PVR Choice

[Chris J Dixon]

Once more I am sorting out my increasingly temperamental Humax

9200T, and am looking at moving on to the next generation.

Last time I asked, I decided to stick with it, but I think the time has now come.

It seems that many consider that the latest equipment lacks some of the more useful functions of the older designs.

If I list a few simple desires:

• At least 500MB, ideally 1TB Hard Drive

• Freeview HD capable

• Record 2 programmes whilst watching a third live (on limited MUXs)

• Start watching a programme that is being recorded.

• SCART socket for legacy equipment.

• Ethernet port, with no silly router password constraints.

• Cope with padding on adjacent programmes without falling over.

How close to this can I now get?

Chris

[Woody]

Well I have a Humax HDR Fox-T2 and it seems to do all of that.

If you want a cheapie to play with look for a ex-TalkTalk Huawei DN370T You View box. It is by no means the quickest box in the world - you can easily fall asleep waiting for a full start-up - but it works and gives a good picture. The only catch is that there is no manual tune on it, auto only, which can be a bit of a bind if you can receive more than one transmitter. Should be able to pick one up boxed in new condition for about ?40.

[Roger Mills]

+1

Not sure whether it's still a current model, though.

[Indy Jess John]

If your 9200 is annoying you with the clock changing to --/--/-- now and again, that is easily repairable with a Philips screwdriver and some isopropyl alcohol.

I have some instructions here somewhere if you want them.

Jim

[Max Demian]

I think the Humax HDR-2000T for £159 is the nearest:

. They also have some refurbished models for less, including 1TB ones.

[Adrian Caspersz]

This Humax made BT box works well for us, the YouView+ software looks very well done with good integration with internet based catchup services.

BT YouView+ Smart 500GB Freeview HD Digital TV Recorder - £129.99

Not noticed instability with timing clashes, but it's locked down for things like extraction.

[Chris J Dixon]

No, it's worse than that Jim, I've just had to use humaxrw to recover my recordings after the record list disappeared - apparently not uncommon. :-(

Chris

[tim...]

I doubt you'll find anything else

You definitively won't find anything else

ditto (assuming 2 or more)

ditto

You'll struggle with this

what does this mean?

tim

[tim...]

159GBP for a 500Gb disk and it doesn't even have WiFi

They're aving a larf

tim

[Davey]

+2.

And add the Customised Firmware, and it's an even better unit.

[NY]

I imagine it means that the PVR acts as an SMB server to allow network access from other devices to recorded files using the \\pvr\recording.ts notation.

Assuming that recordings are accessible to be copied off the PVR, what format are they usually recorded in? Something industry standard like MPG, MP4 or TS, with the appropriate MPEG2 (SD) or H264 (HD) codec?

[tim...]

I know of no current consumer PVR "boxes" that enable the copying of recorded programs onto external media.

The Ethernet connection is there to provide for a link to a router so that whatever web browsing capabilities are built into the box can be used.

USB connects are read-only for playback of stuff you have generated elsewhere (and presumably SW updates).

Obviously, there are PC based software solutions that do enable programs to be copied to external media

and there are some TVs that have a USB output that you can "record" onto but they don't have multiple tuners and will only record the program that you are (nominally) watching. No idea if the format is readable by other equipment.

Happy for someone to find me a box that will copy to external media. My SD one's getting a bit dodgy.

tim

>

[Davey]

The USB connections on my Humax Fox T-2 allow copying of programmes recorded on it to the USB device. The programmes are also decrypted before copying.

With the Customised Firmware, the internet connection allows bi-directional transfer of recordings to and from the PVR and a PC. Programmes on the PVR need to be decrypted before transfer if they are to be watchable on other devices.

[NY]

Ah, so the Ethernet connection is F-all use, then :-)

I presume there's nothing to stop the PVR being flashed with firmware that can copy recordings off the disk - assuming that they are saved in a generic rather than proprietary and encrypted format.

[Yellow]

But unfortunately this unit is no longer a current offering.

[AnthonyL]

Well not currently made but still occasionally available the Topfield does (USB to computer hard drive). But no HD.

[AnthonyL]

A refurbished Topfield

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Don't know, I think they have some FTP/Ethernet capability

Yes - with MyStuff software can set adjacent timers to be merged.

I've just replaced someone's Humax with a TF5800 for these stability and not so hard features. They didn't need HD but wanted to be able to get recordings onto their computer for archive purposes.

I don't know why the major manufacturers haven't cottoned on to what the Toppy enthusiasts have done and either employed them or copied their ideas.

[Brian Gaff]

and talking menus and program guide and a remote that you do not need to be a fighter pilot to understand. Brian

[T i m]

A big +1. We have 3 x TF5800's here, one replacing a unreliable 9200T (which had already been replaced by Humax under the 2 yr warranty).

Cheers, T i m

[Indy Jess John]

No wonder you are looking for a replacement.

The worst thing that happened to me was when I filled the disc up, and over-filled it. The index for the recordings that were overwritten said the recording was there, but the playback was of various segments of later recordings. I managed to save a lot of recordings, but not all.

Jim