TV Recorder

[idiott]

My lady friend has a Hitachi TV flat screen about 5 years old. She was connected by cable (Virgin) for programmes. She has stopped a subscription and now has the basic programmes that we are familiar with on Freeview. (she is still connected to cable for TV and broadband)

She wants a recorder can anyone suggest a basic recorder and how do I go about connecting it
Thank you

 

[winston1]

If she is still receiving free to air programmes from the cable she will need a DVB-C recorder and I don't think there are any.

She really need to get an aerial installed and then use a DVB-T/T2 recorder.

 

[Lucid]

I didn't think Virgin did a cable version of Freeview. Only Freeview (aerial) and Freesat (satellite dish) are listed for Public Service Broadcast. Added to that, the Virgin Tivo or V6 box is the property of Virgin. Once the contract ends then Virgin are entitled to have it back. That would scupper any "over cable" service unless the TV has a cable TV tuner.

Anyway, if the TV had an aerial feed in the past, and if it's how she is using the TV now, then the hook-up is similar to the old VCR system.

You buy a Freeview recorder. On the back of it there are two aerial socket; one marked RF-IN and the other RF-OUT. Transfer the aerial cable from the TV to the recorder's RF-IN socket. Use a second, shorter, coax fly lead to connect recorder RF-OUT to the TV's RF-IN. Finish the job off with a HDMI cable from the recorder to the TV. This will be how you watch what's being played or recorded.

 

[winston1]

I didn't think Virgin did a cable version of Freeview.

Officially they don't. But, in my area of London at least, if you connect a DVB-C TV and hit auto scan the main 5 broadcast channels are available FTA. I would of thought this would be covered by the 'must carry' clause.

 

[ericmark]

I have an IceCrypt STC3250 set top box, Not what I would call a good box, it does have draw backs. However it claims to have three inputs, although I only use Freeview and FreetoAir will not call it Freesat as the EPG is rubbish. It will allow one to record to a hard drive in a format which can be read with other devices without having to do a special format on the hard drive.

Mine around 4 years old got it from Maplin. It does some times fail to record, and it does not use standard channel numbers, however since the Freeview and FreetoAir are all listed together it could not really follow standard numbers. If Freeview is scanned first then that does follow standard numbers.

Since I don't have cable in this area not tried it with cable. The network cable was plugged in and it did at one point show internet weather, but that now seems to have stopped.

I have the same with Sony Blu-ray it did work, but now very limited internet on it. However lucky for me the two latest TV's will show U-tube etc.

As to recording it seems some makes limit what can be recorded, we have two old LG TV's with built in hard drives, they will record Freeview, but not Sky. Had the same with a DVD recorder, first one would record anything, then the replacement would not record anything it considered copyright protected, in some cases even my own home movies it saw as copyright.

It has been pointed out how services listed on the box of TV's and set top boxes may be correct at time of manufacture but now may have changed.

 

[foxhole]

Worth checking the tv spec, my old hitachi has recording feature built in just needs a usb hard drive or even a memory stick to record.
Many people overlook this as they don’t read manuals.