DVD HD recorders

[Stevehudson]

Hi,

Does anyone have experience of DVD hard disk recorders? Information is hard to find on the internet and I would like to know if they will work on a Sky digibox. The only problem I can see is with the EPG (Programme Guide), presumably a French version will only receive a French TV programme guide via an aerial and a UK model will do the same, making it unusable in France.

Any information gratefully received.

Steve

[George]

Steve

We bought one of these about a month ago, a Pioneer.  Yes it will record from a Sky digibox via the scart plug therefore only record the channel as set on the digibox.  It also has an inbuilt tuner, which can record via the aerial any of the available analogue channels.  We only use it in UK at the moment, so not sure what the situation would be with secam.

Hope that's of some help 

 

[Cat]

Hi Steve

I have a Thomson Scenium HD recorder/DVD player.  I bought it a couple of years ago when I was living in the UK, but it works just as well here in France.  I use a Sky box, and have my UK channels connected via a SCART cable to EXT 1 (via the Sky box). I recieve french TV channels using the local cable system. My TV is set for SECAM, and I have had no problems recording.

I can use the Sky programme guide to select the channel (and switch channels automatically if necessary) to record, but cannot use the EPG on the Hard disk recorder.  Instead I have to manually program the recorder with the channel (Sat 001) and time of the program.

I have never tried recording french programs, as I tend to watch french TV and record the UK stuff for viewing later.

The HD recorder will also do all kinds of things (that I never use) such as allow viewing of a recorded program before it has finished, and recording "live" TV (allowing me to pause or rewind programs as they are transmitted).

The only problems I have had have been due to my forgetting that UK times are an hour behind french ones, and so missing the first hour of any UK programs I recorded   I've now overcome this by setting the clock on the recorder to UK time, and leaving it like that.

Hope this helps.

 

 

[Stevehudson]

Thank you both for the info, it's a shame that it's not possible to use the digibox EPG to programme the recorder but I think I'll get one anyway as burning to DVD is a great way to keep films shown on the TV.

Steve

[George]

 "Thank you both for the info, it's a shame that it's not possible to use the digibox EPG to programme the recorder but I think I'll get one anyway as burning to DVD is a great way to keep films shown on the TV"

Steve
You could of course think about the Sky+ box, which includes a hard disk and can record progs (those which you aren't watching as well), all from the EPG, with those same catch up facilities provided by DVD recorders.

I don't have it myself and therefore no expert, I'm sure someone else here could guide you.  Worth looking into before buying a recorder, although would the cost justify it?

 

 

[IAN_S]

Am I right in thinking a Sky+ box has to be connected to a British phone line. If so, is there a time limit on that?

[Anton Redman]

[quote]Am I right in thinking a Sky+ box has to be connected to a British phone line. If so, is there a time limit on that?[/quote]

In theory the initial 12 months contract with Sky

[derf]

I am not sure that you are correct in thinking, that a SKY+ box needs to be connected to a BT landline, i asked once, in one of the UK big retailers, if I could buy the box without having to connect to the phone line and although you will pay a premium for this, it didn't appear to be a problem to do so.

If you don't want to pay the premium for the box or can't connect to a UK landline there are companies in the UK who will supply the SKY+ box and all channels and then fake the telephone connection to Sky, for an annual fee.