views on easy DVD recorders or alternatives please

[Twentyfour7]

Hi All

Can anyone recommend a DVD recorder which is easy for an elderly person to use please or suggest alternatives to recording TV channels (
unfortunately using on demand channels via apps to view old channels is too challenging)

thanks for any suggestions

24/7

[OutInTheShed]

We have a Humax hard disk recorder.
It's pretty simple if you programme the relevant channels as 'favourite' so they come up the top of the programme guide.
But it does lots of stuff so you can complicate it if you push too many of the wrong buttons.
It also does all the internet TV functions for instance.
Ours is the satellite version but we had terrestrial in the old house.

If you can do the programming, they would only need to push a few buttons to do the watching.

[megaphone]

Yes a Freeview or Youview PVR box is what you want. Humax are one of the main producers, they make them for BT. A second hand BT Youview box is always a good option. Much easier than a DVD recorder.

Reasonably simple to record, open the guide, go to the programme you want to record and press record, it will ask you if you want to record the series. My 80 year old mum could just about manage it until dementia kicked in.

[bcr5784]

megaphone said:

Yes a Freeview or Youview PVR box is what you want. Humax are one of the main producers, they make them for BT. A second hand BT Youview box is always a good option. Much easier than a DVD recorder.

Reasonably simple to record, open the guide, go to the programme you want to record and press record, it will ask you if you want to record the series. My 80 year old mum could just about manage it until dementia kicked in.

I'd go along with that. The Panasonic recorders with a combined DVD/Blu-ray player are also easy to use. If a disk player is also needed (if only to play Peppa Pig to the grandkids) they are worth a look too. The PWT 550 is available for a similar price to the BT box on eBay.

[Twentyfour7]

Thank you for your responses. Sorry I am really out of date , but would it be possible to have a Humax free view play recorder and keep the old panasonic dvd/vhs recorder ?. Its just we may still want to play old videos .....

Would this be a suitable one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HUMAX-Aura-Freeview-Assis...

I have to work out if it would be compatible with the tv which is a Loewe Art not sure if 32 SL , 37SL , 42 SL or 47SL

not sure how best to tell....

Thanks for your help

[Twentyfour7]

woops I realise the figures now relate to the size! i think its a 37"

[megaphone]

The TV has HDMI inputs, so that will be the best way to connect the new box. Shouldn't affect the existing DVD player.

The Humax you linked to is their 'top-of-the-range'. I bought one of their refurbished models direct something like this will be ok for you.

https://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/refurbished/freeview...

[Twentyfour7]

Great Thanks very much for all your help

[Twentyfour7]

In the end I decided to buy the the Humax Aura 4k as seen in the link sent .
We connected it to the Loewe Art TV using the HDMI cable but we are having a few issues

1. We cannot completely control the TV with the Humax Aura remote . I understood when Aura was linked when paired it would completely take over, but when we turn TV and aura off we have to press 0 "AV" on the TV remote and then a pops up displays the source options . We then have to click on FVP -4K GTR (HDMI source) and click ok twice on the TV remote to activate the TV and receive programmes , the Aura remote can then be used to control the TV. It would be easier if everything could be turned on and off using the Aura remote only

2. Also when watching PBS America a few times we lost the programme and the Aura showed
the on screen message "The receiver is not receiving a signal or the signal is too weak" Anyone know how this can be prevented please? The signal was never an issue before and we used to receive all the channels

3. And when using Google Assistant and I said "find crime movies/ documentaries" it appeared to only find Amazon prime movies and Google Movies/ programmes , nothing from Android TV standard channels or any of the apps.e.g Channel 4, BBC iplayer

Any ideas please, on how to solve these issues ......

Thanks alot for your help

[TX1]

Are you connected via Hdmi Arc ?

[dundarach]

Be mindful that if the DVD\VHS is a combo, they can be worth BIG BIG money!

I waited ages to find one for less than £250.

Don't bin it please!

[Twentyfour7]

TX1 said:

Are you connected via Hdmi Arc ?

I used the HDMI cable to connect the Aura to the TV

The Loewe Tv states I can set up a HDMI CEC (concealed installation) and as I followed some initial steps to the pair the Aura remote I believe I may have done this or perhaps only partially, (as I am unable to access programmes without going through the steps as described in my early posting , i.e. clicking on the Tv remote AV button and using the drop down popup and ok key twice)

[98elise]

megaphone said:

The TV has HDMI inputs, so that will be the best way to connect the new box. Shouldn't affect the existing DVD player.

The Humax you linked to is their 'top-of-the-range'. I bought one of their refurbished models direct something like this will be ok for you.

https://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/refurbished/freeview...

The refurbished models are fine. My mother is on her second one (the first one lasted a long time).

As a 75 year old she finds it easy to work. That said she's happy to use a Roku for streaming so she's probably more tech savvy than a lot of older people.