The Ultimate Question: MySky or a DVDR?

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Hagen

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#36749 26-May-2006 18:51

Small rant of my own. That live sports event that I didn't go out to a pub to watch and didn't watch live because we were taping from another Sky channel was *supposedly* replayed four times the next day. Decided not to tape any of them as it's a bit of a pain to set up and could get back to watch third replay. Got caught up in other things, not a problem, can watch fourth replay. Fourth replay non-existent. Sky does this all the time, and the problem gets worse and worse towards the end of the month (SkyWatch gets less reliable particularly with sport). So on-screen details more important. But on-screen details not reliable either! And this was a one-off event with scheduled replays only the *next day* so didn't think careful attention to on-screen details required. Grizzle.

It would be so much easier to push a button and MySky records the thing for me without worrying about which replay to physically capture. BUT. Paranoia threatens. That might be a very convenient attitude to encourage in your own existing customers by not being particularly reliable about the kinds of things that investment in your pricey upgrade would render unproblematic.

JohnPorter

187 posts

Master Geek

#36759 26-May-2006 20:48

Been there, experienced that!

Note that the EPG is not always correct, but it more likely to be correct than hardcopy, especially for the sports channels.

MySky does not usually provide series link features for sports channels, in my experience, so don't expect to push a button and have it choose a replay for you. But having MySky could have solved this problem for you in several ways (none of which apply to HDDRs by the way! :) ):

1. The EPG is MUCH faster and easier to use, so you're more likely to use it in situations like this where you suspect there may have been changes.

2. You could have recorded two programs at once, no problem.

3. Since recording is so easy and costs nothing, you can easily afford to record the live event and two of the replays, and then delete the ones you don't need. Sounds silly to someone using a VCR, but I have done this to good effect several times. In fact, I now record things I may want to watch. I used to record things only if I really wanted to watch them, enough to warrant going through all the effort of setting up the booking. Now it's easier just to go ahead and record things, and delete them later if you don't want them.

Note also that for live sports events that go over time, MySky may or may not catch the overtime portion. Theoretically they are monitoring such events and change the end time during the show, but it doesn't always happen. So if I record a live NASCAR race (where it is not unusual to go over time), I usually record a highlights reel or two also. Watch the live race, then if it got chopped off, watch the remainder from the highlights reel. Never had a highlights reel truncated - only live events that go overtime.

lchiu7

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#36880 28-May-2006 11:46

Another option is a homebuilt PVR. I have one which uses the homegrown gbpvr software and an EPG feed also courtesy of a local developer. I have a EPG, can schedule recordings up to a week in advance etc. and when I need to get rid of the HD space burn to a DVD with the DVD writer on the PVR. No need to enter programme data or change channels on the cable box - the software does that with a USB UIRT emitter

My views anyway

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JohnPorter

187 posts

Master Geek

#36889 28-May-2006 12:54

The homebuilt option is only available to techno-whiz types, which leaves out most people. Is your EPG feed legal? Most EPG data is subject to license fees - newspapers etc pay a substantial fee for it. If you are not paying for it, you may get a cease and desist order any day now.

lchiu7

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#36890 28-May-2006 13:43

I just said it was an option which works for me and I am sure for many others. As for the EPG - well that is publicly available so I don't have any concerns in that area

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tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
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#36900 28-May-2006 16:18

lchiu7: I just said it was an option which works for me and I am sure for many others. As for the EPG - well that is publicly available so I don't have any concerns in that area

Dont confuse 'publicly available' with 'legal'

lchiu7

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#36918 28-May-2006 19:16

tonyhughes:
lchiu7: I just said it was an option which works for me and I am sure for many others. As for the EPG - well that is publicly available so I don't have any concerns in that area

Dont confuse 'publicly available' with 'legal'

Of course not. But out of interest, if one were to type in programme listing from say the newspaper, TV Guide or any other public medium, is that legal? I often enter programming information manually for my PVR - especially for those shows that are episodic so I only have to enter the listing once.

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JohnPorter

187 posts

Master Geek

#36927 28-May-2006 20:26

I would be interested to know if there is an authorised place to get the listings from that doesn't have Terms and Conditions of Use similar to those at sky.co.nz: "The user may view or print listings for private use provided such searches are carried out manually. Automated searches may not be carried out. SKY Network Television Ltd owns the copyright to the SKY TV website. Apart from any fair dealings under the Copyright Act 1994 no material from this website may be otherwise transmitted, republished or distributed in any way without the prior written permission of SKY Network Television Ltd."

Copying a program title or episode title would be fair use.

cokemaster

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#36929 28-May-2006 20:34

But would putting (even if manually) them into your own EPG would constitute 'Automated searching'?

I noticed Xtra has a TV listings section, is that constrained by the same terms and conditions?

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maccrazy

46 posts

Geek

#37067 29-May-2006 17:51

Does anyone know if you can buy PVRs from PaceMicro etc in specialty shops or are they only available in bulk to TV networks?

blockHKG

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#37079 29-May-2006 19:22

It is probably rude to pipe in here and infact I will compose a new topic as well. But question for you NZ based Geeks, I am in HK and use easynews.net (Highly recomended) extensively to keep up to date on TV programs from the UK and USA. But being a Kiwi I would like to be able to download TV progs (even news) from NZ but nothing seems to make it to the binery news groups. With all this talk about MySky and HDD I wonder if anyone knew of news groups containing binaries of NZ shows?

davemarsh

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#38793 16-Jun-2006 19:08

I used to have a Philips DVD HDD recorder. I currently run a Media Centre, and am now in the process of selling it to buy MySky. Here's the deal:

Philips DVD/HDD Recoder
Pros
I found the DVD writer useful for copying analogue home movies.
You can record something that is in the buffer (a very unique feature)
Quality of recording.

Cons
No EPG
Can't control Satellite decoder

Media Centre
Pros
Total control over hardware
Ability to get an EPG working
Can control Sky box
Can use it for Videos, Music & Pictures

Cons
Quality not brilliant
Constant niggles
It's still a PC

I'm selling my Media Centre to get MySky for the following reasons:
MySky is an appliance, not a PC with windows.
MySky recording quality is as good as it gets.
Sky's guide is integrated.
You can record two channels at once.

People that haven't had a working EPG, will probably advocate a DVD/HDD recorder over MYSky because of the flexibility. However, an EPG completely transforms the way you record. If you've had it, you can't do without it.

With regards to the Media Centre, if capture/encoder cards were better and Microsoft provided a guide, I would stick with it.

If anybody wants a Media Centre, let me know. ;-)

Hagen

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#38836 17-Jun-2006 10:51

Hi again folks. Second attempt at reply, so if two show up I'll delete one.

I figure I've allowed myself to be convinced, gimme gimme MySky! Plus replace DVD with non-HD recorder and I guess I'm set. Now I just need my old, dying CRT to limp through the World Cup. Wish I'd had MySky for the games I've missed. Grrr.

Would be interested to know if anyone has good things to say about Media Centre. Sounds interesting, kind of thing I'd like for music, but no way is Microsoft getting any more tentacles through my house.

Hagen

lchiu7

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#38864 18-Jun-2006 10:42

Two questions about MySky

1. Can you copy the shows off the HD and burn to DVD to watch elsewhere?
2. How can MySky record the new FreeView channels?

Seems like the most flexible solution (albeit fiddly) is still a PVR but with the addition of a DVB-T or DVD-S card to capture FreeView

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

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