Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › What kind of PVR do you have? (For those that do)


118 posts

Master Geek


Topic # 64230 11-Jul-2010 14:59
Send private message

Hi, all just doing comparison shopping (Trademe etc) and curious if anyone can help with the What type to buy questions:

I've read some of the oler locked threads on Digistars (the copies) etc -- are there any good and inexpensive PVR's out there? What type do you use and pros/cons? I have a satellite freeview setup with a basic topfield box, but ready to start recording some shows-- would love any feedback!

Cheers

View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
 1 | 2 | 3
238 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 8


  Reply # 349942 11-Jul-2010 15:50
Send private message

PVR = Personal Video Recorder? If so, I have a great Panasonic VHS machine. Been very reliable over the last 20 years

Or do you mean DVR? hehe! ;-)

553 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 15


  Reply # 350039 11-Jul-2010 21:43
Send private message

same thing

 
 
 
 


ocs

7 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 1


  Reply # 350047 11-Jul-2010 22:15
Send private message

I've had a Topfield TF6000PVR ES for about a year. One of its pluses is that you can download small programs (TAPs) to modify how it works. I do find some some aspects of it a bit frustrating and it will sometimes reboot for no apparent reason. If I was to buy one now, I would probably buy an Ultraplus F-9000HD PVR instead for about the same price (about $850). For less than that you could buy a USB harddrive PVR (some as low as about $250 not including the cost of the harddrive).

6328 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 391

Moderator
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  Reply # 350060 11-Jul-2010 23:35
Send private message

Grabbed an old box we had at work, installed a couple of Hauppage cards and now running GBPVR - works like a champ.

Next upgrade is (fingers crossed) a couple of 1TB hard-drives.

893 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 5


  Reply # 350077 12-Jul-2010 08:18
Send private message

I have a Magic TV MyFreeviewHD PVR and have found it to be almost 100% reliable. It is a really great device available for about $600 or less.





6749 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 594

Trusted

  Reply # 350154 12-Jul-2010 10:51
Send private message

I have the Ultraplus 980HD single tuner PVR, connected to an external usb hdd.

I have a larger sat dish so I do need something that can work with sat, otherwise I'd def go with a terrestrial unit for the superior picture quality.

I think an EPG is pretty important and I'm a big lobbyist for a good user interface. I've tried a few options and in the end if the user interface is crap it makes using the thing horrible. Cheaper is not always better, as it's 99% of the time always the interface that suffers, as well as external drive compatibility.



118 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 350155 12-Jul-2010 10:53
Send private message

|Thanks all-- great point on the interface/EPG Jaxson-- been thinking that a lot lately too..

2078 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 230

Subscriber

  Reply # 350224 12-Jul-2010 12:54
Send private message

Got a Tivo HD from a beta tester via Trade Me. It only had a 160gb drive so I upgraded that to 1tb :)

I also have a Series 1 Tivo.

56 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 350349 12-Jul-2010 17:31
Send private message

Small and silent Compaq EVO D500 with WinXP Pro form Trademe ($100) + PCI DVB-S Nova-T card ($100) +  MCE Remote Control with ehome receiver from Ebay ($25) + GBPVR. Working fine.  Though UltraPlus 980HD for $380 + HDD looks nice (very good user interface and EPG)

BDFL - Memuneh
61746 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12412

Administrator
Trusted
Geekzone
Lifetime subscriber

  Reply # 350353 12-Jul-2010 17:36
Send private message

I have a Dell Zino HD running Windows 7 Media Center, and a HDHomeRun for the DVB-T (tuner).





Backblaze cloud backup (personal and business) | Geekzone broadband switch | Amazon (Geekzone aff) | MightyApe (Geekzone aff) | 

 

My technology disclosure | Business Transformation | Enterprise Content Management | Customer Relationship Management | Sharesies investment fund

11 posts

Geek


  Reply # 350415 12-Jul-2010 21:19
Send private message

MythTV frontends running Mythbuntu on Asus EeeBox E1012's.  The E1012 has been proven work with 1080p content with no issues at all. CPU load <20% using VDPAU offload.

Headless MythTV backend dedicated server with two Nova-S DVB-S cards configured to support 4 recordings per card Currently experimenting with the signal issues of DVB-T.  Using a usb KWorld dual tuner (399UR) purchased from JayCar. The 399UR works very well under Linux when it has signal, even weak crappy signal.
Server is an AMD Athlon X2 2Ghz low power model, 1GB ram, 60GB OS drive, 1TB recording drive.

 Cheers.

xpd

Chief Trash Bandit
9140 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1440

Mod Emeritus
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  Reply # 350491 13-Jul-2010 08:30
Send private message

Running a Digistar unit, working well except for some reason it dosent like my external HDD anymore :( So back to using 8GB USB stick, but works just as well :)
For the money, cant go wrong.




XPD / Gavin / DemiseNZ

 

Server : i3-3240 @ 3.40GHz  16GB RAM  Win 10 Pro    Workstation : i5-xxxx @ x.xxGHz  16GB RAM  Win 10 pro    Console : Xbox One

 

https://www.xpd.co.nz - Games, geeks, and more.    



118 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 350494 13-Jul-2010 08:32
Send private message

Thanks all for the responses--- @graeme, what do you think of your TiVo?

6749 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 594

Trusted

  Reply # 350508 13-Jul-2010 09:02
Send private message

xpd: Running a Digistar unit ..... cant go wrong.


xpd: except for some reason it dosent like my external HDD anymore


WinkHa, you just said it can't go wrong, and then explained what went wrong.
I know what you mean though, in that there is a big jump between a real cheap PVR and a good one.

I went for the Ultraplus 980 HD in the end for the fast and intuitive HD interface, the DVB-S2 and it's tolerance of external USB drives. 

xpd

Chief Trash Bandit
9140 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1440

Mod Emeritus
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  Reply # 350515 13-Jul-2010 09:13
Send private message

Yeah bit myself there heh ;)





XPD / Gavin / DemiseNZ

 

Server : i3-3240 @ 3.40GHz  16GB RAM  Win 10 Pro    Workstation : i5-xxxx @ x.xxGHz  16GB RAM  Win 10 pro    Console : Xbox One

 

https://www.xpd.co.nz - Games, geeks, and more.    

 1 | 2 | 3
View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic



Twitter »

Follow us to receive Twitter updates when new discussions are posted in our forums:



Follow us to receive Twitter updates when news items and blogs are posted in our frontpage:



Follow us to receive Twitter updates when tech item prices are listed in our price comparison site:



Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.


Updates »

Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.

Alternatively, you can receive a daily email with Geekzone updates.