Tivo box

waterman3

I've got Freeview at the moment but the signal on lots of channels is really weak and the picture keeps breaking up. I'm thinking of getting a Tivo box and wondered if I could have the same problem with that or is the picture always good with Tivo?

Also, is there any limit to the amount of time you can keep shows/films you've recorded onto your Tivo box?

thanks

DCFC79

waterman3 wrote: »

I've got Freeview at the moment but the signal on lots of channels is really weak and the picture keeps breaking up. I'm thinking of getting a Tivo box and wondered if I could have the same problem with that or is the picture always good with Tivo?

Also, is there any limit to the amount of time you can keep shows/films you've recorded onto your Tivo box?

thanks

No the Tivo from Virgin Media is from the ground eg your connected from 1 of the green street boxes, Im guessing your getting picture breaking up is the ariel not being strong enough in relation to the transmitters/masts etc.

Picture on my Tivo is very good, it doesn't break up. No there is no limit for how long you keep what you have recorded, the default setting is to delete stuff within so many weeks but you can change it so you the user are the only 1 who can delete stuff. You can undelete stuff if you delete something by mistake. How much you can store is dependant on what size hard drive is in the Tivo.

[Deleted User]

A far more money saving option for the OP is to have his aerial either re-aligned or replaced. A virgin TIVO box provides subscription television, so will always cost more than any Freeview set up.
Only reason to go with the Virgin option is if the Op wants subscription channels not available via Freeview.

waterman3

thanks for the advice. I think I'll try and get a new aerial and see if that stops the picture breaking up. If that works out, I might just get a Freeview + HD box.

Am I right in thinking you can't get TVs with Freeview + built in?

[Deleted User]

waterman3 wrote: »

Am I right in thinking you can't get TVs with Freeview + built in?

I'm not aware of any TVs with a hard drive, though some have a USB port to allow (limited) recording. For best results, buy a separate PVR (YouView, Freeview+ etc)

visidigi

TV's only have a single tuner, so you can only record what you watch. The TiVo allows you to watch one and record two others, or watch a recording and record three others.

Some Freeview HD boxes will allow recording on up to two channels whilst watching a recording, as do the Sky boxes but I believe only the TiVo has three tuners.

[Deleted User]

visidigi wrote: »

TV's only have a single tuner, so you can only record what you watch. The TiVo allows you to watch one and record two others, or watch a recording and record three others.

I think we've already established that (despite the thread title) the OP doesn't really want subscription television-just an improved Freeview reception.

Regardless, three tuners is hardly a deal breaker (though I accept that many find the feature useful).

waterman3

Yeah I'm thinking if i can get my reception issues sorted out, a Freeview + HD box is the way to go. Alot less expensive than Tivo.

You'd think they'd have come up with a way of integrating Freeview + into TVs. Even if I was to buy a new Freeview HD TV, I'd still have to have a Freeview + box in order to Pause and rewind, record programmes etc.

[Deleted User]

waterman3 wrote: »

You'd think they'd have come up with a way of integrating Freeview + into TVs. Even if I was to buy a new Freeview HD TV, I'd still have to have a Freeview + box in order to Pause and rewind, record programmes etc.

These aren't available for the same reason TV/VCR combinations (apart from some portable models) were never offered. It adds cost to the TV and not everyone requires a Freeview PVR. There is also more to go wrong...

macman

Where do you put the hard drive in a slimline TV chassis?

[Deleted User]

macman wrote: »

Where do you put the hard drive in a slimline TV chassis?

Hardly an insurmountable problem. Look at the newest iMacs!