HDD recorders versus PVRs

wolfie1

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Hi

Can anyone give me a quick pro's and con's comparison between HDD recorders and PVR's.

Am I correct in thinking that HDD recorders are, very broadly speaking, the same as PVRs but HDDs have loads more recording/editing features etc but just lack twin tuners?

Thanks

Paul
 
The main difference is that PVR's will only record from it's internal fitted tuner.

An HDD recorder will make recordings from external sources via a SCART/DVi etc. in addition to the built in tuner.
 
mildred said:
The main difference is that PVR's will only record from it's internal fitted tuner.

An HDD recorder will make recordings from external sources via a SCART/DVi etc. in addition to the built in tuner.

Right; plus all of the currently manufactured HDD recorders that can record from an external source have a DVD recorder whereas none of the PVRs that only record from their internal tuners have one.
Plus all or almost all (not quite sure) of the HDD/DVD recorders have internal analogue tuners and can only record one thing at a time wheras the PVR's have digital tuners; usually two of them. Most of the current ones can record two things at once.
The Tivo is an exception to the above but it is now only available S/hand or recon.
I believe there are some rumoured jobs that will combine more of these features. I think the Humax IDTV does it all apart from the DVD record.

Probably someone will find something I have got wrong :) here

Richard
 
The difference between a HDD recorder and a PVR is theat a PVR is a Personalised Video Recorder, ie you can set it up to work the way you want it to. A HDD recorder (aka DVR - Digital Video Recorder) is just a recording device that stores the recordings on a Hard Disc Drive with only a few more advanced features than a VCR such as an EPG.

Currently in the UK there are only 2 true PVR's - TiVo & Sky+. All the others are DVR's. A PVR does not need to have an internal tuner, analogue or digital, just added software feature such as season passes, wish lists etc and these are normally controlled by an advanced EPG with metadata and therefore, as in the case of TiVo/Sky+, needs to be paid for via a subscription.

Mark.
 
MarkE19: Probably all true.

However, when firms like Humax, Panasonic, Pace, (the list goes on) market their Freeview set top box/hard disk recorders as PVRs, then, whether you agree with this use of terminology or not, stating a more purist perspective is perhaps unhelpful.

So - in terms of what the manufacturers are doing, the other replies to this thread are more useful.
 
mildred said:
The main difference is that PVR's will only record from it's internal fitted tuner.
.

Except a Tivo, which can record from its SCART input as well.
 
LV426 said:
So - in terms of what the manufacturers are doing, the other replies to this thread are more useful.
In answering the origional question I disagree. wolfie1 asked what the difference between a HDD recorder & a PVR was. IMO it has nothing to do with 2 tuners, internal or external analogue or digital tuners etc. A HDD recorder is just a dumb recorder, but a PVR has advanced recording features via the EPG.

But most people will have different opinions on most things to do with AV :suicide:

Mark.
 

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