039 EHC 10 HARD DISC REC G.Test

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200 Does this assault on the HDD plus Freeview market survive close inspection?

Humax PVR-800T

HE FREEVIEW PVR MARKET MAY BE small but Humax new entry could shake Pace and others from their complacency. At 40GB, the hard disk can hold 20hr of video twice as much as the Pace but the single tuner does mean you must watch the digital TV channel youre recording. The find option is a nice addition, letting you enter the name of a programme with a virtual keyboard, while the I-Plate programme information banner and electronic programme guide (EPG) for now/next or recording scheduling are both easy to use. The stylish onscreen menus are easy to navigate, even if you lose
the remote control, because the PVR-8000Ts fascia panel buttons control all the main functions. While the programme information for recorded programmes is taken from the EPG, the Recorded Programme menu is rather lifeless. Editing is restricted to renaming, protecting or locking. The pause live TV option is useful though, allowing you to put TV into slow motion, skip 30secs forward, replay 7 secs before and pause for up to 30mins. Recording quality is fantastic with no sign of blocking and playback picture quality is equally superb. Two Scart outputs allow simultaneous output
of the signal to a TV and VCR, while the TV Scart outputs RGB, S-video and composite. The VCR Scart offers S-video and composite. For ease of use and recording quality the PVR8000T really is excellent value for money. Whats good Ease of use Recording quality Whats bad Single tuner Cant record radio stations
175 Leading satellite digibox specialist Pace aims for Freeview domination

Pace Twin

ACE SET THE STANDARD WITH THE first ever Freeview receiver, and broke new ground with this digital terrestrial hard disk recorder. The deck features twin tuners for multitask recording. This allows you to watch one digital channel while recording another. The problem is the small 20GB hard disk, only enough for 10hr of TV shows. The cool silver fascia has a small selection of keys. To the left of the LCD is a card slot, which will be indispensable when PayTV is finally introduced on Freeview. Rear hook-up options comprise two Scarts (one RGB, one S-video). The S-video aspect is particularly welcome. Those without Scarts on their
TV can receive digital channels via the RF out. Optical digital audio out and analogue audio sockets provide sound. The handset sports a user-friendly layout and the unit itself is also a joy to use. Once you insert your aerial feed, power up the box and it instantly searches for all Freeview channels. Recording the channel youre watching couldnt be simpler. Just hit the record button and itll start storing it on the hard disk. If you hit the Clip button on the remote, the unit will record a 30min chunk (increasing by 30min increments each time the button is pressed). Pressing the Clip button during
playback sets DVD-style bookmarks. As with Sky+, recording modes like SP or LP dont exist, so theres no way of substituting picture quality for recording time, but pictures viewed through RGB Scart are imbued with stunning clarity and definition. The high detail levels firmly put analogue to shame. Whats good User-friendly handset Stunning picture quality Whats bad Relatively low disk capacity No recording modes
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Hard disk video recorders

MAKE MODEL

SPECIFICATIONS
Price Subscription fee Recording formats Digital TV tuner Hard disk capacity Maximum recording time RGB recording DVD Playback Video CD/Super Video CD CD-R/CD-RW playback MP3/JPEG playback Tel Web

DIGIFUSION FVRT100

HUMAX PVR-8000T

PACE TWIN

SKY+ 160

THOMSON DHD-4000

THOMSON DTH-7500
250 N/A Hard disk Freeview 40GB 60hrs YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO www.fusiondigitec.com
200 N/A Hard disk Freeview 40GB 20hrs YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO www.humaxdigital.com
175 N/A Hard disk Freeview 20GB 10hrs+ YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO www.pace.co.uk
99 + installation 10 per month Hard disk Sky 40GB 20hrs YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO www.skyplus.co.uk
399 + installation 10 per month Hard disk Sky 160GB 80hrs YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO www.skyplus.co.uk
250 N/A Hard disk Freeview 40GB 20hrs YES NO NO/NO NO/NO NO/NO 01732 520920

www.thomson-europe.com

400 N/A Hard disk N/A 80GB 120hrs YES YES YES/YES YES/YES YES/YES 01732 520920

FEATURES

VideoPlus/PDC GuidePlus Satellite control Non-linear editing Playlist editing Timer No of recording modes Library system Chasing playback Pause live TV Rewind live TV Series Link Twin tuner NO/NO NO NO NO NO YES 3 YES NO YES NO NO YES We say: Existing recordings can be compressed to free-up disk space. The Thomson DHD 4000 is the only other PVR to offer this NO/NO NO NO NO NO YES 1 YES NO YES NO NO NO We say: The fixed transfer bitrateproduces a quality picture, which makes up for the lack of recording modes NO/NO NO NO NO NO YES 1 YES NO YES NO NO YES We say: It only records 10 hrs but that should be enough for most people NO/NO NO YES NO NO YES 1 YES YES YES YES YES YES We say: Sky+ is a satellite digibox that records and stores TV shows. It can even record interactive content now NO/NO NO YES NO NO YES 1 YES YES YES YES YES YES We say: Anyone with Sky+ who has a family fighting for hard disk space will welcome this 80hr capacity version NO/NO NO NO NO YES YES 1 YES NO YES YES NO YES We say: Existing recordings can be compressed to free-up disk space. The Digifusion FVRT100 is the only other PVR to offer this NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES YES YES YES NO NO We say: This unit is packed so full of electronics it can get quite hot. Cant be upgraded for TopUp TV We say: Effective recording using a conventional 3.5in hard drive means it can be easily upgraded, but this is already a sturdy performer. The lack of a chasing playback feature is an alarming oversight, though. NO/YES NO YES NO YES YES 3 YES NO YES YES NO NO We say: The 45-min pause live TV function can bestretched to 90-mins if you sacrifice quality

CONNECTIONS

RGB Scart in/out Component video out DVI or HDMI out S-video in/out Composite video in/out Stereo audio out Optical digital audio out Electrical digital audio out i.Link in/out Photo card slot NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES NO NO NO NO/NO NO We say: Video connections are generous but the process of burning to DVD is cumbersome and complex We say: Very good picture quality and some great features like twin digital tuners andits SP picture mode, but a few technical shortcomings let it down. An inability to playback recordings in progress as well as not being Top-up TV make this an average deck which is also quite noisy. NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES YES YES NO NO/NO NO We say: Single tuner means you cant watch one channel and record another We say: Easy to use, brilliant recording performance and featurepacked, this Korean unit is a gem, especially at the giveaway price. It may lack a second tuner, but little else, and by adressing that, Humax could easily become the market leader. NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES YES YES NO NO/NO YES We say: A smart-card slot ensures that you wont miss out if pay channels are added to Freeview We say: Excellent picture and sound, complemented by intuitive OSD. The HDD only takes 20GB, but this is reflected in a price drop that means its a fair value recorder. NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES YES YES NO NO/NO NO We say: Digital audio is great for enjoying Dolby Digital movies. Its also handy to have S-video and RGB outputs We say: 10 a month (or free if you take a Sky premium package) makes this a pricey option but for time-shifting TV shows theres nothing to beat it. Of course, for archiving your favourite programmes youll still need a DVD recorder. But try Sky+ and youll never look back. NO/YES NO NO NO/YES NO/YES YES YES NO NO/NO NO We say: Digital audio is great for enjoying Dolby Digital movies. Its also handy to have S-video and RGB outputs We say: Ouch 400 for the extra capacity will hurt and the 10 a month (or free if you take a Sky premium package) makes this a pricey option but for time-shifting TV shows theres nothing to beat it. Of course, for archiving your favourite programmes youll still need a DVD recorder. NO/YES NO NO YES/YES YES/YES YES YES NO NO NO We say: Scart inputs and outputs are RGBcompatible and the USB lets you view/listen to JPEGs and MP3s We say: Files can be transferred from CD-rs; this is clearly a precursor to media centres. The multi-region DVD function is no addon but a quality player in its own right.

VERDICT

Ease of Use Features Looks Picture Sound Value

OVERALL

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DVD recorder/VCR combis
Price Recording formats RGB recording DVD-Audio playback Video CD/Super Video CD CD-R/CD-RW playback MP3/JPEG playback Tel Web

BUSH DVR-H501

JVC DM-RV1

PANASONIC DMR-E75V

PHILIPS DVD R630VR
200 DVD-R, DVD-RW, VHS NO NO NO/NO YES/YES NO/YES www.bush-radio.co.uk
500 DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, VHS NO NO YES/NO YES/YES YES/YES www.jvc.co.uk
500 VHS; DVD-RAM; DVD-R YES YES (2-channel) YES/YES YES/YES YES/YES www.panasonic.co.uk
400 VHS, DVD+R, DVD+RW YES NO YES/YES YES/YES YES/YES www.philips.com/ce
VideoPlus/PDC GuidePlus Satellite control DVD variable bit-rate recording DVD non-linear editing DVD playlist editing Timer No of DVD recording modes Library system Chasing playback (DVD) Trick-play functions (DVD) Zoom (DVD) Progressive scan playback NO/NO NO NO NO YES YES YES 4 NO NO YES YES NO We say: Although difficult to compare, both VCR and DVD are very good in their own right, with DVD playback being first class YES/YES NO YES YES YES YES YES (8-event) 4 YES YES YES NO YES We say: Bitrates can be changed to match capacity left on a disk; they can even be mixed on recordable and rewriteable disks YES/YES NO YES YES YES YES YES (16-event) FLEXIBLE YES YES YES YES YES We say: This is a well-specified DVD recorder and player. The VCR section covers the basic features only YES/YES NO NO NO YES YES YES 4 NO NO YES YES YES We say: Philips first DVD recorder combined with a VCR looks well-featured and has the potential to be a star performer
RGB Scart in/out Component video out DVI or HDMI out S-video in/out Composite video in/out Stereo audio out Optical digital audio out Electrical digital audio out i.Link in/out Photo card slot NO/NO NO NO YES/NO YES/NO YES NO YES NO/NO NO We say: The connectivity may be limited (no S-video output), but thats to be expected at this price NO/YES YES NO YES/YES YES/NO YES YES NO YES/NO NO We say: S-video input only applies to DVD recorder, and theres no RGB for recording from digital TV YES/YES YES NO YES/YES YES/YES YES YES NO NO/NO NO We say: Nothing here for the camcorder or digital camera enthusiast but ideal for dubbing old VHS tapes to DVD YES/YES YES NO YES/YES YES/YES YES YES YES NO/NO NO We say: Not rated yet
Ease of Use Features Looks Picture Sound Value
We say: The basic features and sparse connectivity are more than made up for in the sheer quality of DVD playback and recording. Although audio is limited and CDs dont sound great, this highperforming combi is a bargain.

We say: Although a good performer with some nice features (you can watch VHS tapes in progressive scan mode), the VHS and DVD are not integrated well. enough. JVC could have more impact with their upcoming VHS/DVD recorder combi with built-in hard disk.
We say: Its the DVD recorder section that really impresses with excelllent recording and playback. The VCR performance is merely average but if all you really want to do is copy old VHS tapes to DVD then this is of little consequence and youll also be happy to forgive this Panasonics dire styling.

We say: Not rated yet.

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