In need of help for my PVR setup.

[Pigbristle]

I've decided to buy a 42' Samsung PS42Q97HDX plasma.

Now to complement this I've decided I need a DVD player with HDD recording (don't need DVD recording function).
Also looking for a black tallboy sound system to match the TV.

Now here's where the problem starts (
If I buy the Samsung HT-TX35R 5.1 (all in one) system that I like! it lacks any recording function (can't believe Samsung don't sell this system, minus the dvd player) I'm sure there would be a market for them!

So to get strait to the point!
Can any of you guys recommend a DVD player with intergrated HDD recording, plus a nice black tallboy speaker sound system (2.1 or 5.1) to go with my new, soon to be here Sammy?

I would like this system to match, which pretty much means they need to be black ;O)

cheers & thanks for listening

 

[LV426]

Your "DVD player with intergrated HDD recording" IS going to be a DVD recorder; they don't make HDD recorders with DVD playback only. And actually that's no bad thing; it's always unwise to use a Hard Disc machine for keeping things you want to keep; always better to copy off onto another medium, like DVD.

These can be had with either analogue, digital (Freeview) or both types of tuner. All will record from external devices (like Sky boxes etc). Which do you feel you need? With any of these you will then need a separate sound system.

An alternative might be to get a Freeview PVR (Hard Drive only; no DVD; enhanced features like twin-tuner, but will record Freeview only, not anything external) and accompany that with a combination DVD player/sound system such as the one you describe.

All depends on what YOU expect to be able to do with it all.

 

[Pigbristle]

Thanks lv426 for your input.

Suppose all I want to do is record off TV & play the odd DVD film, accompanied by good sound.

Can you help me on picking out the best of these two setups?


1. Get this PVR http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500000701&langId=-1&searchTerms=5321234&go.x=12&go.y=15
With this http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?quicklinx=4GSY


or

2. Get this http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/[email protected]@@@[email protected]@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfaddllhiggfhcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&category_oid=-29293&sku=870877&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null

with the same HT-TX35R sound system as above.
This would leave me with an extra dvd player that I could sell on maybe?

I really appriciate your input, thanks!

 

[LV426]

If I understand exactly what these two devices are (from the links you gave) then (2) won't leave me with an extra dvd player that I could sell because (a) the first, also a recorder, is integral to the HDD-DVD machine,
and (b) the second is inside the same box as the amplifier for the sound system.

Option (1) will give you somewhat greater flexibility with watching and recording Freeview. But, as I said above, it's never a good idea to KEEP things on any internal hard drive. The reason for this is that any failure of the entire box, which may require replacement and/or resetting (etc) means you lose your entire archive collection.

So - if you DO intend to record off TV but also to keep any such recordings, then I'd counsel on the second of your two setups.

I'm not commenting on the actual equipment you've chosen here as I have no knowledge on which to base any assessment; only on the principles of your choices.

One last point; I recommend you make sure your DVD player or recorder is Multi-Region. That means, buying it from somewhere that does this. It will be so advertised if it is. You won't get a multi-region machine from Dixons/Currys/Comet/Argos, but you might from (say) Richer Sounds, Superfi, and many others.