Should I get a Foxtel IQ box or buy a separate hard drive/DVD recorder?

This will depend on your viewing habits and budget but here are the advantages of each:

Foxtel IQ

• You are renting the box from Foxtel and as such you don’t pay for it outright. Indeed if something was to go wrong with the IQ, Foxtel will either fix or replace it.
• It is integrated with the Foxtel guide, making it extremely easy to timer record.
• You can watch one Foxtel Channel whilst recording another.

Hard drive/DVD recorder

• No monthly subscription fees (but no pay TV channels included either).
• Ability (on some units) to copy recorded programs to DVD
• High definition units are available (Foxtel is only SD currently)
• All free to air stations available (some Foxtel services don’t re-broadcast channels seven and ten).