Replacement for Virgins Tivo box - Recommendations?

[Dos_Box]

Grrrrr! We're getting a bit angry now. I dropped our Virgin contract during the summer back down to the basic package as we couldn't justify the huge price for the XL one we had and we never watched any of the channels anyway. It was after we had dropped most of the channels that we began to really notice the Tivos shortcomings. It's slow (Google that one as we are not alone), the menu system sometimes freezes for about 30 seconds and most irritating of all, it shows you all of the channels you are not subscribed to, and if, like me, you like to go up and down the list rather than try and remember 70+ channel numbers it can (well, does) get really annoying having to manually skip dozens of channels you can't even view.

Anyhow, enough is enough and early next year (once Christmas is out of the way) I want to get a Freeview HD/Freesat HD recorder. However, it must meet the following spec:

 

 

1. Have at least a 500 GB hard drive
   
2. Have apps such as the iPlayer, Netflix etc.
   
3. Be DLNA capable and be able to play MKV files
   
4. Be £250 or less
   

 

Does such a beast exist? If you know of one please let me know as well!

 

*Oh and my Tivo is well ventilated and not overheating. It's just slooooow

[twin--turbo]

mythtv?

 

It's what i use.

 

Rob

[Dos_Box]

I've just got rid of my HTPC! TBH, it grew into a monster and had a HUGE case and took up a lot of space. Back when I started to play with HTPC's Myth was still in it's infancy and had 'issues'. Making a new HTPC would involve quite an outlay as I'd pretty much have to build one from scratch which will be..well...at least £250.

You also have to take into account it won't be just me using it, but the wife/kids as well. I'd just prefer something to plug in and go I think.

I must be getting old!

[twin--turbo]

I've just got rid of my HTPC! TBH, it grew into a monster and had a HUGE case and took up a lot of space. Back when I started to play with HTPC's Myth was still in it's infancy and had 'issues'. Making a new HTPC would involve quite an outlay as I'd pretty much have to build one from scratch which will be..well...at least £250.

You also have to take into account it won't be just me using it, but the wife/kids as well. I'd just prefer something to plug in and go I think.

I must be getting old!

 

Backend can run on fairly basic hardware , add a second hand wintv nova-t500 and you can record off two muxes and multiple channels on one mux with virtual tuners.

 

My next incarnation is going to live on vmware.

 

 

I have been experimenting with RASPBMC as a front end to Myth and it works well.

 

if you have an old PC, £10 for a single usb tuner, and £30 for a pi then it's worth a play

 

Rob

[Dos_Box]

I've already got a Pi running Raspxbmc, but found that painfully slow at times too. especially when it comes to scanning for new media.

[twin--turbo]

is yours a 512?

 

Mine seems ok,

 

 

Rob

[jinnantonnixx]

You might be struggling to find an all-in-one to do what you want.

 

I've got a Humax Freesat recorder for live TV and recording stuff. I find the Freesat picture better than Freeview on the same TV set.

 

I've also got a WD TV Live which plays just about anything (including DNLA). It has a Netflix app and the picture quality is on Netflix is exceptionally good - most films and TV stream in 1080 - better than my DVD player.

[Dos_Box]

is yours a 512?

 

Mine seems ok,

 

 

Rob

Yes, it's the 512. It's just 'chuggy' :/

[Dos_Box]

You might be struggling to find an all-in-one to do what you want.

 

I've got a Humax Freesat recorder for live TV and recording stuff. I find the Freesat picture better than Freeview on the same TV set.

 

I've also got a WD TV Live which plays just about anything (including DNLA). It has a Netflix app and the picture quality is on Netflix is exceptionally good - most films and TV stream in 1080 - better than my DVD player.

 

Jut been looking at the WD live boxes on Amazon and they seem to be going for about £59, which isn't bad.

Someone should tell that to the Ebay sellers who think that £100+ is a reasonable price to ask!

[teejay]

I think the Panasonic DMR-HWT130EB will do all of that, there are some complaints that the interface can be a bit laggy so I'd go and have a play with one first.

[jinnantonnixx]

Jut been looking at the WD live boxes on Amazon and they seem to be going for about £59, which isn't bad.

Someone should tell that to the Ebay sellers who think that £100+ is a reasonable price to ask!

 

£59 with free delivery from John Lewis.

Buy WD Live Media Player online at John Lewis

 

I'm a big fan of Humax stuff, it's always been top notch. I have an old Foxsat recorder, years old but still runs reliably, cool and quiet.

This looks good (1TB recorder, grade 'A' reburbished) with Freetime and a raft on on-demand stuff:

http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10209

Edited November 5, 2013 by jinnantonnixx

[lmgtfy]

I've pretty much just done the opposite. Always had freeview a Humax 9200 for the last 5 years but it was on its lasts legs so decided to get a Youview box. All I can say is don't its really slow freezes regularly and only really plays iplayer without issues and even if the other catchup channels decide to work occasionally you can't skip the adverts like on Virgin.

 

So got fed up with it missing recordings so I have just got a TiVo box, must say I'm happy overall

[SpuffMonkey]

You might be struggling to find an all-in-one to do what you want.

 

I've got a Humax Freesat recorder for live TV and recording stuff. I find the Freesat picture better than Freeview on the same TV set.

 

I've also got a WD TV Live which plays just about anything (including DNLA). It has a Netflix app and the picture quality is on Netflix is exceptionally good - most films and TV stream in 1080 - better than my DVD player.

 

I agree - this is pretty much my set up - the WD Live is a cracking bit of kit for the price and works well with my media server and with iPlayer etc. A mate has got the Roku - and that looks good too - he uses it as a Plex front end - which is very polished

[Reverend_Dan]

I have plex server set up on main pc and just use the plex app on a samsung bluray player in the living room, works a treat and no extra boxes downstairs SWMBO is very happy

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Youview will do everything but stream from a PC or play mkv files.

 

That said you're getting the kids a 360 yes?

 

My 360 will play avi & Mkv, can read files from disc, usb or stream from a network connected pc. It also has youtube, iPlayer, Sky, 4od etc.

[free780]

Looks like my tivo box has had a update the menus are a bit snappier.

[CESIL]

The unavailable channels can be hidden by setting up a favourites list...