[SPEC ME] basic PVR.

Doctor McNinja · 12 Apr 2013 at 01:07

I'm switching ISP's from Virgin Media to Plusnet but I need to get my mom a PVR first, to replace the V-box. It needs to be able to record TV, be value for money and that's about it. No need for on demand, huge storage capacity etc. although they would be bonuses... HD is preferred but probably not essential. I don't have a specific budget but the cheaper the better (as long as it's not false economy).

I'm looking at my options but my time limit is pretty tight so any help from my fellow forum members would be much appreciated.

Kei · 12 Apr 2013 at 10:16

Assuming you are wanting to record off terrestrial, a Humax HDR-FOX T2 would be ideal for HD recording or a PVR9xxx models for normal freeview. Personally, I have a topfield 5810 which does the job but hasn't been the most reliable. (I've got no idea if the newer topfield products have improved) My parents have the humax pvr9160t and haven't had any problems with it at all.

valve90210 · 12 Apr 2013 at 10:34

If you are not interested in Freeview HD and you can get hold of a Humax 9200t that would be preferable to the 9300T. The 9300 has a larger hard drive but it also suffers a strange and so far unfixable problem whereby some programmes on some channels suffer terribly with audio cutout and stutter making them completely unwatchable, and that is both when watched live and when recorded. It's a known issue but Humax have not been able to get to the bottom of what causes it.

It was thought that it was caused by a some element of the programmes being non-compliant with the broadcast standards but from various investigation people have done they seem to be compliant and they can't figure out why the 9300 has this issue.

I have been using a 9200 as my main pvr for the last few years and had no problems with it at all!

I also fairly recently got myself an HDR-FOXt2, a freeview HD box, which also works flawlessly though the interface when it comes to recordings you've made is not as intuitive as the 9200.

lucid · 12 Apr 2013 at 13:05

Humax HDR-FOX T2 +1

Of all the Humax PVRs I have installed and viewed on screens as large as 140" (projection) this one is the one that made Freeview look half decent.

Broken Hope · 12 Apr 2013 at 16:21

Her TV might have built in recording available if you plug in an external hard drive, there's also the option of the HD Fox-T2 that you can plug an external hard drive into for recording which would be cheaper than the HDR.

lucid · 12 Apr 2013 at 22:05

The caveats to the above being....

1) USB recording from a TV often means recording the channel you are watching. That kind of sucks as far as proper time-shifting goes.

2) USB recording on a single-tuner PVR such as the HD-Fox T2 is just like going back to a VCR. Recordings are made either when you're out, or when you are watching Freeview via the TV's tuner. The advantage with a PVR is instant pause and rewind of live TV. Have a look at this blog

A dual tuner PVR (HDR-Fox T2) doesn't have these restrictions. Record two channels simultaneously - useful for programme overlaps - while watching live or playing back a recording.

Doctor McNinja · 21 Apr 2013 at 09:47

Sorry for the slow reply. My modem kicked the bucket the other day.... Just as well because in the mean time, rather than just replying back that they're all beyond my budget, my mom has said she doesn't mind spending a bit more.

As it's been mentioned several times in the thread, I should make it clear that multiple recievers are essential. But, with the new budget, it shouldn't be an issue finding a twin tuner box.

I'm kind of leaning toward a Humax as I've got one myself, so I know my way around it and there's some great custom firmware out there, Does anyone know if the same is true for the other popular choices e.g. Samsung and Panasonic?

lucid · 21 Apr 2013 at 11:19

I doubt you'll find custom software for Panasonic and Samsung recorders. Take a moment to think about both these multi-national industrial giants. They make everything from TV, audio, cameras, mobile phones, computers through to white goods. They're about homogenising product to achieve volume sales quickly. They'll roll out firmware updates to fix bugs but I doubt they want to commit the resources required to support custom software.

Humax is a specialist in STBs and PVRs. They don't have to worry about tablets, phones, and PCs and TVs and fridges etc. They're a specialist making just receivers and recorders.