Pausing and Recording Live TV on a "Smart" TV!

[puffernutter]

My old 40" Samsung Smart-TV (2016 model) has a USB socket for a HDD (higher current) and I can pause and record live TV. However a corner of the TV display has been chewed by a puppy and the picture has now degraded to the point it needed replacing! (We've still got the puppy!)

So I recently bought through Amazon what I thought was a similar (2018) model of a 40" Samsung Smart-TV. I have spent the last 3 days trying to pause and record live TV. I even bought a new hard drive as I thought that may be the issue. It can see the drive, just cannot pause or record says "Not Available".

After a long "Chat" session with a Samsung technician, because this is a "cheaper" TV - his words (only £400!) it no longer has this function.

So what LED Smart TVs (we have Now TV, Netflix and Amazon Prime!) would you recommend that can pause and record live TV and are 40" in size (my maximum) and don't cost the earth. Note, I am no TV buff!

Cheers

Peter

 

[pedrobedro]

Get a freeview or freesat box for it and you will have the facility to record and pause.

 

[puffernutter]

We have Virgin, so could do it through their box, but we're planning on changing when they hike the prices (we only have it as part of a bundle, it offers nothing over Freeview) There is Freeview in the set, I just don't want lots of boxes just for the sake of it. A TV with Freeview and able to pause live TV, not that tricky surely :-)

 

[FergalFarty]

I have a Samsung smart TV with that functionality but it never worked very well and was a bit of a faff. I also have the BT TV box which they supplied with my broadband account. It's essentially a re-branded Freeview box and works well enough but it has some annoying quirks.

If you already have Virgin check out their TV box (used to be called Tivo). We had one of these at our old house and it was brilliant. You could record multiple things at once and it was very easy to use. It would also learn over time what kind of programmes you like and speculatively record similar ones automatically. You could also get it to automatically record anything with a particular actor or director whenever it came on.

Also, Virgin seem pretty good at giving you a better deal if you threaten to leave. I did this a few times over my 12 years with them. Unfortunately, I'm now stuck with BT as Virgin don't operate in my area. BT have the worst customer service of any company I've ever dealt with.

 

[puffernutter]

UPDATE - I bought an LG 43" TV for the same money and pauses/records out of the box! Also has shortcuts to Netflix/BBC iPlayer/TV Now etc.

Happy bunny again!

 

[Maker]

Ours is an LG, we've been very happy with it but I couldn't tell you if it can pause live telly.