[Closed] Recording TV programs

You can get freeview boxes that record like sky plus does.

I've not got a TV ariel only Freesat else that would have been ideal.

you can get freesat boxes that record like sky+ can't you?

You could start [url= http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/home-cinema-separates/freeview-freesat-pvr ]here[/url] or just [url= http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=freesat+pvr&btnG=Google+Search&meta=lr%3D&aq=f&oq= ]Google freesat pvr[/url] and go from there.

You haven't got an aerial? So how do you receive broadcasts now? Sky dish?

Never even heard of pvr. 😕 So if I bought one of those I just replace my existing SkyBox and off I go. The top one has 320GB harddrive but doesn't say how much record time that is...

Is there only one Freesat company i.e. SKY. I'm not big on Telly Technology! When I said FreeSat I have a SkyBox but don't pay for any packages, I just get the free channels.

Why not just buy a second-hand Sky+ box from Ebay?

You would need a quad LNB and a bit of rewiring (chase a new co-axial cable from the sat dish) in order to watch one channel whilst recording another/recording two programmes together etc.

If you can't be bothered with that, it would still work as a recorder, but not the different channels bit.

FreeSat is a service provided by Sky, but free to air programmes are not controlled by FreeSat.

Ie, if you have a freeview box, you don't need to buy a FreeSat card. If you have a Sky box without a subscription, you need a FreeSat card in order to access Sky's free to air channels (it just authorises the account).

Due to the cr*p on telly in the evening I want to record some progs during the day

Daytime TV is better than evening TV?

Cheers MF I think thats a great way ahead, I'll get a Sky+ box never even thought you could just buy one not through Sky. So I just stick my card in it and off it goes? Even though I've not paid anything to Sky for Sky+.

If I wanted to fit a quad LNB do I have to do that at the dish?

Thanks for you help.

So I just stick my card in it and off it goes? Even though I've not paid anything to Sky for Sky+.

I assume it is a FreeSat card that you have in the Sky box? Then yes - it fits in a Sky+ box in an identical way. No further costs involved.

If I wanted to fit a quad LNB do I have to do that at the dish?

Yes - the LNB is the bit in the middle of the dish that collects the signals. In order to access the full range of services Sky+ offers, you would need to replace the existing LNB (unless it is already a quad) and run an identical co-ax cable alongside the existing one (the Sky+ box has two inputs, so one co-ax per input).

If you didn't want to bother with that, you could just swap the old Sky box for a Sky+ box with existing cabling, but you couldn't ever watch one channel whilst recording another because you wouldn't have the two inputs needed to do that.

The Sky+ box will need a subscription though. Sky dropped the additional fee for Sky+ a while ago, [b]IF[/b] you are subscribing to their services. Don't want any packages of channels that you'll pay £x/month for? Then you'll pay £9.75/month just for the Sky+ service. Without it, it's just a regular Sky box.

You can buy freesat boxes though that do the recording without needing to pay Sky an ongoing fee; you're looking at £250 or so though. Up to you whether it's worth paying more upfront to save in the long term.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/freeview-freesat-pvr/humax/foxsat-hdr/huma-foxsat-hdr-box

The Sky+ box will need a subscription though.

Are you sure? If that is the case, then ignore my comments. I hadn't realised that was the case.

Do you have a PS3?

we have a PVR which gets all the digital channels (but not freesat). That's got 160Gb hard drive which is good for around 70 hours I think.

It's pretty good actually. You can program it a week in advance, mywife understands it and it takes five minutes to record everything you want. Recommended. Ours can also write to DVD so if we record a film we like and want to keep, on it goes.

My wife typically sets it up on a Sunday night to store all the soaps and programs about talentless idiots with mental health issues and then I'll sneak onto it when she's asleep and look for ace late night films/90's british comedy series to record.

Not got a PS3 just an XBox 🙁

Looks like a PVR that simon_g linked to is going to be the one then. 160GB for 70 hours thats amazing I thought it would be about 4-5 hours!

Thanks all for the help. 8)

UPDATE.

Just got my Humax FoxSat HDR delivered from Amazon, plugged in and up and running in about 2 mins. Dead easy to use picture seems better than the old Skybox. Great recommendation. Thanks.