Recording stuff off the box

[Fokkerwokker]

Mum has decreed that we need summat to replace our wheezing video recorder which is on its last legs. Could some kind soul point me to a website where I can get an idiot's guide to what is available out there?

All a bit over my head!

Ever so ta in anticip.

FW

[Background Noise]

Can heartily recommend a hard disc recorder - its about the easiest medium to use, no worrying about tapes or discs and its always recording so you can 'rewind' live TV. If you don't have a digital tuner or freeview box you can get combined freeview/HDD recorders (a twin tuner model will allow you to record one channel (or sometimes 2) and watch another). Some forums here:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl
http://www.avforums.com/

[four_two]

This is one site I found and although it is heavily biased in favour of Sky+ it does give some links which might help.
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/pvr.html
The magic words seem to be Sky+,PVR and DVR for searching purposes.

[The Flying Pram]

If you get a combined HDD/DVD recorder, you will be able to record programmes to the Hard Drive and burn any you want to keep long-term to a DVD as well. Panasonic & Sony both do these.

[Parapunter]

A Hard disc recorder is one tenth of a media center.


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/mediacenter/default.mspx

[spannersatcx]

If you are a sky subscriber and don't have sky+ then upgrade. I have mine hooked up to an LG dvd recorder so anything we want to keep is put onto dvd.

[Tarq57]

Who'd have thought there'd be a fanclub (http://www.agoraquest.com/index.php) for Sony gear?
Guides/forum answers range from ignoramus level through to audiophile/tech. I'm sure "idiot guide" will fall somewhere in there.
I quite like the Sony gear and built a component home theatre/cd/ hd recorder setup.
You don't need to go that far, (which isn't that far, really, it just seems that way when you're writing the cheques out.) But a hard drive video recorder is a very good idea. They're rapidly getting cheaper. Still don't know about getting a blue laser model yet, though. Probably by the time the industry settles on which format is going to win the market share, something else will have arrived.

[Fokkerwokker]

Thanks to all for the heads up. I will know wade thru' the links!

Best

FW

[Fokkerwokker]

Apols for bumping this back to the top.

Any updates/views on what is the dog's b*ll*x at the moment?

Ta

[BRL]

Sky+ is the easiest way to go at the moment.

Simple to use, press a button on remote, up comes a very good tv guide, scroll to prog you want to record and simply press R. Job done, you can watch the prog as many times as you like and you also get an option to do a series link, if the prog is a series (like The Sopranos for example) then it will record every episode from that series for you.

If not then have a look at buying a recordable dvd player, same as a video but with a dvd.

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Could do a lot worse than the HUMAX series of PVRs. Have a peek on amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-PVR9200TB-Duovisio-PVR9200-160GB/dp/B000S84VQI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1204893502&sr=8-1
but certainly a fantastic piece of kit, and so simple even my brother can use it! The one he has has twin tuners (can record one prog and watch another or record 2 simultaneously (and can actually watch another whilst that is happening, but depends on the channels somehow!)) , an electronic programme guide (ala SKY), one touch pause/record, series recording (ie tell it you like eastenders and it will record every eastenders episode ever...)

[frostbite]

I bought a Sony HDD/DVD recorder a while ago.

Very mixed feelings about it. It does what it's supposed to do but it takes almost as long as the computer to boot up - sits there saying 'welcome', then 'load, load, load' before it will do anything.

Even when switched off it makes a lot of noise - it's only a couple of feet from my pillow and it updates the EPG every hour, whirr, click x3, and it seems to do some sort of housekeeping in the early hours.

The manual is poorly written and laid out.

[Fokkerwokker]

Thanks for the rapid updates. I was thinking hard about a Sony but enthusiasm circuit breaker popped after reading Frostbites comments.:eek:

[airborne_artist]

Subscribe to BT Vision if you are in the UK, but take none of the offered packages. £30 set-up fee gets you an integral Freeview/hard disc recorder box, and no need to pay unless you a) pay per view and/or b) take an optional subscription.

http://www.btvision.bt.com/vision/whats_btv/whatitcosts.htm

[rogerg]

I have a Sony HD recorder, not by the bed and its great. I dont want to go down the SKY route and the freeview gives me more channels than I will ever need. Does take a long time to boot up but you can still watch the TV direct.

[PPRuNeUser0211]

AA - BT vision does require a subscription to BT Broadband however, which from my past experience is not exactly the cheapest option available....

[Albert Square]

Just before Christmas I also decided to replace my VCR. Did a lot of research and opted for the Sony RHXD870S. Very pleased with it and best price was 199 GBP from 1staudiovisual. Very impressed as well with this supplier. They have a kind of chat line where you can ask if in stock and get immediate reply. delivery was very quick.

I should have added, you will not find a HDD/DVD recorder in the UK that will record two channels at the same time (only in Japan for some reason). But you can get a HDD recorder (without DVD) that will do this.

[Background Noise]

Have had a Humax 9200 for a couple of years now and still very impressed. Twin freeview tuner and very easy to use. Software updates itself regularly over the air and/or you can download it and update via usb. Latest software update added a lot of useful functions. Can put mp3 music on a section of the hard disc to play via whatever sound system you are hooked up to. Has camera in. usb in/out for updates and copying recordings to PC (but that is very slow) and card slot for top-up if req. Have separate DVD recorder for back-up or hard copy if required which is not quite so convenient as having both together but twin tuner makes up for that. More info Humax Forum (http://www.hummy.org.uk/home/)