HD PVR recommendation please

[satuser]

I had a plan, its no longer a good one, your recommendation please !

The plan was to install a 65 cm dish, quad LNB in preparation for the upcoming Freesat HD PVRs, currently have a fantastic freeview PVR - Topfield 5800, but wanting HD.

I would have been happy, but I got inquisitive and decided to add in a motor and a cheap technomate receiver just to check out whats available up there.

At first I thought there was a lot of trash, well there is, but got the box patched and found the english audio streams on the German film channels, WOW. Then last night I found England - Croatia free to air on ZDF, when its advertised as Setanta only, double WOW.

So now I'm thinking that what I need is something more like this :
- Dual tuner PVR
- HD
- 7 day EPG showing my favourite channels
- patchable, need to record those German movie channels inc all audio tracks
- reliable
- quick start & channel change

Ideally also :
- 7 day keyword search of other channels I can receive
- Ethernet or wifi connectable

I work in IT, so not scared of a little bit of linux config if required.

[madsod]

well most stb the epg will not give you 7 days epg , you will get it on some channels but not all i find the t/mate 6900 the best , do not look at the darkboxas the pvr does not work and i dont think it ever will

[satuser]

Originally Posted by madsod

well most stb the epg will not give you 7 days epg , you will get it on some channels but not all

Well thats the thing, with the top end freeview PVR that I have EPG gives you 7 days for all channels, click on a program and it'll get recorded, just like $ky in operation. Can't take the family back to a box with no proper EPG.

Do I just need to wait it out until a patchable freesat PVR comes around ?

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by satuser

Well thats the thing, with the top end freeview PVR that I have EPG gives you 7 days for all channels, click on a program and it'll get recorded, just like $ky in operation. Can't take the family back to a box with no proper EPG.

Do I just need to wait it out until a patchable freesat PVR comes around ?

You'll have a long wait, unfortunately. I don't think there will ever be such a beast.

[satuser]

Originally Posted by robbo71

You'll have a long wait, unfortunately. I don't think there will ever be such a beast.

Thanks, this is useful for me.

So, if the Topfield lives on for some years, as the main easy to use family box, its a little more clutter than I hoped, but I can live with it. Then I could simplify my satellite requirements to :
- patchable
- HD
- PVR (could just be single tuner, could be external hard drive)

What is the recommendation then ?

[SAT-WORLD]

Originally Posted by satuser

Thanks, this is useful for me.

So, if the Topfield lives on for some years, as the main easy to use family box, its a little more clutter than I hoped, but I can live with it. Then I could simplify my satellite requirements to :
- patchable
- HD
- PVR (could just be single tuner, could be external hard drive)

What is the recommendation then ?

How about the Vantage 7100S HD or the Vantage 8000S HD.

[radtv]

Freesat are launching their PVR in October priced around £250 with a 320GB HDD and EPG.