whats got the best picture-freesat hd or freeview hd

[rock15]

Hi everyone ,i am new to this and wondered if anyone had any veiws on whether the freeveiw hd pvr by humax would be better than the freesat tuner on my panasonic tv which gives a good picture, as at present i dont have a tv aerial , but i would get one put in if freeveiw hd is better than freesat , or should i go for the humax freesat pvr and are there likely to be more hd channels coming to either of these formats thanks

 

[daveh75]

Freesat HD PQ is slightly better than Freeview HDs. C4 HD will be added to Freesat's EPG in april, and doesn't have the bandwidth/capacity limitations of Freeview so has potential for more HD channels in the future. Freeview is supposedly getting a fifth HD channel 'before 2013' but 5 HD channels will be Freeveiw's maximum due to it's limited bandwidth.

 

[Clare Newsome]

We've certainly found the Freesat HD tuners slightly better than their Freeview HD counterparts on sets that include both - like the Panasonics.

If you've got a dish and in-built Freesat HD, it seems the obvious option right now. And Dave is, of course, spot on re the future potential.

 

[rock15]

hi thanks for your replys ,the freesat tuner on the panasonic 46 g15 has a great picture, and i am happy with the tv, but i am going to get a pvr and suppose a humax freesat hdr is going to be better than the humax freeveiw t2 pvr with more hd channels and i already have a dish what do you think thanks ian

 

[Clare Newsome]

The Humax kit is great.

How's your Blu-ray situation? Another option to consider is one of Panasonic's Blu-ray recorder/Freesat PVR combos, which cost from @£450. Worth thinking about if you want to cut down on boxes (and remote controls!)

 

[Alec]

The Humax kit is great.

How's your Blu-ray situation? Another option to consider is one of Panasonic's Blu-ray recorder/Freesat PVR combos, which cost from @£450. Worth thinking about if you want to cut down on boxes (and remote controls!)

Have you reviewed those? Would they be considered at least on a par with the BD35 as BluRay players? And is their PVR functionality as good as the best Humax or even Sky's?

 

[rock15]

hi claire , i have a sony bd 300 s/system at present, but the wife likes the idea of a pvr , and your right about all the boxes as i have a rotel rao4 ,cam audio cd 650 and a denon tuner all under the tv, but i can fit in a pvr thanks ian.

 

[Clare Newsome]

We gave an Award to the Freeview version last year (though have no reason to believe the Freesat one would differ greatly - other than factors already mentioned in this thread).

And yes, better than a BD35 for Blu-ray.

It's a very good PVR, too (hence the Award!) - though some people have grumbled previously re Panasonic having advertising on the EPG.

 

[Alec]

But there is one with Freesat for around £450? I'd be prepared to go to about £550. I don't really need to save the space but its certainly an idea worth keeping in mind as I'll probably be going Freesat soon.

Apologies to the OP for the interruption.

 

[Clare Newsome]

You can get the 250GB DMR-BS780 for around £420, while the 500GB DMR-BS880 can be had for @£650

And don't forget these are last year's models - new ones due soon (including 3D Blu-ray support), which could drop price of 2010 designs down further still.

 

[Alec]

Thanks Clare.

 

[hammill]

But there is one with Freesat for around £450? I'd be prepared to go to about £550. I don't really need to save the space but its certainly an idea worth keeping in mind as I'll probably be going Freesat soon. Apologies to the OP for the interruption.

|My "mother in law" has the DVD equivalent and finds it very difficult to use. Having had a quick play with, I can understand why, I would not touch it with a barge pole.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Our review (linked to in my original post on the subject) clearly flags up the complexity of these devices.

 

[laserman16]

We gave an Award to the Freeview version last year (though have no reason to believe the Freesat one would differ greatly - other than factors already mentioned in this thread).

And yes, better than a BD35 for Blu-ray.

It's a very good PVR, too (hence the Award!) - though some people have grumbled previously re Panasonic having advertising on the EPG.

I have the DMR-XS350 which is Panasonics first generation DVD/HDD Freesat recorder which was released at the same time as the Freesat Bluray recorders and I can confirm that there is no advertising on the EPG, whether thats true of all Freesat models I don't know.

Re. the comments about the machines being complex to use I personally found it very easy to use and that includes the Bluray model as well as my Brother has one.

Mind they do need a bit of reading up first though.