It's probably fair to say that the much-hyped Freesat initiative has been something of a fiasco so far.

Much of the promised hardware has not yet materialised and, as a result, supply has failed to meet demand.

However, there are alternatives – especially if you're specifically interested in getting hi-def for free.

Freesat alternatives

Indeed, distributor Turbosat has been promoting the MVision HD200 – and its 'Combo' bigger brother, which adds Freeview DTT reception and is the subject of this review – as Freesat alternatives.

Although these receivers don't support uniquely Freesat features like the EPG, they are ready for free-to-air, hi-def channels. That means BBC HD and, thanks to a firmware tweak, the ITV HD channel that was hitherto a Freesat 'exclusive'.

In terms of other features, though, the HD200 duo goes far beyond the average Freesat offering. You get common interface capability, Conax CAM emulation and DiSEqC 1.2 dish control. And all of this for not much more than the price of one of those elusive Freesat boxes.

Solid build

The midi-sized HD200 Combo is quite distinctive-looking, with a front panel that gently slopes inwards towards a slightly recessed centre section – thereby guiding your attention to the controls and green channel-number display that live there.

Sensibly, basic menu control is available from these buttons and so day-to-day operation doesn't have to rely on the handset.

The latter is of far better quality than is the norm with satellite receivers, owing to a solid feel, good layout and the pre-programmed ability to operate many third-party TVs, VCRs and DVD players.

The same handset is used with some other MVision receivers and so some of the labelled buttons (notably DivX playback, which is sadly not supported here) have no effect.

Versatile connectivity

Behind a flap located on the receiver's right 'cheek' reside the viewing-card slot for the built-in CAM and a single CI slot. On the rear panel are a battery of terminals that nod to the Combo's flexibility.

These include HDMI and analogue component (both of which will convey 'native' hi-def or upscaled standard-def video up to 1080i), the single satellite tuner's LNB input and loopthrough output, VCR and (RGB-compatible) TV Scarts, coaxial/optical digital audio and a USB 2.0 port.

The latter is provided for firmware updates, MP3/JPEG playback and the 'back-up' or installation of channel databases from memory devices.

Turbosat told us that a future firmware version will add USB PVR functionality, if a FAT32-formatted USB hard drive is plugged in. This should be available by the time you read this.

No hi-def Freeview

Exclusive to the 'Combo' version are a terrestrial aerial input and output for the DTT tuner which, it should be made clear, is DVB-T only and will thus be incompatible with the proposed Freeview hi-def channels (which are likely to employ DVB-T2).

Internal construction – which partners a Samsung tuner with the powerful STi7100 chipset – is neat, if a little busy. Unfortunately, the receiver runs very warm; under no circumstances should its cooling vents be obstructed.

Straightforward menus

The main menus that configure the unit are nicely presented, animated gaming console-style icons being used to select one of the five main sections. As is the norm nowadays, the handset's 'coloured' buttons access relevant submenus,thereby reducing superfl uous onscreen clutter.

For the most part the menus are well-organised. There are exceptions to the rule; why the item that switches the digital audio output between PCM and AC3 (Dolby Digital bitstreams) is in the OSD setup menu is anyone's guess.

In the installation menu you can search for satellite and DTT channels. Related menus configure LNBs, a four-way DiSEqC 1.0 LNB switch or – if you've gone all the way – a DiSEqC 1.2 or USALS motorised mount.

These potentially confusing menus are of excellent design, all of the relevant items (e.g. satellite selection, dish movement, limit setting) being laid out intuitively.

Frustrating searches

Our only criticism of them is that DiSEqC 'step' movement is rather coarse, making peaking of a motorised dish difficult. You have to search each satellite manually; no provision has been made for automated multi-satellite searches. Searches can be conducted on a transponder-by transponder basis.

An alternative is to search all of the satellite's pre-programmed transponders. 'All-channel', FTAonly and network searches can also be specified. If you want to manually enter PIDs you need to set up and store a transponder with the relevant values; only then can you seek out the desired channel.

Unwanted transponders can be deleted if need be. For some reason manual FEC selection is only available for DVB-S2 channels.

Blind search is, sadly, not a feature of these models. Fortunately, automatic searching finds both DVB-S and DVB-S2 channels.