My first post! I'm not technical, so excuse lack of smarts. I have Foxtel Digital. I MAY get IQ for the VCR type functionality. BUT - I do want to be able to record some programs to DVD. What is the best DVR to use, that will allow me to view one Foxtel channel while recording another (ie a two tuner DVR, I guess)? What connector on IQ box should I output from? Alternatively, if a DVR isn't the go, can I get recorded programs off the IQ HDD via the USB port I hear about?

Many thanks in advance for advice.

I'm not aware of any dual input DVRs but without IQ you only have one tuner per foxtel box and even if you had the IQ it can record from two sources but it doesn't ouput them at the same time.

Basically if you want to watch one program and record another (or record both but watch one) all you need is the IQ box. If you want to archive you need a DVD recorder cause at present you can't get the recordings off (someone has hacked the HDD but not the encryption). And if you do archive a recording you can only do it real time and you have to watch wat's being archived to DVD as the IQ will only display the one output. Of course you can be recording programs in the background but I suspect this will get annoying...

Rob

Thanks for that Rob. Ties up with some other info i got earlier today.

Had some bizarre conversations with Foxtel sales people on the 'sell lots of IQ's' line. Two have told me that you can get files of the IQ box onto a third party DVR 'via the SCART output' (!!??). I'm no expert on this area, but am learning - and it didn't take me long to learn how dumb that claim was. the third conversation was essentially me asking how anyone their end could advise that data files could be moved over a SCART link. reaction? An outright refusal to talk about the issue of archiving, as 'we are not allowed to talk about this becuase of copyright issues'. Then the same salesperson told me that "there is a USB port on the box", which I took to be a broad hint that one can access the HDD via USB-PC or USB-External HDD link. I think this may be the issue you mention above - but any way of using this would be well beyond me.

So, only way I can see of archiving to DVD and watching a different foxtel box is to have one IQ and one ordinary STB, and use the second box for record to a DVR via SCART........... getting a bit expensive this.

How important is archiving to you? Are you always going to want to archive when you are watching?

The convenience of having two tuners, PVR functionality and EPG in the one box is excellent and can not be beaten by multiple unit set ups. IQ will probably meet 90% of your needs most of the time, ie watch and delete. You'll find you will archive in reality a lot less than you think you would.

I don't think the sales people understand the difference between getting a recording off it digitally vs analogue. IMO the neatest and most convenient way people are going to get things off the IQ digitally will be via a firmware hack and without the source code there's little chance of that!

Hi Bob,

Understand your points about the IQ. Yes, the features that are there (record-n-watch, fast forward, avoiding ads, EPG integration, sceduled series recording etc etc) are all 'musts' that I would want to see. Sounds to me like the IQ will do a good job in that regard. You may be right that I would find I don't need archiving as much as I think - but, with 4 in our family, all avid coouch potatoes, all with quite different viewing tastes, I'm finding with our standard foxtel dig service that there is usually somone viewing! I'm wondering how quickly that HDD will fill up. I got my family to look through last months foxtel mag last night and see how many programmes they would have wanted to record if they could - there were quite a few.

like you, I don't rate the chances of a hack on the IQ. I invested a few hours last night on some research. Found only one report with any substance, and that guy had got to the HDD/files via the USB port, but hadn't decrypted them. I also saw comments that Foxtel change their encryption from time to time.

I will probably go ahead with the IQ, but will wait a little while to see if they bring their initial offer down. Incidentally - wow! Doesn't the IQ price structure bring out the worst in people? Huge number of 'flame' threads on that issue. Lifes too short - either pay the going rate or don't bother.