V+ or DTR?

mumfie · 20-10-2008, 11:48

I was considering getting a DTR until someone suggested V+ instead and was wondering which was best and would therefore like your opinion. I currently have free TV package as I don't watch enough to justify bigger one and usually miss most of the things I like anyway!

Cost: DTR - Â£180 ish including DVD recorder + Freeview; V+ Â£100 installation (this month) + Â£5 per month. Considering I have children who are liable to break something (VCR has just gone down the pan) I think this is much of a muchness.

Can you record from V+ onto DVD? I ask because otherwise, if you leave Virgin or replace V+ box you lose all your data and I don't like being tied in.

How big is the hard disk?

How reliable is it? Those times when TV on Demand go down and you never know how long they're going to take are frustrating.

Anything else?

Thanks in advance.

Toto · 20-10-2008, 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumfie

I was considering getting a DTR until someone suggested V+ instead and was wondering which was best and would therefore like your opinion. I currently have free TV package as I don't watch enough to justify bigger one and usually miss most of the things I like anyway!

Cost: DTR - Â£180 ish including DVD recorder + Freeview; V+ Â£100 installation (this month) + Â£5 per month. Considering I have children who are liable to break something (VCR has just gone down the pan) I think this is much of a muchness.

Can you record from V+ onto DVD? I ask because otherwise, if you leave Virgin or replace V+ box you lose all your data and I don't like being tied in.

How big is the hard disk?

How reliable is it? Those times when TV on Demand go down and you never know how long they're going to take are frustrating.

Anything else?

Thanks in advance.

This will help, link.

to Cableforum.

Stuart · 20-10-2008, 11:59

to the forum.

I'll try and answer your questions.

Yes, you can record from V+ to DVD. You plug a DVD recorder into the VCR output. You lose some quality as this output is Composite, but the quality is actually quite good considering that. You can select a list of programs and set it to output them, but the v+ will output them as one long program, so it may make searching the DVD difficult.

The hard drive is 160gig, which is large enough for around 40 hours of standard def television, or 20 hours of high def.

How reliable is it? I've had my V+ since April 2007, and have only had one problem with it. There was a time when someone acidentally flipped a switch at VM and caused all the V+s to try and download an update that wasn't there, which effectively disabled them until people rang Customer Services and went through the procedure they outlined.

The only other fault I have had with my service was a combination of loose connections in my house and a network outage. Didn't lose access to the recordings, just most of my channels and TV OD..

mumfie · 20-10-2008, 13:50

Thank you, both of you.

I'm still dithering as I'm trying to minimise the number of appliances attached to the TV, while at the same time wondering whether that's important.

I need to replace VCR, if only so I can copy video to DVD.

I currently have DVD player, not recorder, so would would want to think about changing that at some time. If I had a HDD, whether V+ or otherwise would I actually take stuff off and put it to DVD? It must get full at some point.

If I had a DTR, wouldn't need a separate DVD recorder, would have marginally fewer channels with Freeview tuner. Would I be wrong in saying quality of recording is the same through V+ or through Freeview DTR?

V+ / DVD recorder / VCR or Freeview DTR / VCR are the possible combinations, not forgetting the STB.

Toto · 20-10-2008, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumfie

Thank you, both of you.

I'm still dithering as I'm trying to minimise the number of appliances attached to the TV, while at the same time wondering whether that's important.

I need to replace VCR, if only so I can copy video to DVD.

I currently have DVD player, not recorder, so would would want to think about changing that at some time. If I had a HDD, whether V+ or otherwise would I actually take stuff off and put it to DVD? It must get full at some point.

If I had a DTR, wouldn't need a separate DVD recorder, would have marginally fewer channels with Freeview tuner. Would I be wrong in saying quality of recording is the same through V+ or through Freeview DTR?

V+ / DVD recorder / VCR or Freeview DTR / VCR are the possible combinations, not forgetting the STB.

Prior to me getting a V+ Box, I had a Sony HD DVD recorder. Since the V+ installation I have actually given the recorder to a friend, as I stopped using it. The V+ can record two programs simultaneously, and has been superb.

I've not felt the need to transfer what I have recorded to another medium, but that's because I do purchase a lot of DVD's.

20-10-2008, 16:33

You have to get V+

I had brand new PVR just before getting V+ i hardly ever use PVR - i kept it just because it plays DVD

V+ has brilliant picture quality if you have HD Ready TV (i'd rent it for this alone)

V+ has 3 built-in tuners (record 2 channels + watch 1)

V+ has invaluable series link which you are less likely to find on PVR

V+ can output/transfer to any recorder (DVD or VCR) and unlike Sky+ you can still use the box normally (recording/watching, etc)

V+ has 160gig H/Drive which is big enough to keep a wide choice of veiwing such that i have only transfered two things to DVD in nearly 2 years i had it

+ you got the benefit of VOD + modest H/Def offerings + few extra cable channels

Most of my viewing is free 2 air & i have considered freesat PVR but there is still nothing to touch V+

+ did i say picture quality is amazing

Begize · 24-10-2008, 17:54

The 160GB drive fits 76 hours of SD TV

ntl.wotcha · 26-10-2008, 14:48

For someone who watches only a little TV and is happy with the Freeview channels then I would probably go for a Freeview PVR.

To my mind the Freeview picture quality is just a little better than V+

V+ is a lot more flexible though due to the 3 tuners and VoD content etc.

26-10-2008, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntl.wotcha

..To my mind the Freeview picture quality is just a little better than V+...

just to clarify that you're talking about "built-in" freeview tuner that came with your TV and not an external (plug-in) tuner which is not in the same league as V+ via HDMI

even my internal tuner is not as good as V+

.