USB stick to record TV

waterman10

Hi, 

I'm looking for a usb stick to put into my TV so I can record programmes.  I don't really know much about them and was hoping for advice.  

Would I need to buy a particular kind of usb stick or would any of them do the job?

Could anyone recommend any in particular?  I'd want 256gb or above so that it stores a decent amount of content and I'd hope to spend under £20 if possible.  Not sure if that's feasible or not.  Thanks

Andy_L

I've always found sanDisk to be ok but they are all really much of a much-ness these days.

eg £18
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YFI1A66/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3W0A3I7OHZP8F&th=1

However the problem I found with my TV is that you can't watch one channel & record a different one at the same time

Neil_Jones

In theory any USB stick will do.

Do be aware though that it will not be Sky type recording (ie record one thing while watching something else), it will only be what you are watching and it almost certainly won't work while the TV's off/standby.

Also your recording will only work on that TV.  You can't take it somewhere else and expect it to work.

Vitor

Assumes the TV can save to USB, of course.

waterman10

Ah, I didn't know you could only record something you were watching.  That makes it pretty pointless so I won't bother getting one. 

Thanks, you've saved me some cash there!

Neil_Jones

waterman10 said:

Ah, I didn't know you could only record something you were watching.  That makes it pretty pointless so I won't bother getting one. 

Thanks, you've saved me some cash there!

It doesn't make it totally pointless, you can always temporarily timeshift if you're interested in what you're watching and then suddenly have a need to visit the bathroom.

The USB recording implementation is very basic on most TVs, and probably wouldn't work on all inputs anyway, its almost certainly Freeview or nothing.

You can get twin input PVRs which will do the Sky+ type recording thing, but in a world increasingly moving to on-demand whether you'd use it enough to justify the cost... well only you can answer that.

waterman10

I think my TV has 2 RF tuners.  Does that not mean I can record to a usb whilst watching a different channel?

Neil_Jones

waterman10 said:

I think my TV has 2 RF tuners.  Does that not mean I can record to a usb whilst watching a different channel?

Not necessarily, unless you have picture in picture.  Which is the next best thing.

But that doesn't guarantee you can record while watching something else.

What TV have you got?

facade

waterman10 said:

Ah, I didn't know you could only record something you were watching.  That makes it pretty pointless so I won't bother getting one. 

Thanks, you've saved me some cash there!

The point is that if you are watching one of the non-BBC channels, they are rife with "adverts". (The BBC has them too but only at the start of a programme)

You use the stick for time-shift and pause your favourite programme when it is about to start, then go to the toilet/walk the dog/have a shower/cook a meal. Then when you have used 15-20 minutes productively, start the playback, and fast forward through the adverts when they appear.

However, the timeshift function is normally limited to about 30-40 minutes behind real time and it clears if you accidentally change channel by mistake.

waterman10

It's the Hisense 40 Inch 40A5KQTUK

Neil_Jones

Having looked that up, I think "RF Tuners x 2" is code for one is for Freeview and one is for the old analogue TV.  The latter is virtually useless now unless you have some really old game console or something (or maybe a video player without SCART).

Either that or that TV seems to have a satellite input, which may be the other "RF Tuner".