Need a freeview box - Homecast HT9200DTR still good?

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gjm

745 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 91

Topic # 89306 30-Aug-2011 16:34

as title says I need a freeview box so I can get Maori TV to watch the world cup (no sky here unfortunately). I currently have a panasonic dvd recorder but am thinking of selling it and getting a Homecast HT9200 (currently $493 at JBHiFi).

Is this box still considered good or is there something else for the equivalent price that I should be looking at? Just want something that is easy to use, that SWMBO can drive without any problems and that is reliable.

Advice from those in the know please :)

[Amstrad CPC 6128: 128k Memory: 3 inch floppy drive: Colour Screen]

wongtop

537 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

Reply # 514004 30-Aug-2011 17:18

Ours is mostly reliable, but it occaisonally has glitches;
we have had the odd programme corrupted
sometimes the series finale is listed differently in the EPG so the series finale doesn't always record as part of a series (wife has found this really annoying on occasion)
there is a bug whereby if the recorder is on one mux and you have scheduled recordings on the other two muxs if you start and stop watching a recording, it won't resolve the tuner conflict and one of your recordings will become corrupted from when you stopped watching. (example: say that it is 5:45 and the DTR is currently on TV1 (TVNZ mux), you have recordings scheduled for 6-7pm on TV3 (mediaworks mux) and prime (kordia mux), and you start watching a 30 minute programme that you have previously recorded. At 6:15 when you stop watching your recorded programme the DTR will switch back to TV1 and one of your recordings underway will be corrupted.) You can avoid this if you switch channels before viewing your recording (before 5:45 in my example) to a channel on either of the muxes to be recorded (anything other than a TVNZ channel in my example).

Philip

gjm

745 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 91

Reply # 514054 30-Aug-2011 19:52

ok thanks for the reply. Not sure what a mux is but am guessing its a channel. Any other feedback or anything else I should be looking at?

[Amstrad CPC 6128: 128k Memory: 3 inch floppy drive: Colour Screen]

scuwp

2968 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1397

Reply # 514069 30-Aug-2011 20:25

What about a TiVo. Been a while since I looked at them but they were around the same price for Telecom customers..if you are one might be worth considering. Most reliable twin tuner PVR I have found, and I now have two of them. Threw my Homecast one in the rubbish after having enough of all the "glitches".

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

gjm

745 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 91

Reply # 514119 30-Aug-2011 22:04

tivo - now I hadnt thought of that. Reading the tivo subforum I am wondering if the plug will be pulled on it some stage shortly which sounds like it would ruin the epg. Otherwise it sounds like it might be good and price is similar.

Does Tivo have wireless in it so I can hook it up to my wifi at home. Running a LAN cable wouldnt really be an option to where the tv sits.

[Amstrad CPC 6128: 128k Memory: 3 inch floppy drive: Colour Screen]

scuwp

2968 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1397

Reply # 514466 31-Aug-2011 13:39

gjm: tivo - now I hadnt thought of that. Reading the tivo subforum I am wondering if the plug will be pulled on it some stage shortly which sounds like it would ruin the epg. Otherwise it sounds like it might be good and price is similar.

Does Tivo have wireless in it so I can hook it up to my wifi at home. Running a LAN cable wouldnt really be an option to where the tv sits.

No mention of them pulling the plug, I think its just speculation and scaremongering. It's too big in NZ to just stop, otherwise TiVo/Telecom would have to refund everyone's money under the CGA! (insert argument here)

TiVo comes with a wifi adaptor, piece of cake to set up. It only connects occasionally to download the EPG anyway, and any programming you may have made on line. I don't bother with the Caspa (movie/music content) downloads, but they are unmetered on Xtra if you are interested.

I was just pleased to get a reliable device. Even my 3 year old has figured out the basics of the remote!

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

bfginger

921 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 39

Reply # 514546 31-Aug-2011 15:50

wongtop, do try posting about those problems on their support forum if you haven't already.