How can I record one channel while watching another?
A common question for those that have moved over to Digital TV… “How can I record one TV channel whilst watching another channel?”
The simple answer is that you need two tuners – one for recording, and one for watching something else.
Two digital TV tuners?
It’s probably best to take Freeview as an example. If you want to watch one Freeview channel whilst recording a different Freeview channel, you would need two Freeview tuners.
This could be a combination of the following:
- A TV with Freeview built-in, and a DVD recorder with Freeview built-in
- A DVD recorder with Freeview built-in and a Freeview box connected to your TV
- A TV with Freeview built-in and a video recorder connected to a Freeview box
- A Freeview hard-disk recorder that has two tuners built in (Known as a Twin-tuner PVR)
- A Freeview hard-disk recorder that only has one tuner built in, and a TV with built-in Freeview
- A Freeview hard-disk recorder with just one tuner built in, and a Freeview box connected to your TV
Freeview Suggestions:
Consider a PVR with twin-tuners, such as the excellent Humax PVR9300T, pictured here. A box with twin-tuners makes it easy to watch one channel while recording a second channel without the need for a Freeview-enabled TV or a second box.
Sky Suggestions:
Get a SKy+ or Sky+ HD box. These are twin tuner PVR boxes and will let you record one satellite channel whilst watching a different satellite TV channel. More on Sky’s Sky+ pages
More information:
At last the advice I needed.
Thanks
I agree with Chris. Lots of confusing, conflicting info out there on this topic. Even product manufacturers themselves mislead consumers by claiming their dvd recorders have twin tuners and have freeview +, thereby making you think you could watch one channel and record another, but this is not the case. I very nearly bought one too. Thanks to this page I will now re-assess my purchasing criteria.
Can I obtain an up to date TV with built in freeview, plus built in DVD recorder which will record one channel while watching another? Am driven mad at present by separate TV, DVD, freeview box with 3 remotes and unable to record and watch 2 separate channels. I am a technophobe.
Can I link a standard sky box with a twin tuner to be able to watch one digital channel whilst recording another and is there a twin tuner that will copy a recorded programme to a separate dvd or video?
I have an old Goodmans GDB3 freeview box. What I like about this box is that the EPG (elecronic programme guide) lets you browse through the other channels without interrupting the channel your watching. The channel you’re watching continues in a small window in the top right corner.
I have another Goodmans freeview box GDR10 which has a similar function but the channel changes when you browse to other channels.
Does anyone know of another freeview box like the GDB3, which lets you watch one channel while browsing other channels?
I have a Freeview hard-disk recorder with one tuner built in (2 scarts), and a separate Freeview box (also 2 scarts). I have tried several combinations of wiring but don’t seem to have managed to get the right combinations! Any helpful suggestions?
1. Connect Hard-disk recorder to TV using SCART lead
2. Connect Freeview box to TV set using SCART lead
3. Connect TV aerial to Hard-disk recorder
4. Connect TV aerial to Freeview box
I have a TV with built in freeview. Is there any advantage in getting a twin-tuner PVR? or is a dvd recorder with freeview built in the most effective?
Thanks
Tony – There are several advantages to a twin-tuner PVR, for example:
1. Twin tuner lets you record two different channels at the same time
2. PVRs support things like series link, live pause, live rewind
3. PVRs can hold hundreds of hours of TV (no messing with changing DVDs)
Sorry for the delay…. thank you for the advice, very helpful
Hi
I own a Panasonic DMR-BW880EBK PVR Hard drive with twin Digital tuners. The HD recorder allows me to record two Hard drive Freeview Digital channels at the same time. Unfortunately I can only record the programmes in a mode called DR which is a (Direct Recording mode) It is the equivalent of recording in SP. This means my hard drive space capacity is reduced because it only allows me to record in DR mode. The instruction manual states if I want to record in EP or LP mode I must connect an external device.
My TV is a Samsung HD Smart TV with digital Freeview built in. I class that as an external device, and I’ve tried all sorts of connections in an attempt to record the TV’s Freeview digital programmes onto my Panasonic hard drive recorder. I want to record digital Freeview programmes in LP mode. Thus extending the space capacity on my H-Drive recorder.
Is it possible to record the Freeview programmes directly off my TV onto my H Drive recorder. if so how do I do this??? My flat screen TV has 4 HDMI connections with No scart connections??
Thanks
PC
Most TV sets don’t output the Built-in Freeview tuner in a way that an external recorder can use. You’d need to check your TV’s manual to see if it’s possible on your model.
Failing that, I guess you could try a test using a cheap £20 Freeview box, connected by SCART