Pvr

[Goodwatch]

Okay, totally off topic and nothing to do with either watches or Rolex. And perhaps not very interesting to many. But sometimes you stumble on something that is good. The end of November 2006 I ordered a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) from my cable company. It replaces the digital set-top box you already have, adding recording capabilities. Because there’s a snag with those set-top boxes. They only have SCART out. You can connect a VCR, DVR recorder or HD recorder and it will record fine. But as soon as you switch the box to another channel, the recorded source is being switched as well. So I used my DVD recorder on the normal cable connection but that means missing out on most of the extra channels as they are only are available through the set-top box.

The PVR is basically a set-top box with a 160 GB hard disc. I received a welcome letter in December plus a cardboard box to return my regular set-top box. But no PVR. I e-mailed customer service early January and was told something went wrong. Anne received a call that the PVR was on its way. NOT, so another e-mail from me. And lo and behold, last Monday a big box was delivered. When I got home from work I thought: “that can’t be right, such a big box for a PVR”. That’s because there were TWO PVRs inside! In their own boxes. Sigh. I called customer service again because even after the 3 day waiting period they didn’t work. (They first have to disable the regular set-top box). The very helpful person at the phone was baffled about the fact I had received two PVRs. And said there might be a problem because they had no clue as to activate which PVR. (It’s all done remote; the PVRs have their own IP address). This, actually, is the story of my life as most of these things take at least 5 tries to get it right. But he did a re-activation and yes, after 15 minutes one of the boxes came alive.

This, my friends, is the next best thing to sliced bread! Recording programs is a snap. Call up the electronic program guide, navigate to the program(s) you want to record and press one button. That’s it. If it is a sit-com on a regular interval, the PVR recognizes this and presents an option to record all the episodes up to a certain end date. Very neat. You can record a program, get home 25 minutes later and rewind to the beginning while the rest is being recorded. You can even record one show, watch another and pause that real-time. It then records two streams at the same time. For once, my cable company has come up trumps. And it’s only 2.99 Euro a month extra. Because most of the features are actually software based, the thing it future proof as well because as soon as I hooked it up it started do download new firmware. Even with sometimes downright awful TV offerings, this machine has put a smile on my face.

[Launch Mini]

I am close to getting one myself.
I have a DVD recorded connected to my cable box, so I can do the chasing playback etc, but only if I remember to clean up the DVD first.
Problem here is,our Cable provider wants $698 for the bloody thing.
That would go a long way towards another toy.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

I am close to getting one myself.
I have a DVD recorded connected to my cable box, so I can do the chasing playback etc, but only if I remember to clean up the DVD first.
Problem here is,our Cable provider wants $698 for the bloody thing.
That would go a long way towards another toy.

That's a bit steep! To say the least. I can only rent it so in the long run I will pay the same but I already will have received a new model in that period. BTW, this box can record 62 hours. Now I only have to re-program my Logitech remote to incorporate the PVR.

[Launch Mini]

For now, I could just use new blank DVD's each time & it would be a long time before I used up my $698 Hardware fee

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

For now, I could just use new blank DVD's each time & it would be a long time before I used up my $698 Hardware fee

It is too much but all those features don't work on a regular recording source and they know that

[Launch Mini]

No they don't.
They are cool features.
I also need to factor in the "wife variable". It would save me a lot of grief , if her shows were set to record automatically, rather than the stomp on the floor (my office is downstairs) so I can run up and set the DVD-r for her. And then there is the "oops, she changed the channel on the TV box, while a show was recording" issue.
Those marketing/pricing guys have it all figured out.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

No they don't.
They are cool features.
I also need to factor in the "wife variable". It would save me a lot of grief , if her shows were set to record automatically, rather than the stomp on the floor (my office is downstairs) so I can run up and set the DVD-r for her. And then there is the "oops, she changed the channel on the TV box, while a show was recording" issue.
Those marketing/pricing guys have it all figured out.

Same here, my Anne is in heaven because I told her she would never ever have to miss an episode of McCleod's Daughters again. Just pressing a few buttons made this possible

[Launch Mini]

I have been debating heading down to the electronic store all week, Might just have to go tonight.
Phase II of master plan.
Buy the wife a PVR, good segway for a new watch for me

[montecristo]

I have been using my trusty Replaytv for years.
Love the ability to skip and pause shows on the fly and record shows automagically. That and I can stream the files to PC and burn them into dvd easily with it.

[Rockrolex]

All right, call me a Luddite. I can't see myself paying the extra freight for a DVR or PVR or a TiVo (even though we represent them).

As an example, we taped a TV movie that was being shown in mid-December because we were going to be out that night. It is now Feb. 2. Have we watched the movie? I'll let you answer that.

So why would I want to record even more TV that I won't watch. I'm sure not going to record the late news (which is the only 1/2 hour of TV I watch every day).

[montecristo]

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

All right, call me a Luddite. I can't see myself paying the extra freight for a DVR or PVR or a TiVo (even though we represent them).

As an example, we taped a TV movie that was being shown in mid-December because we were going to be out that night. It is now Feb. 2. Have we watched the movie? I'll let you answer that.

So why would I want to record even more TV that I won't watch. I'm sure not going to record the late news (which is the only 1/2 hour of TV I watch every day).

I do enjoy to ability to pause live tv, go get some food, run a couple errands and come back to the same spot you pause at, continue whatever your are watching, and fast forward the commercials.

You do watch your TV sometimes right?
I have every season of Sopranos and 24 recorded thanks to my replaytv.

[Gedanken]

Mr I'll-stick-with-DVD-recorders-thank-you-very-much here is confused. What's the difference between a PVR and a TiVo?

[Launch Mini]

Basically the same, Brand name is all. Saran wrap/plastic wrap ...

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by montecristo

I do enjoy to ability to pause live tv, go get some food, run a couple errands and come back to the same spot you pause at, continue whatever your are watching, and fast forward the commercials.

You do watch your TV sometimes right?
I have every season of Sopranos and 24 recorded thanks to my replaytv.

The only TV I watch is the late news, an occasional Wizards game when we're home (and not at the game), and last night we watched Funny Face with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn on the TMC channel.

I watched the first episode of the second season of Sopranos. That was it for me. I never saw a single episode of Friends, I wouldn't watch Survivor (or any other of those "reality" shows) if you paid me (well, maybe if you paid me enough I would stoop that low).

OK, so I used to watch some of the British sitcoms on PBS, one of my favorites being To the Manor Born. But they're only on in reruns now so there's no point to them. And I will sometimes watch Masterpiece Theater.

All told, I proably watch less than 2 hours of TV a week.

[Goodwatch]

As I only read manuals if there's no other way, I just found a new feature. The PVR automatically records the cannel you are watching. I can rewind and do my own 'instant replay'! In know, I know, I'm still in the 'goody, look at my new toy stage' but still it is very neat!