[nickhopkins07]

Does such a thing exist? As I understand you cant get a twin tuner PVR that has a DVD burner, but what about a DVD player? At a push it doesn't have to be a twin tuner PVR as I don't actually watch that much TV.

I've seen things like this

Toshiba RD88DT 160GB Freeview DVD Recorder 1080P upscale RD88DT by Toshiba - Electrical-deals secure online shop

But I get the impression it isn't really a PVR, it just has the individual components of a PVR.

Any pointers would be triffic.

Cheers guys.

[Geofbob]

For the purpose of these forums, the term PVR (Personal Video Recorder) is only used for those recorders which contain a hard disc, and only record onto that hard disc from their own internal Freeview or Freesat tuner.Most recent models of PVRs contain twin tuners, enabling the recording of one channel while watching another; or sometimes recording two channels at the same time. To emphasise, with a genuine PVR you can neither play nor record onto a DVD; and you can't record from an external source, such as a satellite box.

The main other type of recorder is the HDD/DVD recorder, which can record from an external source, such as a satellite or cable box. Newer models also contain a single digital tuner (usually plus an analogue tuner), but never twin digital tuners. As well as recording onto DVD (either directly or from the HDD) such machines also play DVDs.

Someone has chosen to call this Toshiba a PVR/DVD recorder, which is rather confusing. The description almost makes it seem as though it will only record from its internal tuners, not from an external source - but I guess it is simply an HDD/DVD recorder as described above.

[LV426]

...so the result is you can have either
- a twin tuner PVR with no DVD and only the ability to record onto a HDD from any one of:- an aerial (Freeview PVR) or a satellite (Sky+ for example) or a cable (V+ for example) but not from any external source (eg a set top box).
OR
- a single tuner HDD-DVD machine with DVD recording and playback, and a single tuner (Freeview - use with an aerial) and the ability to record onto a HDD or a DVD from the tuner or from external sources (eg a Sky box or cable box).

But not both in one box.

[nickhopkins07]

First things first, thanks guys for your replies.

So, it seems from then the type of product that will best suit my needs, although not perfect, but perfect doesn't actually exist, is, a device that has a SINGLE freeview tuner in it, that allows me to record from said freeview tuner to a HDD, at the same time (I don't mean simultaneously!) also to a built in DVD.

I think the confusing bit from most of the descriptions when you look for such a device, is although it says 'HDD'....'DVD'....'Freeview'....they rarely make it clear if you can record from freeview to the HDD. But can I now assume, if a device has a HDD and a Freeview tuner as well as the DVD component, I will be able to record TV/ pause live TV, to the HDD?
In which case, are there and recommendations for such a device?

Many thanks again, guys and girls.

Nick

[LV426]

Yes. If you have now decided on a DVD recorder (with Hard Drive) I'd suggest you look over at our DVD recorders forum.

The current crop of Sony machines (various Hard Disc sizes are the main differences) are all (or most - not sure) Pioneer machines in "disguise" and that, in my view, is a good thing.

Richer Sounds will sell you one, de-regioned for DVD playback. e.g.
SONY RDRHXD890-MR at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc.
SONY RDRHXD995-MR at Richer Sounds - HI-FI Separates, Home Cinema, Speakers, MP3 DVD Portables, Plasma LCD, etc.
etc..

and will price match the identical product plus a further £10. Call first to check for stock.

[nickhopkins07]

Hello mate,

Mentioning 'DVD burner' in my first message has probably been a bit misleading, I don't actually want a dvd recorder, I just want a DVD player. So a device that can play DVD's, has a freeview tuner (preferably two) and a HDD to record tv and pause live tv, is what I really want.

I'm just not sure if such a thing exists??!!

Thanks again.

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by nickhopkins07

Hello mate,

Mentioning 'DVD burner' in my first message has probably been a bit misleading, I don't actually want a dvd recorder, I just want a DVD player. So a device that can play DVD's, has a freeview tuner (preferably two) and a HDD to record tv and pause live tv, is what I really want.

I'm just not sure if such a thing exists??!!

Thanks again.

As stated previously, machines which record (burn, if you like) DVDs also play them. I doubt if there's a machine with a tuner & hard disc which simply plays DVDs without also recording onto them.And, to repeat, there are no machines which record (& play) DVDs with two digital tuners.

[nickhopkins07]

Yep, I fully understand if a system records DVD's, it's also going to play them, I'm just also aware that a system that has a DVD Recorder on it can't have a twin tuner freeview. So was just wondering, can a system that only plays DVD's, have twin tuner freeview?

[Geofbob]

Originally Posted by nickhopkins07

Yep, I fully understand if a system records DVD's, it's also going to play them, I'm just also aware that a system that has a DVD Recorder on it can't have a twin tuner freeview. So was just wondering, can a system that only plays DVD's, have twin tuner freeview?

Depends what you mean by "can it have?" - technically, presumably, Yes. But is it commercially worthwhile - the answer seems to be No.

PS. It isn't that a system with a DVD recorder "can't have twin a twin tuner". Again, it's simply that none are currently on the market.

[nvingo]

Of course there's the question of where do you stop.
What if there had been HD-DVD player/twin-tuner PVR combis.
Those would have had a high purchase price, but would already be obsolete due to the decision to adopt BluRay.
Would people be satisfied with a PVR combi with standard DVD playback, then what about upgrading to BluRay later - the inbuilt DVD player would then be redundant.

[creddish]

Originally Posted by Geofbob

For the purpose of these forums, the term PVR (Personal Video Recorder) is only used for those recorders which contain a hard disc, and only record onto that hard disc from their own internal Freeview or Freesat tuner.

How can that be? There are some 229 threads in this "PVRs and VCRs" forum which contain the word "Tivo" in the thread title. The Tivo PVR is capable of recording programmes from an external source. The Tivo is the original PVR (Personal Video Recorder) and some would claim that it is the only true PVR.

Colin

[IanTHarvey]

Yeah, but given that many of these thread titles also contain the words 'what', 'replace' and 'with' and go back to the year 2000, the Tivo's a bit of an irrelevance, even more so after switch over. It's just the exception that tests the rule...

[LV426]

Originally Posted by creddish

How can that be? There are some 229 threads in this "PVRs and VCRs" forum which contain the word "Tivo" in the thread title. The Tivo PVR is capable of recording programmes from an external source. The Tivo is the original PVR (Personal Video Recorder) and some would claim that it is the only true PVR.

Colin

As far as the UK "new" market is concerned, TiVo is a total irrelevance. Sadly, perhaps, but true. What you say may well be true - but only as true as saying something like a 3-litre mark 1 Capri is the only Hot Hatch.

And NONE of this is helping the original poster.

@ nickhopkins07 - As I suspect you have worked out by now, nobody makes what you want in one box. Your options have been given. If you want one box then you have to buy a recorder with one tuner and a Hard Drive. And simply never use it to make DVDs.

[Neil Goodwill]

Judging by all the forums I have read over the past few days the one requirement that everyone wants in a DVD/HDD recorder is a twin digital tuner. The last thing they want is one with an analogue tuner. I thought the the whole point of a video recorder is that you can watch one channel whilst recording another!
The poor saps like me that bought units with analogue tuners a few years ago are regretting it now that most of Scotland has switched off analogue broadcasting. Commercially, any company that brought out a twin tuner machine now would clean up, and dominate the market until well after 2012.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by Neil Goodwill

Judging by all the forums I have read over the past few days the one requirement that everyone wants in a DVD/HDD recorder is a twin digital tuner. The last thing they want is one with an analogue tuner. I thought the the whole point of a video recorder is that you can watch one channel whilst recording another!

In the past VCR's only had one analogue tuner.
It was possible to watch a different channel on a TV because they universally had analogue tuners.

TV's universally have digital tuners now [ if purchased in recent years. ]
So a recorder can conceivably have a single tuner to give the user a watch one/ record another channel facility.

Originally Posted by Neil Goodwill

The poor saps like me that bought units with analogue tuners a few years ago are regretting it now that most of Scotland has switched off analogue broadcasting. Commercially, any company that brought out a twin tuner machine now would clean up, and dominate the market until well after 2012.

PVR's are almost universally twin tuner units.

There are twin tuner DVDRs and BDR's available now.

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by Neil Goodwill

Judging by all the forums I have read over the past few days the one requirement that everyone wants in a DVD/HDD recorder is a twin digital tuner. The last thing they want is one with an analogue tuner.

Adding an analogue tuner is only a small step up from including analogue AV inputs. These allow the poor saps with analogue camcorders and VCRs, to transfer precious footage to DVD or HDD (or record programmes from satellite receivers).
Besides, in areas where DSO has yet to occur, analogue signals may still be the main way of receiving TV, and the inclusion of analogue and digital tuners provides a useful stopgap.