N Issue date Circulation Frequency Size
: 90208 : 08 February 2009 : 1389000 : Weekly : 100% Page : 10,11
THEY PUT YOU IN CONTROL OF TV
Personal video recorders enable you to pause live TV, record series with just one touch and store hundreds of shows on hard disk. John Archer tests five of the best
BEST FOR EXTRAS ON A BUDGET
VIRGIN MEDIA V+ 99 (plus subscription)
The hardware is similar to the Sky+ HD box but Virgins high-def content (delivered over cable) is limited to BBC HD and a few pay-to-view films and shows. The V+ box displays HD as adeptly as Skys but only when it comes to the extras does it stand out: a basic 16-a-month subscription includes a phone line, the Virgin Central TV-on-demand channel and hundreds of films (at up to 5 a time). Verdict: Despite the high-speed promise of cable, the V+ is a little sluggish to respond. An upgraded box is promised for the spring. www.virginmedia.com/v+
BEST FOR MASSIVE DISK SPACE

TOPFIELD TF5810PVR 260

BEST FOR RECORDING OPTIONS

PANASONIC DMR-EX88 350

BEST BUY
The DMR-EX88 contains just a single Freeview digital tuner, but thats the only blot on its copybook. It has a 400GB hard disk and a recordable DVD drive so you can copy CDs onto the hard disk, or transfer recorded video onto DVD. The most economical recording option translates to 712 hours of viewing. The box can upscale standard-definition video and DVDs to 1080p. Verdict: A vast array of features and exceptional picture quality, although it cannot display one channel while recording another.
This Topfields 500GB drive is large enough to store at least 250 hours of immaculate, uncompressed Freeview recordings from its twin tuners. You can even free up space by downloading software that allows you to edit out commercial breaks. There is also a picture-in-picture system, so you can watch two shows at once, plus 1080i upscaling of Freeviews standard definition signal. Verdict: Delivers bags of features and loads of space although that quality doesnt come cheap. www.topfield.co.uk

www.panasonic.co.uk

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HUMAX FOXSAT-HDR 300

BEST FOR SUBSCRIPTION-FREE HD

SERVICES COMPARED

These five PVRs cover four digital broadcasting platforms. Freeview This popular subscription-free service doesnt require a satellite dish or cable connection. It offers 48 digital television channels (all at standard definition) and 24 radio stations. Freesat A subscription-free satellite broadcasting service offering about 140 digital TV channels and radio stations. Youll need to pay for a dish (although you can hook it up to an unused Sky dish). High-definition programming is limited to BBC HD, which screens shows from the corporations various channels, and HD simulcasts (broadcasts going out at the same time as the standard version) of selected ITV1 shows. Sky The satellite broadcaster in which News Corporation, the parent company of The Sunday Times, has a 39.1% stake will deliver more than 200 channels if you pop for a top-level, 65.75 monthly subscription. Thirty-one of those are in HD, including dedicated film and sports offerings. Virgin Available mainly in urban areas served by a cable TV system, the Virgin Media service offers a three-tier package of 45, 100 and 165 channels. The top package costs 29.50 a month and includes a Virgin phone line.
This PVR lets you watch and record standard-def channels and some HD from the Freesat digital satellite platform for free. HD and SD recordings from its two tuners are impeccable, and its 320GB hard disk is big enough for 80 hours of HD and 200 hours of SD. Its compatible with the sophisticated Freesat electronic programme guide, which is arguably superior to Skys class-leading system.
Verdict: Youre paying relatively heavily for an HD-capable machine that receives only 1 HD channels: the BBC and some ITV shows. www.humaxdigital.com

SKY+ HD 49 (plus subscription)
BEST FOR CHOICE OF HD CHANNELS
The satellite broadcasters 31-channel high-definition service can be viewed only via its own twin-tuner Sky+ HD box. Lucky, then, that its an excellent PVR. It handles an HD picture superbly when set to maximum resolution of 1080i. The boxs price is low, but even the most basic mix of HD and SD channels costs 26.25 a month. And nearly half the 300GB disk is eaten up by Skys download service.
Verdict: Both high and standard-def TV look great, but theres no upscaling option and you can store only about 40 hours of HD. www.sky.com/hd