Best for my set-up?

perebrine · 20-01-2010, 16:58

Hi,
My name is John & I'm a newbie here.
I have Sky+ available in all rooms & controllable from downstairs & my bedroom.
My 73 year old Mother lives with us & has to tape all the soaps etc (Both sides at once,) she has 2 video recorders & one has just packed up,
Can anyone suggest a better way of recording for her? Would a Freeview hard drive recorder be suitable & would it work in conjuction with Sky+?
Cheers
John B.

Chris Frost · 20-01-2010, 17:17

Hi John, and welcome.

As long as the programs she wants to record are available on the Freeview channels then a PVR with dual Freeview tuners would work very well. It could record two channels at once. It could record one program while watching live TV. Some even let you record two programmes at the same time while watching a previous recording. On top of all that she'll still be able to watch the Sky+ piped arond your house. Have a look at the Topfield and Humax brands as a starting point.

As for them working with Sky+, that very much depends on what exactly you want to do. [LIST][*]These won't be able to record the Sky signal. It's analogue as opposed to digital and the recorders don't feature analogue tuners for recording. Then again, with dual Freeview recording does she really need to record from Sky+ as well?[*]She'll still be able to watch Sky+ on her TV, and do play pause rewind and playback Sky+ recordings too. [/LIST]Hope that's of some help.

chrisjr · 20-01-2010, 17:30

I'm assuming she is recording analogue TV from an aerial on her VCRs?

If so then I suspect you are talking things like Eastenders and Corrie on BBC1 and ITV? Both of which will be on Freeview. Assuming that is you get Freeview reception? There is a postcode checker on the Freeview website that may help confirm that.

If you do have Freeview recption then a dual tuner PVR would do the job very nicely. And if you get one that does Series Link properly then your mum can set it once and forget it. Just let the PVR record the episodes for her automatically (well that's how it works most of the time

)

If it is any help my mum is in her mid 80's and gets on very nicely with her PVR ( a cheap Wharfedale jobbie we got from Argos a few years ago), Despite being a self acknowledge technophobe she has got her head round firing up the EPG and selecting the stuff she wants to record. Even two things at once don't phase her.

One thing that helps is that her telly also has a Freeview tuner. Which removes one potential conflict, eg setting up a recording of Eastenders and Corrie but not being able to watch neighbours on Five all at the same time on the PVR

perebrine · 20-01-2010, 17:54

Thanks for the replies, I've done a check on wether Freeview is available in my area (I live in North Hampshire)& unfortunatley it's NOT until 2012.
Back to the drawing board.
John B

Fred Smith · 20-01-2010, 18:18

You are confusing the analogue switch off with current Freeview. I can assure you Freeview is available in North Hampshire from Hannington.

perebrine · 20-01-2010, 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Smith

You are confusing the analogue switch off with current Freeview. I can assure you Freeview is available in North Hampshire from Hannington.

I'm probably doing something wrong, but, I went to the Freeview website & put my Postcode in, It said not available in my area until 2012.
I have a new Sony T.V & that doesn't tune into any digital channels, is that the same reason.
John B

Fred Smith · 20-01-2010, 18:35

Well, I apologise I stand corrected. Just put RG24 9NA in and as you say it says no coverage. I thought you would be covered by Hannington or maybe Rowridge .

20-01-2010, 16:58	#1
perebrine Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hampshire Posts: 6	Best for my set-up? Hi, My name is John & I'm a newbie here. I have Sky+ available in all rooms & controllable from downstairs & my bedroom. My 73 year old Mother lives with us & has to tape all the soaps etc (Both sides at once,) she has 2 video recorders & one has just packed up, Can anyone suggest a better way of recording for her? Would a Freeview hard drive recorder be suitable & would it work in conjuction with Sky+? Cheers John B.

20-01-2010, 17:17	#2
Chris Frost Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cheshire Posts: 6,462	Hi John, and welcome. As long as the programs she wants to record are available on the Freeview channels then a PVR with dual Freeview tuners would work very well. It could record two channels at once. It could record one program while watching live TV. Some even let you record two programmes at the same time while watching a previous recording. On top of all that she'll still be able to watch the Sky+ piped arond your house. Have a look at the Topfield and Humax brands as a starting point. As for them working with Sky+, that very much depends on what exactly you want to do. [LIST][]These won't be able to record the Sky signal. It's analogue as opposed to digital and the recorders don't feature analogue tuners for recording. Then again, with dual Freeview recording does she really need to record from Sky+ as well?[]She'll still be able to watch Sky+ on her TV, and do play pause rewind and playback Sky+ recordings too. [/LIST]Hope that's of some help.

20-01-2010, 17:30	#3
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	I'm assuming she is recording analogue TV from an aerial on her VCRs? If so then I suspect you are talking things like Eastenders and Corrie on BBC1 and ITV? Both of which will be on Freeview. Assuming that is you get Freeview reception? There is a postcode checker on the Freeview website that may help confirm that. If you do have Freeview recption then a dual tuner PVR would do the job very nicely. And if you get one that does Series Link properly then your mum can set it once and forget it. Just let the PVR record the episodes for her automatically (well that's how it works most of the time ) If it is any help my mum is in her mid 80's and gets on very nicely with her PVR ( a cheap Wharfedale jobbie we got from Argos a few years ago), Despite being a self acknowledge technophobe she has got her head round firing up the EPG and selecting the stuff she wants to record. Even two things at once don't phase her. One thing that helps is that her telly also has a Freeview tuner. Which removes one potential conflict, eg setting up a recording of Eastenders and Corrie but not being able to watch neighbours on Five all at the same time on the PVR

20-01-2010, 17:54	#4
perebrine Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hampshire Posts: 6	Thanks for the replies, I've done a check on wether Freeview is available in my area (I live in North Hampshire)& unfortunatley it's NOT until 2012. Back to the drawing board. John B

20-01-2010, 18:18	#5
Fred Smith Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Reading Posts: 2,758	You are confusing the analogue switch off with current Freeview. I can assure you Freeview is available in North Hampshire from Hannington.

20-01-2010, 18:24	#6
perebrine Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: hampshire Posts: 6	Quote: Originally Posted by Fred Smith You are confusing the analogue switch off with current Freeview. I can assure you Freeview is available in North Hampshire from Hannington. I'm probably doing something wrong, but, I went to the Freeview website & put my Postcode in, It said not available in my area until 2012. I have a new Sony T.V & that doesn't tune into any digital channels, is that the same reason. John B

20-01-2010, 18:35	#7
Fred Smith Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Reading Posts: 2,758	Well, I apologise I stand corrected. Just put RG24 9NA in and as you say it says no coverage. I thought you would be covered by Hannington or maybe Rowridge .

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Best for my set-up?