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HDD Recorder Vs DVD Recorder

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Irishlad74 | 22:08 Tue 25th Mar 2008 | Technology
8 Answers
Hi,

Can anybody advise if there is a good HDD recorder with built in freeview available (I don't need a recordable DVD system)

i currently have a 32" sony lcd and a sony home cinema system.

Please help / advise

Thank you

Brendan
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if you already have freeview ...you could get either a single or double tuner recorder .... double isn't as important....
the question is .... what's your budget?

remember EVERYTHING you record is trapped on the HDD
so the smaller the disc the fewer things you can afford to save ... and you will have to watch stuff pretty promptly to stop the HDD getting full.

the bigger the budget ... the bigger the HDD .... the more time you have.

the latest recorders squeeze up to 1000 hours+
onto a 256Gb HDD (at lowest Q)

your best bet is look round currys, dixons, comet. to get a feel for the kit

open your conversation with the assistant with .... empire direct are selling that for ..... (you need to know ... they will check)
and you'll be amazed at the discount they'll give without any argument (I got �78 off a sony recorder from currys)
well i don't really understand all the ins and outs!
I got a hdd recorder from asda for �80 (as did most of my friends and family!)
It is BRILLIANT!
There are 5 of us and as we live very busy lives, there is always something being recorded - usually two channels at a time. We have never used more than half its memory.
All i know is, I can stop live telly and watch something i've recorded whilst recording something else.
Best �80 i've ever spent!
HDD all the way. Avoid Thomson. The Humax are highly rated.
Question Author
Thanks for the help.... I'm not in the know about HDD.

I have integrated freeview on my tv but would like to record 2 items at once.

initially i was going to subscribe to sky+ (not for the channels, just the service).

I really do appreciate your advice

Brendan
You need a twin tuner freeview HDD recorder - with as big a hard drive as possible.

You can connect it to a dvd recorder or video recorder if you want to make permanent copies that you can watch on any tv.

As already stated Humax has an excellent reputation.

Make sure whatever you buy is freeview.
Irishlad - have a read of this link for a summary of available HDD recorders with built-in freeview.

http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/pvr.html
Twin tuner is def the way to go esp when there are over 40 channels to choose from there will be times you will want to record more than one thing at once.

This place lists all the twin tuner PVRs

http://www.pvrjunction.co.uk/compare/

Things a twin tuner PVR can do a DVD recorder can't

Record 2 different channels at once whilst watching a recording

Able to watch a recording with or without without subtitles

Rewind live tv

You will wonder after a few months of ownership how you managed without one.
I have a Humax and it is very good but dearer than the Asda one. The newer ones have bigger capacity hard discs.

Also consider BTVision if you are with BT Broadband.

The Asda one sounds good - wonder what the picture quality is like?

Once the device is out of guarantee, you'll probably find that you can swap the HD for a bigger one (I've done that twice now on my DVD/HD recorder - easy and cheap to do).

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