# PVR or Catch-Up Services **URL:** \ **Category:** Spy Lounge\ **Created:** [August 8, 2021, 8:26am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205 "2021-08-08T08:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David](https://forums.mediaspy.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@David](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/David)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 8:26am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/1 "2021-08-08T08:26:40Z")
Do people still use a PVR to record free to air programs or are we using 7Plus, 9Now etc? ---
**Author:** ![JBar](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/jbar/32/151177_2.png) [@JBar](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/JBar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 8:36am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/3 "2021-08-08T08:36:39Z")
> [@David](#): > > Do people still use a PVR to record free to air programs or are we using 7Plus, 9Now etc? Yes, all the time. The PVR lets you skip all the ads. Catch Up services force you to watch the same adverts over and over again to great annoyance. ---
**Author:** ![JasonF](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/jasonf/32/349220_2.png) [@JasonF](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/JasonF)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 10:38am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/4 "2021-08-08T10:38:41Z")
catch up ---
**Author:** ![Jeza02](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/jeza02/32/225028_2.png) [@Jeza02](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Jeza02)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 11:08am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/5 "2021-08-08T11:08:15Z")
> [@David](#): > > Do people still use a PVR to record free to air programs Got a Telstra T-Box 2 (going 10 years) and a Topfeild HD Masterpiece still going on 8 years. Got a TV Tuner Card in the PC with SichboPVR and a USB TV Tuner with the laptop. Foxtel and Telstra TV for catch-up and Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![foxyrover](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/foxyrover/32/272518_2.png) [@foxyrover](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/foxyrover)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/6 "2021-08-08T22:58:33Z")
Same. I have heaps of series recordings set on my Fetch box. Yes, I could watch it on catchup, but I can fast forward the ads and skip parts etc. better than I can on catchup. ---
**Author:** ![JohnsonTV](https://forums.mediaspy.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@JohnsonTV](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/JohnsonTV)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/7 "2021-08-08T23:22:50Z")
I still use my Panasonic PVR (which has a triple tuner) to tape programs, although I have also registered with 7plus and SBS on Demand (and soon 10 Play) to catch up on episodes I have forgotten to record. ---
**Author:** ![Vidiot](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/vidiot/32/459050_2.png) [@Vidiot](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Vidiot)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2021, 12:08am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/8 "2021-08-09T00:08:53Z")
Much better quality if you record the linear HD channels when the show is broadcast. And you can skip commercials, as others have said. Catch up is too fiddly. ---
**Author:** ![Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/aurora/32/249208_2.png) [@Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Aurora)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2021, 3:46am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/9 "2021-08-09T03:46:48Z")
PVR as required - I want the real broadcast experience (despite being much poorer than it used to be), not the hollow one you get watching online - although it is good the ads can’t be skipped on catch-up (revenue has to be generated to pay for it). Plus I know I have it available once broadcast, sometimes content can take time to be added to the catch-up site. ---
**Author:** ![BigVic](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/bigvic/32/209954_2.png) [@BigVic](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/BigVic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/10 "2021-08-09T04:23:58Z")
I have a fetch box with an in-built PVR and Catch-up service although I’ve been using the latter ---
**Author:** ![TBoy](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/tboy/32/368632_2.png) [@TBoy](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/TBoy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2022, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/12 "2022-05-30T07:26:21Z")
Hi, Does anyone know where I can get a cheap PVR? The cheapest one I found is 200 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Jack_Laverty)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/13 "2023-03-17T16:11:56Z")
Has anyone here got or ever used this pvr? [https://www.harveynorman.com.au/panasonic-smart-network-1tb-pvr-with-twin-hd-tuner.html?CAWELAID=720013240000270804&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn9CgBhDjARIsAD15h0B5BcblyhhSnltroawLWyOafWVmlTSQ8L3qde4msrveSVihbWLnGOAaAtOREALw\_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds](https://www.harveynorman.com.au/panasonic-smart-network-1tb-pvr-with-twin-hd-tuner.html?CAWELAID=720013240000270804&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn9CgBhDjARIsAD15h0B5BcblyhhSnltroawLWyOafWVmlTSQ8L3qde4msrveSVihbWLnGOAaAtOREALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) I’m thinking of getting it I’m just trying to work out what apps it has and what it’s like. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_Addict](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/tv_addict/32/317_2.png) [@TV\_Addict](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/TV_Addict)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/14 "2023-03-17T21:52:17Z")
Does TopField still produce PVR’s i thought they didn’t . ---
**Author:** ![Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/aurora/32/249208_2.png) [@Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Aurora)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/15 "2023-03-17T23:34:48Z")
Very odd, the only product I can see from JB and Good Guys is that Panasonic product. Harvey Norman has a few variations of the Panasonic product. Nothing else other than the subscription Fetch product from the three of them. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Jack_Laverty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 1:22am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/16 "2023-03-18T01:22:09Z")
I looked every where online I think lol. and this is the only one other than the Fech tv. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Jack\_Laverty](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Jack_Laverty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/17 "2023-03-18T01:57:46Z")
Nope. I just looked everywhere. and Panasonic is officially the only one. There are a few unknown brands out there. As for Topfiled, they shut down in 2018. [https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2718278](https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2718278) ---
**Author:** ![TV\_Addict](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/tv_addict/32/317_2.png) [@TV\_Addict](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/TV_Addict)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/18 "2023-03-19T23:18:01Z")
But Panasonic stopped making tv’s for the Australian market didn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/aurora/32/249208_2.png) [@Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Aurora)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 5:24am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/19 "2023-04-29T05:24:35Z")
My own Topfield PVR’s Hard Disk Drive has failed today, not being detected at all. Annoying this has happened with no warning after a few months shy of 10 years quality service. I am gonna buy the Panasonic 1TB product tomorrow. Quite strange to be in the situation where there is no competing product at the local retailers other than Fetch, which I believe is a subscription product. Oddly enough, I wanted a 1TB device back then but ended up buying my 520GB device instead, and the last few years have battled with managing space on the device. I’ll now have one a decade later. ---
**Author:** ![JBar](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/jbar/32/151177_2.png) [@JBar](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/JBar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 5:45am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/20 "2023-04-29T05:45:12Z")
> [@Aurora](#): > > Quite strange to be in the situation where there is no competing product at the local retailers other than Fetch, which I believe is a subscription product. You’re not obliged to sign up to any subscription services. You can just buy the Fetch box outright and only use it for recordings. The subscription channels are optional. But Fetch is a good way to connect to Catch Up services and Streaming services if you choose to sign up to any. ---
**Author:** ![Radiohead](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/radiohead/32/21429_2.png) [@Radiohead](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Radiohead)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 6:26am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/21 "2023-04-29T06:26:39Z")
A cheap option could be just to get a Set Top Box and plug in your own external (powered) HDD… not sure if that will function like a true PVR though (eg. chase play, watch one recording whilst recording another). ---
**Author:** ![Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/user_avatar/forums.mediaspy.org/aurora/32/249208_2.png) [@Aurora](https://forums.mediaspy.org/u/Aurora)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2023, 6:43am UTC](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205/22 "2023-04-29T06:43:38Z")
> [@Radiohead](#): > > not sure if that will function like a true PVR though (eg. chase play, watch one recording whilst recording another). Considered, but in this case I am taking the easy option. The Pana is a twin tuner so replicating what I had with the Toppy plus in-recording playback/rewind etc. My main concern now really is whether my HDD recordings can be retrieved as I had a decade worth of recordings including Grand Finals, Footy Marathons, and various other things. That likely comes down to what the actual cause of the HDD issue is, and it isn’t starting up at all based on what I am hearing. [Next page](https://forums.mediaspy.org/t/pvr-or-catch-up-services/18205.md?page=2)