Advantage of the Sky+ Copy function?

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Apart from allowing you to record more than one programme at a time, is there any advantage to using the copy function rather than just playing the programme and recording it? Are there any quality benefits?
 
AFAIK, the copy function is there so you can copy programmes you've recorded to video or DVD

John
 
The COPY function is just a simple automated procedure to allow archieving of recorded programs onto an external recorder, complete with the EPG info and any padding added by the SKY+.
It's not elegant and it's wasteful of VHS tape or recordable DVD but if you only want to dump a few hours of programming for casual viewing then use the COPY function when the SKY+ is not needed for viewing.

If you want to remove adverts, start/stop padding then manually playing back a recording is the better option but ties up the SKY+ (you can still record though).
 
Probably wasn't very clear in my original post. I have a DVD recorder, and I just wondered if there was any difference between simply playing a recorded programme you have in the Sky+ planner and recording it as it plays, or whether the Copy function offers, in some way, any quality advantages.

Doesn't the copy function tie up Sky+ in any event? (ie you can't watch anything else through Sky+ while copying - can you record?)
 
No difference in picture or audio quality between a normal playback, live recording or using the copy function as long as you use the same scart connection of course. The TV scart is RGB the VCR scart is only composite.

Yes when using the COPY function it is using the video & audio outputs of the SKY+ so you can only watch what you are "copying" but the SKY+ will still record any programming previously entered into the planner.
 
The only difference to just playing it back is that you can stack up several programs to copy and it will play them one after the other. You could also use it to play them for viewing one after another if you are too lazy to push the remote buttons between programmes!:D
 
The copy function also will not generate on-screen alerts eg for programme reminders or recording clash/space shortages. So you won't see some stupid blue box over the top of the film when you come to watch it 6 months later. That has got to be the most essential feature compared to simply playing the programme. Recording live programmes also has the red dot (interactive) problem.
 
Originally posted by ancientgeek
Recording live programmes also has the red dot (interactive) problem.

I have had Sky+ for several months now and recording a programme which has the annoying red dot, it has never appeared when watching back the recording. I find this a great feature.
Greg
 
Originally posted by ancientgeek
Recording live programmes also has the red dot (interactive) problem.


True if you are recording the "live" SKY+ output onto a VCR or DVD recorder then you will be recording any red dot features, same for a standard digibox.
That is why you should make use of the perfect recording of SKY+ and either watch programs at a later date or timeshift/live pause which means no red dots and you can skip adverts.
 

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