The Sagemcom DTR67320Tx slimline Freeview+ recorder confounds expectations. A cursory glance may suggest it has little to offer beyond basic standard-def timeshifting, as it doesn't have DVB-T2 tuners.

However, Sagecom apparently believes that's no reason to deny folks additional functionality.

Slight, with distinctive rounded corners, the DTR67320T un-selfconsciously plays the whimsical design card. The front panel display is a rather lurid orange. In standby the time is displayed, which then changes to channel number when the device is powered.

The rear panel offers two Scarts, an HDMI output, optical and coaxial digital audio outputs plus component video. If you select the latter, you lose RGB from the Scart.

There is also a USB port on the front fascia for media playback. Not only does this display high-resolution JPEGs, but it also plays MP3s with album art.

The remote control is a generic grey zapper. Keys need a determined press, but it gets the job done. Installation proceeds at a leisurely pace, but without undue complication.

Intriguingly, this little fellow can upscale its standard-def HDMI output to 1080i. There's a variety of output settings on offer: 576i, 576p, 720p and 1080i. It's not possible to scale the component output, though, which is fixed at 576i.

The electronic programme guide is also a cut above. It features a live TV window so that you can stay in touch with your chosen telly while you peruse the eight-day channel listing. This can be scoured in either List or Grid mode.

Quiet and roomy

As with most modern PVRs, the unit runs extremely quietly. With dual Freeview tuners on board, two channels can be recorded at once.

The hard drive is a moderately large 320GB, enough for around 160 hours of TV (one hour of recording time equates to between 2 and 2.5 hours HDD space on this machine). The DTR 67320 automatically records a two-hour buffer. So, in addition to pausing live TV, you can shuttle back through the cache to find something you may have inadvertently missed.

The recordings library can be filtered by genre (movie, news, children, music, etc) or title. You can also create folders for better organisation. Video files can be renamed or merged, or even exported onto a USB device, as .TS files. Once moved to an external drive, I found I could play them back in a compatible media player without issue. This level of versatility really does give Sagecom an edge over rivals.

Picture quality is excellent when it comes to SD. While it may be tempting to immediately hit that upscaler, I should point out that my preferred viewing option was 576p. Although the onboard de-interlacer and scaler work well, they do tend to throw an emphasis on low bitrate artefacts. T

he DTR67320T is not just a recorder, it's also a media jukebox, capable of playing JPEGs and MP3s, as well as import or export them to and from USB. Artist, album, title and genre metadata on MP3s can be edited, while images can be zoomed or rotated.

I transferred over an MP3 album to the DTR67320 and, once resident, it could be accessed and played, complete with album art. Snaps can be played as a slideshow with musical accompaniment, beit an MP3 on the USB stick or on the hard drive or a Freeview radio station.

Overall, this Sagecom is exceptionally versatile. Feature wise, it leaps ahead of its immediate competition and image quality is good. Given the price, we rate this miniscule machine as a bit of a steal.

The Toshiba HDR5010 is one of the more conventional-looking PVRs in recent months. While rivals tease with wacky designs, this Toshiba is slim and staid. It'll easily slip into a standard equipment rack, or stand atop other slice of AV gear.

A clear channel display and bright blue/red power button decorate the fascia. The HDR5010 sports two Freeview HD tuners, allowing two HD channels to be recorded at once to its chunky 500GB drive.

You don't have to look too closely to spot operational similarities to the TVonics DTR-Z500HD.

The HDR5010 similarly has two HDMI inputs, allowing it to function as a source switcher. You choose which feed to route through the unit by selecting the relevant HDMI input button on the remote. Backside connectivity includes a Scart, a digital audio output, (non-functioning) Ethernet LAN and two USB ports. Neither USB offers media playback, but they will let you view your JPEG snaps.

The HDR5010 is a doddle to use, always a key virtue for a digital recorder. When connected for the first time it makes short shrift of the channel tuning procedure and is soon ready to play.

The live pause buffer varies from 1, 2 and 4 hours. For most of us, a couple of hours will more than suffice, although the hard drive is so big it's no problem to set the cache on maximum. There's also picture-in-picture functionality.

The HDR5010's user interface is rather neat, overlaying your recorded stash in a translucent window. There're plenty of library management options: you can filter recordings by file size or age, and if you want to prevent accidental (or malicious!) deletions you can lock them down and throw away the key.

Hopping between Freeview's Radio and TV functionality is made all the easier through dedicated keys. Thoughtfully, Toshiba offers a screensaver for plasma owners that's designed to help prevent possible image retention of station logos.

There are no surprises when it comes to basic functionality. Recordings can be made via the TV guide or live transmissions, and you'll get prompts if you inadvertently opt for a standard-definition show when there's a more beguiling HD version elsewhere. You can also Series Link whatever you want, while Playback can be started before a recording has even finished.

Awash with detail

Picture quality is very good, mirroring the fidelity of original transmissions. No prizes for surmising that this PVR looks its best with hi-def fare. Detail drips from the two BBC channels in particular.

Once viewed, TV shows that hold extra interest can be archived to another recorder, albeit only in standard-def form; just lace up the HDR5010 to your archiving machine by Scar and hit Play/Record. There's no dubbing in HD.

Bonus niceties include an audio tweak that enables you to alter the delay variable between 0ms and 250ms (in 10ms increments), and Dynamic Range Control. The former may be useful if you have an older flatpanel with latency/sync issues, however we'd advise leaving DRC well alone (particularly if you're routing the box into a home cinema system), as it just robs any sparkle from the audio track.

Operating noise is exceptionally low, and the HDD itself is well behaved, running cool even after prolonged usage.

The HDR5010 is a well-built, likeable Freeview+HD recorder that's highly suitable for use in home cinema systems. A large hard drive, convenience features and a polite disposition make it a great option.

If you're looking for a workhorse Freeview timeshifter, then the humble Humax PVR-9150T could fit the bill.

It doesn't have a Freeview HD tuner, but that might not be an issue if you're (a) working to a tight budget, (b) looking for a digital recorder for a second room or (c) just need a digital tuner to feed an older TV, in order to give it life and purpose beyond the Digital Switchover.

Design wise, the PVR-9150T is pretty tidy and can be easily housed without rearranging the furniture. Admittedly, the rippled fascia design may not be to everyone's taste, but at least it looks distinctive.

For added convenience, there're some on-body controls plus a CI card slot hidden beneath a fascia flap.

This is very much a standard-def box with a retro attitude. Instead of HD connections, you get a couple of Scarts, one a TV output and the other a loopthrough for a set-top box or similar gizmo. There's also an RS232 port designated for firmware updates (which we can pretty much guarantee will never be used).

Eco warriors may also take solace from the fact that they can shut the unit down via a power rocker on the back panel whenever they pop down the road for some lentils.

It's driven by a large, unsubtle remote control, which at first glance looks like a dog toy.

Old-school GUI

As befits the somewhat dated specification, the user interface is suitably retro. I rather like its blocky demeanour, as it's not without charm.

Installation is straightforward, but channels are slow to populate. Beneath the bonnet reside two standard-definition Freeview tuners, which enable two channels to be recorded simultaneously. You can schedule each from the programme guide in the time-honoured fashion, padding either the start and stop times to ensure you don't miss a beat. There's also an option to record single shows or entire series.

The hard drive is a relatively modest 160GB, equating to around 100 hours of standard-def TV. Go easy on the season linking because this PVR will fill up fast.

Naturally, you can view your recordings on time delay, perhaps to skip over the ads or finish the washing up. Unusually, the PVR-9150T sports an ad-skip button that jumps forward in your recordings at the touch of a button. The leap is adjustable between 15, 30, 60 or 120 seconds. There's also a bookmarking feature, enabling you to rejoin a recording you failed to finish in a previous sitting. You can also PiP a second source, to keep an eye on a channel you're waiting to view.

Recording quality is good, with little deviation from original transmissions. As a result, higher quality mainstream channels look perfectly acceptable while highly-compressed shopping channel fodder struggles for clarity.

No HDMI

As there's no HDMI output, the PVR-950T cannot scale images. So what comes out of the box is neat 576i on the rocks. If you're hooking it up to a flatpanel, it will scale the image accordingly.

One key aspect of any PVR is its operational noise. The good news is that this standard-def diva doesn't raise the roof. There's an onboard fan but it's whisper-quiet.

Overall, the PVR-950T is an unassuming, jobbing recorder. Given its low price it's difficult to complain about the lack of hi-def. If your online dating profile includes the words 'Quiet', 'slightly dull' and 'easy' the PVR-950T should be right up your street.

The BD-DT7800 is Samsung's first stab at a standalone hi-def PVR, but with several Freeview HD/Blu-ray combis already under its belt the Korean company is in familiar territory.

It's a twin-tuner affair with most of the TV recording and editing tools you need, but what sets it apart from most other PVRs on the market is the inclusion of Smart Hub, the brand's impressive array of connected applications.

This idea is not new; Humax brought out a 'TV Portal' for its HDR-FOX T2 that streams Sky Player, BBC iPlayer and others, while TVonics has added similar functions to its PVRs with a recent software update, but Samsung's superior selection of sites and dazzling onscreen presentation will knock them both into a cocked hat. The BD-DT7800 comes equipped with two DVB-T2 tuners and a sizeable 500GB hard disk.

The outer design is up to Samsung's usual standards. Build quality is first class and there's glamorous brushed silver on the fascia, plus touch-sensitive controls along the front. Daring for a PVR.

On the back is a standard array of sockets, which naturally includes an HDMI output. Strangely, we find ourselves lamenting the lack of a Scart output, chiefly because it means that you can't make copies of internal recordings on external hardware. That might mean much to some, but if you want to burn last night's Deal or No Deal for your Gran then you're out of luck.

Elsewhere you'll find component, composite, optical digital audio and analogue stereo outputs, plus a USB port on the front panel, which is the same lineup as Samsung's Blu-ray decks. Samsung merged its Freeview set-top box and Blu-ray divisions not so long ago, so expect to find the same operating system and snazzy networking features here.

Share everything

AllShare DLNA networking is the most mouth-watering, enabling you to stream digital media from any PC or connected device, and thanks to Samsung's open-minded approach to format support, it'll stream almost anything, including MKV, WMV, DivX HD, MP3, WMA and JPEG.

And with built-in wi-fi it's easy to get online, but if you prefer you can play media from a USB storage device or external HDD.

Smart Hub is a new addition to Samsung's arsenal this year, and its inclusion on a Freeview PVR is a massive bonus as it's a great catch-up accompaniment to its live TV capabilities. It brings a range of applications to your TV, such as BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Picasa, LOVEFiLM and BBC News, but it's all in the presentation.

The apps are laid out in a funky grid as per the iPhone or Android. You can also organise them into folders, search those apps for content containing a particular keyword, or delve into Your Video to find movies to watch.

Turning to Freeview, there's an eight-day EPG with series link, while Time Shift lets you perform the usual playback gymnastics and a range of editing modes enables you to trim down or split your recordings. It's fairly flexible in all ways except one – despite the inclusion of two tuners you can't record two channels simultaneously, due to the fact that only one of them is linked to the hard-disk drive. That's a frustrating oversight, which is bound to deter many potential buyers.

Still, Samsung's onscreen presentation is as eye-catching as ever, particularly the main Home menu (which uses large animated icons) and the intelligently arranged EPG, which crams everything into a single screen without seeming cluttered. DLNA content streams with minimum fuss, while Smart Hub is generally a cinch to use, although it's cumbersome to enter text – luckily it remembers passwords.

Videos streamed over the BBC iPlayer app ran smoothly and the picture quality is surprisingly crisp. We're also impressed by the BD-DT7800's Freeview picture quality – particularly HD, which dazzles the retinas with pin-sharp detail and bright, glossy colours.

It's no mug with standard def either, upscaling the images without injecting any extra noise, although it does look a little ragged in places, an unavoidable consequence of the platform's low-bitrate broadcasts. You can also convert Freeview pictures to 3D – another crossover with Samsung's Blu-ray decks, and this potentially opens up more 3D material, of variable quality though.

Highly talented

That said, it's features like this that make the BD-DT7800 one of the most interesting and talented Freeview HD PVRs to emerge in recent times, with the range of superb network functions being the main attraction.

If Samsung could sort out the dual-channel recording issue, we'd have had an absolute must-buy on our hands.

The Vu+ Solo is a single-tuner DVB-S2-compatible digital TV receiever and so HDTV-ready. Like many Linux-based receivers, this one runs a variant of the Enigma firmware – we used the recommended VIX image.

Its basic design is understated, with an uncluttered front panel finished in matt black. There's no front-panel display, which makes the relevant setup menu in VIX fairly redundant. Instead, a couple of LEDs indicate basic receiver status.

Sadly, there's no loopthrough output, nor can you fit an internal HDD; for PVR use, an external storage device is essential.

Onscreen displays extended beyond what is defined as the 'safe area', obscuring text and making the receiver a bit awkward to drive. Happily, a compensatory menu item fixed this anomaly after a reboot.

Enigma-issue installation wizards cover language, display calibration and networking. The tuner is configured to the outdoor kit you're using – different types of LNB and DiSEqC satellite-selection hardware can be accommodated at this stage.

Searching can then proceed on a satellite or transponder basis. As is the case with all receivers running Enigma2, there's no blind search, and PID selection is not incorporated. Searches can accommodate all channels, or just the free ones.

An embedded Broadcom 333MHz processor, aided by 384MB of RAM and 128MB of non-volatile flash memory, beats at the heart of this receiver. Searches are, alas, rather slow. Fortunately, the receiver is far more responsive in regular use.

Channels can be sorted by satellite, provider or (user-definable) favourites lists. A multi-channel 'timeline' EPG spans 11 consecutive channels at once; the alternative is a more descriptive single-channel mode. DVB and XML-downloaded now-and-next and seven-day schedules fall within the EPG's remit, as do text searches and timer setting.

Timeshifting and recording are both supported, as is the ability to record and view two different channels on the same transponder.

Multimedia playback – from USB or networked storage devices – is possible with a good range of formats, but a separate picture viewer application is deemed necessary. A wide range of plug-ins is available.

Verdict

The picture/sound quality and responsiveness of the Solo can't be faulted. The handset, which looks good and handles well, is also noteworthy for its handy shortcut buttons.

If you're after a no-nonsense budget Linux receiver with some cool features, the Solo is worth considering.

As sold, the Golden Media 990 CR HD PVR SPARK LX uses a proprietary Linux firmware known as Spark (though Enigma2 images for this receiver exist). The downside is that you don't get anywhere near the choice of support and plug-ins.

On the 'up' side, Spark is optimised for the available hardware – a compact box with a DVB-S2 tuner, comprehensive (wired) networking, a powerful multimedia engine, Conax-ready smart-card reader (no CI here) and connectivity that includes a single rear-panel USB port, HDMI and Scart.

Thanks to this, the 990 is a fairly responsive receiver in terms of searching and daily use. An ST40-300 450MHz processor, aided by 128MB of RAM (and over 512MB of flash memory) help here.

The more conventional Spark user interface is much easier to get to grips with than the admittedly more flexible Enigma2, which can be quite intimidating for newcomers. The handset has a pleasant feel, and useful shortcut buttons. It's easy to choose the satellites available to you from a list (using a global map), configure them (all fixed and motorised DiSEqC configurations are catered for) and then search.

Searching options are, alas, limited – basically permutations of free and encrypted channels, with network scanning if required. Adding and editing transponders (frequency/polarity/symbol rate/ FEC/mode) is allowed but manual PID entry isn't. Channel lists can be sorted alphabetically or by satellite, encryption, provider or HD status and 32 favourites lists created.

The EPG, which can set the timer, shows the current or a future programme for up to nine channels or in a more detailed single-channel view. With a USB or NAS drive, the 990 becomes a 'watch one, record another' PVR with timeshifting.

Spark offers a range of handy features such as YouTube (with downloads), Shoutcast Internet radio, Picasa (photos), RSS (Internet news feeds) and an Opera web-browser (basic and slow). Media can also be played from USB/networked storage.

But trying to play some video files from USB would crash the receiver if connected to our network.

Verdict

The Golden Media 990 CR HD PVR SPARK LX is a zippy little receiver with a surprising range of features and fine pictures and sound, HD especially.

Though lacking plug-in support, Spark's sheer ease of use will endear it to users who want the networking flexibility of a Linux box without the hassle.

Overview

The TM-800 HD is Technomate's most affordable Linux-based receiver and our review unit came pre-installed with a variant ('IQ') of the Enigma 2 firmware 'image' that you'll find on many competing Linux-based products like the Dreambox.

At least four other 800 HD-compatible images are also available. Dealers can usually install the one of your choice.

The hardware it runs on, which is based on an NXP 'jungle chip', is well specified. It's HD-capable, the single Sharp tuner supporting DVB-S2 channels. A card slot (capable of emulating various CAMs, with the appropriate Enigma plug-in) is present, although there's no conditional access slot.

Among a healthy sprinkling of connectivity are HDMI, USB and, of course, Ethernet – an internal Wi-Fi upgrade is available as an option. Also optional is PVR functionality. The 800 HD will record onto USB media if you're not prepared to install an internal 2.5-inch drive.

The 800 HD has been available for over a year now, and during that time was plagued by problems (at one point there was a product recall). Although now stable enough to be given the Wotsat treatment, it's still not perfect, although Technomate assures us that a major new firmware revision is in the wings.

Build and connectivity

Other than a huge blue-backlit joypad, the most prominent feature of this pleasantly styled midi-sized receiver's front panel is an informative alphanumeric display. Channel names or status information scroll along merrily, and the display also acts a clock when in standby. Under this are a series of basic controls.

A pull-down flap, meanwhile, conceals a USB port, a card reader and blanked-off CI slot. The remote control has plenty of useful 'shortcut' buttons – available functions include satellite selection, recordings, timer, video modes, multimedia and positioner – but its feel leaves much to be desired.

The buttons have a rather lumpy feel to them and sometimes catch on the casework. Some of the smaller ones are awkward to operate, too.

On the rear panel is a healthy sprinkling of connectivity. Underneath its LNB input you'll find a loopthrough output. Next to these are an aerial input and output for the onboard UHF modulator, which can be surprisingly useful for simple multi-room reception.

The 800 HD is well prepared for better-quality options, though. A pair of Scarts and a HDMI port are complemented by component and composite outputs. Audio outputs are optical digital and stereo analogue phonos. A couple of bungs cover the holes into which sockets for the aerials associated with an optional Wi-Fi adapter (£50 though some dealers are currently bundling it with the receiver) would be mounted. A second USB port, RS232 port and a modem jack round off the data socketry.

Talking of which, there's a catch if self-contained PVR operation is needed. To accommodate an internal HDD, which screws into a bracket located just behind the front panel, you'll require a SATA-to-USB converter. This is wired internally to the main board instead of the front-panel USB socket, which is as a consequence no longer available. It is disappointing that no SATA interface is built in.

The irony is that the beefy internal power supply – designed with DiSEqC mounts in mind – has a SATA power cable trailing from it.

Setup

A dedicated system menu is provided for basic receiver configuration. In AV settings the output mode (PAL/50 or NTSC/60) and resolution can be specified. For HDMI, all modes from 480p/576p to 1080p are available.

Another menu configures networking – separate categories cover Wi-Fi (if fitted) and Ethernet. If you're using Wi-Fi, WEP, WPA or WPA2 encryption can be specified. To ease network configuration, DHCP is supported. There's also a network wizard, but attempting to use this always caused the receiver to crash.

Alternative skins, which customise the appearance of the user interface, can be chosen. Other menus look after parental controls and languages and video fine-tuning (aka a test-pattern generator).

Two basic setup modes – simple and advanced – are available. The first is ideal for basic systems – notably those using a single dish/LNB or a DiSEqC 1.0 setup. For the latter, each of the four positions can be assigned to a specific satellite.

In the 'advanced' menu, far more parameters (notably relating to LNB type and DiSEqC) are available. In addition to 1.0, this receiver supports 1.2 and USALS – all of the usual controls for dish movement are supported via the handset's coloured buttons. Hardware blind search is missing, although we might eventually see it in software 'plug-in' form.

Searching can be taking place on single transponders or complete satellites – all channels, or just free ones, can be found and stored. FEC and symbol rate can be specified for manual searches, but you can't enter PIDs.

One of the plug-ins present on the review sample was a satfinder, which displays larger-than-usual strength/quality bar graphs for a user-specified satellite/transponder. It's a shame that signal level isn't represented by an audible tone which could aid dish installation.

Performance

Basic use

The channel list – accessed with the 'OK' button in the middle of the joypad – arranges the database into four categories, which are selected with the coloured buttons. You can sort the list by 'all' (everything, sorted alphabetically), satellite, provider or 25 categorised 'favourites'. It's easy to add channels to, or delete them from, these lists as taste dictates. Adding or removing lists can be conducted with similar ease.

Pressing the 'info' button brings up now-and-next data. Running time and icons depicting audio and aspect ratio are also displayed. Press it again and more detailed information is available – the red, green and yellow buttons list service information, PIDs and transponder details respectively.

With the 800 HD, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to EPGs. The standard one has two modes. One focuses on one channel's schedule, and has a search facility. However, the virtual keyboard into which you enter your search terms is slow to respond, and as a consequence it's easy to overshoot the desired character.

The other one allows you to see what multiple channels are broadcasting within a given timeslot, complete with elapsed-time bar graphs – 'now', 'next' and 'more' tabs allow you to work through the schedules.

From either mode, you can zap to the highlighted channel or set the timer. Seven-day data is supported where available.

Courtesy of an EPG Import plug-in, the 800 HD automatically downloads schedules in XML format – these can be manually updated if need be. Two more types of EPG are available as input expansions (press the yellow button in normal TV mode). 'Cool Multi Guide' tables the offerings of up to six channels of the current list on a three-hour time frame, and a 'graphical multi-EPG' does the same for a particular favourites list. Here, the timeline is two hours and seven channels can be accommodated.

PVR and multimedia

With a hard drive – internal or external – present, the 800 HD becomes a single-tuner PVR. However, it's currently very limited compared with what's offered by other PVRs.

Most obviously, there's no timeshift functionality. If the phone starts ringing you'll have to start recording the programme that was hitherto absorbing your attention. But you cannot, alas, start playing the recording until it has completed. Nor can you access an existing recording (or anything else) while another one is in progress.

More positively, you can watch another channel carried via the same transponder as another that's recording. Available channels are highlighted in the channel list – others are 'greyed out'. You can't record two such channels simultaneously.

The remote dedicates a button to the recordings list. Icons inform you what's been watched, and what hasn't. From here recordings can be selected for viewing, deleted or moved to an alternative storage device.

Uniquely, recordings can be filtered by 'tags' contained within the EPG-derived recording name. The ability to enter your own search term hasn't been included, though.

Trick playback is available, but this isn't perfect. The display is not refreshed at higher than 2x speed (you can go all the way to 128x) and so you're effectively working blind.

There's no such problem, mercifully, with SD channels. Time-seek is also available. Pressing 'bookmark' only brings up transport controls.

You're given the impression that the coloured buttons are used for playback functions – this isn't so. Instead, a set of dedicated transport buttons is provided.

An annoying bug we encountered with our sample was that recording wouldn't start on occasions. Under these circumstances it randomly flashed 'a record has been started' messages onscreen, and although a corresponding entry was present in the recording database there was nothing that could be played. Tellingly, the animated recording icon on the fluorescent display was inactive. A restart was the only cure.

The 800 HD will play multimedia content from USB but not (yet) networked devices. A wide range of codecs and formats are supported, including MKV and MP3.

The media player has two sections – a media list, and a playlist to which one or more items are added. A menu function switches between the two. Annoyingly, 'wrap-around' access to list of media isn't allowed; there are other bugs too. Deleting playlists doesn't always do so, and you can't just select files for playback. A 'picture player' plug-in is needed for still images. It's very clumsy and needs work.

Networking features are excellent, as you'd expect from a Linux box. Among other things, a web interface allows you to change channels from a browser running on a computer connected to your network. Streaming TV from the receiver to a computer is supported, as is FTP; use this, and recordings (in the .ts format) can be transferred.

Performance

Although sensitivity was good, searches were slower than we've come to expect from newer receivers. Even switching between channels on the same transponder can take three seconds.

Overall, the TM-800 HD was very stable – our experience compared favourably with that of early adopters. During the review period, it crashed signifi cantly only once. A 'Digital Worldz' message flashed onscreen ad infinitum, and a hard reset was required.

Picture and sound quality are excellent, especially via HDMI and the analogue outputs, including RGB Scart, were much better than expected too.

Those 'going digital' (or upgrading) are faced with a fundamental question – terrestrial or satellite? Like a handful of other receivers, the Golden Media Uni-box 9080 CRCI HD PVR Combo covers both.

The satellite part is compatible with both DVB-S and DVB-S2 signals, and can tune into standard and high-definition channels alike. Unfortunately, the terrestrial tuner is only conversant with DVB-T signals. In the UK this means the Uni-box will only receive standard-definition broadcasts.

A USB port allows the receiver to be converted into a basic PVR – and this is where those two tuners come in handy. Some varieties of multimedia content can also be fed into the unit via USB, while an Ethernet port provides some limited functionality.

The Uni-box is ready for pay-TV, courtesy of a dual Conax smart-card reader and a pair of CI slots.

Build and connectivity

The midi-sized Uni-box looks classy and unpretentious. Dominating the front panel is a generously proportioned alpha-numeric fluorescent display that, among other things, shows the current time and channel.

The entire front panel, which is held shut with magnetic catches, hinges downwards to reveal a selection of buttons for menu access, volume/channel-change and standby. Many receiver features are thus accessible without recourse to the handset – which, in contrast to the receiver, is disappointing.

Some of its tiny and close-spaced buttons are labelled with hieroglyphics lacking any discernible function. With the drawbridge down, the conditional access hardware is also available. Sadly, there's no front panel USB port.

We noticed after a few days that the (fanless) Uni-box had a tendency to run rather warm, though our testing took place in summer.

On the rear panel is a decent range of connectivity. Ranged horizontally, and bunched rather closely together, are the inputs and loopthrough outputs of the satellite and DTT tuners.

Under these is a sextet of phono sockets carrying component video, composite video and analogue stereo audio, plus a single USB port and HDMI 1.2 connector. There are also two Scart sockets (one of which is wired for RGB), a RS232 port for data transfer and an Ethernet terminal.

Finally, we have bitstream-capable coaxial/optical S/PDIF outputs and a mains switch that will take your standby power consumption down to zero watts.

Setup

All menus are arranged on a carousel. One of them is 'installation', within which you'll find submenus for conventional satellite/terrestrial installation, 'fast' satellite searching (specific to a number of non-UK providers) and 'auto-installation'.

The latter examines the dishes and switchboxes connected to the LNB input, and automatically determines the available satellites. We've seen nothing like it. Once the list has been built you can search each of the discovered satellites in turn.

Also unique is the final item, 'satellite guide'. Enter your site latitude/longitude, plus the longitude of the desired satellite and the Uni-box will calculate the necessary elevation and azimuth angles.

The satellite installation menu is rather conventional. Choose a bird from the list of satellites and your LNB type. Unicable, single-band and universal types are all supported – there's also a user-definable alternative.

In the installation menu a DiSEqC switch position can be assigned; if you're using a motorised dish it can be set up from here. Both 1.2 and USALS types are catered for – the usual features (such as continuous/step movement, position recalculation/global shift and limit setting for DiSEqC 1.2) are all present.

The signal strength and quality bars indicate how well the currently selected transponder is being received. Single transponders or entire satellites can be scanned; TV and/or radio, plus free or all channels, can be specified beforehand. New transponders can also be added and existing ones edited.

The only available parameters are frequency, symbol rate and polarity. Disappointingly, entering or modifying PIDs is not allowed. Blind scan is available, although you cannot change the frequency step-size.

A 'service' main-menu option on the carousel covers channel organisation. Services can be moved, locked, deleted, renamed, skipped or added to one or more of no fewer than 32 favourites lists.

Other carousel items look after – among other things – languages, clock settings, default digital audio output mode, CAM matters, USB device formatting (FAT32 or NTFS), PVR configuration, network parameters, firmware upgrades via USB or Ethernet, aspect ratio and video output mode.

On which subject, RGB Scart and component (and, for that matter, RGB Scart and HDMI) cannot be active simultaneously.

Basic use

Although it's not even mentioned in the manual, pressing the 'F1' button displays all available satellites (among which you'll find 'terrestrial') for quick selection. A handy 'find' function is also available. Enter one or more letters of the desired channel's name, and all matches are displayed.

As is usual, pressing 'enter' calls up the main channel list. This can be sorted alphabetically, numerically, by transponder or according to encryption status; the 'find' function is available here too.

The yellow button accesses a 'property' submenu, which presents users with a quick and easy way of adding a channel to a favourites list. All other editing functions are available here too.

In normal use, the handset's 'fav' button cycles between 'all channels' and any active favourites lists. In normal use the 'info' button displays basic information about the current programme; pressing the red button treats you to technical information like signal strength/quality, encryption status, PIDs, satellite, frequency, polarity and symbol rate. There's supposedly a multi-channel 'mosaic' facility, although the relevant button of our sample's handset had no effect.

Even without USB storage, though, you can 'freeze' (and unfreeze) the picture with the 'pause' button – but nothing more.

A six-step picture zoom function, with panning, is also available. All of the 'usuals' are present – a dedicated button switches the unit from TV to radio mode. Decoding of conventional teletext (i.e. not the UK standard red button 'digital' variety) is possible, and if they're available you can choose from multiple soundtracks and subtitles.

We have no complaints about the EPG, which is compatible with now-and-next and seven-day schedules. By default, it displays the programmes currently being broadcast by up to five consecutive channels. A touch of a button replaces these with the 'next' programmes of the same schedules. Switch to 'more', and the EPG screen is replaced by a two-hour timeline-style display.

The final EPG mode details up to nine consecutive programmes from one (selectable) channel. It's easy to set the eight-event timer from the EPG.

PVR and multimedia

Although timeshifting and the recording of radio and TV programmes are possible with a high-capacity, solid-state USB device, an external hard drive is recommended for serious use. Thanks to the twin tuners, recording a satellite programme while viewing a terrestrial one (or vice versa) is permitted. You can even view one satellite channel while recording another, the proviso being that both must be carried by the same transponder.

In addition to making timed recordings you can manually invoke them – with a stop time if desired. Recordings are accessed from the 'file list', which has its own short-cut button. This is grouped with the 'transport' controls, which reside in the lower part of the handset.

The most basic of functions apart – renaming, locking and deleting recordings – no editing facilities are available. Timeshifting gives you the usual repertoire of trick playback functions. Its parameters, such as default buffer size, can be changed in the 'PVR Setting' menu – as can the nature of recording.

You're given a choice between recording an entire transponder and all its channels (a HDD is essential here), an MPEG file ('programme-stream' audio-and-video only, an option that's unavailable for HD channels), or the currently selected channel in transport-stream format.

In the latter mode multiple soundtracks, teletext and DVB subtitles are retained. The same is true of the 'transponder' recording mode, which is unique as far as we're aware.

We're very impressed with the multimedia player, which represents an alternative use of that USB port. Although billed as compatible with MP3, JPEG and BMP only, the Uni-box can handle far more than that. Among others, MKV/H.264 content (up to 1080p) and FLAC audio files can be played.

Less than intuitively, you have to manually select the type of USB content (video/software/MP3/image/ recordings) that you're after. There is an 'all (files)' option, but the default is MP3 (which actually covers a number of compatible formats). 'All' is more of a quick content browser – you can't select photos or video in this mode for full-screen playback.

It's a pity that the Uni-box cannot play networked multimedia files. Network features that are available include a weather forecast, RSS news feeds, basic FTP client and firmware updates (we couldn't get the latter to work).

Finally, we have a trio of games – Tetris, Othello and Snake.

Performance

The Uni-box is let down by a sluggish user interface. It's far too easy to shoot past the desired menu option or channel. Switching between channels on the same satellite takes three seconds or so.

Search speeds are slower than usual. A full-channel search of Astra 1 was completed in five minutes. However, blind search is commendably fast. A blind search of Astra, which found two extra transponders, took just under seven minutes.

We had no problems with sensitivity, the Astra 1 and Hot Bird channels being reliably pulled in with a small dish.

Picture and sound quality impress too, the free-to-air HD channels on Astra 2/Eurobird conveying a definite 'Wow' factor via HDMI. Even the RGB Scart outlet yields vibrant colours and intricately rendered details by SD standards.

Tech Labs

Power consumption: Watts
Standby: 13W
Idle: 17W
In use: 18W

Search performance

Search 28E
FTA scan: 5 minutes 26 seconds
Full scan: 5 minutes 19 seconds
Blind search: 4 minutes 29 seconds

Search 19.2E
FTA scan: 4 minutes 45 seconds
Full scan: 4 minutes 42 seconds
Blind search: 6 minutes 53 seconds

Search 13E
FTA scan: 5 minutes 23 seconds
Full scan: 6 minutes 13 seconds
Blind search: 6 minutes 13 seconds

Verdict

For its modest asking price, the Golden Media Uni-box delivers some unique features. The ability to record an entire transponder is intriguing, while the automatic DiSEqC identification and satellite position calculator are practical installation tools.

Day-to-day channel selection, meanwhile, is eased via the handset's dedicated satellite-selection and 'find' buttons. In format support terms, the multimedia player is superior to that of many far more expensive receivers (and, for that matter, dedicated media players). AV performance is excellent, and the EPG has been well implemented.

Weighing against these pros are several cons. The handset is disappointing, and the user interface that it drives can be slow. The search facilities are too limited for dedicated enthusiasts.

Regular users will, however, find much to recommend the Uni-box.

Having a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) that can record high definition TV can be expensive – the Humax Digital Satellite HD Set Top box goes for around £140, for example.

The Hauppauge Colossus slots into your PC's PCI slots. You can then attach your existing set top boxes, Blu-ray players and even games consoles to the Colossus and record their outputs.

Before using this device, you're going to have to make sure you have a free PCI slot and open up your computer to install it. This isn't the most convenient of options, but it offers the best performance.

The Hauppauge Colossus also accepts digital surround audio, and can record 1080 resolutions with 5.1 surround sound – something that USB-based competitors can't. The results look great, and with the included software you can begin building a decent library of H.264 encoded high definition content.

The card has an HDMI component video and analogue and TOSLINK digital optical inputs, allowing for a huge range of sources to be connected. We tried the IR blaster and, with a bit of tweaking, we were able to change the channels on the set top box via the Colossus.

WinTV Scheduler works well to set the PC to record programmes, and the ArcSoft ShowBiz program is included to burn recorded footage to DVD or Blu-ray discs.

This is a niche product that's more suited to a purpose-built media centre PC for your living room, and that puts performance before ease of use.

Eminent is one of a handful of media player manufacturers prone to throwing TV recording into the mix. Its EM7095 combined an (SD only) digital terrestrial PVR with an HD-capable media player, although its recording component was basic and it lacked networking support.

The EM7195 promises improved functionality in the form of two tuners (again suitable for reception of standard-definition Freeview channels only) and built-in networking (you'll need to add a dongle for WiFi) with support for Samba, DLNA and uPnP and torrent downloading all powered by a new Realtek chipset.

Looking like a NAS drive, its black and bulky form lacks a readout, just a power light stretched across the middle of the fascia, glowing red in standby or blue when in operation.

The fan is a little noisy. It will take 3.5-inch SATA drives inserted via a slot beneath a flap on the right-hand side and is being sold in some quarters with drives pre-installed ranging from 500GB (£220) to 2TB (£289).

You can also use USB-connected or external SATA-connected drives, insert memory cards into the slot provided on the left side next to a USB 2.0 port or stream from networked storage.

There are plenty of connections on the rear including a USB 3.0 port (client only) two more USB 2.0 host ports, HDMI, component and composite video outputs for video and coaxial and optical S/PDIF and stereo phono outputs for audio plus SATA and LAN connectors.

There's also an aerial loopthrough – although it uses F-connectors, which could mean an adapter is needed – and a power switch. Most key cables are provided.

Web browsing and functionality

The shiny remote control is better than many we've seen with similar products sporting PVR controls and a few menu shortcut buttons. It can also be backlit, which makes TV and film viewing with the lights dimmed easier.

A side-scrolling interface with labelled icons is clearly influenced by Sony's Xross media bar, and familiarity largely breeds contentment.

One exception is the web browser. Here you get a favourites option but entering addresses is hamstrung by the browser bizarrely not being covered in the manual, leaving us to guess which keys on the remote do what.

You can record two TV channels at once (to internal or USB drives) using a manual timer or by pressing record when watching TV and timeshift as you go. A basic EPG which supports seven-day DVB data and displays a list of shows for one channel at a time viewable day by day. Red button services aren't supported.

Recordings are in native MPEG-2 format and can be exported to storage devices. They can be fast-forwarded and rewound up to 32x speed and picture quality is reasonably sharp for SD (certainly an improvement on the lacklustre EM7095).

Music, video and photo playback and web-enabled functionality get their own menus. Format support is broad, including MKV, and ISO files as well as AVI, XVID and MP3 – it played the myriad formats stored on our NAS drive, albeit with minor jerkiness evident on some DivX Plus HD files.

Subtitles are supported and playlists can be imported or set up within the software. Web services include YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Shoutcast internet radio, BBC News and Metafeeds, all reasonably easy to navigate with the remote.

Verdict

DVB-T2/Freeview HD reception is a predictable omission in a Euro-minded product, but this is undoubtedly an improvement on the EM7095.

We hope some of its drawbacks can be remedied when a promising looking replacement interface is eventually released.