Argos buying guide to tv and recording – 5 of 6

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Recording Introduction

DVD recorders are great for keeping your recordings indefinitely and give you the versatility to watch your favourite programmes, video, MP3 and photos at your convenience.

If this is important to you then make sure you look for one with a built-in digital tuner to enable you to record a different programme to the one being watched on TV.

For added flexibility choose a DVD recorder with a hard disk drive. This will enable quick and easy access to recordings when you want them.

Analogue DVD recorders	Digital DVD recorders
After digital switchover, analogue DVD recorders can only be used with a digital TV or set top box, and can only record the channel currently being watched.	Most digital DVD recorders can record a different channel, as there are two digital tuners – so you can watch a different programme from the one being recorded.
Programme being recorded	Programme being recorded

For the best of both worlds, choose a DVD recorder with a hard disk too. You'll be able to build your library of DVDs, but also record, pause, or rewind TV. Wherever you see the Freeview logo, the recorder can receive Freeview channels too, which means it will also work after digital switchover.

You also get the benefits of the Electronic Programme Guide found in all digital TV recorders. So you have the choice of recording a show on the hard disk, then backing it up to DVD if you want to keep it.

The simplest way to convert both your TV and recorder to digital is to upgrade to a digital TV recorder (DTR). DTRs are a great solution for recording digital TV with features such as:

• Built-in Freeview giving access to all Freeview services and channels
• Hard disk drive enabling quick and easy access to recorded programmes
  with no need for tapes or discs
• Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) for programme listings and simple channel selection

All this functionality comes with no subscription charges, giving you great digital as flexibility with no on-going cost!

Many DTR models are labelled as ‘Freeview Playback’, now known as 'Freeview+' . This is a standard that identifies it as having the following features in addition to those above:

• One-touch recording – select the programme you want to record from
  the on-screen guide and simply press the record button… leave the
  box to do the rest!
• Series recording (selected models only) – allows you to record all
  episodes of a favourite series at the touch of a button, so there’s no
  need to remember to record every time it’s on
• Pause live TV – great when the phone rings, just hit pause and pick up
  where you left off
• Rewind live TV – missed the goal or just want to see it again? Rewind
  and enjoy your very own instant replay