Recording from Saorview

Leonardsgirl

I've just bought a Saorview TV and connected it to my dvd recorder. It appears that I can only record the programme I'm watching. In order to record a different channel, I'm told I need to get a Saorview box. Has this happened to anyone else? I needn't have replaced my television at all. Why don't they tell us this on the Saorview ad?

Peter Rhea

You only have 1 Saorview tuner, in the tv, so no means of selecting an alternative channel when this is tied up with outputting to the DVD recorder.

Do you have other means of reception, such as a satellite receiver for UK reception, or maybe you can get UK terrestrial (Freeview) on the new tv?

zg3409

If you had just bought a box you would have the exact same problem. You would only be able to watch and record the same channel at the time.

If you want to watch one channel while recording another you would need a dual tuner. Generally dual tuners are never built into TV's.

There will be a proper Saorview recording box released by Walker before X-mas. This has a hard drive, dual tuner and will allow recording, pause, watching one channel while recording another, series link etc.

Some current TVs and boxes allow recording but generally are limited while recording to only some channels no all channels.

If recording is important to you I would wait until X-mas. Then wait for a few reviews of this new box. We suspect it will be about 250 Euro and is a box only not a TV.

This is how much you will need to pay for a good Saorview recording solution that allows all features. Until then you could hook up a Saorview box to your DVD recorder.

Leonardsgirl

Thank you both for your replies. I have a saorview box that I had bought for an older tv in another room, so I need to hook it up here. TV + saorview box + dvd recorder + 3 remotes does not equal progress, I'm afraid.

zg3409

Hopefully in the future there will be a DVD recorder with a Saorview tuner. There are such things available in the UK. They have just not been tested and approved here yet.

When the first approved PVR recording box is launched before X-mas it will be a big step up and allow series link.

It also seems as if more Saorview dual tuner PVRs will be launched in the coming year, which means at least two approved models to pick from.

The Cush

There are non-approved twin-tuner PVRs out there at the moment that have been reported here as working OK with Saorview e.g. -

Samsung - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056755522
Humax - https://humaxdirect.co.uk/prodCat.asp?cat=stb2&page=fhd
Sony - http://www.sony.ie/product/hard-disk-recorder

Leonardsgirl

[Thanks for your help!

Quote=zg3409;81137143]Hopefully in the future there will be a DVD recorder with a Saorview tuner. There are such things available in the UK. They have just not been tested and approved here yet.

When the first approved PVR recording box is launched before X-mas it will be a big step up and allow series link.

It also seems as if more Saorview dual tuner PVRs will be launched in the coming year, which means at least two approved models to pick from.[/Quote]

zg3409

The Cush wrote: »

There are non-approved twin-tuner PVRs out there at the moment that have been reported here as working OK with Saorview e.g. -

However I would not recommend buying ANY of them until after the first approved PVR is launched just before X-mas. At this time series link information will be sent on all channels. Only then will we be able to test these boxes properly.

If they do work properly they should become approved in due course. One of them even has the Saorview logo on it's menu suggesting they have submitted it for testing.

Approval is very important for recording. If recording does not work 100% then spending large sums on a recording box is a total waste.

bridster007

Leonardsgirl wrote: »

[Thanks for your help!

Quote=zg3409;81137143]Hopefully in the future there will be a DVD recorder with a Saorview tuner. There are such things available in the UK. They have just not been tested and approved here yet.

When the first approved PVR recording box is launched before X-mas it will be a big step up and allow series link.

It also seems as if more Saorview dual tuner PVRs will be launched in the coming year, which means at least two approved models to pick from.

[/QUOTE]

Unlikely to ever be a Saorview DVD recorder - the market has moved towards PVRs which are hard disk drive recorders with no option to copy to DVD as you currently have. May still be ok for your needs though if you don't need to keep a permanent copy. Only Panasonic are continuing the ability to archive to DVD/Blu Ray for Mpeg4 broadcasts. But not working for Saorview at the moment.

Leonardsgirl

I'm not at all technical, but it seems suspicious that this switch off is being done when the technology isn't there to support it and that this information is not being given to the public. I've got to buy a saorview box for my new "saorview ready" tv and set up a makey do system until next year when I can buy a further box all to give me what I already had a few months ago.

zg3409 wrote: »

The Cush wrote: »

There are non-approved twin-tuner PVRs out there at the moment that have been reported here as working OK with Saorview e.g. -

However I would not recommend buying ANY of them until after the first approved PVR is launched just before X-mas. At this time series link information will be sent on all channels. Only then will we be able to test these boxes properly.

If they do work properly they should become approved in due course. One of them even has the Saorview logo on it's menu suggesting they have submitted it for testing.

Approval is very important for recording. If recording does not work 100% then spending large sums on a recording box is a total waste.

zg3409

Leonardsgirl wrote: »

I'm not at all technical, but it seems suspicious that this switch off is being done when the technology isn't there to support it and that this information is not being given to the public. .

Yes and No. Saorview do not make boxes so it's not up to them to make them. Two years ago (or more?) they published the specs that boxes needed to meet in order to carry the Saorview logo.

As boxes have been tested, they have been allowed to carry the logo. At least those carrying the logo will work. In the UK they had problems that there was no approval process and some boxes did not work properly.

So yes there are boxes that may work, but have not been tested. It is possible to hodge podge a solution together.

However in the next year or two I still don't see a TV with dual Saorview tuner and dual FreeSat tuner. So people will still end up with at least one seperate box from the TV for dual recording channels.

This is not necessarily the governments or RTE or RTENL's fault. It's mostly the manufacturers of equipment looking at Republic of Ireland and not thinking there is much of a market for fancy TV's and trying to push UK or European models on Ireland.

What would sell brilliantly is a true PVR with dual satellite (for UK channels) and dual Saorview tuner with 7 day guide on both and series link. However there is probably not enough demand to justify anyone coming out with such a box. With the technology available today this could include an internet connection for RTE player and the UK players.

This could have easily been designed and launched long before now, if the market was big enough.

In reality Irelands free TV options will end up being a kludge of UK systems and Irish systems. I also use a laptop hooked up to the TV for RTE player, netflix etc.

Kristopherus

As a follow on re the Walker PVR and others that will come on stream. if they have a dual tuner, then logically they will have two aerial inputs. Is there a gadget that allows the attachment of 2 aerial cables to the actual aerial?

The Cush

Kristopherus wrote: »

As a follow on re the Walker PVR and others that will come on stream. if they have a dual tuner, then logically they will have two aerial inputs. Is there a gadget that allows the attachment of 2 aerial cables to the actual aerial?

Single aerial feed with the split done within the receiver (different for satellite receivers).

Kristopherus

A pity no-one has come up with a similar solution for satellite.

Peter Rhea

The situation with (ku band) satellite is completely different, due to the large bandwidth used & the overlapping channels on different polarisations.

The closest to a 'similar solution' would be something that carries out an additional frequency conversion, like SCR/Unicable (fibre systems are also mentioned in this article).

Saorsat currently only uses 1 band/polarisation & the feed can be split like a terrestrial aerial feed.

zg3409

There are similar solutions for Satellite. However Sky would not follow the standard. (SCR/unicable)

thetwangman

Leonardsgirl wrote: »

I have a saorview box that I had bought for an older tv in another room, so I need to hook it up here. TV + saorview box + dvd recorder + 3 remotes does not equal progress, I'm afraid.

If your saorview box can record then you can remove your dvd recorder from the equation. As you have a saorview tv plus a single tuner saorview box means you can watch one channel (on tv) and record another (on box). The fact that expensive dual tuner pvrs are not necessary is actually a step forward in my opinion.

Leonardsgirl

Thank you for that.

thetwangman wrote: »

Leonardsgirl wrote: »

I have a saorview box that I had bought for an older tv in another room, so I need to hook it up here. TV + saorview box + dvd recorder + 3 remotes does not equal progress, I'm afraid.

If your saorview box can record then you can remove your dvd recorder from the equation. As you have a saorview tv plus a single tuner saorview box means you can watch one channel (on tv) and record another (on box). The fact that expensive dual tuner pvrs are not necessary is actually a step forward in my opinion.

Capt'n Midnight

Leonardsgirl wrote: »

I'm not at all technical, but it seems suspicious that this switch off is being done when the technology isn't there to support it and that this information is not being given to the public. I've got to buy a saorview box for my new "saorview ready" tv and set up a makey do system until next year when I can buy a further box all to give me what I already had a few months ago.

Nothing has changed.

A few months ago you had a TV with it's tuner watching one program, and needed a separate recorder with it's own tuner to record a different program.



If the DVD recorder was sold to you by an Irish retailer within the last two years as being capable of recording broadcast television, then you may be able to return it on the basis that it was not fit for it's intended purpose. Be polite. Also at this stage most Saorview boxes can record to an external hard drive ( one hour takes something like 4GB )

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/consumer_protection/consumer_rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland.html

Consumer contracts are protected by the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980.

Under this Act the purchaser of goods has a number of rights - the main ones are

Goods must be of merchantable quality – goods should be of reasonable quality taking into account what they are meant to do, their durability and their price
Goods must be fit for their purpose – they must do what they are reasonably expected to do
Goods must be as described - the buyer must not be mislead into buying something by the description of goods or services given orally by a salesperson or an advertisement.