TelBoy

Anybody got one? Any thoughts? Cheers.

RB5 Paul

If you don't record much tv then it's a bit of a gimmick but if you do then it's quite useful

Bajie

I've got one.
It is useful.
You'd be surprised how much rubbish you miss by not staying in!

Also can copy straight from my camcorder onto the HD and then write to DVD.

You can also edit and get rid of adverts, add titles and chapters etc.

Get one. I'm sure you would make good use of it.

Panasonic DMR-E80H

TelBoy

Bajie, can it do anything that an editable DVD can't though?

Bajie

Can't answer that one as I don't edit DVDs on pc.

I'm not sure [but I think you can] edit soundtrack etc before you write to DVD.

A pc setup would give you a lot more "control" over your final edit.
Its going to be a long time before I get a pc attached to my tele though.

Jaybird-UK

I dont have the DVD element but I do have a HD PVR (TiVo) and swear buy it, its the best thing Ive ever bought!

TelBoy

Wasn't thinking in relation to a pc to be honest - just any advantage the hard-drive gives you over editing a normal DVD disc in the DVD recorder, other than the "time-slip" functionality and greater storage cpacity...

Adrian F

I have been looking at these as a way to replace piles of Video's with time shifted stuff. when you stop watching a program in the middle is it easy to restart from that spot or like a dvd do you have to fast forward through the program from the begining or last indexed point? especially if it has recorded some thing else or you have watched some thing else?

also the 80Gb hard drives claim to record 100 hours but what is the quality like at this level or is it necessary to use the other settings giving less programs stored?

and last when you record programs of air how do you know what it is when you look back a few weeks later? does it give it a name or do you have to keep all the old issues of the TV Times to see what was on at 8.30 on wednesday ch4?

gsm1

I suspect the HD recorders are a lot faster. I'm using a Philips DVDR80 recorder at the moment and it's superb without a hard drive. It also has i-Link to record direct from digital video cameras which is cool.

dba

very easy with Sky Plus,you have the option of going to any point in the program,using 'viewer defined'

Sky Plus is excellent,leaving you spare cash to get a better DVD

Adrian F

I already have a DVD Player and i was really just interested in the HDD feature but i tend to get behind with the videos and find i have 10-15 to watch which is 100+ hours so i think Sky plus is possibly to small?

The current Panasonics and Toshiba units have 80Gb hard drives and that might just do me. dont you have to have a sky subscription to get the Sky box? i live in a cable area and not suppose to put a dish up. though i probably could but already cant keep up with the 5 channels i get and being out most of the time hence so much stored on video.

gsm1

You can upgrade the sky+ hard drive up to 120gb.

Bajie

I have Sky+ too

If you don't edit DVD on the pc I would wholeheartedly recommend.
My machine is DVD-R but there are machines that are DVD+R and others that swing both ways

Make sure all your gear is compatible.

MJW

Is there any way to set up a Sky+ box so you can put recorded programmes from the HD onto a DVD ? I was thinking of investing in Sky+ as I just bought a new Pixel Plus 2 TV, and my other home AV kit is looking a bit dated.

Bajie

You can put Sky+ through your DVD recorder and get them to HD that way.

Be warned though, Sky+ starts recording up to five minutes before a program begins and the same when the program ends.
Bit of a bummer if recorded programs overlap.

You can set your Sky to copy multiple recorded programs across to your HD recorder overnight and when you get up next morning its all done for you.

There are places on the web which give guides to hooking your sky up to pc for recording purposes too.

gsm1

You can by connecting a scart lead out of the sky box to your standalone dvd recorder input. Don't believe there is anyway of directly burning the Sky+ hard drive's files to DVD as they're Sky's own format.