A Little Help...

sharpy24 · 10-03-2008, 1:08 AM

Hello all, yes its that question no doubt you have all heard a thousand times...

Which is the best PVR to buy within my budget?

I'm looking for one that can record 2 channels at once and is relatively easy to use/setup and costs no more than £180

So far ive been recommended on another forum the Humax 9200TB

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...ctiveda3046-21

it will be used with a 32" phillips lcd

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/prod...PFL7962/451559

So are there any out there better than the Humax?

Also can anyone recommend a decent scart lead? no more than £30?

Thanks

sharpy24 · 10-03-2008, 4:58 PM

thanks for the help...

JayCee · 10-03-2008, 5:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpy24

thanks for the help...

Given that you posted this in the early hours and a lot of forum members would be at work during today it's a little early to be expecting replies.
If you read through the forum threads you'll se that the best two PVRs seem to be the Humax and Topfield brands.
As to a good quality scart lead...you shouldn't need to pay any more than £10 for a fully wired individually-screened lead.

sharpy24 · 10-03-2008, 7:24 PM

yeah sorry patience isnt my best virtue, am having alook through previous threads at the min, but am not sure on the topfield ones as in which one is comparable to the humax 9200

nwhitfield · 10-03-2008, 7:34 PM

There's only one Topfield model shipping at the moment - the 5800. It's pretty much the equal of the Humax in terms of features. Key differences:

Humax has a fan; Topfield doesn't
Humax has a way of browsing EPG by genre, or search for a programme by name; Topfield doesn't as standard, but can have it added by add-on software
Humax limits you to 5Gb for photos or MP3s; no limit on Topfield
Topfield allows you to organise recordings into folders; Humax doesn't
Topfield allows you to transfer video to the PVR as well as from; Humax only allows transfers from it to PC
Topfield has component output, Humax doesn't

The out-of-the-box interface on the Humax is a little more polished than the Topfield 5800, but uniquely the Topfield boxes can be customised with add-on software, which can give you different styles for the EPG, sophisticated automatic searching for programmes (eg anything with a certain director's name in the description can be recorded), and even setting timers via the web or text message.

Due to start shipping very very soon (ask me tomorrow how soon!), the TF5810 is a newer Topfield model, with a 500Gb hard drive (vs 250 on the 5800, and 160 on the Humax 9200). It also has a better front panel display, an HDMI output that upscales to 1080i, and a much more polished user interface. It's otherwise pretty much the same as the 5800.

Nigel.

sharpy24 · 10-03-2008, 7:43 PM

thanks for that!!

jut been reading about the new topfield but sadly it seems it will be out of my budget

have come down to two choices

the humax 9200, best price i can find £159.89 inc delivery but dixons dont mention anything about warranty whereas martin dawes is £163.89 inc delivery but says it comes with a 2 year warranty?

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/stor...rmationSection

But I've also found this Thompson recorder 250GB

it says it will Record 2 channels at the same time but does that mean it will record 2 channels wilst you can watch something in playback?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...Brecorders.htm

this one is a lot cheaper and you get more GB per £ too at 250GB compared to the humax's 160...

Does anyone have any experience with the thompson?

aekostas · 10-03-2008, 8:25 PM

It's Thomson (sans p) and there is at least one thread about it running in parallel to this.

A new, cost-effective model (but check you get the latest version which can record two) is the TVonics mentioned here:

Decent Dual Tuner DTR with DVB for under £150

Note that this is too new to know anything about relaibility or even usability issues.

HTH!

sharpy24 · 10-03-2008, 10:22 PM

i cant find a thread about the thompson?

ive seen the tvonics one and thats another contender but its pretty ugly looking thats the only problem

JayCee · 10-03-2008, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpy24

i cant find a thread about the thompson?

Do a search on Thomson

*Phlog* · 10-03-2008, 11:41 PM

The Humax comes with a two year guarantee from the manufacturers.

The "hidden" issue with PVRs is their software. Effectively they are all computers, and the operational software runs as an application. All software is buggy, some a lot more than others. The systems with better reputations have less buggy software. That's mainly because the manufacturers have stuck with them and written out most of the bugs. If you research some of the other fora you will find stories of successive companies taking over responsibility for software maintenance, raising expectations, then never delivering. My strong advice would be to go with a brand that has developed a repuation.

By the way, probably as a consequence of the Topfield not having a fan it is reputed to run very hot; which may or may not be relevant to your circumstances.

nwhitfield · 11-03-2008, 9:37 AM

Actually, it doesn't run very hot. It will, however become so if you do things like put it in an enclosed cabinet, or stand it on a carpet - anything that prevents air being drawn through the unit by convection.

Mine is on pretty much 24/7, and it's warm, but I'd certainly not say "very hot" - it's quite safe to touch.