Question regarding Freeview Harddrive Recorders

[osprey]

Can anyone let me know if, and when, Digital TV is fully operational, if harddrive machines which are programmed solely by Programme Guides will allow for the late starting and/or late finishing of programmes because at the moment I am getting very annoyed with recordings missing the end of programmes due to their overrunning.

[Ethel]

With many you set it to automatically record extra time - have a look at your settings.

I agree it is annoying.

[Toleman]

I don't quite understand your first question.

Do you mean will it work for the switch over to digital?
Mine will,

I have a Humax 9200TS which has twin tuners and you can choose to over/ under run the recorder to catch early starting or late finishing programs. I think you can chose between 1 and 10 mins.

You can watch one channel while recording another. Record 2 and watch one of them or a saved program.

The only problem with over and under recording is if you have two recordings that start at the end of another one finishing as it will be trying to record 3 programs at once and it wont let you.

The Humax i have was about �170 last year and it comes with 2 years gurentee - it may be cheaper now.

TopField are the number ones for PVR's

Chris

[Ethel]

I too don't understand why the technology isn't in place to make the recording start when the programme starts, rather than the scheduled time.

[crisgal]

i have a cheapo digi tv recorder with hard drive. It was �70 from asda and has worked really well since we got it a year ago.
It records all the program, whether late or not.
My mum has just spent almost �300 on a sony dvdr and hdd and it's being a right pain! (As well as being incredibly complicated!)

[Ethel]

What make and model is yours, crisgal?

What happens if you have two programmes set to record on different channels, but one starts half an hour late so they cross?

[BigDave44]

You can download a software upgrade for the Humax (over the air) and it will operate Freeview + (like Sky +). It should pick up late starting and/or finishing, and will even record a repeat if you already have two programs set to record and one is available.

That's the good news. In practise, it often skips an episode (usually on a Monday) and sometimes it starts too late or finishes too early. I suspect this is the fault of the company transmitting the programs. BBC seems to be ok. ITV3 is very poor. I guess in time, it will work properly.

[crisgal]

i'm not sure of the make ethel, it's an unknown. I'll go and have a look in a mo'.
I can record 2 things while watching something i've previously recorded.
Best thing I ever bought after the dishwasher!
I know 5 other people who have the same one. My step mum is totally deaf and she loves it as it records with subtitle option.
my mum is beginning to wish she'd got a cheapy too.

[BigDave44]

This one looks like a good buy:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumb er/5321344/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entert ainment+and+sat+nav%7C10199181/c_2/2%7Ccat_101 99181%7CDigital+boxes+and+services%7C10199362/ c_3/3%7Ccat_10199362%7CFreeview+digital+TV+rec orders%7C10199363.htm

If you want HD, though, you will need Freesat, boxes for which are just coming on to the market. You need a dish as well.

[osprey]

Thanks for your replies.

Toleman - I only had one question, which I thought was quite clear namely, that at the moment the machine I have (Techwood) doesn't have the option to allow for extra recording time. What I want to know is when my region goes completely digital will the prgoramme guides allow for the late starting / finishing of programmes or not? Other than that the machine is excellent.

[BigDave44]

osprey
The program guides currently allow for late starting and finishing. The issue is whether your machine can operate in Freeview + mode. As I mentioned above, the Humax has a download for this. The other machine that I own, a Digihome, has no such facility.
I suspect that the answer to you question is, unfortunately, to buy a new machine which has this facility. But please bear in mind that you are in the hands of the broadcaster to send out the correct information - which they don't always do at present.