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Combo Box: Built in record facility versus external.

  • 23-08-2011 12:31AM
    #1
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi lads - a couple of questions. I have convinced my Mother to ditch her current pay TV service when the contract runs out and get herself a combo box seeing as she only watches the channels that can be recieved free. Her home has good line of sight of the Spur Hill transmitter and a Sky dish mounted and aligned.

    Anyhoo, with the above in mind here's my questions.

    1. Is there a big difference in ease of operability between a combo box with a hard drive added after the fact and one with it built in? My Mother is a senior so the less complicated the better IYKWIM.

    2. Could you guys recommend a competitively priced combo box with built in recording ability that is suitable for Ireland?

    (Feel free to move if this is in the wrong forum mods)


Comments

  • #2
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,076 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    I have a personal preference for USB connected external drives.
    That gives me flexibility regarding the HDD/USB flash drive used.
    Such a receiver is also much cheaper than one with an internal drive.

    Others will put more emphasis on 'tidyness' and reduction of devices, so an internal HDD will be preferred.

    I have not read of any technical reason why one should be better than another.

    There is little difference between the devices in how recording is managed, from a user perspective ..... but I do not have extensive experience of devices with built in HDDs.

    IMO, either should be easy to operate.


  • #3
    anonanymore
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166 ✭✭anonanymore


    With any digital recording device what is important for ease of use is the interface.
    I had a JVC recorder that was brilliant, now have a Philips recorder that is terrible.
    Try to look at the product before buying


  • #4
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    WOuld a high capacity USB key be recognised as a recording device if it was plugged in?


  • #5
    Apogee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,883 ✭✭✭Apogee


    Chuck Stone wrote: »
    WOuld a high capacity USB key be recognised as a recording device if it was plugged in?

    It should but there may be issues with recording HD channels onto USB keys as the write rate may be too slow. An externally powered HDD will be more reliable and better able to cope with high bitrate HD channels.


  • #6
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,076 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Chuck Stone wrote: »
    WOuld a high capacity USB key be recognised as a recording device if it was plugged in?

    I have had no problems to date recording on a 16GB USB flash stick.

    It does need to have decent read/write speeds as mentioned above.


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  • #7
    k123456
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,189 ✭✭✭k123456


    Some external drives WDD passport etc do not a have a cooling fan, basically these are 2.5 inch laptop drives in a casing. No fan shortens their life, if external hdd is powered on all the time, no fan can cause HDD failure


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