TV recorder that can save internet material? Walcot mast.

Tue 15 Jan 2019, 18:05

Looks like were going to be using that Raspberry Pi and spare 1tb hard disk.. I assume there must be a Linux equivalent as try to avoid Windows or Apple as much as possible. Seems like the best option is to get a "good" PVR for normal use and a general purpose computer to run something for net-snatching. I assume one can link to a TV across the room with a long HDMI cable. I'm really out of date with this stuff, but there is a game-freak teenager in the house if I can prise him off his computer...

Sun 13 Jan 2019, 16:59

Hi Malcolm. You can't really record internet content from Netflix, BBC iPlayer, etc, as they are intentionally locked, and have an expiry time. You can use apps like:

https://www.playon.tv/how-to-guide/how-to-download-and-watch-netflix-offline

to play and record internet tv for you, much like a PVR. Not used it, but seems straightforward.

Fri 11 Jan 2019, 09:45

You can't use a PVR to record streamed internet content.

Thu 10 Jan 2019, 21:59

See what you can find at www.bbc.co.uk/receptionsearch by putting in your post-code etc and seeing what they say about your location regarding the two transmitter masts and likely reception success.

This site tells you which channels are broadcast from Beckley (Oxford mast)
ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Oxford
and this one the channels broadcast from Walcote
ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Charlbury

Thu 10 Jan 2019, 19:04

I've been thinking of getting a "PVR" as beginning to watch more tv in recent weeks. I've never been much of a media consumer but age and injuries are making me much less active and increasing passive viewing as reading printed material is getting more difficult too. I've gleaned from reviews that a multiple tuner device with a hard disk has quite a few manufacturers to choose from.

However, nothing seems to be clear about whether one can record material downloaded off the internet. Having been caught out by Netflix programmes unpredictably disappearing, ditto Amazon, I'd like to be able to store those for viewing when I want to occupy my time and boredom.

It's all a bit baffling and I've been a real dinosaur with regard to "modern" media - and dislike the data spying advert pervaded "social media"...

Should I just get a Humax 5000T (say) and be done with it, but it doesn't seem to be able record 'net-streaming, or this is never mentioned, or would I be better off with a computer based system to do this, like a Raspberry Pi and a usb hard disk which my kids never got into fiddling with (you can lead a horse to water...) and remains unused. But I'd prefer to find something turnkey.

Finally, I'm finding some channels broadcast with a weak signal messing up reception. We've got a high aerial aimed at Oxford. However I recall there was a smaller transmitter above Walcote. Is it still there, does it transmit everything, should we turn the aerial around and what channels would display on channel search?
Yours in obsoletion