HDD Recorder or DVD Recorder.

sabelu

Hi my mum has a LCD tv with integrated freeview whats the best of the two, taking into account price and flexibility, above to enable her to record programmes and would she need that unit to have freeview as well?

Hintza

Personally I think the HDD PVR are better to be honest a DVD recorder is old tech now. Who wants rto be buying recordable DVDs then labelling and storing them.

The one caveat of course is the HDD one will be a lot more expensive.

I use the Humax 40Gb and I think its great!

If the DVD is the route you fancy then looh HERE (this is the Argos clearance site and you will get a good deal on this)

Sobraon

I have both, but my DVD recorder does not have an EPG (Electronic Programme Guide). The EPG allows you to choose a recording to make based on a programme guide rather than a time. For me this means my DVD recorder is never used for every day recording only for long term backup.

Although the recorder could theoretically get EPG data via the Internet, terrestrial receivers normally get the info via the digital broadcast so if you want your recorder to have an EPG it does need to have a built in receiver. It is more convenient to choose an HD recorder with twin receivers (so that you can simply watch one side while recording the other).

A popular choice is the Humax -9200. Review here http://jocke.selincite.com/gadgets/humax-pvr9200t and more in-depth discussion on AV forums here http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=89

BillScarab

The only disadvantage of a the HDD ones is that you can' really keep stuff forever. However I would also go with the HDD recorder, most people just want ot timeshift not archive programs and for that they are great.

Whichever recorder you buy will need one preferably two tuners in it, otherwise you Mom will only be able to record what she is watching. I think all HDD recorders have tuners built in. If she gets one with two tuners she will be able to watch her TV and record two channels on the recorder. Even if she never records two channels at once having two tuners prevents any problems where the start and end times on different channels aren't synchronised.

Humax and Topfield are the market leaders but there are lots of others about.

https://www.avforums.com is always good for advice on this sort of thing.

lolarentt

sabelu wrote: »

Hi my mum has a LCD tv with integrated freeview whats the best of the two, taking into account price and flexibility, above to enable her to record programmes and would she need that unit to have freeview as well?

HDD is a must. It doesn't need it's own tuner unless she wants to record and watch different things on Freeview at the same time. She will be able to watch Freeview and record analogue & vice versa without a tuner in the HDD recorder, also watch stuff she's already recorded (or another DVD) whilst recording new material. Anything she wants to keep permanantly she can t/f from the HDD to a blank DVD. I've had a Panasonic HDD recorder for 3years+ and rate it one of the best things I've ever bought.

BillScarab

lolarentt wrote: »

It doesn't need it's own tuner unless she wants to record and watch different things on Freeview at the same time. She will be able to watch Freeview and record analogue & vice versa without a tuner in the HDD recorder,

But Analogue is being switched off and depending on where she lives it could be fairly soon. It seems pointless buying a HDD recorder without at least one Freeview tuner.

sabelu

Thomson back in stock @ JLP just bought it with voucher and quidco for £78 thanks for the advice

spakkker

There's currently a combi dvd and 250GB hd recorder at Nettos -150gbp.

Stompa

BillScarab wrote: »

But Analogue is being switched off and depending on where she lives it could be fairly soon. It seems pointless buying a HDD recorder without at least one Freeview tuner.

Absolutely agree. If you didn't have one you'd also need to leave the TV switched on for overnight recordings etc.. which would be daft.

sabelu

BT have Vision PVR's self install for £30 wouldnt us the download facility but surely as my mum has no internet but surely the freeview side will act as a PVR and just as the thomson?

Donnie

sabelu wrote: »

BT have Vision PVR's self install for £30 wouldnt us the download facility but surely as my mum has no internet but surely the freeview side will act as a PVR and just as the thomson?

If you want get BT Vision, you need to sign up or switch to BT Total Broadband.