New TV - Go for Internet Smart or not

cronley

Thinking of dropping Sky ( cant justify monthly cost). Getting Saorview through my aeriel. Must buy new TV for second room in house, & want to be able to get Free To Air satellite, & connect it to the internet for Netflix etc. Trying to decide whether to buy Internet Smart TV, or Non Smart TV & PVR such as Triax TSC114 or Humax HDR 1000S, to connect to internet.
If I go for Smart TV, will I still need PVR to record TV programs - if yes, my hunch is to go for Non Smart TV & PVR.
Don't know a lot about these things. Any help appreciated.

Mr. Rabbit

If you're in receiving distance of either an NI or cross channel Freeview transmitter, why not go for Freeview HD PVR such as a Humax which will also work with Saorview as well.

Another option is to try a Freesat PVR.

Many Freeview and Freesat PVRs have smart functions and Wifi built in.

You could also consider adding a smart Blu Ray player for films etc. Many of these come with Netflix and Love Film etc.

Jpmarn

A lot of smart TVs on the market are capable of recording programmes using a USB external hard disk. Maybe a pvr would be needed if you want to record a program while you watching another.

cronley

Mr Rabbit
I am in Cork, so, cant get Freeview through an aeriel - can only get Free To Air channels or Freesat through a Satellite Dish. Humax is not listed on the Saorview Approved Combi Boxes here http://www.saorview.ie/product/saorview-combi-options/
What are the issues I should consider in deciding between Humax PVR or Triax TSC114 on the approved Saorview list. What is the difference between Blu Ray Player and Humax HDR 1000S.

Jpmarn
You say "A lot of smart TVs on the market are capable of recording programmes using a USB external hard disk" - correct me if Im wrong, but I dont think you need a Smart TV to record Saorview programmes on a USB external hard disk - I think you can do this from a Non Smart TV.


I am trying to decided whether to buy an Internet Smart TV or Non Smart TV. I want to get Saorview & Free To Air or Freesat Satellite channells, I want to view one program & record a different programme at the same time, & I want to connect TV to Internet for Netflix.

Am I right in thinking -
If I buy Smart TV - I will still need Triax or Humax PVR to be able to view one program & record another at the same time.
If I buy a Non Smart TV - I will be able to connect the TV to the Internet through the Triax or Humax PVR, and also view a Saorview Or Satellite program & record another one at the same time.

patsryan

Most newish televisions are smart TVs now anyway. In this country the only really worthwhile smart tv to buy is a samsung as it has both rte player and 3player. While also having Netflix, youtube and a flash enabled web browser. Some samsung smart TVs also have a satellite in connection allowing you to watch FTA satellite channels and saorview channels. (EG http://www.pixmania.ie/led-tv/samsung-ue40f6510-led-3d-smart-tv/21410939-a.html ). Also most programs that would be recorded are Available on demand through rte player and 3player which would make recording less necessary. I believe it would be madness not to buy a smart tv now.

Gerry Wicklow

patsryan wrote: »

.....Some samsung smart TVs also have a satellite in connection allowing you to watch FTA satellite channels and saorview channels.......

I have a Samsung Smart TV and you can only record / watch either satellite or terrestrial at the same time not both. You can, however, watch channels from the same mux or TP during a recording.

patsryan

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

I have a Samsung Smart TV and you can only record / watch either satellite or terrestrial at the same time not both. You can, however, watch channels from the same mux or TP during a recording.

The only way to record one channel while watching the other so is to buy a seperate box with dual tuners, which is a pain. Can VOD be played while recording? (I'm intrested in buying the TV above myself hence why I ask)

cronley

Patsyryan
With a Smart TV - are you saying, you dont need a separate PVR box. Without a PVR box, are you not denying yourself the option of recording Free Satellite channels.
I thought a PVR box, with ability to connect to the Internet, would be a more complete setup - it gives you internet access & dual view & record options.

Gerry Wicklow

patsryan wrote: »

The only way to record one channel while watching the other so is to buy a seperate box with dual tuners, which is a pain. Can VOD be played while recording? (I'm intrested in buying the TV above myself hence why I ask)

I should have added that you cannot mix terrestrial and satellite channels into one list of favourites. It's actually quite messy switching between the two. I have the country set as UK so that I get the FreeSat EPG otherwise you only get now/next if set to Ireland.
I tried 3player, Youtube and Muzu while recording a satellite channel and they worked fine. RTÉ player is acting up again, showing the menu but refusing to actually play anything. This happens regularly with RTÉ.
EDIT: its an ES6300 model.

patsryan

cronley wrote: »

Patsyryan
With a Smart TV - are you saying, you dont need a separate PVR box. Without a PVR box, are you not denying yourself the option of recording Free Satellite channels.
I thought a PVR box, with ability to connect to the Internet, would be a more complete setup - it gives you internet access & dual view & record options.

No your not denying yourself the option of recording satellite channels. You can still record them. Plug in a hard drive and away you go. It's a much cleaner setup (and cheaper too!) than having a saorview box, freesat/FTA box, and smart tv device like a samsung smart Blu ray player or Apple TV. As has been mentioned, you can watch Video on Demand while recording a channel too. Which I'm sure also applies if you have a movie / tv show collection on the attached hard drive.

dubrov

I don't think the Triax/Humax boxes will give you access to Netflix.

I have the Samsung ES6800 which is similar to the ES6300 model.

A quick sumamry of the pros and cons may help you to decide

Pros
1) Can handle Freesat and Saorview with full EPG
2) TV apps - RTE Player, TV3 Player, Youtube. Netlix, Lovefilm, MUZU. The rest of the apps are useless. It is possible to add the UK apps (BBC iPlayer, 4OD, 5Player, ITV Player) which are a lot better but you'd need a smart dns setup for them to work which costs about $5 a month.
3) Can record Freesat while watching Terrestrial and vice versa.
4) DLNA allows you to play media files from anywhere on your network. i.e. you can worelessly play a film on your tv that is stored on your laptop
5) All in one TV so no extra messy cables/boxes.
6) One remote

Cons
1) Internet Browser is terribly awkward to use with a remote. Support for flash video is limited so don't expect to play any videos via the browser. If you buy a wireless keyboard/mouse to use with it, the browser might be bearable.
2) Switching between Saorview and Freesat channels is a little clunky (4 button presses I think).
3) Cannot record one Freesat channel while viewing another (same applies to Saorview). It is possible to run an app while recording (RTE Player app also has the option to watch RTE 1/2 live stream).
4) 3D is a bit gimmicky and you'll probably only use it for 2 days before retiring the 3D glasses.
5) Cost


If you can handle the cons then a smart tv might suit you nicely.

cronley

Thanks Dubrov - very helpful.
The Samsung ES6300 does not seem to be available any more. The current Samsungs have Internet connectivity, but they dont have Integrated Dual Tuners for Saorview & Sattelite. The only TV I can find with Dual Tuner is Walker WP3295. but it doesnt have Internet connectivity.
Do you know of any TV currently available, that is Internet Smart & has Dual Tuners - but without 3D in order to keep cost down.

Ronnie Raygun

By "dual" tuners, you mean 1 of each, satellite & terrestrial?

Plenty of Samsung TVs have terrestrial & satellite tuners: some have 2 satellite tuners & at least 1 terrestrial.

Last time I looked, it seemed that all LG TVs had 1 satellite & 1 terrestrial.

dubrov

I looks like the Samsung F Series (2013) TVs also have Freesat/Saorview tuners inbuilt for the higher end models.

Here is an example
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-UE32F6800-32-inch-Widescreen-Processor/dp/B00BP5F8EC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Just make sure you buy the UK models as the French models (say if you buy from Pixmania) just have satellite tuners so just Now/Next as opposed to 7day EPG for satellite.

Any TV with a DVB-T2 tuner will handle HD Saorview and DVB-S2 will handle HD satellite. Freesat also uses DVB-S2 tuners but only certain TVs have the firmware capable of handling it so check the specs first.

This seems to be a complete list of TVs with inbuilt Freesat:
http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/recommended/tvs
I'd say almost all have a Saorview Tuner as well.

As Ronnie mentioned, there are probably many more models with satellite/terrestrial tuners.

bob11

The full list of Saorview approved combi-tvs is here :

http://www.saorview.ie/product/saorview-combi-options/

cronley

I checked with store in Cork & Samsung 32" Smart TV Model 32F5500, Cost €479, does not come with Satellite tuner, only Saorview tuner.
To get dual built in tuners for both Saorview & Sattelite, must go for Model F6500, cost €730. This F6500 is a 3D TV - so you are paying for this, even though you don't want it. It seems most Samsung dual tuner TVs are 3D.
I am pretty much giving up hope of getting 32" Internet Smart TV, with dual tuners, for less than €500. Think I will have to settle for an Internet Smart TV, with Saorview tuner only, & get a separate box for the Free Satellite channels.
If I was to go for a Non Internet Smart TV, can you get a box for the Satellite, that also has Internet connectivity.

dubrov

You'd probably have to give up some things sub €500.

From a quick look, Pixmania have the LG 39ln575s for €429
http://www.pixmania.ie/led-tv/lg-39ln575s-led-smart-tv/21520216-a.html

You'd get Netflix/Youtube (but no RTE player) and could still get all the Saorview/Satellite channels (although only Now/Next EPG for satellite).

It seems to review well on Amazon

cronley

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

By "dual" tuners, you mean 1 of each, satellite & terrestrial?

Plenty of Samsung TVs have terrestrial & satellite tuners: some have 2 satellite tuners & at least 1 terrestrial.

Last time I looked, it seemed that all LG TVs had 1 satellite & 1 terrestrial.

I contacted Richer Sounds Belfast & they said LG Model 32LN575V has dual tuner to tune Free Satellite & Saorview.
To double check, I rang LG & she checked & said none of the LG TVs have dual tuner to tune Free Satellite & Saorview.
Who to believe. Can anyone using this model tell me

dubrov

Coincidentally, there is a post in the Bargain alerts forum for that exact model

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057067812

You might get a better response if you post there

cronley

After conflicting answers from phone queries - I went to the store & saw with my own eyes - LG 32LN578V has 2 connectors at the back - one for Saorview & the other for Satellite - knowledgable guy in store confirmed this for me.
After all that, I think I will buy Smart Samsung UE32F5500, because it has RTE & TV3 players embedded on the main screen & the LG TV does not. My thinking is - even if I bought LG TV, I am likely to finish up buying PVR box to record & play programmes. This being the case, I will access the Free Satellite channels through the PVR, & the Samsung has the advantage of embedded RTE & TV3 player over the LG TV.
Any flaws in this thinking.

dubrov

You're probably right. To get everything working well, you'll probably need a separate box.

I know Ireland is a small market but if someone brought out a tv with freesat/saorview on a single integrated EPG with the facility to record, they would sell by the bucket load.