Buying Guide to TV Recording

Being able to record TV means you never have to miss your favourite soap or the big match and you can choose to watch TV whenever you want.

The digital TV age gives you a number of options when it comes to TV recording, each with its own benefits. To help you decide which is best for you, our guide explains the features and benefits of each option.

What is Freeview and Freesat?

All recording devices from Argos have either a Freeview or freesat tuner built in, so it’s worth considering the benefits of each.

Freeview

Freeview is a digital TV service which works through your normal TV aerial

What are the benefits?

• Freeview is received via a standard aerial so there are no additional costs.
• You can access up to 50 TV channels
• You are not tied to a subscription package
• Free High Definition services are available*
  * A HD box and HD Ready TV is required to watch in high definition. HD service subject to coverage.

Freesat

Freesat is a digital TV service which works through a satellite dish.

What are the benefits?

• You can access over 140 TV channels.
• You are not tied to a subscription package
• Free High Definition services are available**
  ** A HD box and HD Ready TV is required to watch in high definition.

Set-top box (Hard-Drive) recorders

A set-top box also known as a hard drive recorder allows you to record directly to a built-in hard drive, without the need for discs or tapes.

• Recording is simple - You choose the programme you want to record using the on-screen guide, highlight the programme, then press the record button.
• Watching recordings back is just as easy. Everything is displayed in an on-screen menu; select the recording you want from your list and simply press play.
• Set top boxes are constantly increasing in capacity – giving you flexibility to store many hours of recordings.
• Look out for Freeview HD and Freesat HD versions of Set-top boxes to allow you to watch and record free High Definition channels.

DVD recorders

If keeping recordings is important and you don’t want the space limitations of a hard drive, then a DVD recorder might be best for you.

• DVD players record your programmes direct to the disc and then keep them for as long as you want.
• You can play the recordings back on another DVD player, letting you watch them on other TVs in the home

DVD recorder with Hard-Drive

If you want the flexibility of recording to keep on disc, as well as the ease of recording to a built-in hard drive, then a DVD recorder with hard drive ticks all the boxes.

This combination has all the benefits of a DVD recorder with the added convenience and ease of use you would find in a set-top hard drive recorder.

DVD recorder with VCR

If you’ve still got precious VHS tapes, a combination unit, which includes a DVD recorder with VCR, will allow you to watch all your old VHS tapes and also transfer them quickly and easily to DVD.

Blu-ray recorder

The built-in Freeview HD or freesat HD tuner lets you record HD channels in High Definition to Blu-ray disc.

• A Blu ray recorder will play all your existing DVDs in near high definition quality.
• Keep all your favourites on disc to watch long into the future.