DVR recommendation please
 

You are right, i just could not get a dvd recorder to do what I wanted but a
pvr seems pretty simple, although in my eye situation it would have to speak
now.
I'd go for a bog standard dvd from Tesco or somesuch, and a decent pvr.
Nobody has answered the actual question yet, ie what models etc. anyone?
Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"airsmoothed" wrote in message
...
On Jan 27, 11:23 am, Mark
wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:06:08 -0000, "Vic" wrote:
Well, finally the MIL has conceded that her old VHS recorder will no
longer
be of any use after DSO. She has been using the same E180 tape for about
the
last 5 years to time shift programmes so the time has come for a new DVR
and
I have been given the task of obtaining and installing one.

Her TV is a fairly new 32" Samsung LCD with HDMI input and she has good
freeview reception. She has been given a couple of DVDs but has nothing
to
play them on, so a unit incorporaing a DVD player would be useful. It
does
not need to be HD, which may help to keep the cost down.

The requirements a
Twin Freeview tuners
A built-in DVD player
A decent size HDD (350GB or more)

Is there an all in one unit that will do this ? For a person in their
70s,
it would be much easier if there was only the one "box" and one remote
for
her to worry about.

Any recommendations much appreciated.

If she only uses one E180 tape then a 350GB hard disk seems OTT ;-)

I would agree that a box with DVD player built in would be convenient
but more expensive than separate DVD player and PVR. I have heard
that DVD recorders are not as easy to use as dedicated PVRs but I
haven't tried one myself.

If she's capable of using a VCR I'm sure she'd cope with separates.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

Agree separate DVD and PVR would be cheaper and probably easier to
use. The humax direst site has 'refurb' 9150Ts for 80 quid odd at the
moment:-

http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product...69&cat=Factory

DVR recommendation please
 

On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:54:20 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

You are right, i just could not get a dvd recorder to do what I wanted but a
pvr seems pretty simple, although in my eye situation it would have to speak
now.
I'd go for a bog standard dvd from Tesco or somesuch, and a decent pvr.
Nobody has answered the actual question yet, ie what models etc. anyone?

Some have suggested the Humax 9150 secondhand. I am happy with my
9300 PVR. As far a DVD players its hard to recommend any particular
model. I suggest the OP looks at the Which? reviews. A summary is
available to non-members online.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

DVR recommendation please
 

On Jan 28, 9:20*am, Mark
wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:54:20 -0000, "Brian Gaff"

wrote:
You are right, i just could not get a dvd recorder to do what I wanted but a
pvr seems pretty simple, although in my eye situation it would have to speak
now.
I'd go for a bog standard dvd from Tesco or somesuch, and a decent pvr.
Nobody has answered the actual question yet, ie what *models etc. anyone?

Some have suggested the Humax 9150 secondhand. *I am happy with my
9300 PVR. *As far a DVD players its hard to recommend any particular
model. I suggest the OP looks at the Which? reviews. *A summary is
available to non-members online.
--
(\__/) *M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. *If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

If you don't fancy 'refurb' with 12 months on site warranty for 80-
odd quid the 9150T is around 130 quid new from Argos, Comet etc. Match
with any HDMI capable DVD player from Tesco or whatever, 20 quid or
so. Job done. Personally I have no interest in HD, the programmes are
still 99.9% crap no matter how many pixels they add. The very very few
programmes where HD makes a difference to my enjoyment I'd rather wait
for a Blu-Ray version and watch it in proper HD.

DVR recommendation please
 

In message ,
Mark wrote

I suggest the OP looks at the Which? reviews.

But only if you want one that has more bells and useless whistles.

Which? seem to think the more advertising hype on the side of the box
the better the unit.

--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

DVR recommendation please
 

"Mark" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:54:20 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

You are right, i just could not get a dvd recorder to do what I wanted but
a
pvr seems pretty simple, although in my eye situation it would have to
speak
now.
I'd go for a bog standard dvd from Tesco or somesuch, and a decent pvr.
Nobody has answered the actual question yet, ie what models etc. anyone?

Some have suggested the Humax 9150 secondhand. I am happy with my
9300 PVR. As far a DVD players its hard to recommend any particular
model. I suggest the OP looks at the Which? reviews. A summary is
available to non-members online.

I was one of the original subscribers to "Which" in the early 1960s. They
then lost their way entirely. I remember a 4 page review they did of
strawberry jam! A year or so back, the Consumers Association offered my a 3
month free trial plus a set of test reports entitled "The Pick of Which". I
took the free trial and one of the test reports was about products with
which I have expertise. The reports were spectacularly inaccurate which made
me wonder how much reliance I can have on reports about products of which I
know little or nothing. So, if "Which" says it is good or bad, then in my
eyes it ain't necessarily so.
--
JohnT

DVR recommendation please
 

In article ,
JohnT wrote:
I remember a 4 page review they did of strawberry jam!

Nowt wrong with that. It varies tremendously in price - and a high price
doesn't necessarily guarantee quality. Of course you could simply buy all
the brands on sale and check them yourself. But then that applies to any
consumer goods.

--
*Don't squat with your spurs on *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

DVR recommendation please
 

On Fri, 28 Jan 2011 23:10:21 -0000, "JohnT"
wrote:


"Mark" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:54:20 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

You are right, i just could not get a dvd recorder to do what I wanted but
a
pvr seems pretty simple, although in my eye situation it would have to
speak
now.
I'd go for a bog standard dvd from Tesco or somesuch, and a decent pvr.
Nobody has answered the actual question yet, ie what models etc. anyone?

Some have suggested the Humax 9150 secondhand. I am happy with my
9300 PVR. As far a DVD players its hard to recommend any particular
model. I suggest the OP looks at the Which? reviews. A summary is
available to non-members online.

I was one of the original subscribers to "Which" in the early 1960s. They
then lost their way entirely. I remember a 4 page review they did of
strawberry jam! A year or so back, the Consumers Association offered my a 3
month free trial plus a set of test reports entitled "The Pick of Which". I
took the free trial and one of the test reports was about products with
which I have expertise. The reports were spectacularly inaccurate which made
me wonder how much reliance I can have on reports about products of which I
know little or nothing. So, if "Which" says it is good or bad, then in my
eyes it ain't necessarily so.

I agree that Which? ain't as good as they used to be. However, AFAIK,
they are the /only/ independent organisation that tests consumer
products. I would no longer rely entirely on a Which report but they
do provide useful information to help choose a suitable product.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

DVR recommendation please
 

In article ,
Mark wrote:
I agree that Which? ain't as good as they used to be. However, AFAIK,
they are the /only/ independent organisation that tests consumer
products. I would no longer rely entirely on a Which report but they
do provide useful information to help choose a suitable product.

It's surprising how many just glance at the 'best buy' headline and
condemn the rest without reading it. Could be their favourite is a 'good
but pricey'. And of course few will have tested all the products on the
market so just feel slighted if what they've bought doesn't win - even
although it works well enough for them.

Some years ago Jaguar got very shirty when a Which member's report said
that sample showed Jags not to be the most reliable in class. But if
they'd read the whole article, the same members were very pleased with
their Jag and would recommend it to a friend.

I got a bit fed up with data being given (or sold) to the press before I'd
received my copy of the mag. So one reason for cancelling my subscription.
It's much easier these days to find comparative reviews for free on the
net. And they're now allowing data to be used in adverts which puts me off
even more.

Sort of the same as Sky - paying a subscription and still having ads.

--
*Never kick a cow pat on a hot day *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

DVR recommendation please
 

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:53:21 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Mark wrote:
I agree that Which? ain't as good as they used to be. However, AFAIK,
they are the /only/ independent organisation that tests consumer
products. I would no longer rely entirely on a Which report but they
do provide useful information to help choose a suitable product.

It's surprising how many just glance at the 'best buy' headline and
condemn the rest without reading it. Could be their favourite is a 'good
but pricey'. And of course few will have tested all the products on the
market so just feel slighted if what they've bought doesn't win - even
although it works well enough for them.

You do have the read between the lines. Sometimes it's not easy to
work out why product A has been given a "best buy" status when product
B, with the same "score", has not.

Some years ago Jaguar got very shirty when a Which member's report said
that sample showed Jags not to be the most reliable in class. But if
they'd read the whole article, the same members were very pleased with
their Jag and would recommend it to a friend.

I got a bit fed up with data being given (or sold) to the press before I'd
received my copy of the mag. So one reason for cancelling my subscription.
It's much easier these days to find comparative reviews for free on the
net. And they're now allowing data to be used in adverts which puts me off
even more.

I'd rather they did not allow this.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking some articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.

DVR recommendation please
 

In message , Mark
wrote

You do have the read between the lines. Sometimes it's not easy to
work out why product A has been given a "best buy" status when product
B, with the same "score", has not.

As others have said you only have to read one of their product reviews
on a subject you know something about to see the flaws in their testing
and selection method.

Many years ago I read Which? review where they rated one box of
electronics highly and slated another. The only real difference in the
product was the badge/branding.

--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk