UK- Freeview with HD or DVD with HD

[bloodyhippy]

Hi New Guy here to please be gentle.

Our video recorder is calling it a day (chewing and spitting). I was looking at a freeview box with a 80gb hard drive for £99 in Argos (but someone pointed out it was only single channel where if you want to watch 1 channel and record another you need twin channel). But then I seen a dvd recorder in Sainsbury's with 80gb for £150. (sorry cant remember makes).

We have a freeview box and a dvd player. The only obvious advantage i see of having the dvd recorder with HD is that you can transfer your programmes from the HD to dvd....(that isnt that important as most of the stuff that gets recorded on VCR is Easterenders, Corries etc).

So its a toss up between
replacing the freeview box with a freeview box with Hard Drive

or

replace DVD player with recordable DVD player with Hard Drive and plugging current Freeview box into DVD recorder (now is there a question of only being able to record what you watch)

Any suggestions?

Thanks

C

[chongy5]

replace DVD player with recordable DVD player with Hard Drive and plugging current Freeview box into DVD recorder (now is there a question of only being able to record what you watch)

This won't be as smooth - with the combined harddisk and Freeview box setting recordings will be easy and relatively seamless. (This coming up part isn't quite the same as what you have already said) But for plugging in the Freeview box to the DVD recorder, you will first have to set the Freeview box to be on say ITV1 before you can hit record, and that is a pain especially if you are setting a recording for when you are going out.

[bloodyhippy]

Thank you.

Any suggestions on Freeview with HD.

[drmih]

There are a few machines, but I'm not sure about 'supermarket brands'. Certainly panasonic do one.

[chongy5]

Panasonic and Sony are the big players (no pun intended), although I'm not sure if they have a harddisk only player.

Maybe you want to look into the Topfield or the Humax models, specifically the Topfield TF5800 PVR and Humax 9200T. These both have large fan bases dedicated to them on the internet, a quick search on google shows that.

Both are harddisk only and both have 2 Freeview tuners.

[bloodyhippy]

Just would like to say thanks.
Having done a bit of internet research yesterday I purchased the Humax 9200T PVR and I'm impressed.

I'm gald i extended my budget rather than going for a cheaper one (ended up gettting it from Comet, as i was in there and the £20 difference with an internet price wasnt enough for me not to purchase there and then)

It'll be maily used by the folks for recording eastenders, Corrie, Emmerdale, enders, Corrie, Emmerdale, repeat, repeat... Its so easy to use even they've already got their head round it, once the stopped trying to put a tape in.

Timering a programme couldnt be easier.

Thanks for advice.

Keegan