Freeview - Digital Recorder

[Hopsta]

Ok, so my video packed up some years back and not felt the need to replace it. Now that digital technology has kicked in and the fact that my freeview box keepings hanging and glitching, its time for a replacement.

Any suggestions ? Perhaps I should look at a DVD recorder and cheaper freeview box instead ?

Graham

[Rustynuts]

Graham, we've been looking at maybe getting a DVD recorder for a year or so, but they were too expensive. Now that they're cheap enough, we ain't gonna get one cos they've been overtaken by hard disk recorders IMO (like Sky plus).

I fancy a "Shuttle" system with TV facility and recording to a hard drive on that, but might be a fuss to work.

Either way, with the new format DVD on the horizon, I don't think DVD recorders will be arround for long.

[jsheldon]

Sony do a dvd recorder with a freeview tuner built in, but no hard disk.

The tuner freezing maybe your signal/aerial. A new box may be better. I've just bought the sony freeview box even though I've got a digital TV. Got it for the quicker channel changing, 7 day programme guide working etc. These were all things that didn't work on the TV. The tuner is a bit better but I still get interference.

Panasonic do a nice dvd recorder, with hard disk, sd card slot and a pc card slot which means you can add a wireless network card which sounds cool. Just think the panasonics look a bit naff, too many lights and switches, the sony looks clean looking.

I'm going to try and wait another 6 months, prices should come down a lot, and hopefully some new kit will be on the market.

[ChrisT]

Graham, which Freeview box have you got I work for a freeview software company (well for the next week anyway) and it might just be a case that you need the latest version of the software, which I might be able to provide.

If you're looking to buy a new one, I would look at the Sony (very good but very expensive), the pioneer and the top end philips one (DTR500). They all do similar things and have similar specs but the user interfaces are quite different.

If you can afford to wait a bit longer there will be quite a few Freeview DVRs launched in the 2nd half of the year. There are some avaliable at the moment, but they are reasonably expensive and not the best to use. I think quite a few companies are betting on freeview DVRs as the must have Christmas present 2005, and I wouldn't be surprised if the average price went south of £150.

There are some reasonably good forums at www.digitalspy.com, though its rather full of teenagers and geeks take their advice with a pinch of salt, we often have a read of it to give us a laugh at work.

[Chrisg]

I've recently been told by a dealer that the Sony HDD freeview recorders will be available within about 3/4 months - so I haven't bought anything yet.I've been looking, on and off , since last summer !

[Hopsta]

Damn my IE, this is the 3rd time i've written this !

Sorted the hanging/freezing out with re-seating the aerial coax. Housemate must have knocked it when moving cables about last weeekend.

Howeever, still leaves with no recorder of any description. Thinking more about it I'd say that I won't need to keep stuff I've recorded from the TV, so a DVD recorder would be overkill. As the Freeview DVR appears to be new out, i'll hang on until xmas time by teh sounds of it.

As for my current setup, not able to run an update, as it shows 'Error Update' scrolling in the display.

Here's the version numbers anyhow.

[ChrisT]

I can't help with pace boxes unfortunately Pace write the software from them themselves and as pace are now exiting the freeview market so you're very unlikely to get any more updates for it.

The way that software updates for freeview work is a bit odd, some people expect all updates from all manufacturers to be avaliable all the time but that's not how it happens. Basically the box vendors have to rent a slot on the BBC engineering channel for a week or 1/2 week to schedule their download, and there's only one avaliable at any time. That's probably why your box is complaining there's an error downloading as its probably detected a non pace download. You can find the schedule of the downloads at the DTG web site.

Waiting for around Christmas is probably a smart plan, I know of at least one company who is trying to move heaven and earth to get a product ready for the Argos winter catalogue and I expect there are others. Also most set tops are based on ST processors and ST has a new line which are just coming through pre production now which should allow for some more funky features and better performance at lower cost (if they ever fix the drivers! - Snail you doing anything with 5100?)

[Sparky]

[ QUOTE ]

I've recently been told by a dealer that the Sony HDD freeview recorders will be available within about 3/4 months - so I haven't bought anything yet.I've been looking, on and off , since last summer !

[/ QUOTE ]

Sony already do a DVD Recorder with 250GB HDD (they also do a 160GB disk).

Have a look at the Sony RDR-HX1000 .

Not cheap though!

[Chrisg]

But the one on its way also has a built in freeview decoder - Sony has never been cheap !

Not that impressed with the 26" LCD I've got though its OK but I think I should have gone with a CRT.

I think 160GB is more than enough for us...... especially if I went for Sky+ as well........ not that there is anything much to watch.....

[eolair]

dixons have a no-name brand model with 40GB for 140 notes. Upgrade it yourself to 120 or 160GB and awat you go.