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Cheapest "Freesat" like recorder
tim123
31-03-2011
Hi,

I've just moved into a rental flat where the freeview reception is pants.

It's wired for sat, but I have no assurances that it works (better or at all).

I want to buy the cheapest box possible to try it out.

I have no need for HD, I have no need for internet connection, but I do need a recorder. So I don't want a freesat box at all, I need "something that works" but without the branding. I certainly don't want to pay 250 quid for a box as I may move on in six months and have no further use for it.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post but none of the other categories looked any more appropriate

Anyhow, I have discovered the Fortec 4400/4700 (with USB record) available at Maplin.

Are these boxes any good, do they do what I want (i.e provide/record all the normal SD freesat channels)?

Are there any other options?

TIA

tim
Muzer
31-03-2011
Note that most (all?) non-Freesat boxes won't have any more than now/next data in this country, so bear that in mind if you plan to use it to actually record things - you'll have to use good old fashioned timers.
tim123
31-03-2011
OK. I can live with that.

Any other plus/minus points

tim
GaseousClay
31-03-2011
Originally Posted by tim123:
“OK. I can live with that.

Any other plus/minus points

tim”

you will need to rescan periodically to avoid loosing channels, whereas the freesat epg will update automatically
tim123
31-03-2011
Originally Posted by GaseousClay:
“you will need to rescan periodically to avoid loosing channels, whereas the freesat epg will update automatically”

Oh, how often is frequently?

I have to do this **** with my freeview box (3 times in the past 12 months and 6 more expected in the next 18). Is it going to be any worse?

tim
Muzer
31-03-2011
Not particularly worse, depending on how anal you are - channels do come, go and move about quite frequently on satellite, but the vast majority of them are extremely minor changes to channels you would probably never even think of watching.

But if, like me, you're a bit weird and you like having a fully up-to-date list of channels, even ones you never watch, you may get irritated by the number of rescans you have to do to keep it fully up-to-date
grahamlthompson
01-04-2011
Apart from a major reshuffle of the BBC channels on the 18th October last year and major launches like BBC1-HD, ITV1-HD and shortly CH4-HD the major psb channels stay pretty static.

The lesser channels like the CBS ones and pop music ones seem to shuffle transponders quite frequently.
davemurgatroyd
01-04-2011
Expect a major rash of transponder and frequency changes later this year after Astra 1N launches and arrives at 28 East.
davebav50
01-04-2011
Argos are advertising the Bush HD Freesat+ 250gbs today for £159.99. see 532/2680 for details. Might be worth a punt?
machare
01-04-2011
Originally Posted by tim123:
“It's wired for sat, but I have no assurances that it works (better or at all).”

Why not find out what whatever you have is connected to. Assuming that you are in the UK, satellite reception tends to work so long as the dish has line of sight to the satellite. (Unlike terrestrial transmissions.)

Originally Posted by tim123:
“I want to buy the cheapest box possible to try it out.”

Any receiver from ebay will tell you so long as the box itself is good.

When it comes to PVRs the EPG is important as that lets you easily created timers for the programmes that you want to record. That is what Freesat receivers provide.


Originally Posted by tim123:
“Are there any other options?”

USB dongle or PC card
tim123
02-04-2011
Originally Posted by machare:
“Why not find out what whatever you have is connected to.”

Well I can see the dish.

As it's flat on the roof what I can't see is how (or whether) it is connected to the sockets in my appartment and as yet I have no information about the existance of anybody in the block who can tell me.


Originally Posted by machare:
“USB dongle or PC card”

Do you have any suggestions for a USB dongle. All of the google links lead to sat boxes with USB outputs.

I have found a PC card, but as I only have a lap top that's no use to me

tim
2Bdecided
04-04-2011
Originally Posted by tim123:
“I certainly don't want to pay 250 quid for a box as I may move on in six months and have no further use for it.”

Buy it now, sell it in six months.

See eBay for typical prices. Prices have been quite stable for over a year, but beware that prices may fall as new boxes come out.

Cheers,
David.
grahamlthompson
04-04-2011
Originally Posted by tim123:
“Well I can see the dish.

As it's flat on the roof what I can't see is how (or whether) it is connected to the sockets in my appartment and as yet I have no information about the existance of anybody in the block who can tell me.




Do you have any suggestions for a USB dongle. All of the google links lead to sat boxes with USB outputs.

I have found a PC card, but as I only have a lap top that's no use to me

tim”

Lots of DVB-S ones

DVB-S2

http://www.whathifi.com/news/technis...cs-and-laptops

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TECHNISAT-SKYS...e020b0ffa59119
tim123
04-04-2011
Originally Posted by 2Bdecided:
“Buy it now, sell it in six months.

See eBay for typical prices. Prices have been quite stable for over a year, but beware that prices may fall as new boxes come out.

Cheers,
David.”

I have no history on ebay.

I would doubt that I would get a good price as a one time seller.

tim
Wildkard
07-04-2011
Hello. Play.com are doing the Technisat HDFS Freesat box for 99.99 inc delivery. You can plug in a usb HDD or memory stick to enable single tuner recording. It's a good box as well.
swedish cook
07-04-2011
Originally Posted by tim123:
“I have no history on ebay.

I would doubt that I would get a good price as a one time seller.

tim”

Few people care, makes little difference.
Chris Simon
08-04-2011
Originally Posted by Wildkard:
“Hello. Play.com are doing the Technisat HDFS Freesat box for 99.99 inc delivery. You can plug in a usb HDD or memory stick to enable single tuner recording. It's a good box as well.”

It's this price on Amazon now too.
Jepson
08-04-2011
Originally Posted by swedish cook:
“Few people care, makes little difference.”

I don't think that's true for when it comes to selling relatively high price articles.

I'm always very wary of buying from people with less than 100 (100 instances, not 100%) feedback and carefully check what feedback they have - what it's for and over what period.
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