Another electrician question - installing an electric cooker

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Needs a bit of a dusting

 

[berniedicters]

Needs a bit of a dusting

Ahh, right - when I saw "sky socket" I thought you meant just the socket for the satellite aerial connection (the thing marked "Sat" on that pic!). That's a very comprehensive socket panel

I shouldn't bother with dusting it, I expect it's not very visible, eh?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Ahh, right - when I saw "sky socket" I thought you meant just the socket for the satellite aerial connection (the thing marked "Sat" on that pic!). That's a very comprehensive socket panel

I shouldn't bother with dusting it, I expect it's not very visible, eh?

sky/satellite - I don't know what the difference is

erm, so anyway, as you can see, that cable going in is the cable from TV. We don't have any kind of aerial except what I assume is a communal aerial.

So, if I buy an LCD TV, will I need to buy anything else other than the TV itself?

 

[berniedicters]

sky/satellite - I don't know what the difference is

erm, so anyway, as you can see, that cable going in is the cable from TV. We don't have any kind of aerial except what I assume is a communal aerial.

So, if I buy an LCD TV, will I need to buy anything else other than the TV itself?

Sky = satellite. Simple as that.

You can either buy an LCD TV with a digital receiver built in, in which case you should be able to just plug it into the aerial socket, or you could get a non-digital TV LCD and get a Freeview box - that will plug into the LCD TV via a SCART socket and into the aerial via the same aerial lead.

Remember that in either case you have a bit of a problem when it comes to using a VCR - you'll only be able to record the programme the freeview box or video is currently tuned to. That will make scheduling recordings a headache, too.

You can get around this by getting something called a PVR instead of the Freeview box - that's a box of tricks that will allow you to record digital TV programmes to an internal disc. If you watch a lot of TV and are likely to want to record one channel while watching a different one, then you need to get a "dual channel" PVR.

Finally, there is another option: you can get most of the Freeview channels via the Sky dish (Channel 4 was missing, due to contractual bollocks, but that should be sorted soon). You don't have to pay for a Sky subscription - you can get a "Freesat" card (which might cost you), and you'd need a Sky box. If you can get a Sky+ (second-hand, perhaps) box, that's the satellite equivalent of a Freeview PVR - but perhaps someone else on here can confirm that Sky+ works OK on the Freesat service.

One last thing - as you may have seen me banging on about already, you do need a reasonably decent aerial to get digital TV properly. If you have a friend with a Freeview box, get them to come over with it and plug it in to your aerial and TV, and see if it receives a signal OK. Some of them have a diagnostics screen which will give you signal strength on a little bar.

Also, invest in a nice new aerial cable - the one in that photo does look a little tired'n'elderly

Hope this helps more than it confuses!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Sky = satellite. Simple as that.

You can either buy an LCD TV with a digital receiver built in, in which case you should be able to just plug it into the aerial socket, or you could get a non-digital TV LCD and get a Freeview box - that will plug into the LCD TV via a SCART socket and into the aerial via the same aerial lead.

Remember that in either case you have a bit of a problem when it comes to using a VCR - you'll only be able to record the programme the freeview box or video is currently tuned to. That will make scheduling recordings a headache, too.

You can get around this by getting something called a PVR instead of the Freeview box - that's a box of tricks that will allow you to record digital TV programmes to an internal disc. If you watch a lot of TV and are likely to want to record one channel while watching a different one, then you need to get a "dual channel" PVR.

Finally, there is another option: you can get most of the Freeview channels via the Sky dish (Channel 4 was missing, due to contractual bollocks, but that should be sorted soon). You don't have to pay for a Sky subscription - you can get a "Freesat" card (which might cost you), and you'd need a Sky box. If you can get a Sky+ (second-hand, perhaps) box, that's the satellite equivalent of a Freeview PVR - but perhaps someone else on here can confirm that Sky+ works OK on the Freesat service.

One last thing - as you may have seen me banging on about already, you do need a reasonably decent aerial to get digital TV properly. If you have a friend with a Freeview box, get them to come over with it and plug it in to your aerial and TV, and see if it receives a signal OK. Some of them have a diagnostics screen which will give you signal strength on a little bar.

Also, invest in a nice new aerial cable - the one in that photo does look a little tired'n'elderly

Hope this helps more than it confuses!

I'm totally totally confused now. I don't have a lot of money to spend (max £400 ideally)

We have to be able to video stuff that's on another channel. I don't want to pay any subscription charges, just stick with the Freeview we already have.

We have a freeview box (an Aurex). It seems very temperamental though

Now you know that we need to be able to video one channel whilst watching another, and what my budget is, erm, stuff...

Where's Hi-ASL, he'll be loving this?

 

[WouldBe]

We have a freeview box (an Aurex). It seems very temperamental though

Temperamental in what way?

You might need a booster. Costs about a tenner in Argos.

You can get a PVR for under £200. I think my dual channel one cost £125

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Temperamental in what way?

You might need a booster. Costs about a tenner in Argos.

You can get a PVR for under £200. I think my dual channel one cost £125

Non-responsive to the doofer sometimes. I've tried changing batteries in remote control thinking that was the problem but it still plays up

er, I'm a secretary Wouldbe. Please read my previous post re: how much I can afford

 

[berniedicters]

I'm totally totally confused now. I don't have a lot of money to spend (max £400 ideally)

We have to be able to video stuff that's on another channel. I don't want to pay any subscription charges, just stick with the Freeview we already have.

We have a freeview box (an Aurex). It seems very temperamental though

Now you know that we need to be able to video one channel whilst watching another, and what my budget is, erm, stuff...

Where's Hi-ASL, he'll be loving this?

The PVR. You can get a Humax PVR-9150T for £120 from Argos (not any kind of product recommendation, just the first dual-channel one that showed up in Google).

You'll need a SCART cable - best to get a decent one, so £15 for that.

LCD TV...well, you pays your money and takes your choice. Sample product at http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=3288&ref=googlebase&id=3280

Technosonic 32" LCD, refurbished £250. That does say it comes with "internal program storage", so it MAY be that it has a PVR built in, but you would need to check it's dual channel (watch one programme while recording another).

I think a 32" LCD is typically going to come in +/- £50 of £300, and you will get better for spending more. It's going to be a squeeze to fit inside your budget, unless you want 19", which is LOTS cheaper.

Sky Plus boxes appear to go on eBay for around £120, so not much competition with the terrestrial digital option in terms of price.

 

[WouldBe]

er, I'm a secretary Wouldbe. Please read my previous post re: how much I can afford

You said you had a max of £400. £125 is well under that. You didn't specify that was for the TV as well.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

The PVR. You can get a Humax PVR-9150T for £120 from Argos (not any kind of product recommendation, just the first dual-channel one that showed up in Google).

You'll need a SCART cable - best to get a decent one, so £15 for that.

LCD TV...well, you pays your money and takes your choice. Sample product at http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=3288&ref=googlebase&id=3280

Technosonic 32" LCD, refurbished £250. That does say it comes with "internal program storage", so it MAY be that it has a PVR built in, but you would need to check it's dual channel (watch one programme while recording another).

I think a 32" LCD is typically going to come in +/- £50 of £300, and you will get better for spending more. It's going to be a squeeze to fit inside your budget, unless you want 19", which is LOTS cheaper.

Sky Plus boxes appear to go on eBay for around £120, so not much competition with the terrestrial digital option in terms of price.

So I need a PVR to be able to video BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and Ch5?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

You said you had a max of £400. £125 is well under that. You didn't specify that was for the TV as well.

There was absolutely NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mention of a PVR until a couple of threads ago. This thread is about LCD TV's (although admittedly, it was a thread about getting my cooker connected )

 

[berniedicters]

So I need a PVR to be able to video BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4 and Ch5?

Not right this minute, but you will once they switch off the analogue signal, yes. I've a feeling that a technical explanation as to why will probably drive you up the wall so I'll spare you it unless you really want...

The good news is that a PVR is rather more than merely a digital VCR (for a start, "recording" quality is as good as the original broadcast quality). The one downside is that you can't share tapes like you would with a VCR - it has an internal storage capacity (normally in the tens of hours) but that's it: they usually don't have a facility for copying recordings off the machine.

The other upside is that if you're not watching ANY TV, a dual channel PVR will usually let you record two channels simultaneously, unlike a VCR.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Not right this minute, but you will once they switch off the analogue signal, yes. I've a feeling that a technical explanation as to why will probably drive you up the wall so I'll spare you it unless you really want...

The good news is that a PVR is rather more than merely a digital VCR (for a start, "recording" quality is as good as the original broadcast quality). The one downside is that you can't share tapes like you would with a VCR - it has an internal storage capacity (normally in the tens of hours) but that's it: they usually don't have a facility for copying recordings off the machine.

The other upside is that if you're not watching ANY TV, a dual channel PVR will usually let you record two channels simultaneously, unlike a VCR.

Right, so I don't NEED a PVR until 2012 (when London changes over). So I can continue playing my DVD player and record the normal BBC1- Ch5 channels on my VCR without having to buy anything else?

 

[berniedicters]

Right, so I don't NEED a PVR until 2012 (when London changes over). So I can continue playing my DVD player and record the normal BBC1- Ch5 channels on my VCR without having to buy anything else?

2012!!! Blimey.

Down here, we have no digital yet: they're switching it on in August.

Then switching off the analogue in September

Hence my assumption that you'd need a PVR in pretty short order.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

2012!!! Blimey.

Down here, we have no digital yet: they're switching it on in August.

Then switching off the analogue in September

Hence my assumption that you'd need a PVR in pretty short order.

Where's "down here" then?

hm, you must be "2009: Granada, West Country & Wales regions"

I'm "2012: London, Meridian, Tyne Tees & Ulster regions"

 

[Hi-ASL]

Down here sounds like to the South of London.

Though you always go 'down' from the capital.

So he could be in the Highlands for all I know.

Anyway, why don't you just do without, there's never owt on anyway.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Down here sounds like to the South of London.

Though you always go 'down' from the capital.

So he could be in the Highlands for all I know.

Anyway, why don't you just do without, there's never owt on anyway.

I can't. My b/f watches tv about 12 hours a day. There's obviously lots on