The 5000 found most hi-def services – BBC HD, Eins Festival and Luxe HD included – but ITV HD proved to be beyond its capabilities. A future firmware update – our test receiver had a very early version – will apparently address this.

Both picture and sound quality were first-rate, hi-def channels standing out with a rich visual texture and vivid, natural colour. By any standards, well-encoded standard-def programming fares well too, even with upscaling engaged. Sound quality, whether radio or TV, is detailed and clear.

If you're after a reasonably priced HD receiver and aren't bothered about the bells or whistles, the HDCI- 5000 is worth considering. We hope that improved firmware will fix some of our criticisms, especially the unused Ethernet port, underused USB, limited search capabilities and ITV HD incompatibility.

Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview