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?

[nevynreally · Accepted solution]

Someone could quote it for you then you could tick it.

[cat_mioux]

I ticked you 🙂

[cq_tech]

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@catsnknots wrote:

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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. 

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Thanks for that, Cats. Very interesting, as I'm not familiar with the Fetch STB, but as far as I can determine from Google, you can't just buy one from your local retailer. Instead, they are supplied by ISPs such as iiNet & Optus (amongst others) and I therefore presume that you have to pay ongoing monthly subscription fees, which don't apply to normal dual-tuner PVRs.

They are clearly far more functional than standard PVRs but that functionality, like the ability to watch missed TV shows on demand (hence the name "Fetch") doesn't come at no charge, and I'm not convinced that the cost is worth it unless one is a full-on TV addict.

[lyndal1838]

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@cat_mioux wrote:

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'.  

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Good luck with your Topfield....I hope you don't need it.

We got a top of the range Topfield which was a total lemon.  After 6 months of struggling with it my OH took it back to JBHiFi with a list a page long of the problems.   The technician took a look at the list and told JBHiFi to replace it for us. 

The new one was not much better so in the end we cut our losses and bought a Panasonic...best move ever.

I would not wish a Topfield on my worst enemy.

[catsnknots]

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@cq_tech wrote:

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@catsnknots wrote:

---

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. 

---

Thanks for that, Cats. Very interesting, as I'm not familiar with the Fetch STB, but as far as I can determine from Google, you can't just buy one from your local retailer. Instead, they are supplied by ISPs such as iiNet & Optus (amongst others) and I therefore presume that you have to pay ongoing monthly subscription fees, which don't apply to normal dual-tuner PVRs.

They are clearly far more functional than standard PVRs but that functionality, like the ability to watch missed TV shows on demand (hence the name "Fetch") doesn't come at no charge, and I'm not convinced that the cost is worth it unless one is a full-on TV addict.

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I have been with Westnet for seven or eight years and have rented the STB for years before the ability to get pay TV on it. 

You can buy it outright and it does need to be connected to an avtive internet connection. I am not sure if it can be used with other ISP's but I find that people that join iiNet or Westnet usually stay with them long term. 

As I often work evening I miss my shows and can watch them all on a lazy Sunday as a catch up. 

I am also happy to rent as if there is a problem they will just swap it over. (only happened once) 

[cat_mioux]

I'm very happy with my new Topfield so far. It was easy to install for a techie numnuts like myself. I recorded MKR. It's so easy! I clicked on the programme from the guide and it was going to record for 2 hours. I thought 'uh oh thats wrong, it's only an hour show' so I edited the time. Silly me! MKR did go for 2 hours! I shouldn't have questioned it.

You can pause a live TV show if you need to step away and it can record two channels at once.

One thing I didn't like and that was the very basic manual. I had to google to work out how to delete a programme.

But if it continues working like it does I'll be very happy!

[cq_tech]

I think you'll find that most PVRs can connect to the internet (all 3 of mine can, as does my TV) but from what I can determine, you need to be a subscriber to whichever ISP you connect to before it is usable.

All of them will also accept cable TV via Foxtel or Optus, but I flatly refuse to subscribe to either of those while they're screening commercials. Why would anybody pay for the privilege of watching ads when you can get them for nothing on free-to-air TV?

[freakiness]

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@cq_tech wrote:
I think you'll find that most PVRs can connect to the internet (all 3 of mine can, as does my TV) but from what I can determine, you need to be a subscriber to whichever ISP you connect to before it is usable.

All of them will also accept cable TV via Foxtel or Optus, but I flatly refuse to subscribe to either of those while they're screening commercials. Why would anybody pay for the privilege of watching ads when you can get them for nothing on free-to-air TV?

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There are other services you can subscribe to, such as TiVo, Fetch TV, TPG TV or Apple TV.  

The biggest difference is there is more pay to view and less need to purchase mega packages to get the bits you want.

[mainecoon1]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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@cat_mioux wrote:

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'.  

---

Good luck with your Topfield....I hope you don't need it.

We got a top of the range Topfield which was a total lemon.  After 6 months of struggling with it my OH took it back to JBHiFi with a list a page long of the problems.   The technician took a look at the list and told JBHiFi to replace it for us. 

The new one was not much better so in the end we cut our losses and bought a Panasonic...best move ever.

I would not wish a Topfield on my worst enemy.

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I was just going to mention Topfield, we have had one for 4 years and have not had any problems at all.  The only think I would comment on is that when you put it on intelligent record you can not lengthen the program time i.e. start earlier and end later but they might have fixed this issue with the newer models

[cat_mioux]

You can edit the timer maine. I hate missing the last 5 min's of a recorded programme!