The PVR capacity of the tiny Linux-powered Dreambox DM600PVR is determined by your preferences, and how much you're prepared to pay for the HDD you need to acquire.

Thanks to its size, notebook-PC type 2.5-inch IDE drives are the order of the day. We can also thank the DM600PVR's diminutive design for the external power unit.

This supplies 12V to the receiver and could be dispensed with entirely if the unit is to be installed in, say, a caravan with a 12V DC supply.

Compact receiver

Despite the smallness of this receiver – a mere 196 x 130 x 40mm – Dreambox's designers have crammed in a card reader. This is only active if you're emulating a CAM with one of the numerous plug-ins or third-party firmware that typify Dream Multimedia's maverick future-proofed approach to set-top boxes.

No CAM emulation is provided as standard, but a search of the various Dreambox-support internet forums will probably reveal what you're after. You don't get the CI capability, CompactFlash slot, USB ports or front-panel display of the DM600PVR's bigger brothers. The only control present is a standby button; the handset is essential. Made by UEI, this is identical to the remotes supplied with other Dreamboxes.

Although there's only one Scart, its output is switchable between RGB, composite, S-video and component. Composite video and S-video outputs are also available, and they're always active regardless of the Scart settings. Complementing them are a stereo analogue output and an AC3-ready optical digital output.

The single tuner's LNB input is accompanied by a loopthrough facility. There are no UHF aerial connections, which obviously means no modulator output. But you do get Ethernet which, as we'll discover, bestows upon the DM600PVR much power and, unusually, a built-in analogue modem. USB connectivity is absent, but a RS232 serial port is present for PC-based channel database organisation and firmware upgrades.

Simple enough setup

The first thing you'll probably want to do is fit an HDD. This is not a taxing task, although the lid needs to come off. An internal bracket is removed and the drive screwed to it. A ribbon cable is then plugged into the drive and the bracket and top cover refitted. The tuner module – an ALPS BSBE1-702A type – is plug-and-play.

You could replace the supplied satellite (DVB-S) tuner with a DTT (DVB-T) or (though not suitable for the UK) digital cable (DVB-C) one. The replacement rear panel is supplied with the receiver. Opening up the DM600PVR reveals that it's powered by the same variety of PowerPC-driven 'jungle chip' that you'll find in other Dreamboxes. However, this is rated at 250MIPS; the bigger Dreamboxes have faster (300MIPS) chips.

When you first power up the DM600PVR, which is supplied with the Enigma firmware as standard, a series of wizards help you install the receiver. They cover language, TV system, time-zone, initial dish/DiSEqC configuration and searching for channels – all parameters that can be modified later on via a battery of setup menus (here, you'll also find the option that formats any HDD you've installed – you'll need to do this before recording).

Get your motor running

If you're replacing an existing receiver in a motorised setup you can enter the original DiSEqC memory locations ('satellite numbers') LNB input and loopthrough output assigned to the motor by your original receiver. This saves you a lot of time. The DiSEqC capabilities are good; in addition to 1.2, the DM600PVR caters for simple switchboxes (1.0) and 1.3/USALS. All of the usual controls for dish movement are supported.