Tv Specification Sought with an Integrated Satellite (& Saorview) Tuner, USB/ PVR rec

daithi7

TV Specification Sought with an Integrated Satellite (& Saorview) Tuner, USB/ PVR recording ability

Hi,

I am in the market for a new flat screen TV.

Must Have Specification:
-39-50" LED or LCD
-Saorview (hd) tuner
-Freesat (hd) tuner
-USB tv recording
-Min 2 HDMI Ports
-EPG (EPHG) functionality i.e. 7 day programme guide on freesat & saorview
-Ability to watch BT sport (as broadcast on the internet by Eir) on the box natively ( I.e using tv remote control & without a set top box) (possible in android devices but is it also available on other platforms???)
-Ability to watch SkyGo without a set top box ( possible on many android/Windows/xbox/ps platforms)

Niceties (i.e. can haves)

-Multiple tuners
-miracast functionality
-smart tv
-Android
- Sound extending options
other

I'd greatly appreciate any assistance with this. Even if you just post what you think of your own saorview/freesat/usb recording smart tv that would be very useful..

Thanks in advance,
Daithi

Gerry Wicklow

If you want actual FreeSat rather than FTA satellite you are fairly restricted in makes. In order to use the FreeSat functions the set must be configured as UK which then upsets the Saorview settings. You will still get basic viewing on Saorview. It can be quiet cumbersome to switch between terrestrial and satellite needing several key presses. Often you can only record what you are watching.
So called 'Smart' functions are restricted to the choices the maker installs and are usually obsolete by the time you buy the set. In the past I have owned both Samsung and Sony high-end sets and was greatly disappointed. My Sony android needed rebooting every night and had all sorts of annoying rubbish running in the background such as twitter. Every time you changed channel it checked what twitter had about that show. Trying to disable this stuff or refuse the privacy options made the set even more unstable. It also wanted to send all your info, viewing habits etc to Google, Sony, Uncle Sam etc (almost as bad as Win10)
Conclusion: Buy a set with a decent picture and spend you money on a cheaper, more flexible and updatable combo box.

daithi7

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

If you want actual FreeSat rather than FTA satellite you are fairly restricted in makes. In order to use the FreeSat functions the set must be configured as UK which then upsets the Saorview settings. You will still get basic viewing on Saorview. It can be quiet cumbersome to switch between terrestrial and satellite needing several key presses. Often you can only record what you are watching.
So called 'Smart' functions are restricted to the choices the maker installs and are usually obsolete by the time you buy the set. In the past I have owned both Samsung and Sony high-end sets and was greatly disappointed. My Sony android needed rebooting every night and had all sorts of annoying rubbish running in the background such as twitter. Every time you changed channel it checked what twitter had about that show. Trying to disable this stuff or refuse the privacy options made the set even more unstable. It also wanted to send all your info, viewing habits etc to Google, Sony, Uncle Sam etc (almost as bad as Win10)
Conclusion: Buy a set with a decent picture and spend you money on a cheaper, more flexible and updatable combo box.

Thanks Gerry,
Great advice. Yes, I'm wary of the android sets for some of the reasons you mention and more (e.g. pointless app developer driven updates , as opposed to user requested, bandwidth usage, Reliance on being online, reliability and obsolescence, etc, etc).

I currently have a Panasonic HD set with a Panasonic dvd &pv, with in built freesat (x2) & saorview tuners, pvr functionality, and 7 day epg , all navigable by one remote control, which is key imho. (So no set top boxes, one remote, integrated system e.g tv off = auto pvr/dvd off, etc).

The only thing I really want to add now tbh is access to ip broadcast services such as Bt Sport (via Eir) & SkyGo, etc. It may be that my best solution is a (dreaded) box such as an xbox or ps or other ip enabled set top box device. But I've avoided boxes to date and I'd be keen to try to add the IP transmitted services via a new platform if meant I could just one remote control and minimise complexity, etc.
(I can use fhe current set&pvr elsewhere too)

One last query, what's the difference between FTA satellite and Freesat ??
Thanks again

P.s. any other good advice out there!? :-) cheers

Gerry Wicklow

FreeSat is software which sorts channels into a logical order, adds 7day EPG info, auto-retunes in the event of a channel move etc. It also controls "Red Button" functions and MHEG5 teletext type functions. Basic FTA (Free-To-Air) equipment often only shows now/next info and needs manual retuning. Both use the same satellite signals. There are a few more FTA channels, +1s etc than listed on FreeSat.