PVR functions with Sky (free sat) Digibox

np1664

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Hi, My VCR has finally died and I would like to replace it with a HDD PVR recorder. I would like to connect & record from a Sky digibox (non-subscription) and would like to use the excellent functions of Pause, chase TV & EPG advanced recording, instead of the usual record the channel which is on at the time, as a VCR would do.

Can anyone suggest a sub £200 PVR (twin tuner, if in price range) with or without DVD recorder (not neccesarily needed but would pay a little extra if the only suitable PVR had DVD included) which will give me all the PVR functionality with my Sky free-sat set up?

I have spent quite a lot of time reading this and other forums and have picked up a number of threads which have moved my knowledge on (eg Guide+ and IR links to set top boxes may be needed) but have not been able to put everything together to confirm that I can do exactly what I want and if so with which Recorder.

I cannot go for a PVR with freeview and do not want to subscribe to SKY+. Also not to keen to go the Tivo route

Any advice in this matter would be much appreciated. Many thanks
 
np1664 said:
I would like to connect & record from a Sky digibox (non-subscription) and would like to use the excellent functions of Pause, chase TV & EPG advanced recording, instead of the usual record the channel which is on at the time, as a VCR would do.

Hi If I have understood correctly your problem here is that you only have one Freesat tuner. You can only therefore receive one channel at a time so you must watch what you are recording. The recorder cannot compensate for this. If you have analogue TV you will be able to watch that while recording Sky.
By the way there are AFAIK no current models without a DVDR which will do what you want - record from an external source.
 
Me again; just occured to me that my post may have indirectly suggested that you need a second Freesat box. In fact I do not know how this would work with a HDD/DVDR recorder if at all. :confused:
If it is any help; the way these forums are broken down I think these kind of recorders usually get talked about in the DVD Recorder section rather than the PVR one (which is mostly taken up with Freeview PVRs). Might be worth looking in that forum as well.

Edit and there is a 'Chances of a PVR for freesat' thread today on this forum.
 
Thanks for the Reply Richard46.

After a couple of days researching I was getting to the point where I thought this was possible????

I read that some HDD/DVD recorders come with Guide+ and an IR function which "talked" to set top boxes, including Sky digibox and that this would allow greater functionality (pause live TV etc) then simply recording the sky channel which was actually on. Otherwise I do not really have that much more advantage over old VCR. I appreciate I can get full functionality if I record Analogue TV but am then restricted to the 4 channels (I do not get Ch 5)

I watch all my channels through a single old Panasonic Sky digibox with Card, which I used to subscribe to sky but after cancelling am left with enough free channels and mix of channels to keep me happy.

Any further thoughts?
 
Sorry I know almost zilch about these HDD/DVDR recorders; you may well get live pause; but what you cannot get is two different freesat channels with one freesat tuner. Just like with analogue; you could watch something while recording something else - because you had two analogue tuners one in the TV and one in the video.

There are some Freesat recorders perhaps that is what you need.

They are somewhat expensive and some work is needed setting up EPG etc; see this thread. I think you would also need some work doing on your dish to get two feeds but with sat stuff I am out of my depth. See this thread.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377110

Thanks for the edit on my name; its 19'46' and you added a year to my already adequate years with the '45' :D

Richard
 
To watch / record two channels on Sky you will need a second Sky box (with second Freesat card ) and a twin/quad LNB on your dish - Sky+ boxes will only work (inadequately as "autoview" is not available) as a "normal" single tuner receiver without the Sky+ subscription (£10 per month). You will have problems with the remote controls as all Sky boxes use the same remote although Sky+ boxes use a different (non clashing) remote.:cool:
 
davemurgatroyd2 said:
To watch / record two channels on Sky you will need a second Sky box (with second Freesat card )
... Which may mean it's simpler and cheaper in the long run to go for a twin-tuner Freeview PVR.
 
IanSimmons said:
... Which may mean it's simpler and cheaper in the long run to go for a twin-tuner Freeview PVR.
If he's unable to receive channel 5 as he says it is unlikely he is in an acceptable "Freeview" reception area - hence his only solution is satellite.

It would also be possible to just use a second FTA satellite receiver (around £50) but any two receiver and PVR/DVD recorder combination is unlikely to give the ease of use of either a Sky+ or other expensive twin tuner/PVR satellite receiver
 
Hi. np1664 & all responders,

I am watching this thread with great interest as I too have the same SKY system as you, np1664, but I have my sky digibox in the loft which feeds three TVs around the house utilising 'magic eyes'. I have just upgraded two of my TVs to Sony KDL-26S2010's. These are now great, once this forum helped me to optimise the settings. But I am soon to replace my lounge TV and want a PVR, I think? to record/copy. I am also hoping to be able to buy whatever I need to receive HD TV and somehow use it with my system to enable all three TVs to operate on HD?

Jimlad
 
I suspect that if you intend to continue down the Sky route then he only HD solution available for the time being would be Sky HD.

Snail
 
davemurgatroyd2 said:
If he's unable to receive channel 5 as he says it is unlikely he is in an acceptable "Freeview" reception area - hence his only solution is satellite.
I take your point, I had missed that. BTW, I cannot receive channel 5 through analogue and am in a semi-rural area not officially covered by Freeview. Nevertheless I receive pretty much everything through Freeview...
 

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