TV boxes

Hootsmon

I think my Virgin stuff HAS tae go.....

I don't bother with TV but it keeps Hooters quiet.... so if we got one of them one off payment, non subscription TV boxes would it be able to.....catch up TV......&  record TV progs........?

Oh, do I require an outside aerial for this tae work or does the signal come from the TV box?

thanks guys 

roundthebend

I get all my TV through the internet. BBC iPlayer etc. My TV is a "smart" TV

Hootsmon

OK thanks RTB 

joeyowen

Same for me. All TV is via smart TV! All WiFi driven. Can't record, but most is on catchup anyway 

bobblehat

I ditched sky a feew years ago in favour of a Humax Freesat Recorder and never looked back.

Hootsmon

if someone can recommend a set up that does catch up and records....

exocet

These work well. Manufactured by Humax.

BT Youview+ Set Top Box (500Gb) Recorder with Twin HD Freeview and 7 Day Catch Up TV - no subscription (Certified Refurbished) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YHD6GUY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PrMvAbVNKMX0S

EricTheWeary

When I had the Virgin box that I could record on I rarely recorded in the end as so many things are on catch up now ( or on Netflix or Amazon). The only exception was MOTD which takes two days to get on iPlayer. 
Apart from missing MOTD sometimes now I don’t miss recording at all. 

darthed1981

I am amazed by how much quality free stuff there is now on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and UKTV Play, there is enough that you literally never need to pay except for specific things.

I personally add Netflix and Prime and Now TV entertainment, for specific shows, but you can do so well for free.

Happy Days

Edit:  You need a TV license for iPlayer of course

boogieman

If you do want to record stuff, get a Humax box. They do refurbished boxes on their website that are as good as new and come with a warranty.   Edit: It needs an aerial to work though. 

The other thing you you could do is get a Now tv box. You buy it with a three months subscription (there are sometimes deals around through the supermarkets but it’s normally about £35 for the box and subscription). You’ll get either Sky movies, some Sky channels like Sky Atlantic and Fox, or sports: your choice when you buy the box. Once the subscription runs out you can still use it to get iPlayer, etc. It works off your WiFi so no need for an aerial or dish. You can’t record on it though. 

Rocker

Humax FreeSat box records, use your existing Sky dish. That is what we did this time last year and it works very well.

ESBlonde

When I  dumped sky years ago they left the box and receiver in place which meant the default digital chanels still showed up and could be recorded on the box. A few years later I reconnected so don't know if that would still be the case, suspect so. the downside iirc is that all recordings are lost if you have to do a hard reset/reboot.

Although I know have the basic sky package and internet I too mainly use iplayer and youtube. Herself uses a few other chanels when she wrestles the controls away from me or I forget to lock them up when I'm out ;-)

amarok1971

ive got a recordable humax sat box, brilliant thing, best thing ive ever bought tv wise.

dhaywood67

I've got a Humax Freesat+ 300GB box for sale if anyone's interested? Happy to pack and ship. I'm going down the Amazon TV / Android TV route.

Virgin is such a rip off at £80 per month. Even dropping to internet only is still £30+ /month as they insist on charging 'line rental' even though it's delivered via cable.

crunchman

dhaywood67 said:

I've got a Humax Freesat+ 300GB box for sale if anyone's interested? Happy to pack and ship. I'm going down the Amazon TV / Android TV route.

Virgin is such a rip off at £80 per month. Even dropping to internet only is still £30+ /month as they insist on charging 'line rental' even though it's delivered via cable.

To be fair to them, I think they are forced to do the "line rental" thing by the government.  If you get internet from someone else, you will have to add BT line rental to whatever they quote you.

Having said that, I'm going to massively downsize my Virgin stuff.  Now the Ashes have finished I'm going to get the TV put right back to the basic package.  There is so much stuff on IPlayer, Netflix etc.  I can buy a one day Now TV pass for Sky Sports occasionally if there is something I want to watch.

I'm tempted by the Freeview or Freesat thing but we don't have a functional TV, or a satellite dish.  The up front costs of moving completely away from Virgin would be quite large.  If I was completely confident we would still be living in the house in 5 years time then it would be worth it though.

If you don't have a smart TV you can get something like an Amazon Fire stick to do the smart content for you.  If you aren't the type to upgrade to the latest greatest TV every few years I think that's a better way to do it.  The software for the smart content in the TV will become outdated over time.  If you use an outboard device, the £35 for a new Amazon stick is a lot more palatable than a new TV.

lovestrat74

Rocker said:

Humax FreeSat box records, use your existing Sky dish. That is what we did this time last year and it works very well.

So you can use your existing dish as your ariel and do not need an external ariel?

Sporky

lovestrat74 said:

Rocker said:

Humax FreeSat box records, use your existing Sky dish. That is what we did this time last year and it works very well.

So you can use your existing dish as your ariel and do not need an external ariel?

For Freesat, yes.

lovestrat74

Sporky said:

lovestrat74 said:

Rocker said:

Humax FreeSat box records, use your existing Sky dish. That is what we did this time last year and it works very well.

So you can use your existing dish as your ariel and do not need an external ariel?

For Freesat, yes.

Cheers @Sporky ;

the_jaffa

All you guys who have ditched Virgin/Sky and gone to online tv etc; who is your broadband with? We've got Virgin at the mo but thinking about sacking them off but not sure of the best bet for broadband. 

Rocker

lovestrat74 said:

Rocker said:

Humax FreeSat box records, use your existing Sky dish. That is what we did this time last year and it works very well.

So you can use your existing dish as your ariel and do not need an external ariel?

As @Sporky said.  In Ireland we use our 'old' TV aerials to receive Saorview [all the terrestrial Irish channels].  BBC, ITV etc come in through the FreeSat box.

EricTheWeary

the_jaffa said:

All you guys who have ditched Virgin/Sky and gone to online tv etc; who is your broadband with? We've got Virgin at the mo but thinking about sacking them off but not sure of the best bet for broadband. 

We had TV, phone and broadband through Virgin. Just went down to broadband with them.