Freesat HD+HDD vs Freesat HD + Panasonic DMR-EX78 (DVD recorder +HDD) - What do you think?

Question

I am definitely going for Freesat.

The only thing that is stopping me is the choice of receiver. I definitely want the free HD so that rules out the cheapest option.

I want to be able to record and playback so perhaps the HDD option, (which isn't available as yet), is the way to go.

At some stage, I also want to add a DVD recorder/player to the setup in the near future so perhaps I would be better to go for the cheaper HD Freesat receiver and add a DVD recorder with a HDD.

The one I have been looking at is the Panasonic DMR-EX78 which is a DVD recorder that does all the formats including DivX and has a 250GB HD, it also has a digital receiver too but I don't know if that will be rendered redundant by the Freesat box and the built in receiver in the TV.

I want Panasonic because of the Viera link, (I already have the Panasonic TV and Home Cinema System).

I don't want to be duplicating equipment in the setup.

So has anyone got any advice?

Answer 1

You can buy a HDMI switcher like this one from Currys

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cu...

or something simallar, and connect it to one of the HDMI sockets on the back. Do not connect the freesat HD box and the Panasonic DMR-EX78 to the switch because you can not use more than one socket at a time on the switch enless you get a really expensive one. But this is the only sollution I can think of.