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Original poster

Do you still tape things off the tv?

79 replies

Jarnss · 21/08/2023 15:26

Hi all,

I know this may seem like a silly thing to ask in 2023, but do you still tape things off the TV?

Also, if you don't mind, what do you have connected to your main TV?

I'm TV shopping.... Not as easy now as it used to be, unless ya a bloody tech mad.

4k? Uhd? Not a clue. When did 55" become the normal TV size?

I did see one with a remote that lit up and thought it was fantastic. However, it failed because it had no headphone jack. Apparently we need one, wireless be damned.

OP posts:
peachgreen · 21/08/2023 18:09

I don’t have a receiver for TV so I watch everything through the various On Demand services and don’t record anything. (Yes I still pay my TV Licence before anyone asks!)

Why do you need a headphone jack? Bluetooth headphones would be a better solution, surely?

TeenDivided · 21/08/2023 18:10

We have a humax box and record things.
Otherwise we forget what we want to watch!

BarbaraofSeville · 21/08/2023 18:12

You're probably making life hard for yourself by specifying headphone jack, it will seriously restrict choice.

Who uses wired headphones these days anyway? Surely you can use Bluetooth?

We don't record/tape things, but we don't have a 4k 55 inch TV either, but I am slightly dreading our existing one breaking as we'll probably be in the same position as you. But our TV is 42 inch and the next one will be the same size, no bigger.

Luckily Amazon (and likely other places) have a wide selection of 42/43 inch smart TVs with Bluetooth.

Amazon.co.uk : smart tv with bluetooth

https://www.amazon.co.uk/smart-tv-bluetooth/s?k=smart%20tv%20with%20bluetooth&rh=n%3A560864%2Cp_n_size_browse-bin%3A9591878031&ds=v1%3AyfRspPz3RzphBk%2F6TCNjSrVmUKI9A9S%2B1tWYKYmPzXo&qid=1692637785&rnid=161398031&ref=sr_nr_p_n_size_browse-bin_3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-4877225-do-you-still-tape-things-off-the-tv

Original poster
Jarnss · 21/08/2023 18:55

The headphone jack is for our Sony speakers, that are years old also.

Our current TV is around 15 years old. The only thing connected by scart is the dvd player.

Tbh, all our stuff is old as we just keep stuff until it packs in. Not for any reason other than we are not techy.

Ok, time to admit, yes, I did mean tape. The reason is our setup is a little uncommon as we have always had satellite TV and the box does not record. We did get a new box earlier this year, but it also does not record. We get UK channels and German channels as DH is half German. I could not do without them now, never mind DH. Also DC like Nick.

The only things connected by hdmi are the game box and fire TV box. The fire box hardly gets used tbh.

I'm glad to see taping off the TV is still v common though, as my friends take the piss when I say "Oh, I taped that". We are all in our 50s, but some are v techy and stream everything. I agree that FF the ads is great. I tried to use channel 4 on-demand the other day and could not work out how to get subtitles on.

Finding a new TV is very eye opening how far things have come. Every TV I have looked at is smart now. I do worry, I won't know how to use it, as silly as that may sound to some.

Also, we do still watch dvds and the youngest loves his Rugrats videos, which have been pasted down from DC to DC over the years.

OP posts:
RiverLen · 21/08/2023 18:57

I don’t ‘tape’ programmes on video tapes etc, but my tv has a record function and I do use that.

travelogue · 21/08/2023 19:02

I record stuff on the TiVo box - with a series link why doesn't your satellite / cable TB box allow you to do that? Our TVs themselves are about 15 years old and still going strong and connect to all the other stuff. ( Touch wood !) so yes, but I'd never say I've taped it! And I'm 50!

RoseMartha · 21/08/2023 19:36

Only onto the skybox not onto a vhs or dvd. I do have a dvd player I use sometimes. I only have the basic sky package with netflix. Things like catch up tv, a lot of channels and other features are not included.

justasoul · 21/08/2023 19:51

We record stuff from tv, it’s a Samsung smart tv with a usb stick attached. We only record terrestrial tv though, not sure how/if it would work with satellite.

MrsS2009 · 21/08/2023 19:55

We have sky a set the record stuff we like and then binge watch when we get home from holiday.

we use on demand and Netflix too

Pineapplewaves · 21/08/2023 20:10

Our Blu-ray DVD player can record stuff off the TV, we record anything on channels that have adverts so we can skim through the adds and watch the program quicker - mainly channel 4 and 5!

backtogrey · 21/08/2023 20:43

Everything is on demand. I have nothing connected to the tv apart from a a sound bar. I’ve not even got an aerial as everything is via the internet.

Timetochangegonzo · 21/08/2023 20:47

You’re in your 50s and your youngest loves Rugrats videos? At what age did you have children?

I didn’t know VHS tapes existed anymore where do you buy them from?

SamW98 · 21/08/2023 20:49

Beezknees · 21/08/2023 16:23

I have Sky and I record everything so I don't have to watch bloody ads.

Ditto. Series link everything and watch when I’m in mood. And FF through the ads

SummerSazz · 21/08/2023 20:51

I have a Humax freesat box with recorder (actually have 2 😄). Use it to series record so don't have to think about it and have a bunch of programmes to watch (and skip through ads)

My wifi is rubbish so on demand isn't great quality and glitches.

WhenLifeGivesYouLimes · 21/08/2023 21:05

I've got smart TVs with a cheap 1 terabyte hard drive plugged into each of them so I can rewind and pause live TV. If I want to watch something on ITV or channel 4 I'll often pause it at the start and then start watching half an hour later so I can fast forward the adverts.

WhenLifeGivesYouLimes · 21/08/2023 21:07

The only thing I've actually recorded recently for later viewing was a movie which was on late at night and I fancied watching but wasn't on any of the streaming services I pay for.

Oblomov23 · 21/08/2023 21:11

God no. Had sky for 20 years, Netflix, plus loads of others apps. I don't even know half of them! Download a series like Yellowstone. We can watch films when they are at the cinema currently!

Belladonna56 · 21/08/2023 21:14

No, we haven't taped anything for years. There's catch up TV available now.

GettingStuffed · 21/08/2023 21:16

My DH records loads of stuff, he doesn't understand streaming

littleducks · 21/08/2023 21:18

Haven't had a VHS player in 20 years since I left home. We don't watch live TV just stream everything through fire sticks. Sometimes miss having sky and forwarding through adverts but not enough to pay for sky

Original poster
Jarnss · 21/08/2023 21:24

Our old box, we got about 20 years ago or so. It was not common back then to have a box that recorded. The new one we got earlier this year is faster and looks nicer, but does not record. We just went with what fit our requirements and budget tbh. Which was not much choice anyway.

I'm not complaining as we have just carried on using what we have. I just wondered how many people still do tape off the TV, and this post has confirmed a lot still do.

As for the videos, we don't buy them. We've just had them since new. Our oldest is late 20s now. As I say, they have been passed down from DC to DC.

I have seen a few TVs with the usb socket and did wonder what it was for. Our current TV does not have any.

Also, sorry for not quoting the people I'm replying to.

We do use catch-up from time to time. It's just rare tbh. Our TV does not do it. We have the fire TV box. I'm thinking we may be able to bin that though with a new TV, as they all seem smart now.

OP posts:
Jellylover · 21/08/2023 21:33

My parents still record Coronation St and Emmerdale as they say they don’t have subtitles on catchup.

ELMhouse · 21/08/2023 21:35

Jarnss · 21/08/2023 18:55

The headphone jack is for our Sony speakers, that are years old also.

Our current TV is around 15 years old. The only thing connected by scart is the dvd player.

Tbh, all our stuff is old as we just keep stuff until it packs in. Not for any reason other than we are not techy.

Ok, time to admit, yes, I did mean tape. The reason is our setup is a little uncommon as we have always had satellite TV and the box does not record. We did get a new box earlier this year, but it also does not record. We get UK channels and German channels as DH is half German. I could not do without them now, never mind DH. Also DC like Nick.

The only things connected by hdmi are the game box and fire TV box. The fire box hardly gets used tbh.

I'm glad to see taping off the TV is still v common though, as my friends take the piss when I say "Oh, I taped that". We are all in our 50s, but some are v techy and stream everything. I agree that FF the ads is great. I tried to use channel 4 on-demand the other day and could not work out how to get subtitles on.

Finding a new TV is very eye opening how far things have come. Every TV I have looked at is smart now. I do worry, I won't know how to use it, as silly as that may sound to some.

Also, we do still watch dvds and the youngest loves his Rugrats videos, which have been pasted down from DC to DC over the years.

just to be clear the people saying they ‘tape’ programmes are not recording onto video tape (VHS), they mean they will record programmes/films onto their Virgin, Sky box etc!

I don’t think I’ve known anyone to ‘video tape’ something for 20 or so years

Cardboardcup · 21/08/2023 21:36

We don’t tape things but my son is autistic and still watches VHS videos. It’s getting harder and harder to buy the ones he likes now and they are breaking on a regular basis especially the ones he’s been watching for 20 years!

VickyEadieofThigh · 21/08/2023 21:40

I record some programmes on the BT box - those which I know will not have subtitles if I draw them down (BBC always does on demand, ITV does not, nor do SKY subscribed channels, nor Alibi and so on).

I've had to record Annika because so much of the dialogue is inaudible, similarly The Good Doctor, Departure.