Discussion
I've just bought my first house and am buying a new TV to replace my ageing CRT, sorting out Sky etc. I also want to be able to record TV for the first time since I gave up on VHS years ago.
So far as I can find out I can record Sky using Sky+, but it only has 80GB available for storing programmes and I can't copy stuff to DVD that I want to keep. My parents have an 80GB HDD recorder and they need the DVD facility with such a small drive because, like me, they like to keep things if they're especially good. I therefore see Sky+ as a bit of a waste of time for me. Am I right in saying that if I want a bigger HDD and DVD facility I have to move away from the convenience of "one click" record from the programme listings and just get a standard HDD recorder? I'm not interested in Freesat, because I mainly just watch documentaries and it doesn't have most of the channels that I watch (Nat Geo, Discovery, Disc Science etc).
Any ideas?
So far as I can find out I can record Sky using Sky+, but it only has 80GB available for storing programmes and I can't copy stuff to DVD that I want to keep. My parents have an 80GB HDD recorder and they need the DVD facility with such a small drive because, like me, they like to keep things if they're especially good. I therefore see Sky+ as a bit of a waste of time for me. Am I right in saying that if I want a bigger HDD and DVD facility I have to move away from the convenience of "one click" record from the programme listings and just get a standard HDD recorder? I'm not interested in Freesat, because I mainly just watch documentaries and it doesn't have most of the channels that I watch (Nat Geo, Discovery, Disc Science etc).
Any ideas?
garycat said:
The Sky+ box has a second scart socket that you can connect a VHS or DVD player to. Then you just select 'Copy' from the sky planner menu, press record on your recorder and it sends the program to the second scart.
Excellent, thanks. So I could get the Sky+ box plus a normal HDD recorder with a 200GB+ HDD for archiving?
My experience with recording stuff off sky onto a HDD recorder is that they fill up very quickly and you end up burning to DVDs anyway.
So I'd recommend either getting a simple DVD recorder and burning stuff you want to keep from Sky straight to DVD.
Another option, which is what I am now doing, is to record stuff I want to keep onto an external USB HDD via my laptop and a video capture device. I then plug the USB drive into a media player like the one below, which is connected to the tv. Works a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001ILFDCK/ref=...
This combination has made my DVD/HDD recorder redundant.
So I'd recommend either getting a simple DVD recorder and burning stuff you want to keep from Sky straight to DVD.
Another option, which is what I am now doing, is to record stuff I want to keep onto an external USB HDD via my laptop and a video capture device. I then plug the USB drive into a media player like the one below, which is connected to the tv. Works a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001ILFDCK/ref=...
This combination has made my DVD/HDD recorder redundant.
LeoSayer said:
My experience with recording stuff off sky onto a HDD recorder is that they fill up very quickly and you end up burning to DVDs anyway.
So I'd recommend either getting a simple DVD recorder and burning stuff you want to keep from Sky straight to DVD.
Another option, which is what I am now doing, is to record stuff I want to keep onto an external USB HDD via my laptop and a video capture device. I then plug the USB drive into a media player like the one below, which is connected to the tv. Works a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001ILFDCK/ref=...
This combination has made my DVD/HDD recorder redundant.
Thanks. I don't have a laptop so will get a cheap DVDR machine and plonk it on top of the Sky+ box So I'd recommend either getting a simple DVD recorder and burning stuff you want to keep from Sky straight to DVD.
Another option, which is what I am now doing, is to record stuff I want to keep onto an external USB HDD via my laptop and a video capture device. I then plug the USB drive into a media player like the one below, which is connected to the tv. Works a treat!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001ILFDCK/ref=...
This combination has made my DVD/HDD recorder redundant.
wiggy001 said:
I'd also add that if you're moving up to an HD TV, get Sky+ HD... the picture quality (on most channels, not just the HD ones) will be far superior, and the HDD is twice the size of the one in the normal Sky+ box.
Oh, and the Sky+ HD box is black!
Yep, my TV will be full HD. I was planning to enjoy it only via Blu-Ray for the foreseable future to be honest. Sky+ HD just seems so much more expensive for how many programmes I'll watch in HD. Any thoughts?Oh, and the Sky+ HD box is black!
You can also get larger disk drives for Sky+ - my mate has a 160Gb drive. But the Sky drive actually isn't fully used for normal recordings - it also records Sky Anytime too. I'm not sure if you stop Sky Anytime if it gives up the extra space to normal recordings. A three hour film uses up about 2% of an 80Gb drive.
grumpyscot said:
You can also get larger disk drives for Sky+ - my mate has a 160Gb drive. But the Sky drive actually isn't fully used for normal recordings - it also records Sky Anytime too. I'm not sure if you stop Sky Anytime if it gives up the extra space to normal recordings. A three hour film uses up about 2% of an 80Gb drive.
Sky currently quote a 160GB HDD for Sky+, split just as you say. All I want really is the ability to use the Sky programme planner to organise recordings - it sounds nice and easy. I was planning to sit down one day a week and set up to record what I want to watch, then forget about it all week and when I've got a spare hour I can watch something that I've recorded.
Podie said:
We don't watch enough telly to justify HD, but wouldn't be without Sky+
Ours has the 80GB HDD and we've been tempted to upgrade (kits not that expensive TBH) but disciplined "archiving" to DVD has meant it's not really been an issue
I think that's the way I feel to be honest. I watch one or two films a week and maybe about 3-4 hours of TV, mostly documentaries, plus the GP and Top Gear. The chances of what I'm watching being on HD are pretty slim!Ours has the 80GB HDD and we've been tempted to upgrade (kits not that expensive TBH) but disciplined "archiving" to DVD has meant it's not really been an issue
So far as I understood it, if you upgrade to 160GB you don't get to use it because it's use for Sky Anytime.
RobM77 said:
Podie said:
We don't watch enough telly to justify HD, but wouldn't be without Sky+
Ours has the 80GB HDD and we've been tempted to upgrade (kits not that expensive TBH) but disciplined "archiving" to DVD has meant it's not really been an issue
I think that's the way I feel to be honest. I watch one or two films a week and maybe about 3-4 hours of TV, mostly documentaries, plus the GP and Top Gear. The chances of what I'm watching being on HD are pretty slim!Ours has the 80GB HDD and we've been tempted to upgrade (kits not that expensive TBH) but disciplined "archiving" to DVD has meant it's not really been an issue
So far as I understood it, if you upgrade to 160GB you don't get to use it because it's use for Sky Anytime.
Here's the upgrade I was looking at - http://www.xtendedplay.co.uk/sky-hard-drive-upgrad...
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