PVR or DVD Recorder - Help required

[admin_exported]

I've just taken the plunge and cancelled Sky+ (what have I done!!) and am looking for a replacement. I have a Panasonic TX-32LXD700 which has (I believe) a digital freeview tuner built in. What I'm looking for is a device that allows me to series link and record. It seems that I have a choice between PVR or DVD recorder but both seem to have freeview tuners which I'm not sure I actually need. The tv does have a decent EPG (so it seems) although doesn't have series link.

As another option, I also have the dish still there from Sky, so in theory could I install a Freesat PVR by simply plugging it in and switch between Freeview and Freesat??

Any advice to help my confused brain much appreciated.....

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

Your TV doesn't have twin digital (freeview) tuners - if you're going to record a programme, you'll need to watch that channel on the TV or switch to one of the 5 channels on the analogue tuner - fine until the digital switchover in your area.

HDD or DVD recorders with a built in digital freeview tuner (or two) are more desirable so you can watch one channel while recording another.

At the time of writing there are no Freesat PVR's on sale.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[John Duncan]

And as far as I can tell freeview PVRs don't have series link - it's in the spec, but Humax haven't implemented it, for example, which is a real pain - I have to set each episode of Eastenders (it's not for me y'unnerstand) to repeat weekly. But then if it moves, they don;t move. I had to clear out a whole load of episodes of The Apprentice last night which weren't The Apprentice.

That said, Argos are selling the Humax for 99 quid just now (almost tempted to get another)..........

 

[Anonymous]

You are right that there is no series link as such on most DVD or combined DVD/HDD recorders.

However if you can access the freeview programe guide anything shown in the guide can be marked for recording in the future. Different recorders handle this differently. Some will capture the programme even if it moves in the EPG later and some will just "timer record" the channel at the time specfied during programming.

Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

 

[Anonymous]

welshboy:
Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

That sounds interesting.... I assumed I would just bin the Sky boxes. Would the planner still work and just show any freeview channels coming through the Sky box then?

 

[Anonymous]

I think you would still need a basic Sky subscription or maybe have to pay them the one off "Sky Freesat" fee. Have a look on their web site for details.

 

[professorhat]

The Topfield series of PVRs have now implemented Freeview Series Link - it's not without issues, but these should get sorted with firmware upgrades (there's an excellent forum for UK Topfield users on this).

 

[John Duncan]

I read somewhere that the Humax had too, but I haven't seen it (though appear to have latest firmware).

 

[professorhat]

I think that's the advantage of this brilliant forum for the Topfield over the Humax (though the Humax has a better picture than TF5800 I understand!). There's loads of testers / programmers and there's an unofficial firmware which implements Series Link as the official firmware does, but fixes all the bugs it has with the TAPs you can run on the Topfields. If you're using it 'out of the box' though, the official firmware will work fine and give you Series Link.

 

[John Duncan]

Actually, no I don't, I have revision 15, and apparently it goes up to 21 (and 20 introduces series link) - though this is of course dependent on the broadcasters sending the info. Will try to update (after eastenders has finised recording) and report back.

 

[daveh75]

bacchus:welshboy:

Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

That sounds interesting.... I assumed I would just bin the Sky boxes. Would the planner still work and just show any freeview channels coming through the Sky box then?

the sky planner still works on the free channels, you dont need a basic subcription or pay a one off fee,