Help with PVR for FreeView....

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Help with PVR for FreeView....

S4D

11 posts

Geek

#72110 20-Nov-2010 17:57

Recently my 86yr Grandfathers aerial stopped working, so we decided to buy him FreeView and its been great, but he has a complaint which we didn't really consider and that is he cant record his TV shows any more, now I don't really have the budget to buy a device like our MySKY for him and he is not interested in paying for any new technology, but would it be a good choice to purchase a PVR FreeView box like this?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/TVs/Satellite-receivers/auction-333304297.htm

Now I dont know much about USB's because the most I use ours for is photos or music.....but if this is a good option what size USB would I need to purchase for it?, keeping in mind that he records no more than a few shows each week that clash at the same, any help would be great, because I dont want to purchase it and find out it was a mistake!

Thanks in advance!

bfginger

1231 posts

Uber Geek

#407200 20-Nov-2010 23:31

When you say "his aerial stopped working", do you mean you have plugged a Freeview Satellite receiver into a satellite dish? Did he use VHS before?

The Akai unit requires an aerial. I would not get it without confirmation that it supports MHEG-5 and MPEG-4 used in NZ.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1010/S00466/warning-over-incompatible-set-top-boxes.htm

You need to check that he's in the Freeview|HD terrestrial broadcasting area before buying a Freeview terrestrial recorder. A more able one like the Homecast can record from two tuners at once and has an internal hard drive.

Maybe just fix the aerial?

Mighty Ape

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S4D

11 posts

Geek

#407204 21-Nov-2010 00:27

Yeah it was damaged in a storm earlier in the year and we couldn't get it working again,

I bought a Dish & decoder, So just looking for a recording option for him....but I had a look around and the recorders are a bit out of our price range.

also can you connect 2 decoders to the one dish for a bedroom using some sort of splitter like a multi room setup?

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#407215 21-Nov-2010 02:10

S4D: also can you connect 2 decoders to the one dish for a bedroom using some sort of splitter like a multi room setup?

Short answer, yes.
You can get a splitter for about $15, and that should be all you need as long as you aren't wanting to watch SBS on vertical polarisation on one set while watching Freeview (H-pol) on the other as one will dominate.

If you do want to do that, you'll need a 2 (or more) output LNB with two cables from there to a multiswitch (in place of a splitter). The multiswitch means the each decoder can independently get anything the LNB can deliver without affecting the other. A multiswitch is around $50 I guess.

I run a dual-LNB to a 2+1 in, 4 out multiswitch, with two feeds from there to each of two locations in my house. One location has a dual tuner PVR; the other just uses a single feed at the moment. I've recorded 5 events simultaneously on the PVR, 3 from one of the Freeview transponders, and 2 from the SBS transponder, while being able to watch anything at all from any transponder at the other location.

S4D

11 posts

Geek

#407225 21-Nov-2010 03:15

Thanks for the info, that's great, I think I understand....

But just to be sure of my idea before I go buy anything,

His bedroom is already wired to the lounge as I have it running off the decoder now, So if I buy a second decoder, chuck it in the bedroom and put a splitter in the lounge to run the dish to both decoders would this work?

He only watches: TV1, TV2, TV3, C4, PRIME & TRIANGLE.....

If that will work I can chuck his VCR in the room to record say TV1 while he is watching Prime in the lounge.

Also I don't know if it makes a difference but the dish is a 75cm with a single LNB.....

Sorry Im a bit slow, but thanks for the help.....

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#407257 21-Nov-2010 11:21

Yes - that should work, but do ask wherever you buy the splitter first in case I've got it completely wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

You'll need a splitter like this one:
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/en/product/L4036
and some F connectors - the screw on ones should be fine since it's for inside use. When you attach them, make sure you don't leave even a single wie of the external shield where it can touch the central conductor or you'll kill the signal.

S4D

11 posts

Geek

#407306 21-Nov-2010 14:42

xarqi: Yes - that should work, but do ask wherever you buy the splitter first in case I've got it completely wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

You'll need a splitter like this one:
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/en/product/L4036
and some F connectors - the screw on ones should be fine since it's for inside use. When you attach them, make sure you don't leave even a single wie of the external shield where it can touch the central conductor or you'll kill the signal.

Thanks for that, I called a couple of DSE's and they confirmed it would work, so hopefully they are correct! =-)

Mac2008

121 posts

Master Geek

#408160 23-Nov-2010 13:53

Another option which works well is to get a second decoder that has USB PVR support. The one of the $79 500gb Seagate USB HDD from PB Tech http://www.pbtech.co.nz/ would record all he needs.

In my experience using a VCR with a satellite receiver is a drag and easy to stuff up. The USB PVR works great and is easy. You can book the recording from the EPG usually.

Here are some possible decoders that would suit:
http://www.freetv.co.nz/webapps/site/61418/52840/shopping/shopping-view.html?pid=348846&b_id=&find_groupid=14262

http://www.freetv.co.nz/webapps/site/61418/52840/shopping/shopping-view.html?pid=360518&b_id=&find_groupid=14262

http://www.freetv.co.nz/webapps/site/61418/52840/shopping/shopping-view.html?pid=407335&b_id=&find_groupid=14262

S4D

11 posts

Geek

#408624 23-Nov-2010 23:19

Thanks for that!

I agree the PVR is the way to go, but he refuses to get rid of the VCR, he is driving me crazy!!!

So I went ahead and got a second decoder, but I have much bigger problems at the moment getting the whole setup to work!

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#408630 23-Nov-2010 23:38

What's giving you grief?

S4D

11 posts

Geek

#408639 24-Nov-2010 00:21

xarqi: What's giving you grief?

I posted a seperate help topic earlier explaining my problems and begging for help lol

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=72273

If you can help, that would be great!