Kit choices

You can carry on watching tapes using the video cassette recorder (VCR) that you may have had for years. But there are now products that will deliver digital TV as well as record it. Here we give pros and cons.

1. Hard drive digital TV recorder (often called PVR)

Hard drive digital TV recorders record on to their hard disc drive (HDD) and give a good quality picture – in fact it should be identical to the original broadcast. They are usually the easiest type of recorder to use. They have the advantage over VCRs in that each recording is automatically indexed on the disc, saving you all that trial and error fast winding of tapes.In addition it is easy to book timed recordings by simply selecting them from the electronic programme guide – much easier than setting a timer.

A recorder with twin tuners can be used to record one digital programme while you watch another. One with a single tuner can do this only if used in conjunction with a set top box or iDTV, which brings its own second tuner to the mix.

A hard drive digital TV recorder does have a limited capacity – although a large one – and is really intended as a temporary store. The largest capacity versions on the market can store about 400 hours of standard definition (or 125 hours high definition). This is OK if all or most of your recording requirements are to view later and then wipe. If you occasionally want to keep a recording, you could copy it from the hard drive digital TV recorder on to a VCR tape or a DVD recorder disc – see Connection wizard for how to set up the kit.

Also, on basic hard drive digital TV recorders, you can record only record TV broadcasts. You cannot record from other equipment, such as a camcorder or DVD player, as digital TV recorders have no external inputs.

If you buy a high definition digital TV recorder it will record HD programmes in full HD quality.

2. DVD digital TV recorder

A second option is to buy a new DVD recorder - with a built-in digital TV tuner. This will record one digital channel while you are watching another on your iDTV - not possible if the recorder does not have its own digital tuner. DVD recorders record on to DVD discs and will give good picture quality. As with a hard drive digital TV recorder, the recordings are automatically indexed and it is easy to go straight to the one you want.

A DVD recorder is also versatile, just like a VCR. You can use re-writable discs to record for later viewing, erase and record some more. Use cheaper write-once discs for recording and archiving classics. And of course you can play back all those pre-recorded DVDs on the market.

Most DVD recorders have an external link feature. This means you can select a programme from compatible TV guides for recording on a DVD.

DVD recorders are usually relatively complicated to use. They have a lot of features, disc formats and recording options – look over the lengthy instructions before you buy.

However straightforward DVD recorders are not very common and you are more likely to find combination hard drive plus DVD recorders with single or twin digital TV tuners. These would appear to offer the best of both worlds but unfortunately we have found than combining the two functions into one box ends up in a very complicated product.

Why can’t I record one TV channel while watching another?

So you have splashed out on an iDTV and find if there are two programmes on digital channels, you can’t watch one and record the other on your VCR. The reason your old set up could do this was because it had two tuners that picked up the TV stations – one in the TV and one in the VCR. If you want the same versatility with digital, you need two digital tuners. If you have a new integrated digital TV buy a digital recorder with a built-in digital tuner. See easiest to use digital TV recorders for our recommendations. Alternatively, you can save money by having one set top box for an analogue TV and buying another for your VCR – clumsy solution though.