TV/DVD system dilemma, seeking advice!

[Roobubba]

Hi all,

Mrs Roo and I are in the market for a new telly and DVD/BluRay player. We're upgrading from a 90s 25" CRT currently disconnected from a dead second hand digibox, so this is going to be quite a shock to the system when it's all in!

I think I've decided on the telly - broadly speaking - something along the lines of a 32" or 37" Panasonic LCD.

Where I'm struggling is with the DVD/Bluray recorder/player.
My requirements are (in approximate order of importance):

• Play DVDs and preferably also BluRay (future-proofing at this stage, as you can tell we keep hold of our gear for a LONG time!)
• Record from digital television, unit must be able to be programmed and turn itself on to record and off afterwards (for when we're on holiday) and preferably have 2 tuners so we can watch and record different channels at the same time.
• Be able to connect to the internet to watch missed programs streamed over BBC iPlayer/Demand5/4OD etc
• Be able to connect to network shares to play media from other sources in the house

Those are the main things, and Mrs Roo also imposes the requirements:

• She doesn't like always-on PCs, so HTPC is probably out of the question (although I may be able to persuade her to go for something along the lines of the Asrock ION330 system)
• Prefer to have just one remote for everything
• Must be minimal in size and impact on the aesthetics of the room

Total budget for telly and media player/recorder/streamer is £1500, of which I've earmarked 700 for the telly. Have been looking at the new Panasonic Blu-ray recorder/PVR system, which looks tasty, but would run at the top of budget and can't do the media streaming I want (has a network port which seems to be mostly useless unless you want to watch youtube vids on your telly, which I don't)...
Alternative as mentioned above is an Atom-based HPTC like the Asrock ION330, possibly buy the DVD-only version and swap out the drive for a BluRay burner, but this doesn't have any TV tuners and I'm concerned about how easy it would be to set things to record while away on holiday (system presumably can't be trusted to turn itself on and off).

Any suggestions/comments from the home entertainment gurus out there would be very gratefully received!

Cheers,

Roo

[Will]

I have a JVC 32" tv which has built in HDD, don't know if they are in production any more, but it would mean you can get a more basic DVD / BRD player. I have a bottom of the range Sony for that, it is great!

Laptop and a cable have sorted me out if I need to play anything else on it. (couldn't tell you what cable, my mate was working that out)

Don't think I have been much help but added a few ideas

[ToneMonkey]

I'm sure you've done it already, but go into a shop and have a good faceoff against Plasma's and LCD's.  I prefer the picture on one type on the misses prefers the picture on the other.

Other than that, I know absolutely nothing about Blue Ray players.

[JDC]

I don't know panasonic TVs that well but samsung ones are good

for bluray I was gunna say ps3's used to be the cheapest way to get one, but you want a PVR so I ain't got a clue about PVR units with bluray and it probably cheaper than separate units as I'm sure you know

if you want a remote to control everything logitech do a good remote that you hook up to a pc with USB and program it that way, not sure how often they update the software for new hardware but it's probably better than most other companies

[ToneMonkey]

I don't know panasonic TVs that well but samsung ones are good

Samsung can kiss my arse.  I'll never buy one of their products again.  Useless bunch of tossers.

[AndyR]

"Mrs Roo and I are in the market for a new telly "

Isn't Ian selling one in Seconds out that's just inside your budget http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17912.0?

Oh, terribly sorry, misread your post slightly...

silly me
:lol:

[Roobubba]

"Mrs Roo and I are in the market for a new telly "

Isn't Ian selling one in Seconds out that's just inside your budget http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17912.0?

Oh, terribly sorry, misread your post slightly...

silly me
:lol:

Sshhhh I've been saving that joke in slightly different form for when we actually get round to buying it! ;)

Roo

[AndyR]

:lol:

I couldn't believe no-one had tried it on already

[jibidy]

If you are looking to save dough then try     www.stockchecker.co.uk      Its how i found my tv really cheap.