Have your say & ask the experts

I've just taken the plunge and cancelled Sky+ (what have I done!!) and am looking for a replacement. I have a Panasonic TX-32LXD700 which has (I believe) a digital freeview tuner built in. What I'm looking for is a device that allows me to series link and record. It seems that I have a choice between PVR or DVD recorder but both seem to have freeview tuners which I'm not sure I actually need. The tv does have a decent EPG (so it seems) although doesn't have series link.

As another option, I also have the dish still there from Sky, so in theory could I install a Freesat PVR by simply plugging it in and switch between Freeview and Freesat??

Any advice to help my confused brain much appreciated.....

You are right that there is no series link as such on most DVD or combined DVD/HDD recorders.

However if you can access the freeview programe guide anything shown in the guide can be marked for recording in the future. Different recorders handle this differently. Some will capture the programme even if it moves in the EPG later and some will just "timer record" the channel at the time specfied during programming.

Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

welshboy:

Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

That sounds interesting.... I assumed I would just bin the Sky boxes. Would the planner still work and just show any freeview channels coming through the Sky box then? 

bacchus:

welshboy:

Note if you have a std sky box and use sky's personnal planner this can be used with a lot of recorders to trigger the recording of specific programmes if your recorder has the "external link" functionality. You can do this with the Panasonic DMR-Ex87EB for example.

That sounds interesting.... I assumed I would just bin the Sky boxes. Would the planner still work and just show any freeview channels coming through the Sky box then? 

the sky planner still works on the free channels, you dont need a basic subcription or pay a one off fee,