Which BEV pvr receiver - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

pasta · 2009-05-07, 10:01 PM

I'm new here and I'm interrested in Bell PVR receivers. No HD for the moment.

I want dual tuner and I'm a little bit confused with all models available used or brand new.

Can you help me and let me know which ones are the best to get and which ones to avoid?

Thank you all.

ScaryBob · 2009-05-07, 10:17 PM

The 9241 is what Bell currently sells and buying from them is often the best deal, especially for new subscribers. I wouldn't purchase a Bell receiver on eBay. Most are Ok but I've heard of problems. If you can get a good used receiver from someone you trust, that could be another way to go. Even as an existing customer, Bell sometimes gives up to $300 in credits on the purchase of a 9241. You just need to haggle a bit.

mickk · 2009-05-07, 10:31 PM

if your set on a SD PVR though you will have to go to ebay or somthing similar. i think the last dual-tuner PVR in SD was the 5200 and bell does not sell that anymore along with any other SD PVR's. you may be better off just renting a HD PVR like the 9241 like the last poster just said

ScaryBob · 2009-05-07, 10:54 PM

The 5200 is difficult to find and very buggy with little or no ongoing support. The 9241 is the only dual tuner PVR currently available. The 9200/9242/9241 are much better in quality than any SD PVR and hold more recorded programming. The 9242/9241 also support SDTVs easily so there is no need to buy an HDTV right away, nor is it necessary to subscribe to HD channels. There are a few benefits to an HD PVR, such as not needing to upgrade later and getting some HD channels for free. You can watch HD channels with an SDTV and picture quality is noticeably better, though not as good as on an HDTV.

pasta · 2009-05-07, 11:21 PM

Thank you for your answers.

Is it true that the 9241 does not support Picture in Picture? And by the way, is it a "must have" feature?

So I should look at the 9242 and 9241 models and forget the others?

waterug · 2009-05-07, 11:51 PM

The 9242 is no longer sold by Bell. Like a previous poster suggested, you could purchase one from someone you trust. They are still supported by Bell. No satellite provider in Canada currently sells a dual tuner PVR with picture in a picture feature. Some cable providers do have those PVRs.

pasta · 2009-05-08, 12:07 AM

Ok thanks, I will try to find a 9242. I saw some on internet.

ScaryBob: What kind of problems have you heard about concerning ebay purchases?

mickk · 2009-05-08, 12:38 AM

one problem with ebay is if you get a reciever there may be an unpaid balance on it from the previous owner

peano · 2009-05-08, 06:23 AM

Go for a 9200 on ebay. They are rock solid and cost 1/2 as much as a 9242. Just find a seller that has 100% feedback.

Avoid the buggy 9241.

pasta · 2009-05-08, 07:49 AM

peano: What is the difference between the 9242 and the 9200?

Does it have dual tuner and PIP ?

dm_4u · 2009-05-08, 08:08 AM

Both receivers have dual tuners, PIP, support two TV's (while in dual mode), come with both IR and UHF remote controls and you can swap between the two tuners while using single mode.

The 9242 also supports an external hard drive, has a 320gb hard drive (30 hours HD recording) and is MPEG-4 compatible whereas the 9200 has a 250gb hard drive (25 HD recording hours) and is only MPEG-2 compatible.

While both of these machines are still supported by Bell-TV, they are nothing short of excellent and can be described as the best PVR's currently in Canada, (unfortunately, neither is sold anymore).

mickk · 2009-05-08, 01:26 PM

i thought they wee still selling the 9242 at least. if not what is the latest HD PVR they are selling?

dm_4u · 2009-05-08, 01:42 PM

The PVR you are thinking about...is the 9241, which has dual tuners, the 320gb hard drive and is MPEG-4 compatible...but that's where the similarity ends.

The 9241 only comes with one remote, does not have PIP, you cannot swap between tuners and it can only be used on one tv.

Pinza · 2009-05-08, 10:52 PM

According to the Bell website they now only have 2 models of receiver, the 6131 & the 9241, they appear to have dropped everything else.

I run a 5200, Dual Tuner SD PVR, it has been rock solid for years.

I also have a 9200 Dual Tuner HD PVR, connected to an OTA antenna to give me a Triple Tuner HD PVR, works just great, feeds 1 x HDTV and then throughout the house to the other SD TV's.

If I were looking right now, I would go for the 9200 or the 9242.

ScaryBob · 2009-05-09, 12:27 PM

The main issue with the 9200 and SD is that the TV1 out is HD only. That can be an issue for the initial setup if the receiver is not in single mode and TV2 is not enabled. The other issue is that the 9200 does not support MPEG4. That is not currently a problem but when Bell switches to MPEG4, they will likely swap it for a 9241. Other than that, the 9200 is a very good PVR.

Given the requirements, a 9242 is the best choice.

As far as purchasing used receivers from eBay... I've heard of receivers that did not work, were missing smart cards and receivers with outstanding account balances and/or PPV purchases. These can cost the buyer extra money to resolve. Missing cards are less common than they were once because eBay no longer allows their sale without a receiver. Buying from a reputable seller can help reduce the risk. Make sure you ask about these issues before buying and keep a record of the correspondence so that a claim can be made if the receiver is misrepresented.

2009-05-07, 10:01 PM	#1
pasta Rookie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Which BEV pvr receiver I'm new here and I'm interrested in Bell PVR receivers. No HD for the moment. I want dual tuner and I'm a little bit confused with all models available used or brand new. Can you help me and let me know which ones are the best to get and which ones to avoid? Thank you all.

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2009-05-07, 10:17 PM	#2
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	The 9241 is what Bell currently sells and buying from them is often the best deal, especially for new subscribers. I wouldn't purchase a Bell receiver on eBay. Most are Ok but I've heard of problems. If you can get a good used receiver from someone you trust, that could be another way to go. Even as an existing customer, Bell sometimes gives up to $300 in credits on the purchase of a 9241. You just need to haggle a bit.

2009-05-07, 10:31 PM	#3
mickk Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 517	if your set on a SD PVR though you will have to go to ebay or somthing similar. i think the last dual-tuner PVR in SD was the 5200 and bell does not sell that anymore along with any other SD PVR's. you may be better off just renting a HD PVR like the 9241 like the last poster just said

2009-05-07, 10:54 PM	#4
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	The 5200 is difficult to find and very buggy with little or no ongoing support. The 9241 is the only dual tuner PVR currently available. The 9200/9242/9241 are much better in quality than any SD PVR and hold more recorded programming. The 9242/9241 also support SDTVs easily so there is no need to buy an HDTV right away, nor is it necessary to subscribe to HD channels. There are a few benefits to an HD PVR, such as not needing to upgrade later and getting some HD channels for free. You can watch HD channels with an SDTV and picture quality is noticeably better, though not as good as on an HDTV.

2009-05-07, 11:21 PM	#5
pasta Rookie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Thank you for your answers. Is it true that the 9241 does not support Picture in Picture? And by the way, is it a "must have" feature? So I should look at the 9242 and 9241 models and forget the others?

2009-05-07, 11:51 PM	#6
waterug Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Peterborough, ON Posts: 868	The 9242 is no longer sold by Bell. Like a previous poster suggested, you could purchase one from someone you trust. They are still supported by Bell. No satellite provider in Canada currently sells a dual tuner PVR with picture in a picture feature. Some cable providers do have those PVRs.

2009-05-08, 12:07 AM	#7
pasta Rookie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	Ok thanks, I will try to find a 9242. I saw some on internet. ScaryBob: What kind of problems have you heard about concerning ebay purchases?

2009-05-08, 12:38 AM	#8
mickk Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 517	one problem with ebay is if you get a reciever there may be an unpaid balance on it from the previous owner

2009-05-08, 06:23 AM	#9
peano Veteran Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,588	Go for a 9200 on ebay. They are rock solid and cost 1/2 as much as a 9242. Just find a seller that has 100% feedback. Avoid the buggy 9241.

2009-05-08, 07:49 AM	#10
pasta Rookie Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4	peano: What is the difference between the 9242 and the 9200? Does it have dual tuner and PIP ?

2009-05-08, 08:08 AM	#11
dm_4u Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Winnipeg - Bell-HD Posts: 2,091	Both receivers have dual tuners, PIP, support two TV's (while in dual mode), come with both IR and UHF remote controls and you can swap between the two tuners while using single mode. The 9242 also supports an external hard drive, has a 320gb hard drive (30 hours HD recording) and is MPEG-4 compatible whereas the 9200 has a 250gb hard drive (25 HD recording hours) and is only MPEG-2 compatible. While both of these machines are still supported by Bell-TV, they are nothing short of excellent and can be described as the best PVR's currently in Canada, (unfortunately, neither is sold anymore).

2009-05-08, 01:26 PM	#12
mickk Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 517	i thought they wee still selling the 9242 at least. if not what is the latest HD PVR they are selling?

2009-05-08, 01:42 PM	#13
dm_4u Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Winnipeg - Bell-HD Posts: 2,091	The PVR you are thinking about...is the 9241, which has dual tuners, the 320gb hard drive and is MPEG-4 compatible...but that's where the similarity ends. The 9241 only comes with one remote, does not have PIP, you cannot swap between tuners and it can only be used on one tv.

2009-05-08, 10:52 PM	#14
Pinza Veteran Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GTA Posts: 8,684	According to the Bell website they now only have 2 models of receiver, the 6131 & the 9241, they appear to have dropped everything else. I run a 5200, Dual Tuner SD PVR, it has been rock solid for years. I also have a 9200 Dual Tuner HD PVR, connected to an OTA antenna to give me a Triple Tuner HD PVR, works just great, feeds 1 x HDTV and then throughout the house to the other SD TV's. If I were looking right now, I would go for the 9200 or the 9242.

2009-05-09, 12:27 PM	#15
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	The main issue with the 9200 and SD is that the TV1 out is HD only. That can be an issue for the initial setup if the receiver is not in single mode and TV2 is not enabled. The other issue is that the 9200 does not support MPEG4. That is not currently a problem but when Bell switches to MPEG4, they will likely swap it for a 9241. Other than that, the 9200 is a very good PVR. Given the requirements, a 9242 is the best choice. As far as purchasing used receivers from eBay... I've heard of receivers that did not work, were missing smart cards and receivers with outstanding account balances and/or PPV purchases. These can cost the buyer extra money to resolve. Missing cards are less common than they were once because eBay no longer allows their sale without a receiver. Buying from a reputable seller can help reduce the risk. Make sure you ask about these issues before buying and keep a record of the correspondence so that a claim can be made if the receiver is misrepresented.