_free

Good Morning

I hope someone will be able to offer a bit of advice as I haven't a clue and the jargon spouted in electrical shops plus their conflicting advice is giving me a major headache:eek:.

MIL is moving in with us, not exactly a granny flat but her own separate rooms for when she feels like being on her own. Although very elderly she has all her 'marbles'. We want to get her all the necessary equipment for enjoying TV. She will need a TV(max 20 inches and pref with digital tuner incorporated but if not then a freeview box) and a DVD player/recorder possibly with integrated VCR as she has loads of tapes and DVDs.

We wondered whether to buy:
Combi TV/DVD/VCR +separate Freeview box
TV with digital tuner + combined DVD/VCR
TV with integrated DVD (with Freeview incorp if they make them)+ standalone VCR
Any other combination.

Sorry if this is as clear as mud:o . Price isn't too much of a problem as she has the wherewithal to buy the kit, but we want to make sure it is relatively easy to use. Neither OH or I are particularly technical and would'nt be much use with day to day problems!

She has seen a Toshiba HD Ready TV with digital tuner but hasn't bought it yet so any of the combinations would be OK. Do you think it makes it any easier with the set-up/operation to buy all separate pieces of kit from the same manufacturer such as Toshiba?

Grateful thanks in advance.
Imp

Cricri

I prefer to buy separate componets because that way, I can upgrade each device separately, and if one goes down, I've still got the others up and running.
The only downside is that you need to setup the connections first time, which really isn't that hard at all.
So if you want a combi, I can't give you any advice because I never bought any! However, since freeview is going to be the only way to go in the near future, Tv+freeview integrated is definitely a good idea.
As for the tapes, they are obsolete and would try to get rid of them. If you could convert them all to DVD, that would be grand for her.

dreams_R_free

Cricri wrote: »

However, since freeview is going to be the only way to go in the near future, Tv+freeview integrated is definitely a good idea.
As for the tapes, they are obsolete and would try to get rid of them. If you could convert them all to DVD, that would be grand for her.

Thanks for the advice Cricri.

Our TV region is scheduled for the last phase of the digital switchover so it will be 2012 before it's all sorted here:eek: . We are waiting to upgrade our main telly later and are currently soldiering on with a freeview box and our 'old' TV.

MIL will not negotiate on the VCR situation I'm afraid! She has about 200 tapes:eek: . Also, we have nothing to copy them with as our DVD player only plays.

Cricri

Ok, the, I'd say try to combine TV+DVD+FreeView, and get a separate VCR. VCR combis are probaly more difficult to find, and they are less useful. With a bit of luck, her tapes will die soon and she won't need the VCR anymore
2012? Wow, I thought it was much earlier than that! Seeing the life span of consumer electronics these days, you might want an external freeview. But I'm sure there are plenty of TVs with integrated freeview, and quite cheap as well.
So my personal choice would be:
* TV/FreeView/DVD, something like that:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/26-HD-Ready-LCD-TV-with-Freeview-and-DVD-Player-DMTech_W0QQitemZ250133087164QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3320QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Although I wouldn't funnel that much money into a TV myself.
* External VCR

ckerrd

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5335000/Trail/C%24cip%3D49550.Sound%2Band%2Bvision%3EC%24cip%3D49586.DVD%2Band%2Bvideo%3EC%24cip%3D49593.DVD-video%2Bcombinations.htm

How about the above plus a TV and you are all ready to go?

ckerrd

Cricri wrote: »

Ok, the, I'd say try to combine TV+DVD+FreeView, and get a separate VCR. VCR combis are probaly more difficult to find, and they are less useful. With a bit of luck, her tapes will die soon and she won't need the VCR anymore
2012? Wow, I thought it was much earlier than that! Seeing the life span of consumer electronics these days, you might want an external freeview. But I'm sure there are plenty of TVs with integrated freeview, and quite cheap as well.
So my personal choice would be:
* TV/FreeView/DVD, something like that:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/26-HD-Ready-LCD-TV-with-Freeview-and-DVD-Player-DMTech_W0QQitemZ250133087164QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3320QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Although I wouldn't funnel that much money into a TV myself.
* External VCR

I think this is an issue for loads of people who have a huge video collection.

I am thinking of getting round to transferring stuff to DVD but it will be time consuming.
Still got some old Betamax tapes that I need to transfer. Still got my trusty Sony Beta player fortunately

milkydrink

Personally an LCD TV (I would NEVER buy another "fat" TV:rotfl: ).

& all the others seperate, as they are all very cheap & very small seperate.

They will probably be simpler & easier to work seperate as well.

I bet someone will "give" you a video for free.

superscaper

Cricri wrote: »

2012? Wow, I thought it was much earlier than that!

That's the very last stages of switchover. In my region the digital switchover is in 2009.
As for VHS dying I believe there is noticeable degradation in VHS cassettes after 5 years and total lifetime is typically no more than 20 years.

dreams_R_free

ckerrd wrote: »

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5335000/Trail/C%24cip%3D49550.Sound%2Band%2Bvision%3EC%24cip%3D49586.DVD%2Band%2Bvideo%3EC%24cip%3D49593.DVD-video%2Bcombinations.htm

How about the above plus a TV and you are all ready to go?

Thanks for the link ckerrd, that looks a very suitable compromise with everything in one unit. Haven't had much time to read the full spec yet so will give it some serious time this afternoon. Good price, too, with the advantage of being by Panasonic. We have a lot of Panasonic equipment, most of it several years old, which has had so much use and never given us a single problem:j .

Cricri

Good, I did well buying a freeview box of MAkro for £20 last year then
I like it already, UKTV History between others... and the red button for BBC to get channels 301/302 or whatever.
Yup, I've got a lot of tapes as well, that I left to my parents, but I don't consider them as "stuff I have", but "things that might still potentially work if the tape is still ok and if the VCR is not going to munch it".

dreams_R_free

Cricri wrote: »

So my personal choice would be:
* TV/FreeView/DVD, something like that:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/26-HD-Ready-LCD-TV-with-Freeview-and-DVD-Player-DMTech_W0QQitemZ250133087164QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3320QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Although I wouldn't funnel that much money into a TV myself.
* External VCR

Thanks for the suggestion and the link Cricri. I've seen something similar to this on Comet/Currys/Dixons website (can't remember which now as my brain aches:eek:). I've never heard of DMTech though. Is it a major brand? It should be OK as John Lewis also sell it (although at a vastly inflated price!). MIL doesn't want more than a 20 inch screen as the room is quite small.