Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
31 October 2009
11:3232090Was happily watching Pursuit on my video recorder the other day and suddenly all life extinguished itself. On the video recorder I mean...Im still here! But yes all the electricals stopped and poor oul Sidney Poitier was frozen mid screen forever. An expert has since looked at it and declared it dead and beyond repair. We will be having a Halloween spooky ceremony for it later.
But what to do now...I met BarryW in Marks and Spencer this morning and he gave me some bits of advice but hopefully he will be able to put that advice on here again now for easy access...as some of these technical things are difficult to remember. I also met Brian Dixon as well who was in good spirits as ever.
I completely have no idea what any of these devices do nowadays. There was a time when I knew what was what..ermm well sort of. A video recorder fitted beneath your enormously large in depth tv set ,which acre wise took up half your living quarters. All was simple then but now I dont know my blueray from my deathray, my hard disc from my slipped disc!
Hopefully a bit of advice will be forthcoming. Many thanks chaps in advance.
All I need is something to record TV, something hopefully that would also record satellite tv.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
31 October 2009
11:4132091Sorry to hear of your video recorder's demise PaulB, in the interim I can let you have a spare DVD player, unfortunately it doesent have a record facility Aargh! he says
I'll leave it to the experts to advise you on blueray, x-ray, deathray or Ray whatever his name is
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
31 October 2009
12:3032097i didn't know that there were still video recorders around.
don't bin it paul, save it until the antiques roadshow returns to dover.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
31 October 2009
12:5632099PaulB
What you need is a twin tuner PVR. These record on a hard disc and once you have used one you will not want to go without ever again.
This is a link to the Amazon page for Freeview sets.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_0_3?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=pvr+freeview+twin+tuner&sprefix=pvr
Humax and Topfield are the top brands but whatever you do make sure it has two tuners and Freeview Plus (this has series link so you can set to record a whole tv series rather have to keep resetting for a programme every week.) A big hard drive is also the best.
This is the box I would recommemd, it has all the features you need.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Topfield-TF5800PVRt-250GB-Freeview-Limited/dp/B001DSYKVS/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1256990303&sr=1-16
The following link is to a Freesat PVR boxes, in case you have a satellite dish.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-FOXSAT-HDR-Freesat-Installation-Recommended/dp/B001L5YU36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1256989963&sr=1-1
Personally I prefer Freeview over Freesat, each has some channels you cant get on the other but Freeview probably has the more comprehensive live up from our main broadcasters, BBC, ITV C4, C5.
One thing I do, I have a Top-up TV box myself, is to set all the programmes I want to watch to record and then forget about whats on tv, get on with my life and whenever I want to watch pick up on what is recorded. I just dont watch live tv anymore....
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,303
31 October 2009
18:0232123On the other hand Paul you can still buy the "old stuff" at the BHF shop for about £15. Much easier to cope with!
Sadly I took 4 VCR's to the tip last week so I can't help.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
31 October 2009
19:3732126But PVRs are so simple and easy, in fact easier to set up to record than a VCR specially with the digital tuners built in
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
1 November 2009
08:4332147Thanks guys for the input. Great info there BarryW will certainly look more closely at those links later on. I hadnt heard of a PVR to tell you the truth but that twin tuner one looks like the route to take.
Honestly as Howard says there Im in antigues roadshow territory here with my video recorder...which I bought off the shelf in double quick time in Tesco after my previous one expired. I put no thought into it whatsoever just bought the damn thing off the cuff. It was a cheap FUNAI thing but it lasted just as long as other more expensive models I had. I bought it with view to it lasting a short while, and it outlasted expectations but when it went bust a few days ago there was no prior warning so I am in mourning!
Barry W-S thanks too, I dont have any DVDs though so a player wouldnt be of use but thanks anyway. The hard drive route is for me and as Terry said there re his VCRs mine will be joining those on the TIP later this week.
FURTHER TECHO THING:
while we are on about the technicalities of TV...is anybody having sound loss problems on the digital service. On some channels I get a very annoying lapse in sound every so often and sometimes it happens more regularly than others so completely wrecks a film you might be watching.
The heroine says to the hero..
"Ive only got one thing to say to you John Ryan and its this ----------------!"
then the sound comes back. Whether she loves him, hates him, is about to shoot him Gawd alone knows!
Is there anything that can be done about this??
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
1 November 2009
09:0332153I think that this is because of the low bit rate a lot of channels are broadcast in and the low power output which won't be resolved until analogue switch off in a couple of years time.
1 November 2009
13:1732169paul
I have a nearly new vcr and combined dvd player in the office if you care to collect it you can then have the best of both worlds
Regards
D
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
2 November 2009
09:5332241howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
2 November 2009
14:0332251i wish i knew what you are talking about paul.
someone said to me the other day that i could contact them on their blackberry.!!!!!!!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
2 November 2009
15:0132260Brilliant things Blackberry's Howard.......
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
2 November 2009
17:2332270and they are in season to,go and treat yourself by picking a few.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
2 November 2009
20:1032289barry
what are they?
i am thinking along the lines of a new style mobile phone, am i right?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
2 November 2009
21:3632297What is called a 'smartphone' Howard.
I use mine for all the following:
A phone, sometimes
Email
Messenger (data stream) conversations
SMS/MMS
Diary
Calculator
Web Browser (I have posted on the Forum with it)
Facebook applications
task list
memos
sat nav (in car turn by turn)
maps (finding a restaurant in a strange city perhaps) - both Google and Blackberry maps.
Games (to while away boring bits in meetings!)
Movie camera (surprisingly good)
Still camera
Music player (have a car attachment to put it through the stereo)
it also takes voice notes if needed
What I like is a real QWERTY keyboard making it great for email!
Smartphone users seem split between iphone lovers and Blackberry lovers with Blackberry having the advantage for business and iphones leisure users.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
2 November 2009
21:5032300i must admit i am impressed that something as small as a mobile phone can have all those features.
what sort of price are we talking about?
not that i would be getting one, a computer and a basic mobile phone is sufficient for me.
just interested, i can see why someone self employed would find one indispensable.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
3 November 2009
00:2432305I have a business package with utility warehouse and it is costing £27.50 a month with unlimited internet access, overseas as well as UK.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
3 November 2009
12:2632327That sounds like a real bargain Barry, all that for £27.50! we are paying only slightly less with no internet access and much more to include internet. Must look into this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 November 2009
13:2432329cannot knock that, speaking of phones i notice that our callboxes do not appear to have buttons a and b any more.
have they changed this recently?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
4 November 2009
09:4532373Just to return to the magnificent gesture by one Cllr David Hannent ( Big Dave) above...I know this might be a shock to some this hour of the morning but I couldnt resist including a picture of myself (I know I know could put a person off their cornflakes) clutching with unbridled passion the VCR from Big Dave. Many thanks to Big Dave.
Not only was it supplied by a Town Councillor but it was delivered by a Town Councillor.. Jan Tranter herself. Ah!! that Council...a fine body of men and wimmin !!
Doverforum will be back on video shortly!
