help me help me tape telly stuff

[Hullygully]

Wow, I never knew this section existed!

In the olden days, I had a video recorder and a tv and I could record stuff.

Now I have a big tv (courtesy of dh) and a dvd player (do they even record?) and I can't tape stuff I want to watch (odd films at 2 in the morning).

Can anyone advise me what I need to get? It's needs to be the simplest thing imaginable.

Thank you.

[poorbuthappy]

Do you have sky/virgin or the like??

[Hullygully]

No. Only the telly with all those funny channels.

[Snorbs]

You want a FreeView+ box. Note the "+". These are also known as Freeview recorders and PVRs.

This is a box that plugs into your aerial and your TV and records TV programmes you choose onto a built-in hard disk. The bigger the hard disk (measured in gigabytes, or GB) the more you can record. A 500GB Freeview+ box will record around 250 hours of TV. I've heard that Humax is a good brand for this kind of thing.

These things are a lot easier to set up to record a programme than video recorders used to be. A FreeView+ box will show you a TV guide and you just choose which programs you want to record (most will only record one programme at a time, but some of the more expensive ones will record two different programmes simulteneously). They'll also allow you to easily set them up to record any and all showings of a particular series for instance.

[Hullygully]

Thanks snorbs.

What one should I get?

When you say aerial, you surely don't mean on the roof?

[poorbuthappy]

You can buy freeview boxes with a recorder included, or just a recorder/hard drive thingy if you already have freeview.
I think...

[Hullygully]

I don't know if I have freeview. What is it?

[poorbuthappy]

What snorbs said!!

[poorbuthappy]

Are you digital yet?? Where in the country are you??

[Hullygully]

I'm in the SE. Yes, think we are digital.

[snice]

check out the gadget show best buys

[poorbuthappy]

Then you must using some sort of digital receiver to receive the signal. If there is no box then it is probably built into the tele, and yes your aerial should also be plugged in! In that case you could just buy a hard drive. Will have a look now.

[Hullygully]

Thank you.

What I would really like would be someone to say: Go and get X and I will.

[Hullygully]

thanks, poorbut, this is what happens when you absent yurself from all technological involvement for a few years..

[Snorbs]

Sorry, I meant "aerial cable". The box itself will be about the same size as a DVD player and you'll want it to be near to your TV as you'll need to be able to point its remote control at it.

I can't really advise on which one to get, though. I've heard that Humax is good at this sort of thing but I don't own one so it's not something I can give a personal recommendation on. I've set up a PC to do this kind of stuff because I'm a geek and like making life hard for myself I like being able to tinker.

Incidentally, you might see adverts for FreeView+ HD boxes. The "HD" means it can record the relatively small number of High Definition channels that are available. Personally I wouldn't bother as I'm not sure the small increase in picture quality is worth the fairly large increase in price.

[poorbuthappy]

I can't recommend one because I don't have one. Sorry. Have you looked at the link?

[Hullygully]

i will do, many thanks.

[jamaisjedors]

OK I will say go and get this one - humax - I set it up in about 10 minutes and it's super easy to use.