Replacing the 2010 era Magic TV PVR

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Replacing the 2010 era Magic TV PVR - with what?

lissie

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#230407 22-Feb-2018 17:58

OK I don't get this. We've happily used the Magic TV box for years - it records series and we watch them at our leisure. Covers all the free channels (we have the UHF aerial one).

However it's getting a bit long in the tooth, needs rebooting every week or so - so recordings always fail when we are away on holiday. And I figured it had done its time.

We use Google Chromecast Ultra for Neftlex, Lightbox etc, though the TVNZ ondemand app is awful. So my requirements are:

- works with existing non-smart TV (which has plenty of connections including hdmi

- does what we have now - record up to 2 channels alllowing us to watch a 3rd live

- can do FF on the playback to skip the ads

- it has to coexist with the chromecast (which the magic TV does)

- I'd like it NOT to require rebooting every week or so!

- we don't need DVD, blueray etc

Given the tech has moved on i'd also like to add the TV on demand channels - but only if i can FF and skip the ads (The TVNZ ap doesn't do that).

But all i'm finding online is the Dish TV T2200 and the Panasonic HWT260 - both of which seem to have plenty of issues according to hte threads on these forums - and are seriously years old!

What am I missing? Surely there are better options - there's a new TV every week!

ETA - Chromecast works flawlessly on your WIFI network so I would rather have a model that works on WIFI too rather than having to run a cable.

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gregmcc

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#1962385 22-Feb-2018 18:10

Go on, get yourself a moded TiVo, still the best available PVR avaliable in NZ

JimmyH

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#1962386 22-Feb-2018 18:14

Panasonic Blu Ray recorder.

Yes, I know you state you don't need blu ray, and the Pannys cost more than the cheaper Dish units. But honestly it does everything you say you want, as well as the ability to transfer/view recordings across a network and remotely schedule recordings, and does it well. I love mine, as it has been stable and reliable. Moreover, while they are cheaper and I haven't tried one myself, I have read loads of complaints about the Dish units (which are probably the main alternative unless you want to go with a modded TiVo).

lissie

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#1962387 22-Feb-2018 18:15

gregmcc:

Go on, get yourself a moded TiVo, still the best available PVR avaliable in NZ

Nope - I want supported tech https://myaccount.mytivo.co.nz/endofservice

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scuwp

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#1962457 22-Feb-2018 20:23

The only similar off the shelf options are the Panasonic or Dish recorders. Beyond that you could look at streaming options and forget about recording in real time.

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shk292

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#1962484 22-Feb-2018 21:02

The Panasonics are good units; I've had one for about 5 years since ditching Sky and it does exactly what you need (mine has no useful apps but you have Chromecast for that). The HWT-260 was released in 2016 according to Pricespy.

There are some who whinge on about the Panasonic UI but to be honest, it does the job. If I had to interact with it for 8 hours a day I'd probably dislike it, but for the few seconds it takes to set up a recording or select something to watch, it's perfectly OK. FF and RW work really well on these players, I can skip a sequence of adverts in about 10s

One feature I don't like is the video preview you get when selecting recordings to watch

tdgeek

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#1962496 22-Feb-2018 21:06

shk292:

The Panasonics are good units; I've had one for about 5 years since ditching Sky and it does exactly what you need (mine has no useful apps but you have Chromecast for that). The HWT-260 was released in 2016 according to Pricespy.

There are some who whinge on about the Panasonic UI but to be honest, it does the job. If I had to interact with it for 8 hours a day I'd probably dislike it, but for the few seconds it takes to set up a recording or select something to watch, it's perfectly OK. FF and RW work really well on these players, I can skip a sequence of adverts in about 10s

One feature I don't like is the video preview you get when selecting recordings to watch

Yep.

I have a BWT720. I could whinge about a couple of things but it does the job, always.

Before I run for cover, I also have a MySkyHDi, it does everything

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shk292

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#1962498 22-Feb-2018 21:09

tdgeek:

Yep.

I have a BWT720. I could whinge about a couple of things but it does the job, always.

Before I run for cover, I also have a MySkyHDi, it does everything

Seriously? You have Sky? I would never have guessed from your other posts! ;)

tdgeek

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#1962501 22-Feb-2018 21:11

shk292:

tdgeek:

Yep.

I have a BWT720. I could whinge about a couple of things but it does the job, always.

Before I run for cover, I also have a MySkyHDi, it does everything

Seriously? You have Sky? I would never have guessed from your other posts! ;)

LOL what other posts!

Edit

Im sitting down, hit me!

B1GGLZ

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#1962548 22-Feb-2018 22:18

tdgeek:

Yep.

I have a BWT720. I could whinge about a couple of things but it does the job, always.

Before I run for cover, I also have a MySkyHDi, it does everything

Yep. I too have a BWT720. Always works and never had a problem. Dead easy to transfer recordings to the PC as well. Ditched Sky over a year ago. Never missed it.

JimmyH

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#1962561 22-Feb-2018 22:27

shk292:

One feature I don't like is the video preview you get when selecting recordings to watch

Yes, that's annoying. But there is a setting somewhere to turn it off, which is what I have done.

gregmcc

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#1962606 23-Feb-2018 04:56

scuwp: The only similar off the shelf options are the Panasonic or Dish recorders. Beyond that you could look at streaming options and forget about recording in real time.

I've come across a good number of people who a panasonic or dish after the tivo shutdown only to end up getting their tivo moded because the other 2 are rubbish, supported or not hands down TiVo is still better

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scuwp

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#1962629 23-Feb-2018 07:47

gregmcc:

scuwp: The only similar off the shelf options are the Panasonic or Dish recorders. Beyond that you could look at streaming options and forget about recording in real time.

I've come across a good number of people who a panasonic or dish after the tivo shutdown only to end up getting their tivo moded because the other 2 are rubbish, supported or not hands down TiVo is still better

Yep considered that also and agree TiVo is in a class of it's own. I decided that the cost would go a fair way towards a brand new device (with warranty, support, updates etc) where the TiVo would be unsupported and no warranty. I note plenty are incredibly happy with their modded TiVo's but equally there have been examples where things have not gone to plan. Modded or not they are still a 10+ year old device otherwise. I have chosen to move on, but like the OP has found we have very limited options in NZ.

I haven't seen or heard more about this option yet, maybe that would be an option for the OP?

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=223836

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rb99

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#1962656 23-Feb-2018 08:49

To be just a little bit lateral, could you get a HDHomeRun and record to a PC. Might or might not be practical. Just throwing it out there, so to speak.

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shk292

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#1963351 24-Feb-2018 11:36

JimmyH:

Yes, that's annoying. But there is a setting somewhere to turn it off, which is what I have done.

I must look for that option again, although mine is an older BWT835 and I'm not convinced it can be turned off

B1GGLZ

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#1963420 24-Feb-2018 13:46

shk292:

JimmyH:

Yes, that's annoying. But there is a setting somewhere to turn it off, which is what I have done.

I must look for that option again, although mine is an older BWT835 and I'm not convinced it can be turned off

No way to turn it off in my BWT720. And yes it is annoying.