USB - PVR

[laserblazer]

Is it safe to assume that the USB port on this ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 25th February 2010 is conventional and I can plug an external drive into it?

[LosOjos]

I would assume so, but only if you're going to use the external drive purely for the TV's PVR, it might format it in some strange way (most PVR's with built in HDD's do)

[laserblazer]

I was just thinking along the lines of watching it on the same TV but it would be quite good if it was in a format that could be editied.

[srochford]

It will probably record it as a "transport stream" (.ts) file (basically, the raw Freeview data)

This is MPG2 but it needs to be demultiplexed before you can do much with it such as editing or transcoding.

I use Matroska Splitter (Haali Media Splitter) to demultipex stuff:

c:\Program Files\haali\MatroskaSplitter\dsmux.exe output.mkv  input.ts

The output.mkv file can then be easily edited etc.

Just for info, Asda are currently selling the Sagem DTR67320t for £97 This is a 320Gb hard disc based Freeview recorder. It has 2 tuners so can record 2 programmes simultaneously (actually, I think it can record anything from any 2 multiplexes) and has a USB socket so you can copy files onto an external USB drive and then watch etc elsewhere (although the "exportation" is painfully slow ...)

[LosOjos]

For Freeview recorders I'd recommend the Humax 9200T. You can pick them up on Ebay for around £60 and you can also export video from that via the USB.

+1 to Humax 9200T or any other Humax PVR for that matter, everyone I've had has been brilliant.

Also try BigPockets.co.uk for refurbed PVR's, they have 320GB models for around the £75 mark at times, worth a look... (and no, I'm not affiliated with them in anyway, I just like a bargain )

[laserblazer]

We've already got a twin tuner freeview recorder on the main tv. I can only see us using this if, as often happens on a Sunday evening, we want to watch three things at once. So the 4GB usb stick that is provided will probably do (2 hours). It would just be nice to have the option to plug in a spare external 320GB drive I have.

I just popped out an bought the tv from Aldi, so I should be able to try it tonight.

[LosOjos]

Let us know how you get on, I like to indulge my inner geek by knowing things about pieces of technology I'll probably never own or be asked about lol

[laserblazer]

Let us know how you get on, I like to indulge my inner geek by knowing things about pieces of technology I'll probably never own or be asked about lol

Firstly, it's a cracking picture. The sound is a bit tinny but I'll maybe stick some better speakers on it. It records straight MPEG2 to the usb device, the test sample I did went straight into Premiere Elements. It needed rendering but that was to be expected. It's a FAT file system, which might be an issue with larger drives.

[LosOjos]

Firstly, it's a cracking picture. The sound is a bit tinny but I'll maybe stick some better speakers on it. It records straight MPEG2 to the usb device, the test sample I did went straight into Premiere Elements. It needed rendering but that was to be expected. It's a FAT file system, which might be an issue with larger drives.

Sounds like a decent telly for the price, might get one myself to replace the battered old CRT in the bedroom. Have you tried putting movies on to the memory stick from your PC and playing them back through the TV?

[laserblazer]

Have you tried putting movies on to the memory stick from your PC and playing them back through the TV?

I haven't yet but it looks like it creates a menu file as well, so that might complicate things. I'll give it a try over the weekend. It might be possible to record something from the TV and give the computer recording the same name.