Recording Live TV & Catch Up TV

[Chrisgr31]

What relatively cheap solutions are there for recording live TV, so one can fast forward through the adverts, and using catch up via the TV for things one forgets to record.

Currently using a Humax BT Youview box which is probably 10 yrs old, connected to the router via BT Broadband Flex 600 units. It works very well for recording TV but keeps losing the data connection which makes catch up TV a pain in the bum. The google home mini keeps losing data connection too - no idea if faults are connected.

Also have an XBox 360, and a Wii.

The TV is not a Smart one, so need a plug in solution, preferably without spending a fortune.

[Evoluzione]

Get another BT box. I buy them brand new on Ebay for about £20 and plug them in, no paid subscription necessary.

[Mr E]

I built a media PC with quad tuners and use Kodi and nextPVR.

It’s done the job for 10 years, but it’s likely about to be retired as the amount of live tv we watch is trending to zero, and what we do want we’ll just stream.

[Ham_and_Jam]

https://manhattan-tv.com/freeview-play/manhattan-t...

Manhattan T3R

I’ve had a few Humax You View boxes, and TBH they’re crap. They do work, but the UI is very sluggish, painfully so. Often a couple of button presses behind the screen.

They also fail a lot. Either the poor remote stops working, or the main unit stops responding.

I didn’t think there was much of an alternative after mine went AGAIN a couple of months ago. After a bit of research I found a great British company selling the T3R.

Pluses - great responsive UI, wifi compatible, most main free to air catch up TV, pause live TV, use program guide to watch catch up TV, 4K compatible, good design. Works as intended.

Negatives - only record 2 channels at once (update to allow 3 imminent). Not lots of pay OD TV (no Netflix or Now Tv, however use Roku for this).

If you want a great PVR / catch up device the T3R is fantastic, a massive improvement on Humax. Just beware it isn’t intended to be a Roku / fire Tv, so just buy one of those separately for a few quid.

Edit: Just a thought if you don’t need 4k, they do the same box but just HD resolution for T2R for £129.99.

https://manhattan-tv.com/freeview-hd/manhattan-t2r...

Also add a Roku streaming stick for £29.99 (Netflix, Now TV, Prime etc), and you have every channel covered for £160 all in.

https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/players

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Saturday 7th November 11:53

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Saturday 7th November 11:56

[Mr Pointy]

Ham_and_Jam said:

Negatives - only record 2 channels at once (update to allow 3 imminent)

Can you watch a third channel if you are recording two programmes already & does it depend on which mux the channel is on (the Humax will only let you watch a channel on the same muxes as the two channels being recorded).

Can you create custom channel lists? I found that to be a major issue with the BT boxes.

Edited by Mr Pointy on Saturday 7th November 12:04

[Ham_and_Jam]

Mr Pointy said:

Can you watch a third channel if you are recording two programmes already & does it depend on which mux the channel is on (the Humax will only let you watch a channel on the same muxes as the two channels being recorded).

Can you create custom channel lists? I found that to be a major issue with the BT boxes.

Edited by Mr Pointy on Saturday 7th November 12:04

You can create a ‘favourites’ list and select that list from the coloured buttons on your remote in the guide, also can select HD channels, catchup or radio.

The 2 channels that can be recorded includes the one that you watch. I contacted them recently about the rumoured addition of a third channel and they responded with an ‘imminent update’ that would allow it.

Just checked now and still on software 1.08, so not happened as yet.

[Chrisgr31]

Thanks all