Suggestions for PVR please

In article ,
Johnny B Good wrote:
On this last remark, I agree. However, the odds of a short cct on a 5
amp lamp cord blowing a 13 amp fuse are still very high, far far higher
than such a fault blowing a 20 amp consumer unit fuse or cct breaker.

If the householder wishes to tempt fate by fitting a 13 amp fuse in
place of a 3 or 5 amp fuse appropriate to the cordage rating, then on
their head so be it.

Because of this all recent flexible cables fitted to appliances with a 13
amp plug must be rated to blow a 13 amp fuse without overheating.

--
*When it rains, why don't sheep shrink? *

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

In article ,
Max Demian wrote:
the fact you can buy fuses to fit in a plug with a higher rating than
the cable leaving that plug is quite unsafe.

I don't understand why they don't fuse the sockets rather than the
plugs, as the fuses really only protect the supply.

The fuse is only there to protect the appliance flex - so if it is damaged
and shorts the fuse will prevent overheating. And originally it might have
been 5 amp flex - so not much point in having a fuse in the socket as that
would restrict it to 5 amps.

These days all flex has to be capable of blowing a 13 amp fuse in event of
a fault.

--
*Am I ambivalent? Well, yes and no.

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

Alan wrote:
In message , Andy
Champ wrote
Steve wrote:
I apologise if this topic has been covered recently, but a quick
search didn't bring anything to light.
My elderly father-in-law wants a freeview box with built in
recorder. I
know there's plenty to choose from but I could use recommendations
for one which is easy to use for someone who has barely grasped
using a cordless phone or basic TV remote. The idea of trying to
teach him to use interactive menus gives me the shudders. Anyone got any
success stories to share?
Thanks
Steve
Having read a bunch of the replies here - which of these recorders
will still work with the new freeview standard coming out this
Autumn?

Which new Freeview standard are you referring to?

He's probaly thinking about DVB-T2, which initially will only affect one MUX
so existing PVRs will still work fine.
--
There is no God, so stop worrying and enjoy your life.

Doctor D wrote:
My elderly father-in-law wants a freeview box with built in
recorder. I know there's plenty to choose from but I could use
recommendations for one which is easy to use for someone who has
barely grasped using a cordless phone or basic TV remote. The idea
of trying to teach him to use interactive menus gives me the shudders.
Anyone got any
success
stories to share?


Humax PVR.
It's as straightforward as you'll get


But if it goes wrong don't even expect Humax to be interested, let
alone resolve matters!
Worst manufacturer I've ever dealt with.



they have always answered my emails no problems.........

Interesting. I've emailed three times using the address on their
website, then wrote a letter and faxed it before posting it. No
response at all. I started contacting last December and gave up about
6 weeks ago.

It looks like you were just unlucky, most of us who have contacted Humax
have no problems with them.
--
There is no God, so stop worrying and enjoy your life.

"Ivan" wrote in message
...

"Graham." wrote in message
...

"charles" wrote in message
...
In article ,
J G Miller wrote:
On Fri, 01 May 2009 13:34:05 +0100, charles wrote:

Why not just use the switch on the socket?

Because in the minds of some, there still exists the possibility that
electrical power will leak through the switch due to it malfunctioning
and therefore still reach the appliances, thereby causing them to
spontaneously ignite during the night.

Strangely enough these same people have no problems leaving an
electrical
compressor motor* more or less permanently connected to the power
supply
which may probably be more likely to cause a fire.

* The refrigerator and/or freezer.

and an electric clock - mains ones being very common in their younger
days.


My grandmother had an electric clock built in to a wall mirror,
which was built in to the lounge wall.

It was a self-starter, but it was 50/50 whether it ran forwards or
backwards.

There was no switch, FCU or clock connecter socket, so you
had to interrupt the supply by pulling out the fuse in the CU
and then wait until you perceived the minuet hand moving
the right way.


Presumably whilst the hour hand waltzed away!


"Minute Waltz" or "Dance of the Hours"?

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 1 May, 09:59, Steve wrote:
I apologise if this topic has been covered recently, but a quick search
didn't bring anything to light.

My elderly father-in-law wants a freeview box with built in recorder. I
know there's plenty to choose from but I could use recommendations for
one which is easy to use for someone who has barely grasped using a
cordless phone or basic TV remote. The idea of trying to teach
him to use interactive menus gives me the shudders. Anyone got any success
stories to share?

* Avoid anything with "Guide+" aka "GuidePlus".

* Avoid anything labelled "Philips"

--
WH

wrote in message
...
On 1 May, 09:59, Steve wrote:
I apologise if this topic has been covered recently, but a quick search
didn't bring anything to light.

My elderly father-in-law wants a freeview box with built in recorder. I
know there's plenty to choose from but I could use recommendations for
one which is easy to use for someone who has barely grasped using a
cordless phone or basic TV remote. The idea of trying to teach
him to use interactive menus gives me the shudders. Anyone got any
success
stories to share?

Thanks

Steve

Obviously there's a fair degree of subjectivity involved, but the
ricability site allows Freeview PVRs to be sorted by ease of use,may
gave some ideas:-

http://tinyurl.com/cdn7a6

Nice link - interesting to see that if you search for all digital recorders
by ease of use, the Humax Freesat+ recorder, and not a Freeview+ one, comes
out top.

"Zimmy" wrote in message ...

"Steve" wrote in message
news
I apologise if this topic has been covered recently, but a quick search
didn't bring anything to light.

My elderly father-in-law wants a freeview box with built in recorder. I
know there's plenty to choose from but I could use recommendations for
one which is easy to use for someone who has barely grasped using a
cordless phone or basic TV remote. The idea of trying to teach
him to use interactive menus gives me the shudders. Anyone got any
success
stories to share?

I've not used the feature-topping Humax and Topfields, so I don't know how
easy they are to use. I do have a TVonics though which is very easy to use
(same guys who designed the Sonys apparently). My four year old daughter
can pause and record stuff directly no problem, and the EPG is very good.
My technophobe wife has no problems recording stuff either. It rarely
crashes and if it does, it resets itself so no unplugging necessary. It
also comes with an excellent remote that can also control your telly and
DVD.

Z
I'm glad someone mentioned crashes - I would love to hear about any recorder
that does not crash. The vestel clones all seem to crash, and other types
don't seem to be immune. You get the impression people have just resigned to
crashes, as if nothing can be done. My 83 year-old mum manages very well
with a Wharfedale digital recorder - sets recordings, plays them back. But
it has started crashing regularly, usually after a channel change is
attempted. Hard to explain why this modern marvel has to be re-booted so
often. Does everyone just think that a crash-free PVR cannot be made? Maybe
we'll have crashing irons, toasters, and washing machines next!

Adrian wrote:
Alan wrote:
Which new Freeview standard are you referring to?

He's probaly thinking about DVB-T2, which initially will only affect one MUX
so existing PVRs will still work fine.

I am indeed. I couldn't think of the name off the top of my head, and
knew you lot would know!

It would be kind of annoying to find in six months that the PVR you'd
just bought won't record all the available channels.

Even more annoying if you'd just spend over a grand on a TV with
built-in freeview, then had to add an STB to get all the MUXes...

Andy

In article ,
GTS wrote:
I'm glad someone mentioned crashes - I would love to hear about any
recorder that does not crash.

My fairly old Topfield? Never had a crash with that.

--
*i souport publik edekashun.

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