When shopping for a PVR, consider whether you simply want to record TV programs or whether you want an all-in-one streaming device that can also download and play other content. While recording free-to-air TV won't use any data, if your PVR is connected to the internet and using an online streaming service you'll need to keep an eye on your downloads unless you're on an unlimited plan then you can watch and download whatever you like.
Skip to content Skip to footer navigation. Sign up to reveal. It's blissfully simple to use set-top box and won't impair the picture or sound from your TV. It's a great choice if you want extra channels through your satellite. It may cost more than most, but this set-top box is top of the heap. A comparatively affordable model, this PVR has a slightly smaller hard drive but shares many of its predecessor's other features.
It's one of the best we've tested. Table last reviewed: April Looking for something a little different? Find the perfect model for you with our PVR and set-top box reviews. More expensive set-top boxes are often smart, which means they have catch-up and streaming apps, such as BBC iPlayer and YouTube. We're also starting to see 4K models see features to look out for, below , which can up the price still further.
Both types of device can stay on sale for many years. Prices aren't that high to start with, and get even lower the longer a model is on the market. Unsurprisingly, the best time to buy is usually during a sale, such as Black Friday or the January sales. Humax is the big name in PVRs, but Panasonic makes them, too. Freesat also made its first forays into both the PVR and set-top box markets in Humax certainly offers the most choice with a bigger spread of pricing, so if you're after a cheaper model then it's probably best to start with its PVRs.
The set-top box market is focused around two brands: Manhattan and Bush. Manhattan has a wider range of products to suit most price points, as well as a few PVRs, while Bush a brand owned by Sainsbury's makes some of the cheapest set-top boxes.
You can read more about the different brands and which make the most reliable devices in our PVR and set-top box brand guide. Many PVRs and set-top boxes offer additional functionality for those with sight or hearing impairments. We've highlighted some of the most common, below. Audio description AD is an additional narrative audio track for visually impaired people. Speaking of recording, this box can record four channels at the same time while watching a separate one so you never have to worry about missing a show.
It also has built-in Wifi and ethernet, which you can use to access the usual free TV catch up services that require an internet connection. The network sharing feature is pretty handy because you can stream your own media from another device over the internet, for example, movies on your PC to the box. Overall, a really nice PVR recorder. It has 1 TB of HDD space, which can hold about hours of Freeview recordings and you can record two channels at the same time.
If you want to record Freeview but the price of the PVR boxes mentioned earlier are out of your budget, then this top box might be what you need. Here are some features to keep an eye out for when shopping for Freeview compatible PVR machines:. I suggest a minimum of GB, with 1 TB being recommended.
Remember, you can only record from one tuner at a time, so the number of tuners on the device will determine how many channels you can record at the same time.
Generally, a PVR with two tuners is recommended. Most PVRs with built-in storage a storage device is required for playback can support controlling live TV.
Double-check the playback features to see if the device has what you need. Is that a feature you need? Bear in mind, there are only 15 HD channels on Freeview. For the best network performance, an ethernet connection should be used.
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