Manhattan T3-R Freeview Play 4K Smart Recorder 500GB & CDL Micro Gold T.V Aerial Cable (M-M) With Adapter (F-F) 3 Metres BLACK

So this is a review for the Manhattan T3-R Freeview Play 4K Smart Recorder 1TB which is the new upgraded PVR - I wanted to make that clear, because some of the reviews here appear to be talking about another model for some reason.I spent some time reading reviews for other top line recent PVR models before deciding on the Manhattan T3-R. We've been with Sky for 15 years, the missus has gotten used to the Sky box interface and even though we'd been paying over the odds for years, we felt reluctant to go down the freeview/PVR route because there didn't appear to be anything out there that could match the interface of the guide, recordings, etc. But the kids are watching Netflix these days, we rarely watch Sky content, so it seemed prudent to start looking for a decent PVR. You're probably reading this because you're afraid of making that leap into something different. We were in the same boat.After spending a few weeks with it now, we're so relieved that it seems to do pretty much everything the Sky Q box could and I'm left bewildered by some of the reviews written against this product here which almost made me not buy it in the first place.So first of all let's dispel some false claims written in some of the other reviews... Yes, it *can* pause and rewind live TV, quickly and effortlessly. You *can* watch from the start of a program that is currently recording. You *can* choose from the guide and start recording a program from the guide. You *can* move frame by frame forward should you want to. I say all these things because I've done them and there is at least one other review here that oddly said you couldn't.I like the fact you can record a single program, or set it to record an entire series if you want to. Brilliant for Corrie, Eastenders and all the other rubbish the wife watches!You can press a button 'Recordings' on the remote and it neatly lists the recordings in either 'All' or 'By Series' - You can see scheduled recordings you have set to record into the future. If you delete a program you've recorded, it even saves it for a while in the 'Trash' tab section - Just in case the kids decided to delete the last episode of Peaky Blinders before you got to watch it! Just fish it out from the trash. When you first plug it in, it searches for all the channels automatically. The channels are then all listed into a guide which has its own button on the remote. All the Freeview HD channels are crisp, record and then play perfectly in superb quality. The 'Home' menu also includes apps such as YouTube and YouTube Kids. The unit is very responsive and does not lag at all when flipping around in the menu, which I believe is a common complaint for PVRs.Going back to the guide, the programs are not only listed nicely, but you also get program information, photos of the programs (not in every case), all similar to what you might see on the Sky box interface.- *edit* We've had the unit for months now and it has never let us down recording something we wanted. I thought it might flip out over Christmas with all the recordings we gave it to do (some of them airing on different channels at the same time), but it managed the tasks perfectly.So what *don't* I like about it?- {*edit* Have used this device extensively for several months now)... The single most frustrating issue this device has is an *infrequent* syncing issue between audio and visual on recordings. In fairness, I must stress it only happens *sometimes* but the sound will (ever so slightly) go out of sync with the picture. It seems to happen more if you are pausing a lot, rewinding, forwarding through a program. It's not permanent for that recording and it can be resolved by stopping the program, going back out to the menu and back into it again where it will resume where you left it (or switching the device into standby and on again). It doesn't happen a lot, but the fact it happens at all is frustraing. I'm hoping a future software/firmware update will resolve this issue.- Some have mentioned it, and I'm inclined to agree, I think it would be nice in addition to the static blue LED light at the front have a recording lamp, so you know when it's recording. You just have blue for 'on' and red for 'stand by' modes. It's not a deal breaker for me though, maybe I was just used to having that with Sky.- Would be nice to have apps like NowTV (missus watches Teen Mom! on MTV... I know, I know) available on the main menu. Fortunately our smart TV has the app, but would be nice to have it and others on the Manhattan.There are a couple of minor quirky software peeves that I come across every now and again but nothing major that would put you off this excellent machine.In general, we are delighted with it. The remote is a little 'clunky' and the missus prefers the modern Sky remote we got with the Sky Q box - She'll miss it only because she's used to the Sky remote, but again - Not a deal breaker. I found myself getting annoyed with her that somehow she preferred paying £90 p/m just so she can feel all jolly with a superior remote control unit!It's worth saying the interface is certainly different to Sky's. It will take you a short while to get used to it, but once you do, it's just as functional, if not more functional than the Sky Q box interface.I'll be sure to come back and update this review and edit it (already have, twice) should anything go wrong with the unit, but for now at least, we're over the moon with this purchase and will save us a small fortune in the long run!

If you are reading the reviews to decide whether this is a good alternative to your beloved Sky system, then to save you a lot of reading and pondering, the answer is a definite 'yes' and I can recommend the T3-R as a solid alternative. Yes, you will have to make some compromises, but they are not significant, and you will save a fortune before long (see later in my review).So, a few of the main compromises: obviously you will lose access to nearly all Sky content (there is the odd one on Freeview [e.g. Sky Arts]); you will lose normal 'multiscreen' functionality if you have it [but a T3-R in each room minimises the impact - but you won't be able to continue watching, in one room, a programme you were watching in another] ; you will only be able to record 2 channels at once (although we can effectively record 4 as we have two boxes); you will lose 4k content and some HD content too (although some Freeview programmes can be watched in 4k via the on-demand players [e.g. iPlayer]), but TBH, Freeview HD channels are very good - the only thing I miss from Sky was Film4 in HD, as Film4 is only available in SD on Freeview.The T3-R PVR, as other reviews will attest to, is very good. I would recommend the extra few quid for the 1TB over the 500GB version. The picture quality from the box is excellent - if it isn't, this will likely be down to poor signal strength/quality (e.g. "That's 80s" is poor in my area - the box gives you signal strength & quality information in the settings menu). Setting recordings is straightforward - the channel guide is very good.Any drawbacks...? A couple of things for me: 1) You can't easily 'continue' a programme if you've exited it before the end [unlike the 'continue' menu in Sky Q] - this is annoying as if it's someway down your list of recordings, you have to go and find it again, but not a deal breaker. 2) BE AWARE OF THIS ONE...! Series linked recordings (once the series has ended) remain in your list of 'Scheduled' recordings (with the word 'Searching...' after it). It won't find these recordings once the series as finished, however it TAKES UP ONE SCHEDULED RECORDING SLOT, and the maximum number of scheduled recordings you can have is 100. I didn't know this initially, and I started encountering problems with "Maximum no. of recordings reached' when trying to schedule recordings. I thought this was because I was trying to record more than 2 programmes at once, but it wasn't...it was because my schedule was full of all these 'old' series linked schedules that were never going to happen anymore. The solution was simple...delete these 'searching...' programmes from the list. What's annoying, however, is they have to be done individually as there is no way to 'bulk' delete. 60 deletions later...I had plenty of space to set new recordings.So, back to the Sky switch benefits.....We were with Sky for almost 20 years. The Mrs was very partial to it, and we moved to the Sky Q option (including multiscreen) in early 2020 on the back of an offer when we bought a new TV. However, when I really looked at what we recorded and watched, 90% was from the main terrestrial channels. I therefore convinced her that as the 18-months free Sky Q had ended, that we should buy two T3-R machines, and use one in the main room, and one in the room where we had the 'multiscreen' box, and finally ditch Sky. We did this back in April '22 and almost a year on, we've saved over £100 (what we would have paid with Sky less the cost of two T3-R boxes), and are now saving almost £45 every month.Overall we are delighted with moving away from Sky, and happy with the Manhattan T3-R PVR. Even more so now that I see Sky are putting prices up by around 8%. Freeview on the other hand....still free!