I've had a Humax freeview PVR and Samsung DVD player for quite a while but would like to replace them with a single box. I've also got a Chromecast but SWMBO is a bit of a phone-o-phobe so I need something where the main apps (Netflix, iplayer, all4, ITVhub, My5, and YouTube) work well and have a sensible and responsive interface. Any recommendations?
How about a Fire TV stick - comes with an IR remote and runs the UI on the main screen rather than a second one?
(and I expect can do voice control as well if paired with an Alexa speaker)
Interesting, but I'm really looking for a Freeview receiver which incorporates a decent DVD player and PVR. We're in the sticks and broadband is both flaky and slow.
You're not a Fire TV user, are you? :) The Fire TV stick has voice control built into the RF remote control handset, although it doesn't do Freeview.
I am also interested i this. We have a similar setup but my wife finds it very complicated to operate. we have to keep reset, the set up that is! whya hwas life become so complicated?
John Rumm has brought this to us :
They do voice control via their own remote too.
Freeview is available on Firestick via a relevant app.
ok fair points, and was in a similar situation myself a year back.
While not quite being what you asked, I found that for decent PVR capabilities, it was easier in the end to give up on dedicated boxes (used to use a Topfield), roll my own using a network connected Silicon Dust dual freeview tuner.
There are a number of ways you can use that for both live TV or PVR, but I use the PVR capabilities within plex server running on my NAS to do the recordings. That has the advantage that recordings are not encrypted or tied to any one playback device, and can be watched on any network connected device.
That then leaves a DVD or blueray player for the physical disks. A whole new topic depending on how much you want to spend.
off air, or via internet though?
I don't think there's a single Freeview app for the Firestick because it isn't a single service.
You can patch something together with separate apps for BBC iPlayer, All 4, ITV Hub, Channel5, etc but it's nothing like all the Freeview channels.
That's my problem too, I understand it but my wife doesn't. Perhaps life would be simpler without wives ;-) We have a "smart" A/V amp that takes inputs from DVD/Bluray (smart), Freeview (smart), Chromecast, and Sky (not used these days) boxes. The power to the TV (which is only acting as a monitor) is switched from the A/V amp, as is the power to some of the other boxes and the ethernet switch. Seems straightforward to me, but ...
I need to make it simpler than it is now, and we watch so little TV that it's not worth a big investment of time - I just want a box that works and has a good UI.
You could dispense with one of those two boxes if you bought a TV like mine (from Sainsbury) with a slot for a DVD in it.
then you have to trash the telly when the dvd breaks down...
Most of them are standard laptop style DVD drives these days, and so easy to replace.
You could dispense with all those boxes if you installed linux on a server and ripped all your DVDS to it and simply used the TV to access them.
Works for CDs as well though my telly only talks mp3.
If you add a tv receiver card to the linux server it becomes a DVR as well.
I no longer have DVD player or recorder. Just a box under the desk here, attached to a TV aerial and the house network
If AD is ever required, remember that the apps often are the limiting factor for using the thing. Brian
Don't Panasonic still make these in a variety of models ?. J-L had them on their website the last time I was looking for a similar thing.
Just had a look and they are still available, apart from the all-bells- and-whistles version that is a bluray recorder plus twin freeview tuner plus 1TB HD. The only issue is how old the design is and if it copes will all the streaming sources.
While I was queuing to get into local Sainsburys, a woman came out wheeling a 32 inch Bush TV in her trolley.
A couple of people made sarcastic remarks, but not because it was not an essential purchase (From Argos presumably) but because she had bought a 32 inch BUSH TV :-)
I think one guy said, 'your kids are going to love you' or something like that.
His wife wants a nice easy one-box solution. Linux is 180 degrees to the opposite of that requirement.
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