I need some advice on TV recorders...

[Sarah]

After one too many fall outs with Sky I am going to cancel it. I have a fault developed today and have been told there is no engineer coming this way at all this year so far, so I could be waiting several months at least for it to be repaired, plus a £65 call out charge. Sky just seems to be a joke these days.

But...I can't live without the luxuries of my Sky+ box, but I know there are recorders that do the same, and basically I'm just looking for suggestions. I think my current box is 80GB, and that's about right, I don't think we need much more.

I'd like to be able to pause, rewind etc, and also be able to record 2 things at once, basically the same as Sky. If it was available in a shop like Comet, Curry's, Tesco etc it would be good as someone can pick it up for me!

Anyone have any recommendations? It's all so confusing.

[Kodiak]

Personally I would phone SKY back up and say to them that due to their Bad Customer Service you are going to cancel your Subscription.

In this circumstance they will normally make you an offer to keep you as a Customer, not guranteed but more often than not they do make some sort of offer.

I would try to get a new Box from them and what you would get would be a new 500GB Box and you could even get your Subscription at a reduced rate for 6 months.

It is well worth a try as I know of a few people who have done exactly this.

[Sarah]

They did offer this, an HD box, but they do not know when someone can come and install it, or fix the old one. So I have a freeview TV, I just need some sort of box so I can set things to record.

[LMS]

Get yourself a Freeview+ plus box. Thomson TV do a cracking set which has a twin tuner. You basically have all the luxuries of a Sky+ box without the monthly subscription. The Thomson set is very easy to use. I also have a Toshiba box which does the job but is very difficult to use.

[theone]

I think you'll miss all the channels on SKY once its gone.

I'd do what Kodiak suggested and get sky to agree to give you a new box. When they say they can't get an engineer to you, ask them to post it or at least deliver it to an engineer in Thurso or Ullapool?

Then pick it up from the engineer next time you're in town.

[Moonboots]

Yes Sky are able to send you out a box to do a self-install thats if it is just the box thats at fault.

The other way would be to get a Freesat+ box and do a self-install. All the same channels on sky apart from the subscription ones. Your still able to record and watch another channel.. same function as your sky+ box.

You say that you have a freeview TV but the main question is ... do you have an aerial to recieve the channels!!!
If not then you will need to get an aerial installed too.

Hope this helps and if you need further assistance then please get in touch. I do Sky/Freesat/Freeview installs however the cost would be slightly higher due to the location sorry.

[Liz]

Sarah I have an Humax 9300T and I absolutely love it!

I am going to be saving up for their HD model which I can't remember the name of just yet. It retails for about £290 just now but am hoping the price will come down. I honestly think that Humax makes the the best Freeview + boxes.:D

[Geo]

Research the box you are thinking of buying. Freeview recorders are notoriously buggy. I wouldn't touch another Thomson box. I think it was 3 we went through and they all went back. Humax generally get very good reviews but are pricier.

[Liz]

Research the box you are thinking of buying. Freeview recorders are notoriously buggy. I wouldn't touch another Thomson box. I think it was 3 we went through nd they all went back. Humax generally get very good reviews but are pricier.

I did a lot of research before buying mine and that's why I went for the Humax.:D

[poppett]

We have a Humax recordable box set up by Moonboots, but have Sky+ too after emailing them with the long running problems we had with the previous box failing to function. In thoery we can tape 2 things on Sky+, 2 on Humax and watch something else on the TV. It has saved a lot of arguements when the darts clashes with the soaps. Sky offered us an HD box for free for six months then 6 months half price to keep us. Also have an insurance about a fiver a month to cover call outs and repairs to the box, dish, cabling etc., which is worth it as Sky engineers have been out three times in one week to sort out their messy installation.