Freeview HD box v HD recorder (1 Viewer)

Otis · Jul 16, 2017

Hi,

Can anyone help?

My mum and dad are both 87 and their TV is very important to them. A new channel came out, Talking Pictures TV, that just shows old films. I know they will love it. They can't receive it though.

Apparently you can only get it with a Freeview HD recorder and they just have the bog standard Freeview.

Well, my question is, what's the difference between a HD box and a HD recorder in terms of obtaining channels? Why would you only get a non HD channel (it is clearly not HD) only available on a HD recorder and not available on a HD box? I don't understand why I can't just get them a HD box. They wouldn't use a recorder, they are complete technophobes.

The price differential is quite substantial. Can understand the recorder for recording HD channels, but this channel isn't HD.

Captain Dart · Jul 16, 2017

Otis said:
Hi,

Can anyone help?

My mum and dad are both 87 and their TV is very important to them. A new channel came out, Talking Pictures TV, that just shows old films. I know they will love it. They can't receive it though.

Apparently you can only get it with a Freeview HD recorder and they just have the bog standard Freeview.

Well, my question is, what's the difference between a HD box and a HD recorder in terms of obtaining channels? Why would you only get a non HD channel (it is clearly not HD) only available on a HD recorder and not available on a HD box? I don't understand why I can't just get them a HD box. They wouldn't use a recorder, they are complete technophobes.

The price differential is quite substantial. Can understand the recorder for recording HD channels, but this channel isn't HD.

Its on my FV TV, have your parents retuned their TV lately?

Otis · Jul 16, 2017

Just been round and retuned it and they haven't got it.

Checked the postcode and TPTV said they can receive at their post code. It clearly says though on their website that you have to have a Freeview HD recorder, or HD tv.

They have neither.

Captain Dart · Jul 16, 2017

Otis said:
Just been round and retuned it and they haven't got it.

Checked the postcode and TPTV said they can receive at their post code. It clearly says though on their website that you have to have a Freeview HD recorder, or HD tv.

They have neither.

OK, my TV is HD.. recently bought.

Otis · Jul 16, 2017

Yeah, they wouldn't know HD if it came up and smacked them in the face and they have never recorded a TV programme in their life.

They either stay up to watch a programme, or miss it and go to bed and it is 99% the latter. Never recorded when they had a VHS either and won't use pause or rewind.

Bless em!!

dazed&confused · Jul 16, 2017

Early digital TVs with built in Freeview tuners used the DVB-T standard which no longer supports HD signals. More recent - from 2011/2012 onwards - TVs, separate stand-alone decoders/hard-drive recorders etc now incorporate Freeview DVB-T2 tuners that can decode HD transmissions. If your parents' TV has a DVB-T tuner, then even if the DVB-T2 signal is broadcast where they live, although most ** SD channels should be available they won't be able to see channels transmitted on the HD multiplex. To rectify this all you need is a stand-alone Freeview HD box available for approx £20 on ebay. There's no need to buy a PVR recorder The exact model you want will depend on the TV's connectivity - HDMI/SCART etc.
** Apparently Talking Pictures TV is broadcast on the HD multiplex

dutchman · Jul 17, 2017

Just to add to dazed&confused's excellent explanation, Talking Pictures is on multiplex Com7 (UHF channel 33) which is transmitted at low power from Sutton Coldfield and not available in all parts of Coventry. Even with a new HD receiver there is no guarantee they would be able to receive it.

Otis · Jul 17, 2017

dutchman said:
Just to add to dazed&confused's excellent explanation, Talking Pictures is on multiplex Com7 (UHF channel 33) which is transmitted at low power from Sutton Coldfield and not available in all parts of Coventry. Even with a new HD receiver there is no guarantee they would be able to receive it.

Yeah, get that, but on their own website they have a checker and my parents' post code is definitely on the reception list, so they are telling me they should receive it.

Otis · Jul 17, 2017

dazed&confused said:
Early digital TVs with built in Freeview tuners used the DVB-T standard which no longer supports HD signals. More recent - from 2011/2012 onwards - TVs, separate stand-alone decoders/hard-drive recorders etc now incorporate Freeview DVB-T2 tuners that can decode HD transmissions. If your parents' TV has a DVB-T tuner, then even if the DVB-T2 signal is broadcast where they live, although most ** SD channels should be available they won't be able to see channels transmitted on the HD multiplex. To rectify this all you need is a stand-alone Freeview HD box available for approx £20 on ebay. There's no need to buy a PVR recorder The exact model you want will depend on the TV's connectivity - HDMI/SCART etc.
** Apparently Talking Pictures TV is broadcast on the HD multiplex

Fantastic! Cheers. Exactly what I was thinking. I think that Talking Pictures have made an error in saying it needs to be a HD recorder rather than a HD box. That was the puzzling thing for me. Why would it have to be a recorder?

Otis · Jul 17, 2017

Right, I was correct. My whole beef was how they could say I needed a HD recorder.

Rang the Freeview helpline and they said just a HD box is absolutely fine.

Freeview HD box v HD recorder (1 Viewer)

Otis

Well-Known Member

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member

dazed&confused

Well-Known Member

dutchman

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Freeview HD box v HD recorder (1 Viewer)

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency