PVR + DVD Recorder Vs DVD Recorder with HDD & Freeview built in

FIZZPIT

Hi,

Scenario - Parents require DVD recorder to transfer VHS recordings to DVD. I thought it would be a good idea for them to also have a HDD and ditch the vcr alltogether (once all copying has been done).

I've been looking around and I'm getting so confused!

Would I be best buying:

a) An all in one system (Poss Sony RDRHXD770 120gb HDD & Freeview built in)
or
b) A DVR and a sepearte DVD recorder (Poss Thompson or Sagem twin tuners with 160gb and 60 quid dvd recorder)

I'm thinking route B at the moment purely for the twin tuner aspect.

I would appreciate your advice on this one guys & any pros and cons you can see.

Thanks You!

buglawton

There are some well developed threads on these topics already around on MSE. My opinion is that an all-in-one forces too many compromises and when just one aspect goes wrong/becomes obsolete then the whole box goes with it. So a good PVR eg the Humax 9200T plus a good separate DVD recorder/player... the latter being hard to track down, they all seem glitchy.

isofa

Depends if you need the twin digital tuner*, and want all the separate boxes. Personally I'd got for a decent Sony or Panasonic, both win best buy/recommended awards in the video/home cinema magazines. If I was to choose the Sony I'd go for the 870 (or a higher model), good reviews at: http://www.trustedreviews.com/tvs/review/2007/08/06/Sony-RDR-HXD870-Digital-Video-Recorder/p1

*All decent HD/DVDs will have 1 analogue and 1 digital tuner, but at the moment there are no twin digital tuner models available.

Also tons of similar questions and advice at www.avforums.com

The Humax is a great stand alone PVR if you want to go route B though.

Stompa

FIZZPIT wrote: »

a) An all in one system (Poss Sony RDRHXD770 120gb HDD & Freeview built in)

FWIW there's a pretty good deal on that model right now:

http://www.hotukdeals.com/visit/?m=5&q=59128&d=http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5336607/Trail/searchtext%3ESOUND+AND+VISION+7+DAY+MEGA+DEALS.htm

FIZZPIT

Thanks for the replies evryone, I've just thought of something else....

...... If I buy the Sony and connect my seperate freeview box to it will it allow me to watch one digital channel whilst recording another?

Thanks