It used to be that to pause live TV you needed TiVo or Sky+ or some other PVR, but you couldn't have this feature and with a DVD recorder. Then Philips brought a range of DVD recorders that could perform the same trick - and why not, since all you have to do is be continously recording the current channel into a 30/60 min. buffer.

Lately, I've seen magazine reviews glibly claiming things like "all the usual features are there including pausing live TV" about machines whose manufacturers don't make any such claim.

And then I've seen Sony claim that it's a feature on their RDR-HXD710, RDR-HX525 and RDR-HX725 machines. But elsewhere I've seen what looks like a disclaimer added: "This feature means users can view their programmes with a delay or simply fast forward to catch up with the real time broadcast, thus giving consumers control over how they wish to view their programmes."

So it's not really "live" TV because of the delay. Which makes me wonder whether this is really just Sony's marketing people selling "chasing playback" as "pausing live TV"?

Getting to the point (finally!) - I really quite like the look of the new Panasonic EX75/EX86 models, but they don't claim to pause live TV, which I would really like to have. So must I buy a Sony instead?

Or do the machines have the same functionality but Sony's marketing people are more canny than Panny's?

If I buy a Panny and I get interrupted by a call or a knock at the door, can't I just press record and then come back and watch from where I left off using the chasing playback feature? OK, so I might not get a still picture of fancy Sky+ style graphics. But it's more or less the same functionality, isn't it?

Anyone know for sure on Sony versus Panasonic and pausing live TV?

Only Philips HDD machines have buffers.
With any other make,to pause live tv you would need to be recording it first.
If its not a HDD machine the with Panny you need a RAM disc in,if its Pioneer you need a -RW disc initialised in VR mode.
The last time I read about Sony in detail their machines did record in -RW(VR) but chasing playback was not a feature.
It sounds as if it is now.
But if you want to choose a non HDD recorder ,then Pioneer is the one to go for.
Records to ALL formats,even +RW and has -RW(VR) with chase play.

I thought so.


Sony are now claiming chasing playback and pausing live tv as a feature. And I've seen claim that the newer models will playback DVD-RAM too!

[quote=625]
If I buy a Panny and I get interrupted by a call or a knock at the door, can't I just press record and then come back and watch from where I left off using the chasing playback feature? QUOTE]

I've looked into this. The ex75 has an instant record feature which records straight away what you are watching at the push of a button. However, I believe your tv needs a 'Q link' function or similar.

I've got a Panasonic TV with Freeview built-in and Q-Link is supported. Although If I'm watching Freeview on the TV set and press Direct Record on the DVD-recorder, I'm not sure it will be clever enough to use the digital tuner on the recorder to match the channel I was watching on the TV, or whether it would record from the TV's output (as it does now with my VCR).

I think it will be fine, unless I've misread/misunderstood the ex75 manual. As along as you have a scart connection between the dvd and tv in addition to the hdmi connection, Direct Record should record what you have on the screen. This will be useful for me as I get additional TUTV channels from a CAM on my TV and they won't be available on the dvd recorder.

What delay? I don't really see your point. Chasing playback is the same thing as live pause, isn't it?

I have Sky+, which enables live pause (obviously). When I want to resume viewing I hit play and the Sky+ box plays and records at the same time - i.e. chasing playback.

Live pause capability and chasing playback capability are surely the same thing?

Chip

More or less, yes. Chasing playback is the facility to start playing back something that hasn't finish being recorded yet. Live Pause means begin recording the current channel (although in the case of Sky+ and Philips decks, the current channel is automatically recorded anyway) and freeze the image on-screen. Viewers can then resume watching from the pause point, which is again "chasing playback".

The Sony 710 offers live pause (with chasing playback, since it's not much use without it). The new Panasonics only offer chasing playback...

So if you're interrupted by a call or a knock at the door with the Sony, press pause. But if you have a Panny, you just press record. Ultimately, the difference comes down to what is displayed on the screen while you're away from the set. It's just a pity the new Panasonics don't do this freeze frame trick - they appear to do everything else.

Had my Panasonic dmr 85h 15 months ,On hdd pres time slip to pause live TV ,Highly recommend

The new Panasonics also have a Time Slip button.

Looks like I'm going to have to find a shop that has a EX75/EX85 and have a play with one.

I've already seen the Sony 710. The staff in the shop (who don't stock Panasonic sadly) told me it was their favourite model now that the 910, which despite its expense was a big seller, has been discontinued. It has a Freeview tuner. It pauses live TV. And it automatically creates new chapters at commercial breaks. But they want £500 for it!

You do know that two weeks after you buy it there’ll be a twin tuner version available. [Sods law]
Chapter thingy sounds good though.

Please enlighten... or just speculation ... the world has been waiting for a twin tuner HDD and DVDR for an eternity, however, all shallow promises from the manufacturers (ReelBox at Rolls Royce prices excepted)... there is though a Sony RDRHXD860, however no news on what it is and IMO just a replacement for the fab single tuner 910

Just miss being able to watch one and record another. The other day I purchased a Tevion PVR 801 HDD recorder from Aldi for £99 with twin tuner and freeview. Plugged in DVD player and worked well Was thinking if I’d bought the Tevion DVD recorder for £66 I’d have nearly the same as the 910 for £166. Just a thought.

Know the feeling - I am happy with my set up (see my equipment profile to the left), however, believe it or not when I record 3 different programmes at once (rarely and only when away from home), the bloom*** DVDR sends signals via SCART 2 to the PVR and causes the latter to crash... now simply resolved by unplugging that SCART if I know I have to do 3 similataneous recordings, nuisance though :yawn: