Looking for Freeview PVR recomendations

Mr-Xoc

Mr-Xoc

Mr-Xoc

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We have recently been looking at ditching the TV side of Virgin. We looked at what we were actually watching/recording and it became apparent that most of the stuff we need is on one of the freeview channels or available from Netflix/Prime.

With that in mind but were looking at options for Freeview PVR boxes to replace our current TIVO from Virgin. We would be keeping the BB from Virgin so would still have a fast reliable internet connection.

We were ideally looking being able to still pause/rewind live TV, having access to the various catch-up/on-demand services and being able to at least record two channels while watching a third as that happens from time to time.

A general google search seems to mostly point towards either a Humax or Panasonic PVR boxes. I was wondering if anyone knew how they compare to Virgins TIVO box in areas like usability or general function.

Are there any other options that are less well known that we should consider? Also I understand that some smart TVs have PVR built into them, are they any good as our TV is fairly old now so we would consider splashing out on a new TV if it did everything we needed.

Any thoughts on the subject would be much appreciated, even if you think its futile and we should remain with Virgin :p
 
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a lot of smart tvs allow you to use a USB drive and record Only issue is that you can't change channels. I bought my dad a panasonic blu ray player with twin record function a few years ago. Works brilliantly. Humax is the main other brand although not used one.
 
I looked into this recently as I've just moved to a new house that isn't served by Virgin.

The best solution I could come up with was a combination of a HomeRun Quatro Box to handle the aerial input and a NAS running Plex with the Plexpass upgrade.

This would give you:
  • Four tuners — watch one channel and record three, or record four simultaneously.
  • Expandable storage space (technically unlimited storage depending on your NAS).
  • A decent looking EPG (based on the screenshots I've seen of the Plex EPG).
  • A single TV input for watching TV, any of your own media and the likes of Amazon Prime TV or Netflix (I would run Plex via an Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV).
  • Bluetooth remote control (if using an AFTV or ATV) — not a big deal, but I like to hide boxes and cables so not having to rely on IR signals is a plus for me.
As a spec, the above blows the likes of the Humax FVP-5000T or Panasonic DMRHWT250EB out of the water. However, it will obviously take a lot more fiddling to get set up correctly. Cost is really dependent on how much of the required kit you already own. I would only need to add the HomeRun Quatro and Plexpass to my existing gear, making it a similar cost to the Humax or Panasonic, but if you need to buy a NAS etc it will obviously be more costly.

The original Virgin Tivo box was a bit crap, but the V6 box is so good that I would be hesitant to use anything else if you had the choice.
 
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That HomeRun Quatro Box does look interesting but not sure I want to start fiddling around with a PVR spread across separate bits at this stage. I have seen a few people say that the V6 is far better than most PVRs (including the TIVO box), so going to try the cancellation dance with Virgin first and see if I can get a V6 with a much much cheaper package (would need to be almost half what I currently pay).

At least I have the fact that im actually wiling to cancel on my side, so its not just a bluff ;)
 
Mr-Xoc said:
That HomeRun Quatro Box does look interesting but not sure I want to start fiddling around with a PVR spread across separate bits at this stage. I have seen a few people say that the V6 is far better than most PVRs (including the TIVO box), so going to try the cancellation dance with Virgin first and see if I can get a V6 with a much much cheaper package (would need to be almost half what I currently pay).

At least I have the fact that im actually wiling to cancel on my side, so its not just a bluff ;)
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The HomeRun solution is definitely on the extreme end of the spectrum, I wouldn’t have considered it if the other options weren’t so poor.

The V6 is what the original TIVO box always should have been. Fingers crossed you can get that upgrade and a reduction in your subscription. :)
 
We are actually paying for a few extras we don't need so should be able to reduce the price a bit ;)

On the subject of the homerun setup, while searching I found a alternative that would have been perfect if it had been available in the UK. The Tablo TV tuner seems to do what the homerun system would do but as a all in one setup. Its a pvr that allows you to share the live TV / recordings across your network, allowing you to watch them on your pc, on a mobile device or on your TV via a fire stick.

https://www.tablotv.com

I understand the TV signal is completely different in the US so it wouldn't work even if you imported one. With a bit of luck a UK version will get released at some stage :)
 
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I picked up a refurbished Humax 4000T for £100. It came with the latest remote control from the 5000T and the latest firmware update makes it essentially the same as the 5000T. The 5000 has a slightly different case and better WiFi but I use a wired connection anyway. Interface is a bit slow but I've got used to it.
 
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