Help! I'm so confused. Recording TV

[cat_mioux]

My old (non digital)  DVD/VCR player/recorder no longer records channels on my digital TV.

All I want to do is record some TV programmes. I can't record straight to video tapes from the TV - too **bleep** confusing and I don't want to leave the TV on while I'm at work or stop my son from watching another channel.

So I think I've worked out I need a PVR. They look like they cost between $200 and upwards. I need to buy a bargain 'recorder' which can record 2 channels at once. I also need something to play my DVD's.

I'm so confused. What are you using to record TV?

[lis351]

Kmart. DVD player and set top box/recorder in one. I dont know if it has the capability of recording one channel while you watch another, didnt look that close. Around $50.

[catsnknots]

Ask your Internet service provider... most have them for hire at a pretty good rate these days. 

I have one from mine that has three tuners, I can record 2 shows and watch another.... it is fantastic. I think it is 1 terabyte too.. pretty big and can record a whole series. 

[cq_tech]

Cats, are you sure your PVR has 3 tuners? I've never seen or even heard of one with 3 tuners, only those with 2 tuners (like my 2 PVRs), yet I can also record 2 channels while watching another (as long as the channel I'm watching belongs to the transponders on which one of the recorded programs is being transmitted.

Simply put, if recording Channels 7 & 9 on my PVR, I can watch any of their associated channels simultaneously (i.e. all the 70s and all the 90s) via the PVR, or if I want to watch a completely different channel like ABC or SBS, I simply do so using the TV's tuner, while still recording via the PVR.

Perhaps that's what you mean by having 3 tuners?

[cat_mioux]

$50 at Kmart? That's in my price range

[catsnknots]

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@cq_tech wrote:
Cats, are you sure your PVR has 3 tuners? I've never seen or even heard of one with 3 tuners, only those with 2 tuners (like my 2 PVRs), yet I can also record 2 channels while watching another (as long as the channel I'm watching belongs to the transponders on which one of the recorded programs is being transmitted.

Simply put, if recording Channels 7 & 9 on my PVR, I can watch any of their associated channels simultaneously (i.e. all the 70s and all the 90s) via the PVR, or if I want to watch a completely different channel like ABC or SBS, I simply do so using the TV's tuner, while still recording via the PVR.

Perhaps that's what you mean by having 3 tuners?

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What are the specifications of the Fetch TV set top box

3 DVB-T tuners

Receives digital FTA TV signals.

Watch and pause live free to air digital TV. Record two programs and watch a third at the same time.

I can record two shows.... including pay TV that I now have, or free to air. And I can watch anything I want on any other of the 30 or so stations I have. 

[cat_mioux]

Kmart have an Audiosonic DVD Player - it says it's a PVR. $59. Does this record on some kind of hard drive?

[catsnknots]

It appears that the one you are looking at has a USB port that you should be able to use to record your shows onto. 

It does say PVR with timeshift ready but it does not say how big the hard drive is so I imagine there is not one. 

The HD in the title stands for High Definition. 

[cat_mioux]

But I don't want to record on a USB stick. My TV doesn't have a USB thing.

Why can't this be simple?

Something that plays DVD's

Something that records digital channels where I can set a timer tp pre-record

Why is this so complicated?

[cat_mioux]

Right. Got it done. Googled best PVR's for the lowest price. Decided to just buy the best recorder without a DVD player. Found a Topfield, great reviews for $188 at JBhiFi and Harvey Norman. Then found the Good Guys were selling them for $149 online. I printed out the price. Then went to JBhifi.

I also had a Gift Voucher for $60 that I was given last June.

So I asked the sales guy if he could match The Good Guys price of $149. Easy. And with my Gift Voucher I was only out of pocket $89.

Wish I could tick myself as a 'solution'.