Using set top box with freeview TV

I'm planning to buy a new TV, a flatscreen with a Freeview tuner in, to replace the ageing CRT in the bedroom. We use a Humax set top box at the moment which has a recording function and would like to continue using this. Will it be possible to keep viewing Freeview through this with the new TV or will we have to use the tuner in the TV?

If specific models are an issue, I'm looking at something like the LG PA4500.

Comments

  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    You can use either the TV tuner or the settop box tuner for instance if the channel you want isn't available because of what you are recording simply switch to the TV tuner. If you say which Humax pvr you have could be more specific as to connections.
  • Chris FrostChris Frost Posts: 11,015
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    If you have been using the Humax with a CRT TV then you have probably connected using a SCART cable. That would have given the best result.

    As long as the new TV has either a SCART connector or one of the adapter cables that allows SCART to connect to the slimmer LED TVs then you can use the same connection. The LG PA4500 series has a direct SCART socket so that's a simple connection with a familiar plug.

    If the Humax has a HDMI connection then you would be as well to start making use of that with the new TV. It will do the same job as SCART but just be a less bulky connection. HDMI cables are cheap - Less than a fiver for cables up to 2-3mtr. You can also get versions with right angle plugs. They're a little more money but they are a boon for minimising the space required behind the set when mounting on a wall bracket.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    incy wincy wrote: »
    I'm planning to buy a new TV, a flatscreen with a Freeview tuner in, to replace the ageing CRT in the bedroom. We use a Humax set top box at the moment which has a recording function and would like to continue using this. Will it be possible to keep viewing Freeview through this with the new TV or will we have to use the tuner in the TV?

    To clarify the 'issue' (I don't know why people even think there is an 'issue'?), there's no relation between the internal Freeview and an external PVR, just as there was no relation between the internal analogue tuner and the PVR.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    You can also get versions with right angle plugs. They're a little more money but they are a boon for minimising the space required behind the set when mounting on a wall bracket.

    You can also get right angle adaptors, which are probably more useful (I always carry them for mounting sets on walls).

    Be aware though, both adaptors and leads have to 'angle' the way you want them - I carry BOTH types of adaptors (LH and RH - so the HDMI lead can be fitted in either direction).
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    You can also get right angle adaptors, which are probably more useful (I always carry them for mounting sets on walls).

    Be aware though, both adaptors and leads have to 'angle' the way you want them - I carry BOTH types of adaptors (LH and RH - so the HDMI lead can be fitted in either direction).

    You can also get ones that go either way.

    http://burasi.co.uk/index.php?i=B002MFWGJE

    Or for the ultimate angles :D

    http://www.misco.co.uk/Product/165255/LINDY-HDMI-360-Degree-Adapter-HDMI-Male-to-Female
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    I carry the swivelling ones as well, but they are generally too big, and mean you have to space the TV too far off the wall.

    The fixed ones (assuming you buy the correct ones) are much lower profile.
  • incy wincyincy wincy Posts: 839
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    Thanks very much guys. It might have seemed like a bit of an obvious question, but new style TVs aren't my forte, we have very ancient TVs in our house and haven't felt the need to upgrade as yet. In fact, I'm only upgrading the bedroom one now because we want to fit a new wardrobe in and need to conserve space.

    Yes, it is connected with a SCART so we'll probably continue to do so, but I will look to see if the Humax has an HDMI slot. And thanks for the heads up on angled cables. I'm not sure if it's going to be wall mounted or free standing yet, but either way I'll consider whether angled cables will be beneficial.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    incy wincy wrote: »
    Yes, it is connected with a SCART so we'll probably continue to do so, but I will look to see if the Humax has an HDMI slot. And thanks for the heads up on angled cables. I'm not sure if it's going to be wall mounted or free standing yet, but either way I'll consider whether angled cables will be beneficial.

    If it's free standing just use normal straight HDMI leads - but it's only worth using HDMI if it's an HD Freeview PVR, otherwise there's no advantage.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,856
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    incy wincy wrote: »
    Thanks very much guys. It might have seemed like a bit of an obvious question, but new style TVs aren't my forte, we have very ancient TVs in our house and haven't felt the need to upgrade as yet. In fact, I'm only upgrading the bedroom one now because we want to fit a new wardrobe in and need to conserve space.

    Yes, it is connected with a SCART so we'll probably continue to do so, but I will look to see if the Humax has an HDMI slot. And thanks for the heads up on angled cables. I'm not sure if it's going to be wall mounted or free standing yet, but either way I'll consider whether angled cables will be beneficial.

    You might reconsider having a TV in the bedroom in the first place ...
  • Sid LawSid Law Posts: 4,663
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    If it's free standing just use normal straight HDMI leads - but it's only worth using HDMI if it's an HD Freeview PVR, otherwise there's no advantage.

    Beware - some new tellys have NO Scart sockets on the back. Make sure the one you intend to buy has SCART or you'll end up having to buy a new PVR as well.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,505
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    it's only worth using HDMI if it's an HD Freeview PVR, otherwise there's no advantage.
    Do you really tell your customers that? Rather you should telling them that it depends if the PVR upscales better than the TV or if the TV upscaler is better than the PVR and overcomes the disdvantage of having to work on a signal that has had to go through the extra conversions needed to squeeze through a SCART cable.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    Sid Law wrote: »
    Beware - some new tellys have NO Scart sockets on the back. Make sure the one you intend to buy has SCART or you'll end up having to buy a new PVR as well.

    As far as I'm aware there are no UK TV's that have no SCART's - although many thin sets have SCART via an extension cable because there's no room on the set for a large SCART socket.

    Unless you can provide an example of one? - all previous suggestions here though have proved to have a SCART via an extension cable.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,329
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    gomezz wrote: »
    Do you really tell your customers that? Rather you should telling them that it depends if the PVR upscales better than the TV or if the TV upscaler is better than the PVR and overcomes the disdvantage of having to work on a signal that has had to go through the extra conversions needed to squeeze through a SCART cable.

    Yes, I don't lie to customers - and it would be pretty unusual now for a TV to have a poorer scaler than a set-top box. The 'best' boxes are probably Humax?, and they have fairly poor scalers, as even a Humax employee admitted on these forums :D

    The 'extra conversions' isn't any concern at all, with many people finding RGB SCART a better picture than HDMI for SD programming.

    HDMI is essential for HD sources, pretty pointless otherwise, and much more limiting than SCART.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,505
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    Do you let them judge for themselves so they can make their own minds up which they think is best?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    incy wincy wrote: »
    I'm planning to buy a new TV, a flatscreen with a Freeview tuner in, to replace the ageing CRT in the bedroom. We use a Humax set top box at the moment which has a recording function and would like to continue using this. Will it be possible to keep viewing Freeview through this with the new TV or will we have to use the tuner in the TV?

    If specific models are an issue, I'm looking at something like the LG PA4500.
    You can use either the PVR or the TV. Entirely your choice.

    One thing you will be able to do with a new TV with "Freeview" tuner is record two programmes and watch a third all at the same time. ie record two programmes on the Humax and watch the third on the telly using it's tuner.

    The only reason you have to use the Humax at the moment is probably because it is the only device you have capable of receiving digital TV. So you don't have the option.

    But I presume you may have had a VCR back in the "old days"? If so, did you stop and think about what device you were watching telly on? Probably not. You used the telly for watching and the VCR for recording. But you could have used the VCR for watching as well as recording had you so wished. However unlike the Humax it would only have had one tuner so you could not have watched BBC1 while recording ITV for example solely on a VCR so would be forced to use the TV. The Humax however does have two tuners so you can use one to record from and the other to watch something else at the same time.

    But with the digital TV as well you can now record BBC1 and ITV and watch Channel 4 all at the same time if you so wanted.
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