Telly recording box

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Herdanos
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PostTelly recording box
by Herdanos » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:53 pm

I'm looking for a cheap (or relatively cheap if genuinely cheap is not realistic) tellybox. Basically I want a box that I can plug into my TV and watch / record programmes through.

Assume I have no TV subscriptions (I currently have Sky but am moving soon and not taking it with me).

Anyone know of any good 'uns?

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Moggy
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Moggy » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:56 pm

Do you own an Xbone? I think it is being updated soon to allow you to record TV direct to the hard drive.

Other than that I am not really sure. You can get dirt cheap Now TV boxes but they don't record.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Errkal » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:01 pm

If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Rex Kramer » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:05 pm

If you've got a PS3 then maybe look around for a 2nd hand Play TV?

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by KK » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:10 pm

If it's a dish based product you're after, Freesat, and in particular those featuring Freetime, then the options are limited - you're pretty much locked in to a Humax HDR-1100S, which hovers around the £170-190 mark.

Freeview+ meanwhile will set you back a bit less at £130-150. The best box on the market is from Humax again and is the HDR-1800T. It's a bit antiquated now though in terms of graphics and features.

The new Freeview Play is extremely expensive and the boxes aren't that great at the moment.

Your other option is YouView, which is BT's preferred option. Their box can be picked up for around £150 or less, or of course from BT themselves via subscription.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Herdanos » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:19 pm

Moggy wrote:Do you own an Xbone?

No. :(

Errkal wrote:If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

Because I want to watch it on my TV, not my laptop. My TV at present doesn't have the catch up apps built in, hence why I'd need the box.

Rex Kramer wrote:If you've got a PS3...

Not got one of those either. :(

KK wrote:If it's a dish based product you're after

No, something I can just plug into the TV that'd be ready to go.

KK wrote:It's a bit antiquated now though in terms of graphics and features. [...] The new Freeview Play is extremely expensive and the boxes aren't that great at the moment.

So it's not looking good unless I go through BT, then :(

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Errkal » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:22 pm

PunBuck McSquintil wrote:
Errkal wrote:If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

Because I want to watch it on my TV, not my laptop. My TV at present doesn't have the catch up apps built in, hence why I'd need the box.



http://www.nowtv.com/box?referrer=nowtv ... ArfL8P8HAQ

Has all the catch up stuff in a box you plug into your TV, you cna then sub to entertainment / movies / sports if you want but it is optional. The catchup apps also do Live TV for BBC and ITV now as well. It is all I use for TV now.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by OrangeRKN » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:25 pm

You could plug your laptop into your TV, or pick up a Chromecast on the cheap and stream the TV shows across. If you have any current gen console you should have catchup TV through them.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by KK » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:27 pm

Humax do have a YouView recorder of their own but it's about 40 quid more expensive. Amazon will get you a BT YouView box for £131 whereas Freeview Play is just shy of £200 from Humax or Panasonic. Software needs big improvements, but it does have access to some of the bigger apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Sky are releasing a NowTV box later in the year that features Freeview built in and other improvements such as 4K support. No mention of recording capabilities yet though.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by degoose » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:30 pm

PunBuck McSquintil wrote:
Moggy wrote:Do you own an Xbone?

No. :(

Errkal wrote:If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

Because I want to watch it on my TV, not my laptop. My TV at present doesn't have the catch up apps built in, hence why I'd need the box.

Rex Kramer wrote:If you've got a PS3...

Not got one of those either. :(

KK wrote:If it's a dish based product you're after

No, something I can just plug into the TV that'd be ready to go.

KK wrote:It's a bit antiquated now though in terms of graphics and features. [...] The new Freeview Play is extremely expensive and the boxes aren't that great at the moment.

So it's not looking good unless I go through BT, then :(

get a firestick for 35 quid and do catch up that way, they have i think bbc,itv,5,4 and netflix. That covers off a lot of stuff without having to record.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KAKUN3E?tag=googhydr-21&hvadid=72824959843&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7953123059809503782&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6yg2flfvao_b

Also if you download shows to a laptop then you can stream to the tv using plex.

Last edited by degoose on Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Moggy
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Moggy » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:30 pm

Errkal wrote:
PunBuck McSquintil wrote:
Errkal wrote:If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

Because I want to watch it on my TV, not my laptop. My TV at present doesn't have the catch up apps built in, hence why I'd need the box.



http://www.nowtv.com/box?referrer=nowtv ... ArfL8P8HAQ

Has all the catch up stuff in a box you plug into your TV, you cna then sub to entertainment / movies / sports if you want but it is optional. The catchup apps also do Live TV for BBC and ITV now as well. It is all I use for TV now.


Yeah Now TV seems like your best bet. Dirt cheap and gives you the option of signing up for a day/week/month of sport if you want it with no contract.

Other than that a Chromecast should let you watch catch up TV from your laptop on the big screen.

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Errkal
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Errkal » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:32 pm

Moggy wrote:
Errkal wrote:
PunBuck McSquintil wrote:
Errkal wrote:If you are going to recroding mainly BBC, ITV, 4 etc. that why not just us their catch up apps.

Because I want to watch it on my TV, not my laptop. My TV at present doesn't have the catch up apps built in, hence why I'd need the box.



http://www.nowtv.com/box?referrer=nowtv ... ArfL8P8HAQ

Has all the catch up stuff in a box you plug into your TV, you cna then sub to entertainment / movies / sports if you want but it is optional. The catchup apps also do Live TV for BBC and ITV now as well. It is all I use for TV now.


Yeah Now TV seems like your best bet. Dirt cheap and gives you the option of signing up for a day/week/month of sport if you want it with no contract.

Other than that a Chromecast should let you watch catch up TV from your laptop on the big screen.


Yeeps, I started on NowTV boxes but now have "full fat" roku boxes that the now tv ones are built on so I can have Plex and other stuff without side loading it. They are brilliant.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by KK » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:33 pm

Isn't there an app on Roku or NowTV that lets you watch freeview channels via the internet?

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Errkal
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Errkal » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:35 pm

Dunno, if there is I imagine it is Roku only and I will have to get it :D

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Death's Head
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by Death's Head » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:52 pm

How much is cheap? For £90 you can get a Philips Freeview HD recorder -> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-HDTP854 ... w+recorder

Goodmans do something for about £70 that is 320Gb but not HD.

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PostRe: Telly recording box
by KK » Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:01 pm

My Gran had a previous model of that Philips (the TP8530). Absolute toss. If it's still available I bet the customer reviews are bloody awful. I came away with the feeling Philips should just stick to making light bulbs.

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jawafour
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PostRe: Telly recording box
by jawafour » Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:23 pm

PunBuck McSquintil wrote:I'm looking for a cheap (or relatively cheap if genuinely cheap is not realistic) tellybox. Basically I want a box that I can plug into my TV and watch / record programmes through...

I have used a Humax Freeview recorder for about five years and it works well. It just records and plays Freeview channels, which sounds like what you're after. It doesn't do Smart TV, apps or anything like that - but that is fine for my needs.

The model I have is this one; it's no longer made but Humax do various newer models now. It sounds lke you want something as simple-to-setup as possible so the basic, cheaper ones will shuold do the trick. Freeview Play is pretty new and has had techincal challenges whilst Freesat requires a satallite dish to be setup.


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