Digital TV recorder?

[ivrytwr3]

Hey all,

In my home we only have Sky, no aerial for terrestial TV - so no idea about anything outside of Sky! Dad doesn't have Sky and doesn't want sky.

My dad has asked me for help and i am a bit stuck! A few years ago he bought this stupid CD/DVD and VHS comined machine which records his TV to either DVD or VHS (Salesman assurred him it was the best bit of kit EVER! (twit!))

Anyway, now that the Digital Switchover has happened my dad finds he can't watch/record digital TV. He has asked me to see i can find a digital recorder that also plays CD and DVD - so records TV to the hard drive, but can also be used to play DVDs and music Cds etc.

Is there such a thing?

Ta all!!

EDITED TO ADD:
right i'm struggling here to understand freeview etc. He does not have a dish, he is in a home that does not allow dishes, can he use one of these boxes i am talking about?

Like i said i have sky so i really have no idea about this.

 

[timaloy]

Sounds like you need a freesat box, don't think they record to disk tho just hard disk

 

[ivrytwr3]

he doesn't want to record tv to disc - he is happy to record to the hard drive - what he does want is a DVD/CD drive so he can view DVDs or listen to CDs.

Make sense?!

 

[timaloy]

Ah right, no freesat then that needs a dish, bt vision is a freeview box that uses existing Ariel for freview but can use I.internet for on demand and catch up tv, it has a 500gb drive in it but he would need a seperate DVD player ( can get them cheap from asda), you can get DVD players with freeview tuners also but I've not seen any that have a HD to record

 

[timaloy]

Found one on amazon a Toshiba RD-85 DT, google that and see if its something like this

 

[ivrytwr3]

OK, i am down to 3 now, but one question, the first one only has one tv tuner, is dad able to record one channel and still watch another at the same time? Or does he need a twin tuner for that?

 

[ivrytwr3]

OK, plot thickens, i have been up to his house and discovered he has a freeview TV! The issue is he wants to record TV programs and since the changeover he can no longer record. These boxes seem a lot of money just to be able to record something!

 

[Ex-Bay]

I have a Toshiba DVD/VCR machine and it has a Freeview (digital TV) tuner included, so he can record any programme he likes, as well as transferring asny VCR material to DVD.
It's the best gizmo I ever got . . .

PS. Almost any Freeview box will produce an analogue TV signal which is handled in the normal (analogue) way.
PM if you need more help

 

[Mug?]

check the model

check the model

Right, who bought up freesat? SKY?. no need.

If he has a Freeview (DTV digital TV tuner) in his TV then he can watch freeview.

I think he now wants to record normal (now analogue has gone. DTV/FREEVIEW)
Some TVs will output the DTV signal through scart to his old recorder, but that will have to be set to record from AV input which means he cant watch another program.

If he gets a new box with a single tuner he will be able to record something through that tuner and use the TV tuner to watch another program but will have to change to his AV/HDMI input to watch the recorded program.

I bought my Dad a new freeview recorder that has a dual/ twin DTV tuner. he can leave the TV on that input. and use the new boxes remote to change channel and also record a different channel to HDD. can do all the pause rewind stuff, bit like SKY+ but not as smooth on my dads.

Can do series link and stuff too. think it was about £90 at the time and has enough storage for my dad and an easy enough interface.

He cant watch Dvds on it though but can use his old DVD player which still works fine.

Remember FREEVIEW is aerial based FREESAT needs a sat dish (old sky one will still work)

link to one seemshttp://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5323191/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C14419512/c_2/2%7C14419512%7CDigital+boxes+and+services%7C14419633/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419633%7CDigital+TV+recorders%7C28608209/Trail/searchtext%3EHDD.htm a lot more than I paid but 320gb space and does HD too, as long as TV is HD ready.

 

[OneTimeSooty]

I think that all you really need is a Freeview PVR box.

If cost is an issue then look at http://www.richersounds.com/product/freeview-freesat-pvr/tvonics/dtr-hv250/tvon-dtr-hv250 - £76.

He should be able to use his existing DVD / CD player as long as it outputs on SCART - which I'm guessing it does??

PS - Freesat is brilliant! Kissed goodbye to Sky (finally) and now still watch the same telly for nowt...