Hi All,
A little advice please.
Having recently 'gone digital' we now have a decent amount of channels and I would like to get a recorder. I am not too fussed with getting HD, although not averse to it either.
The box that gets a pretty good rating is the Humax PVR-9300T, although I know there are pros and cons as there would be with all makes and models. Was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this model or indeed any recommendations of others?
Many thanks.
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I have the Humax HDR Fox T2. Utterly superb bit of kit. User friendly, good EPG, works well, great picture quality.
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Same recorder as Zero, pretty well the same remarks. The "pause live viewing" facility is more useful than I thought it would be.
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I've a Humax PVR-9300T.
I think it must have a duff section on the disc as every now and then it would skip a bit on replay, but I could still see the skipped section on fast forward and rewind. I've cured it by keeping a recording permanently that had this fault in it.
I find it useful as it will handle two (or more channels, depending on channel grouping).
The only reason I got that model was because it was the cheapest I could find with phono audio output. I certainly don't need the storage space on the disc.
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The only thing I would say about the 9300T is it's getting a bit long in the tooth now, I'd either spend more and get a faster/slicker box - a newer generation Humax maybe, or just get a cheapie Vestel box:-
www.bigpockets.co.uk/product.php?title=Bush-320GB-Freeview+-Digital-TV-Recorder&product=C-BUSH-320
No idea if that specific seller is any good.
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>> or just get a cheapie Vestel box:-
We've got an old 80GB Vestel (branded Digihome) box from Argos which is still going well; very easy to use.
If you don't want to go refurbished, Argos are currently doing the Bush for £90, although I've bought a couple of refurbished items recently (with 12 month manufacturer warranties) with no problems.
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>> If you don't want to go refurbished, Argos are currently doing the Bush for £90,
I see they're also doing a Bush HD model for £130, averaging 4* reviews: goo.gl/bVJ43
although I suspect you might be better off with the Fox if the money isn't a problem.
Last edited by: Focus on Mon 25 Jun 12 at 06:45
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...We've got an old 80GB Vestel (branded Digihome) box...
I have one in the caravan which is approaching five or six years old.
As I've remarked before, it's my best value gadget purchase.
One thing to bear in mind is noise from the hard drive.
Mine is nice and quiet, but that doesn't mean they all will be.
Even some of the dearer better branded machines can be noisy.
You won't be entirely sure about that until you plug it in.
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I've gorn about it in a different way as I like something physical to have and behold (and throw at the missus).
So I bought one of these 4 years ago to replace my VCR which went kaput.
What it lacks in technical brilliance it makes up for in durability: goo.gl/f6mTg (ebay)
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We already had Sky, but mum hardly watches it and mainly just watched the terrestrial channels. When the analogue broadcast was switched off, I bought her a Humax PVR9150T. It's ok, but I wouldn't recommend one. The series link is a bit hit and miss and has a mind of its own. On a daily basis I'm checking the EPG to make sure channels that have been set to record are still set to record, and any series links are still in place. Quite often it loses its memory of what has been set to record. The Sky EPG on the other hand rarely needs any attention.
I've no idea if any of its relations in the Humax range suffer the same problems.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 25 Jun 12 at 00:58
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wouldn't suggest the 9150T as it has no HDMI port.
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>> wouldn't suggest the 9150T as it has no HDMI port.
Does that matter much for SD?
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HDMI SD quality is 100% better than SCART (spit curse). If your TV has HDMI input you are so much better off using it.
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In theory SD via HDMI and SCART should be the same. But a heck of a lot of SCART leads are rubbish and I've not seen (yet) evidence that any HDMI leads are in the same boat.
Worth making sure that whatever recorder you buy adheres to the Freeview+ standard. I'd not trust anything else for EPG programming as only this standard has proper event triggers. Schedule changes - you record the original time window, not the programme.
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>> In theory SD via HDMI and SCART should be the same.
Not really. You have two digital to analogue conversions using scart, where using HDMI its digital all the way to flat screen.
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Humax Foxstat is top notch, with a good EPG, although there is an annoying pause between commands, leading one to press twice and then get the wrong entry. There are 4 Media, Video, Radio, Music and Photo. I only use Video but you have to watch the right light flashes on the remote for the medium you want, it being a bit too easy to press another button. The Factory Resat control is useful if things go wrong but using it deletes any recordings made and stored. Mine is Freesat and I don't know if Freeview is avaiable. There seem to be about 200 Freesat channels (including about a score of BBC1 regional variations) but a dozen are all I use and just seven of these most of the time.
In theory, you can record two channels while watching a third but this sometimes blocks some third channnels, I don't know why. When reserving a channel to record there is no warning this may interfere with another scheduled recording and you won't know till you get a message on the screen that two or more channels are fighting it out. Sometime this is only because the last minute or so of one coincides with the first of another and in fact you get both recorded.
However, the best PVR of all is supposed to be Sky's, but that of course entails a contract.
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>> In theory, you can record two channels while watching a third but this sometimes blocks
>> some third channnels, I don't know why.
The PVR only has two tuners (both the sat and terrestrial one) Being digital the channels are multiplexed (grouped or mixed) into blocks, each block given a frequency. So your PVR can only tune into two blocks. Now if your third channel you want is in one of those blocks you can do all three, if its not there is no tuner for a third block.
>> However, the best PVR of all is supposed to be Sky's, but that of course
>> entails a contract.
The best PVR of all is the Tivo, but that requires cable and Virgin contract.
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>> The PVR only has two tuners (both the sat and terrestrial one) Being digital the channels
>> are multiplexed (grouped or mixed) into blocks, each block given a frequency. So your
>> PVR can only tune into two blocks. Now if your third channel you want is in one of those
>> blocks you can do all three, if its not there is no tuner for a third block.
Thanks for that clear explanation, Zero.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 26 Jun 12 at 10:24
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But I don't know where the text went!
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>> But I don't know where the text went!
You hid it by using your own style of quoting. If you put a less than symbol at the start, and a greater than symbol at the end of the sentence, it becomes invisible because the forum software thinks you're typing HTML code.
I've now edited your post to reveal the quoted words.
Vx
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>> You hid it by using your own style of quoting.
Why not use the 'Quote Original Message' button draiber (and anyone else)? Not meant as a criticism, just curious.
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Doesn't a response get tacked on to the previous last posting? I was not responding to that but to one higher up.
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>> Doesn't a response get tacked on to the previous last posting? I was not responding
>> to that but to one higher up.
It would have done if you had replied to Zero's post. However, by the looks of it, you replied to Teabelly's post, then pasted in Zero's comments along with using your own quote method.
EDIT - I've now moved your post so that it is tagged onto Zero's and not Teabelly's. Lucky not to have lost it in cyberspace while doing so.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 26 Jun 12 at 13:59
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>> Doesn't a response get tacked on to the previous last posting? I was not responding
>> to that but to one higher up.
If you are replying to a particular post, the site software provides the 'Reply to this message' link at the bottom of each post. If you use that, then hitting 'Quote Original Message' inserts the text of that message, prefixed by '>>', into your reply.
I know some people don't like this mechanism because it means your post doesn't necessarily appear at the bottom of the list. So they always click on the 'Replay to this message' link of the last post in the thread, even if they are actually replying to an earlier post. Then the 'Quote Original Message' button inserts the 'wrong' text, and they have to use a manual method (copy/paste).
I find the 'official' system works well for me, but clearly tastes vary :)
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My parents recently bought a panasonic HD pvr one with a built in blue ray player from richersounds. Been faultless. Plays, records, no skipping or weird business. One annoyance is if it finds another channel it will harass you until you do the retune very few minutes, continually. It doesn't take hint even after dismissing the message 10 times! Sound is also cut when you go into a menu/program guide so you can't carry on listening to a programme you are watching and footle in a menu. This is irksome.
I think some of them that don't list rca phonos do actually have them so it is worth checking the rear shots. I rejected a tivo for that reason. It didn't have any at all.
I don't think the 9300T does full HD recording. The panasonic will record two channels at once, both in HD from what I remember.
I have a full HD icecrypt which records full HD, two at once and you can watch a third. RCA phonos and digital out. It's awful in every other way though. Unreliable firmware drives me mad. Did only pay £180 for it so for 1TB full HD recording it was relatively cheap as the Humax equivalent was £300+ It has the usual series record and you can do trailer bookings which is also very useful.
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I have the Humax HDR Fox T2 500, and it is superb. I upgraded from the Humax PVR 2000 a few years ago which also gave good service. The Humax Fox T2 is recommended by Which? and is the best of these boxes on the market.
You can also get a Manager's Special direct from Humax. These are refurbished by Humax and are equal to brand new boxes. You can get the 500gb model for £189 at the moment. www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10105
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>> One annoyance is if it finds another channel it will harass you until you do the retune very few minutes, continually. It doesn't take hint even after dismissing the message 10 times!
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My Panasonic does this. Why not let it just download the new channels, it only takes a couple of minutes?
I find that I get the message about once a fortnight. So not a hassle at all really.
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>> >> One annoyance is if it finds another channel it will harass you until you
>> do the retune very few minutes, continually. It doesn't take hint even after dismissing the
>> message 10 times!
>> >>
>>
>> My Panasonic does this. Why not let it just download the new channels, it only
>> takes a couple of minutes?
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>> I find that I get the message about once a fortnight. So not a hassle
>> at all really.
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It doesn't take a couple of minutes at all. Seems to take 5 to 10 minutes which is rather a long chunk out of anything if you're watching live tv at the time. The signal where they are isn't great either so they'd rather not continually re-tune in case channels go missing (which they have)
It doesn't have to bother you every 3 minutes. Once every 30 or so would be adequate.
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Once, at power up time (or coming out of standby) would be ideal.
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>> It doesn't take a couple of minutes at all. Seems to take 5 to 10
>> minutes which is rather a long chunk out of anything if you're watching live tv
>> at the time.
Ok.
I will time it next time it happens. The point I was making was that, for me, it's not a big deal.
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I have given up on the whole idea of a recorder for the TV, ever since I discovered that I can shove a memory stick into a USB socket at the back of my Samsung and leave it there. I just call up the listings and select any that I want to record, leave the TV on stand-by and that's it.
As a trouble-free way of doing basic recordings to watch later it seems pretty much unbeatable to me. Idiot-proof, no wires, no power plugs and completely reliable.
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If a box is regularly nagging about new channels, and you've been through DSO, then it sounds like a fault rather than a 'feature'.
Yes the memory stick approach via TV or decoder box is reasonable approach these days.
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Thanks for the advice and suggestions all. Plenty to think about, and I think I may take a trip down to the local Richer sounds to have a look at some and chat to them there.
I quite like the idea of getting the cheapo Bush refurb model as it looks like it has fairly good reviews.
Really appreciate the time you have all taken. Cheers
Nick
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The old DVD recorder would only nag about new channels when switched on from power off.
It only nags every month or more but it just won't stop until you do the retune. That's the issue. The ignore option means it goes away for a couple of minutes. I'd expect an ignore to leave me alone for a lot longer. An hour at least.
My box mentions new channels then leaves me alone to retune at my convenience not its.
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Digital TV recorder - Zero
