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Smart TVs act as PVRs?


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Old 19-07-2015, 12:59
snoweyowl
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I'm in the market for a new TV and came across this statement for a Sony TV -

You can also record the unmissable, programming the BRAVIA 40R553CBU to record either a single episode or the whole series when you plug in your USB hard drive.

This seems to say that it will work as a PVR, thus eliminating the need to get a separate PVR, just a much cheaper USB drive. Sounds like a very useful feature to me.

So

1. Is my assumption correct?
2. Is this facility generally fitted in smart TVs or just some models.
3. Any experience out there of using such features.
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Old 19-07-2015, 13:15
Stig
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Yes, some Panasonic TVs have this feature. You select a programme from the EPG and it can record it onto a USB device.

It is a bit limited as you can only record one channel at a time (on the Panny anyway).
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Old 19-07-2015, 13:23
chrisjr
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What you have to be wary of is whether or not the TV has twin tuners. If it only has a single tuner then it is somewhat limited in what it can do. For example it is unlikely to be able to record a different channel to the one you are watching. Which is fine for pause/rewind live TV but not so useful for programme clashes.

Also most TVs with USB recording capability lock the recordings to the specific TV that made the recordings. So they can only be played back on that particular TV. So no recording something on your telly and then taking the drive to a mate's house to watch it on his telly. Not even the same make and model of TV will work with the drive. So if your TV dies and has to be replaced the recordings you haven't watched are lost forever.

Basically a USB recording capability has it's uses but I would not regard it as a full replacement for a standalone PVR. You just need to be aware of any limitations with the particular TV you get.
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Old 19-07-2015, 13:55
snoweyowl
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Thanks for the prompt replies. Yes the twin tuner thing is a bit of a show stopper.

I don't know why they don't build full PVR functionality into the TVs, they're so useful.
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Old 19-07-2015, 14:03
Nigel Goodwin
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I don't know why they don't build full PVR functionality into the TVs, they're so useful.
It's been done, in every single case it was a massive flop.

But the crude USB recording feature is common across many modern TV sets, and is a useful feature - considering it's not costing you anything. But if you want a real PVR, then buy one.
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Old 19-07-2015, 14:11
chrisjr
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Thanks for the prompt replies. Yes the twin tuner thing is a bit of a show stopper.

I don't know why they don't build full PVR functionality into the TVs, they're so useful.
Some TVs have both terrestrial (Freeview) and satellite tuners (not necessarily Freesat) so there is a possibility that you could record from Freeview while watching satellite or vice versa. I have a feeling that I have seen a couple of dual Freeview tuner TVs but don't quote me on that

The big problem with building in PVR functionality into a TV is the "all your eggs in one basket" situation. If the TV locks the recordings to that specific TV then that means the hard drive is useless once you no longer have the TV that created the recordings. That could be because the telly has gone bang and cannot be repaired or you fancy a new one. Without the original TV there is no way to watch anything on the hard drive.

At least with a stand alone PVR you stand a fighting chance of being able to watch what's on it if you change TVs for any reason.
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Old 19-07-2015, 14:14
Anthony_UK
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Some smart tv's WILL act as a PVR with the use of a suitable USB pen drive which will also allow you to not only record television from EPG listings but pause it and rewind it live in much the same way as a twin-tuner Freeview+HD/Freeview+HD recorder.
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Old 19-07-2015, 14:22
grahamlthompson
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Some TVs have both terrestrial (Freeview) and satellite tuners (not necessarily Freesat) so there is a possibility that you could record from Freeview while watching satellite or vice versa. I have a feeling that I have seen a couple of dual Freeview tuner TVs but don't quote me on that

The big problem with building in PVR functionality into a TV is the "all your eggs in one basket" situation. If the TV locks the recordings to that specific TV then that means the hard drive is useless once you no longer have the TV that created the recordings. That could be because the telly has gone bang and cannot be repaired or you fancy a new one. Without the original TV there is no way to watch anything on the hard drive.

At least with a stand alone PVR you stand a fighting chance of being able to watch what's on it if you change TVs for any reason.
My Panasonic TV (TX-47AS802B) has twin Freesat-HD (freetime) and twin Freeview-HD. If there's a way of recording from either epg I can't find it. Only way appears to be setting a limited number of manual recordings. You can of course schedule two at once in any combination.

Handy on very rare occasions, but not a patch on a proper pvr. I have 4 two Freesat+ and 2 Freeview+.
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Old 19-07-2015, 14:26
koantemplation
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I got a Samsung TV with a Freeview PVR function specifically so I could record Freeview channels when they clashed with Freesat channels.

But I did also want to be able to save recordings to computer but unfortunately Samsung formats the Hard drive to its own format so you can't watch them on a computer.
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Old 19-07-2015, 15:13
chrisjr
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I got a Samsung TV with a Freeview PVR function specifically so I could record Freeview channels when they clashed with Freesat channels.

But I did also want to be able to save recordings to computer but unfortunately Samsung formats the Hard drive to its own format so you can't watch them on a computer.
The Samsung probably uses some flavour of the ext file system as used by the Linux operating system. You can get drivers that will allow a Windows PC to read the ext format.

However even if you do succeed in reading the files on the disk actually playing them is another matter. If the Samsung encrypts the recordings then you won't be able to do anything other than store them on your PC. They would just be taking up precious hard drive space but that is all. You won't be able to play the files.
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Old 20-07-2015, 08:51
Nigel Goodwin
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The Samsung probably uses some flavour of the ext file system as used by the Linux operating system. You can get drivers that will allow a Windows PC to read the ext format.
It's highly likely they are encrypted, and keyed to the specific serial number of the TV, so you can't even play then back in an identical model.
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Old 20-07-2015, 10:34
paulbrock
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my Finlux tv will let you play the recordings on a PC, records them unencrypted in a common format (I forget exactly which)
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Old 20-07-2015, 11:57
Nigel Goodwin
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my Finlux tv will let you play the recordings on a PC, records them unencrypted in a common format (I forget exactly which)
One good reason to buy a cheap Vestel then
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Old 20-07-2015, 13:12
tealady
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I've tried it and my experience is that it is not sufficiently robust to be an alternative.
I would also check the ability of it to match the start and end time of a programme in the case of delay or overrun.
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Old 20-07-2015, 22:48
cp2
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I've just bought an LG smart tv that offers usb recording from its tuner.
Recording works but it doesn't appear to offer chase play - the ability to watch an on-going recording from the start. It does offer pause recording though.
Recording via the epg is avaliable with series recording but I haven't given that feature a go yet,yet.
First impression: I consider it flaky compared to a real pvr and I'm not inclined to rely upon it.
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Old 20-07-2015, 23:18
grahamlthompson
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I've just bought an LG smart tv that offers usb recording from its tuner.
Recording works but it doesn't appear to offer chase play - the ability to watch an on-going recording from the start. It does offer pause recording though.
Recording via the epg is avaliable with series recording but I haven't given that feature a go yet,yet.
First impression: I consider it flaky compared to a real pvr and I'm not inclined to rely upon it.
I take it the ongoing recording does not appear in the current recording list ? If so a typical example of the limitations of recording via smart TV.

Imagine recording a ITV channel and not being able to skip the ads with a couple of button presses and finishing watching a ITV recording about the same time as the actual programme finishes. Normal practice for proper pvr users. I rarely watch ITV live for just this reason, just watch a recording about 15 mins after it starts. . I also imagine programmable forward /reverse skip keys do not exist on smart TV's.

Buyers of smart TV that have never used a proper pvr may think they are great, but do not realise what they are missing out on.
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