Downloading from Sky+, PVR or DVD/HDD recorder?

[Mr Average]

Sorry if this has been asked before. I have a Sony Bravia and a Sky+ box, I seem to run close to filling the Sky+ HDD regularly so was wandering if there was a way to get round this. Can I connect a DVD recorder-player/HDD to my Sky+ box so that I can;
a.) Download stuff from the Sky+ HDD to watch at a later date? and;
b.) Record this downloaded stuff onto DVD for archiving?
Also, would I be able to record programmes from the freeview input on the Sony?
If so, what equipment would you recommend?

[JayCee]

Originally Posted by Mr Average

so was wandering if there was a way to get round this.?

Yes, fit a larger HDD...there is a thread about how to do it in our Sky/Sky+ forums...it's easy to do.

Originally Posted by Mr Average

Can I connect a DVD recorder-player/HDD to my Sky+ box so that I can;
a.) Download stuff from the Sky+ HDD to watch at a later date? and;
b.) Record this downloaded stuff onto DVD for archiving?

Yes, that's what the "VCR Scart" output on your Sky box is for...just connect this to the scart input of your DVDR and press record in real time...or use the Sky+ "Copy" option from the Sky+ planner.

Originally Posted by Mr Average

Also, would I be able to record programmes from the freeview input on the Sony?
If so, what equipment would you recommend?

It's possible...but not recommended to record from the TVs Freeview tuner output...it ties up the TV to the channel you're recording from so you cannot watch a different channel...and the TV must be left switched on.
Far better to buy a cheap freeview box and connect that to the DVDR and record from that instead...in fact most DVDRs have a Freeview tuner built-in so it will record from its tuner while you watch a different channel on the Sonys tuner.

[bengalcat]

Does anyone know if the TiVo can record off of the Sky + box?

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by bengalcat

Does anyone know if the TiVo can record off of the Sky + box?

Not familiar with the Tivo but I am pretty sure it's a pvr. Pvr's can only record from their internal digital tuners. Heres the reason

To record an analogue signal onto a hard disc or a dvd then there are 2 processes required

1 Turn the analogue signal into a digital one (analogue to digital converter)
2 Compress the digital stream into mpeg2 in real time.

pvr's have neither of these, they don't need them as the tv signal is already a mpeg2 digital stream so all the pvr has to do is copy this to the HDD. Replaying this from disc exactly recreates the original transmission hence no loss of quality.

DVD recorders do have these and so like vcrs can record external analogue sources

I wonder how many have bought pvrs to replace ageing vcrs only to be disappointed

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by bengalcat

Does anyone know if the TiVo can record off of the Sky + box?

Yes it can. The Tivo accepts external inputs in the same way a DVD recorder does - rather than a true PVR which can only record from its internal tuner(s).

The Hauppage (spelling?) HD PVR works in the same way. AFAIK, these are the only two hard drive only digital recorders (as opposed to DVD recorders) which can record from external AV input.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Broadz

Yes it can. The Tivo accepts external inputs in the same way a DVD recorder does - rather than a true PVR which can only record from its internal tuner(s).

The Hauppage (spelling?) HD PVR works in the same way. AFAIK, these are the only two hard drive only digital recorders (as opposed to DVD recorders) which can record from external AV input.

That's great info (Like I said I am not familiar with the Tivo) Out of interest can it record from RGB ?

The Hauppage (It's a swine to spell ain't it) requires a high definition component signal to record HD so that restricts it's use to Earlier Sky HD boxes, HD fta boxes and Pc cards (good value at around £100.00 though)

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

That's great info (Like I said I am not familiar with the Tivo) Out of interest can it record from RGB ?

Sorry Graham, I don't know. I haven't got a Tivo, I just remember reading on here and on DS about people with Tivos who have recorded to its hard drive via scart input. Whether its RGB, composite, whether it has alternative inputs etc I don't know.

[nvingo]

My Thomson Scenium DTH7000e is basically a DVD/HDD recorder with a play-only DVD drive. It can record to 40GB HDD (in three quality settings equivalent to the typical 1/2/4hrs for DVD recording) from RGB/composite in and S-video in. In other markets the equivalent recorder could access a special EPG over air (with onscreen ads akin to teletext extra) and was touted as the subscription (EPG) free alternative to Tivo.
In the UK the EPG is sourced from teletext on analogue channels, effectively limiting that to next 24hrs, although of course the timer can be manually set.
Although I don't have the IR blaster cable (to control cable/satellite STBs) I don't think it would work anyway with the eqiupment I have (even a Sky digibox).

To me it allows RGB to S-video conversion (I have a source with RGB/composite, and a recorder with S/composite), timeshifting of FTA satellite and recording from CCTV.
I may in future investigate the reading of its HDD from a PC, which would effect a superior system for RGB source to DVD authoring.

[Mr Average]

Are there any DVD/HDD units with a freeview tuner out there to save on boxes or am I asking for too much?

[Cyril]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

That's great info (Like I said I am not familiar with the Tivo) Out of interest can it record from RGB ?

The Hauppage (It's a swine to spell ain't it) requires a high definition component signal to record HD so that restricts it's use to Earlier Sky HD boxes, HD fta boxes and Pc cards (good value at around £100.00 though)

The UK TiVo can record in RGB.
You can even hack it up the PQ, or even SDI modify it for even better quality.

IMHO it's the own true PVR software wise.

UK TiVos support Sky, Sky+, Freesat, Sky+HD, Freeview, TiscaliTV/Homechoice, Virgin Media and a couple of other platforms I can't remember.
It can do a gazillion other things UK DVRs cannot. Check out TiVo Community

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Mr Average

Are there any DVD/HDD units with a freeview tuner out there to save on boxes or am I asking for too much?

Loads have a look at the Sony website

[aekostas]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

Loads have a look at the Sony website

I would look at the DVD Recorder section of this forum first. Sony is just one manufacturer (in this case they are not even the manufacturer).