Freeview Recorder

[TCBarrett]

Now that I’m free from Sky (well, I have a NowTV box), I’m looking for something to a) improve my DTV reception (television won’t tune into BBC channels) and b) be able to easily record TV shows. I’m hoping there’s a box that will do that for me, without having to pay Sky (or Virgin) an enormous amount of money.

Family. Coffee. CrossFit. WordPress. にほんご。

[The Duke]

Od tv. No need to remember to record again. We haven’t recorded since sky tv vanished and FTTC arrived, on me about 5 years ago.

About reception I don’t know, could never get an ota receipted pre or post digital. My signal actually got worse with the digital switch. All to do with my location.

You could use your sky box to watch BBC and frewiew, and od for catch up. Actually you can watch live on the iplayer too.

Just make sure your download limit is suited for such use. Live TV is about 1gb an hour (rule of thumb ).

 

[Dave Rice]

Reception is down to your aerial, no box can make that better.

I agree with Steve about catch up / on demand. I bought a Humax (satellite) recorder for the kitchen and put a 2.5″ USB hdd on it. Never been used.

[blacklion1725]

Youview or freeview play is a nice way to do catchup. My new telly has Youview built in, so for catch up you just scroll backwards in the planner and press play (it then plays the program via the relevant catchup up app). I think Freeview Play is similar. Its much easier than going in and out of individual catchup apps (although you can still do that if you want). You can get STBs that do the same – I’ve got a BT youview box that supports the 7 day catchup (by going backwards in the guide) and also supports netflix and nowtv. Cant remember the model as I’ve lent it to someone – but was about 80 quid on ebay.

I have a few series links set on my STB, it beats ITV and C4 catchup a you can skip the ads. So I’m probably 70% cacthup and 30% recording.

I did a thread recently as I had to upgrade my aerial (lost some HD channels after a change in lineup). Worth checking if anything similar has happened in your area.

 

[johnbarry]

My experience, once Sky switch off you get Freesat, no downloads no iplayer.

If it was SkyQ then you no longer have a box, also the LNB is for SkyQ not Sky+ so you haven’t got freesat.

You could get a Sky+ LNB and box, then watch freesat. I kept both incase.

Cheers
John

[The Duke]

Yes John your sky box just turns into a dumb box, but it gives you access to what you need. Though we just binned ours and don’t do live TV. Catch up only.

If you (tc) do fix your signal issues, I agree with the above, you view is the best live TV and catch up ui out there bar non. Even my in laws “just got it”, it’s so simple and everything is kept for 7 days with no need to record. They must have some patent as it’s such an obvious solution and been around maybe 6 years. No use to me, having a terrible signal, but if you have a signal and internet, it’s the dogs doo-dars.

But tbh it’s not needed. Ditch the box and go on demand only. It’s stops you watching crap you would never usually chose to watch. Make your tv viewing more meaningful while freeing up time to do other things.

[Bob Williams]

When I went from Sky Q to Humax and Freesat, I thought I would lose something. On the contrary: I have so much recorded and so many ways to go back on the EPG, don’t know when I will watch it all. Some of the stuff we like is not to other tastes, such as good documentaries, wildlife, lots of history. Good dramas, BBC or others, British comedy. Can’t stand some American stuff, although I (not we ?) did like the Bourne series. I will watch almost any film with Matt Damon, like his acting. Jason Statham too. Footy is watched on the desktop here, via a HD tuner and new HP HD 24″ monitor. In the cause of marital harmony.

But TBH, if I was fit to walk far, I would not watch too much TV, rather be outside in the country around my village, or the beach. Longing for the day…

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[blacklion1725]

Bob you’ll get there mate….don’t worry about that.  On the TV – I’m running Linux STB with one FreeSat and one Freeview tuner – plus all the goodies the internet has to offer.  Catch up lets id down (BBC and ITV, no C4 or C5) but the new Telly handles that.

I found the model of the YouView receiver I’ve lent out – BT YouView DTR-4000. Its re-badged Hunax apparently – dual Freeview HD tuners, 1TB HDD, Netflix, NowTV etc and 4K capable (although not much 4K you can watch). When I was using it I was very impresed with it. There may be better versions now, but that one ges around £70 – £90 on ebay (the BT branding doesn’t stop anything working on a different provider).

[Richard]

We had an earlier generation of the Humax machines which we have just replaced with the later models, which come network enabled allowing access to both the catch up services but also to each other and to things on your network. So it can run slide shows – if the images are suitable size, other recorded material and, I understand music as well if you have any stored on the network. I can also copy some recorded material and play it back on the PC.  I have used the catch up enough to know that it works well, but unlike Steve I tend to record most things, then delete some straight away rather than go straight to catch up – not all broadcast things are available on catchup anyway.

[TCBarrett]

Hi all

Thanks for the replies! As always, been a bit busy to respond immediately.

@blacklion1725 – have you got a link to that article?

Together with the ditching if Sky, was also a move, so the old Sky box is just sitting in a box right now. At best, it might have some Ebay value?

The main things I’d like to be able to do is:
1) Easily switch between BBC and ITV
2) Live subtitles
3) Series record

Family. Coffee. CrossFit. WordPress. にほんご。

[Ed P]

Leading question – when you got rid of Sky, what happened to your satellite dish?  Freesat may be an attractive option to investigate for improving your signal.

[TCBarrett]

The dish is still attached to the building. But we’re not in the building any more. We moved! 🙂

Family. Coffee. CrossFit. WordPress. にほんご。

[Ed P]

As you still have the Sky Box, the cost of Freesat+PVR(using Sky Box) may be ~£100 for dish+fixing. It could be a better option than a new terrestrial aerial+cable, and not much difference in cost. Depending on your line of sight towards SSE and around 20 degrees azimuth (link) you may even be able to get an outside wall fixing in which case DIY is not impossible.

[blacklion1725]

TC if you mean the post about the aerial here iit is:

https://forumite.co.uk/forums/topic/freeview-retune-new-aerial/

Regards the value of the Sky box – not much. When I binned Sky I got £25 for my 1TB 895 box and a tenner for the 500GB Samsung box. I imagine as Sky push out Q-only now the value would be even less.

As a freeview recorder they are pretty worthless as Sky kill the recording capabilities once you no longer have an active sub (petty and stupid). I think you have to pay a tenner a month to keep the “plus” features which means within a few months you could have paid for a new freesat receiver. The Sky boxes (pre Q at least) are also very power hungry even in standby.

I think you need to confirm whether your current aerial is up to supporting all the Freeview channels. If is is then a Freeview Play or YouView (2 flavours of the best catchup service) is the best way to go. If not then you’d have the option of either a new aerial (assuming that your neighbours can get all the channels and you are not in a blackspot) or a new satellite dish and a FreeSat STB. The satellite equivalent of Freeview Play/YouView is called “FreeTime HD” and this box appears to be the daddy.

Depending on where the dish would be fitted it might be slightly cheaper than a new aerial (if its lower) – and you would want one with a “universal” LNB – at least a 4 port (quad) or an 8 port (octo) – both very cheap. For a satellite dish you’ll need (like Sky) two cables from dish/LNB to the STB. If its an aerial then only one.  DIY can save you loads, I’ve done plenty of dishes (normally on the/side/front/back of a house) but not great with heights so paid someone to do the aerial.

[Bob Williams]

TC, when I gave up Sky Q I still had the dish and was able to buy a Freesat STB. We are quite happy with this and it would answer your 3 requirements, and more. This is Humax and the various boxes:

http://tinyurl.com/y9gsz3pw

If you can manage the DIY side, here is a useful Amazon source:

http://tinyurl.com/ydywpgdv

The dish with 4 outputs is a good idea, I wish I had done that. Here is eBay’s take on the same process:

http://tinyurl.com/ya3c45s5

As I say, we are happy with Freesat. None of the exorbitant expense of Sky stuff. Note that services like Netflix are also available on Freesat, paid for but there is more choice IMO.

EDIT: should add that I took the HDR-1100S, 1TB model. I realised that I would have been OK with the 500GB one, have lots of recordings and loads of GB left. There is also a Refurb Humax site somewhere.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

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