Recording whats on the box

Joe 90 · 27-05-2011, 21:30

My girlfriend has recently got a rather nice new TV, an LG with an LED screen, freeview HD and all the rest of it.

What she doesn't have however is any way of recording the TV. Do you just need to get a DVD recorder or Freeview box with a hard disk, or can you get simpler devices that can use the tuner on the TV & just do the recording & playback bit?

Thanks

Mark · 27-05-2011, 22:01

Depends on the TV - a few of them nowadays have a USB port that you can plug a hard disk into and voila - impromptu DVR (recorder), though obviously that only works if the TV is on. This feature is still quite rare, however.

So I'd recommend a freeview hard disk recorder. What you get depends on your budget (you do get what you pay for, mostly). You don't want DVD as your first media of choice because it's expensive (and slow) to do it that way.

Joe 90 · 27-05-2011, 22:05

Yeah it has USB that certainly supports playback. I've so far sent her a page of top rated recorders at a range of prices. I shall hopefully find out more when she's had a look

Joe 90 · 28-05-2011, 09:26

She's sent me links to these two so obviously isn't looking to spend a lot;

http://www.gogodigital.co.uk/wharfed..._store=default

http://www.gogodigital.co.uk/review/product/list/id/97/

Mark · 28-05-2011, 12:23

Erm. Yeah. You're not kidding. :/

False economy - spend all that money on a decent TV and then get the crappiest recorder around.

As for USB, some work with both playback and record, most are playback only.

Briggykins · 28-05-2011, 22:23

Trouble is she's got a nice TV with HD freeview, but most of the cheap recording devices will only record in SD, which might be enough for her. I can certainly recommend this cracking Freeview+ HD box if she does want a relatively cheap HD recorder.
You can get boxes which don't have a tuner and just record what's on the TV - this has the obvious downside of not being able to record one channel and watch another, or series link, or any of that exciting stuff.

Joe 90 · 29-05-2011, 11:08

Well we were talking about this yesterday and she said she only really watches the F1 in HD so doesn't want to get a HD recorder.

I've suggested getting a 3-way aerial splitter so that she can record two things, but then still watch her TV if she wants.

She'll probably end up with that Wharfedale box, although I suggested spending a little more for a Bush box. Personally I'm still looking to get a nice Humax box linked up to our Sky dish!

Mark · 29-05-2011, 21:43

No need for a splitter - if the box is any good it'll have pass-through and you only need one connection even if there are two tuners.

I believe Bush and Wharfedale are much the same these days. Rarely can you go wrong with Humax though (I've heard their customer service is pretty good).

27-05-2011, 21:30	#1
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	Recording whats on the box My girlfriend has recently got a rather nice new TV, an LG with an LED screen, freeview HD and all the rest of it. What she doesn't have however is any way of recording the TV. Do you just need to get a DVD recorder or Freeview box with a hard disk, or can you get simpler devices that can use the tuner on the TV & just do the recording & playback bit? Thanks __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

27-05-2011, 22:05	#3
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	Yeah it has USB that certainly supports playback. I've so far sent her a page of top rated recorders at a range of prices. I shall hopefully find out more when she's had a look __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

28-05-2011, 09:26	#4
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	She's sent me links to these two so obviously isn't looking to spend a lot; http://www.gogodigital.co.uk/wharfed..._store=default http://www.gogodigital.co.uk/review/product/list/id/97/ __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

28-05-2011, 22:23	#6
Briggykins Vodka Martini Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Exeter Posts: 753	Trouble is she's got a nice TV with HD freeview, but most of the cheap recording devices will only record in SD, which might be enough for her. I can certainly recommend this cracking Freeview+ HD box if she does want a relatively cheap HD recorder. You can get boxes which don't have a tuner and just record what's on the TV - this has the obvious downside of not being able to record one channel and watch another, or series link, or any of that exciting stuff. __________________

29-05-2011, 11:08	#7
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	Well we were talking about this yesterday and she said she only really watches the F1 in HD so doesn't want to get a HD recorder. I've suggested getting a 3-way aerial splitter so that she can record two things, but then still watch her TV if she wants. She'll probably end up with that Wharfedale box, although I suggested spending a little more for a Bush box. Personally I'm still looking to get a nice Humax box linked up to our Sky dish! __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

27-05-2011, 22:01	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Depends on the TV - a few of them nowadays have a USB port that you can plug a hard disk into and voila - impromptu DVR (recorder), though obviously that only works if the TV is on. This feature is still quite rare, however. So I'd recommend a freeview hard disk recorder. What you get depends on your budget (you do get what you pay for, mostly). You don't want DVD as your first media of choice because it's expensive (and slow) to do it that way.

28-05-2011, 12:23	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Erm. Yeah. You're not kidding. :/ False economy - spend all that money on a decent TV and then get the crappiest recorder around. As for USB, some work with both playback and record, most are playback only.

29-05-2011, 21:43	#8
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	No need for a splitter - if the box is any good it'll have pass-through and you only need one connection even if there are two tuners. I believe Bush and Wharfedale are much the same these days. Rarely can you go wrong with Humax though (I've heard their customer service is pretty good).