Elgato's eyeTV Mobile is yet another way to watch TV on your iPad 2 while you're on the go. It's a tiny little DVB-T Freeview tuner that plugs into the iPad's Dock connector, picking up a signal over the air so it won't touch your mobile data allowance.

It comes with two relatively small aerials that connect directly to the unit. Alternatively, you can attach any other antenna via a coaxial lead, though you'll need a £5 adapter from Elgato's online store to do this. But the fact that you can connect an external antenna is a blessing, because the included antennae may not be enough to get a decent signal.

And just like with Elgato's wireless tuners, the tivizen and the equinux tizi, there's no real way of knowing until you try. In our office, the smaller antenna couldn't pick up anything, while the larger one had to remain right by the window. Which meant, of course, that the iPad 2 did as well.

Even walking round town with the smaller antenna, signal was intermittent. When we got a signal, the picture quality was excellent, though.

The electronic programme guide is simple to find your way around, and it's easy to record shows (though you can't program it to record later – it's instant-on). It's also worth noting that the eyeTV Mobile is iPad 2-only, though apparently it works on the iPhone 4 or 4th-generation iPod touch in Japan.

If you want to watch TV on your iPad 2 without touching your monthly 3G data allowance, or somewhere where there isn't Wi-Fi internet access, this is worth a look. It's more versatile than the tizi or tivizen in that you can connect an external antenna, and you may well have to.

The choice of ways to watch live TV on your Mac, iPhone or iPad is quite bewildering. From the free TVCatchup service to systems costing over £200, each offers something different, but most have limitations.

The Pinnacle PCTV Broadway 2T is the most versatile option we've seen as it doesn't require you to rearrange your home setup or buy extra kit. You'll need to plug it directly into your TV aerial, but it'll talk wirelessly to your router, so the two don't need to be in the same place.

Setting it up is a breeze; it's all done in a web browser on your Mac or iOS device. The steps are clear and easy to follow, and you'll be watching live TV in the browser in minutes. You can set how much network bandwidth it uses, too.

The picture quality is generally good, but there is some pixellation, even with the quality setting at its highest. There's no electronic programme guide, either.

Two devices can watch different channels simultaneously, thanks to the dual DVB-T tuner, and there are also composite, RCA and S-video inputs to which you can attach a settop box or other media player. Some of these can be controlled from your computer or iOS device using the included infrared system. The quality's never going to be great through these inputs, but unless you're going to be watching it on a vast screen, it's perfectly watchable.

The Broadway 2T can stream live TV over the internet, without your home Mac needing to be running, so you can watch TV anywhere you can get online. There are instructions to follow, but be warned: it's tricky unless you know what you're doing.

AVerTV Volar HD: Overview

Questions, questions, questions. That's our first impressions of the AVerMedia AVerTV Vola HD. It's a budget USB TV tuner that makes us ask things like this: TV on a PC?

Too many random capital letters? Have we fallen through some sort of time vortex to the ancient past? All the cool kids are watching their YouTubes nowadays, aren't they? What's that you say - ruffs should be starched this season?

Apparently, though, despite the best efforts of iTunes, iPlayer, Vimeo, YouTube and of course, BitTorrent, a lot of you can't quite give up broadcast TV and all its linear programming loveliness.

Who can blame you?

There's a certain safety knowing that Doctor Who will be shown on Saturday at tea time, and Match of the Day will be repeated at... some time in the evening.

So, the AVerTV Volar HD makes life as easy for you as possible, with its tiny, memory stick size, miniature aerial and low, low price.

Only one question remains, then: will it both offer and meet with a positive reception?

AVerTV Volar HD: Verdict

The best, and most interesting, thing about the AVerTV Vado isn't the USB tuner at all. It's the little high-gain antenna that's packed with it.

This cute little twin-set has a flat plastic signal booster that can stick on to any smooth surface thanks to the fact it has a sucker for a base.

Two telescopic aerials can then be pulled out of the sides and rotated around to find the best signal. It's proper old-school gadgetry at its finest - if best used while sitting near a window.

The cable is a little short for reliving childhood memories of making Dad wander around the room and stand holding an antenna next to the ceiling, but the memories are there, all the same.

Somewhat less exciting is the supplied tuner software, which is functional, if not particularly attractive or intuitive.

It can pick up digital radio as well as Freeview and Freeview HD channels, although annoyingly there isn't a signal strength meter to guide you into positioning the aerial before you try to autotune it in.

All of the essential features are there though, including timeshifting, scheduled recording and the ability to wake up your PC from sleep to start a recording. There's none of the more adventurous stuff such as series linking, though.

Still, it is much quicker at finding channels than Windows Media Center.

If you use a PC to regularly watch TV on, you'll be better off with an internal card that boasts a pair of tuners for recording and viewing two separate channels simultaneously.

If you're out and about a lot with a laptop and want something to watch on the go, the AVerTV Volar HD is a good way to get HD TV at a reasonable price.

We liked

The quirky antenna is a quaint throwback to days of yore, and the picture quality on the USB tuner is good for the price. It's simple and straightforward - and Freeview HD for £20 seems like a bargain to us.

We disliked


The tuner software is a bit dated and unfriendly, and the signal from that cute aerial isn't actually that good once you move indoors. There's also only one tuner, so you can't watch and record separate channels.

Verdict

TV tuners are very much a commodity these days, but if we had to pick one the AVerTV Volar HD would be high on the list.

The Elgato Tivizen is a battery-powered mini digital TV tuner for the Mac and iOS devices. After downloading the Mac's EyeTV3 or the free iOS app, the Tivizen creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for you to join. You then open the app and let it search for DVB-T channels, before sitting back and enjoying your favourite shows.

Tivizen lets you watch and record live TV, and use a now-and-next electronic programme guide (EPG). It's very similar to the equinux tizi, with only the software setting them apart.

We think the Tivizen has a marginally superior iOS app as it gives full player and channel controls when watching in landscape mode. You can also pause, rewind and fast-forward live TV (which you can't on the tizi), as well as start a recording just by tapping the screen. This then displays an info bar with the EPG details, as well as controls to change the channel, sound and language, where available.

Unlike the tizi, Tivizen also offers Mac support. One thing the Tivizen app lacks is the ability to browse the EPG while still watching a particular channel. In reality, though, you either have to flick through the channels one by one or close the viewer. In this respect, it's inferior to the tizi's app.

Picture quality is superb provided you stay within range of the Tivizen, and that range is reasonable. Signal permitting, it's fine for student digs or a hotel room. And a full charge through the mini-USB port gave us just over three hours of TV.

So do we recommend this over the tizi? Based on the superior iOS app and the fact that the Tivizen works with PCs and Macs as well, yes we do. But since the hardware's the same, the flaws we encountered with the tizi remain, notably that you can't connect an external aerial.

In some places, the Tivizen's little antenna gave us high-quality Freeview. But in others, it couldn't find a single channel. And the only way you're going to find out if it works where you are it is to try it for yourself.

Recently we reviewed the PCTV nanoStick T2 – the UK's first external DVB-T/T2 tuner. Now comes the BGT3620 twin-tunered internal card from Black Gold Technology (BGT) which slots into a PCI Express x1 slot in a desktop PC.

Only fairly recent PCs offer such an interface but, then again, the decoding of HD channels is quite a punishing task that – as a minimum – requires a dual-core processor.

On the whole, we're impressed with BGT's design. The card is supplied with two mounting brackets that allow it to be fitted to half-or full-height slots. BGT even supplies the screwdriver.

There may not be a loopthrough aerial output, but a multi-pin socket accepts a variety of different SD analogue video inputs via a proprietary cable that's terminated with a series of connectors. With the right software, these will allow you to view (or record) composite, S-video and component sources.

Beautiful build

The BGT3620 is beautifully made. The tuners lie beneath a screened can; upstream of these are pairs of chips from Sony and NXP that demodulate the DVB-T, DVB-T2 and – as an added bonus – DVB-C (digital cable) signals, allow the streams (or digitised analogue video to be injected into the motherboard's PCIe bus.

A third socket is the gateway to another potentially useful feature – remote control – but this feature was not included in our 'OEM' package – it's down to resellers to decide what customers will get.

Sensibly, BGT does not supply drivers with the BGT3620. Instead, you have to download them from the BGT website – thereby ensuring that you're up to date come installation time.

These Microsoft WHQL-tested drivers are BDA-compliant, meaning that they should work with any Windows digital TV application. They're claimed to be compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7 – Microsoft's Media Center is also supported.

For digital TV duties, we used the excellent DVBViewer software. You have to decide between cable (though Virgin Media's channels are encrypted) and terrestrial – owing to that single input you can't connect both simultaneously.

Searching and use is very much dependent on the specific software that you're using. DVBViewer allows you to search a full band, or a specific channel or range. The entire UK UHF spectrum (channels 21-69) was searched in around three-and-a-half minutes.

The sting in the tail is that of HD performance on our quad core Yoyotech PC with powerful ATI graphics card. When HD channels were selected we were initially treated to random blocks of colour and squeaky blips of sound.

Updated drivers improved matters (we got a picture) but not the fact that the PC would lock up if we left the software tuned to an HD channel – either that, or subsequently selected SD channels were juddery.

Either way, the PC had to be restarted. The drivers are said to be compatible with the 64-bit Windows installed on our PC. We hope that BGT can fix this.

Elgato already makes a satellite TV tuner called the EyeTV Sat, which allows you to watch satellite channels on a PC or Mac. However, the EyeTV Sat needs a USB connection, which means that you must keep your computer right next to the EyeTV Sat and the LNB wall-socket that provides your satellite feed. Not much use if you want to use your computer in another room, or to let another family member use the tuner on their computer too.

Now, for a rather hefty £200, Elgato has released the more versatile Netstream Sat, which can connect to your home or office network and stream the TV signal to any computer on the network – regardless of which room it's in.

There's also an EyeTV 'app' that can be used to watch TV on an Apple iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch – although, rather annoyingly, the app costs an extra £3.

Build and connectivity

The Netstream is a neat little device shaped like a square silver lozenge, measuring 119mm on each side. Tucked around the back of the unit you'll find the power socket, an Ethernet interface for connecting to your network, and a single LNB connector for the satellite cable.

Unlike the EyeTV Sat, the Netstream doesn't have a CI slot, so you don't have access to additional pay-TV channels. There's no remote control included either, but that's not really necessary as your computer and the Netstream are unlikely to be in the same room together.

It supports both DVB-S and DVB-S2 broadcasts, so it can receive BBC HD, BBC One HD and ITV HD along with all the standard-definition Freesat channels. Just remember that you'll need a fairly powerful Mac or PC – preferably with a 2GHz processor – and a fast network connection to stream HD content.

Having just a single LNB connector means that the Netstream Sat can only stream TV to one computer at a time, although it is possible to switch the TV signal from one computer to another if you want to.

However, the Netstream Sat also has a USB port on the back that will allow you to connect an optional tuner module, the EyeTV Free. This will allow the Netstream to stream two different channels to two computers at the same time. This was not available for testing at the time of writing, but will cost around £90.

Setup

Once you've plugged in the power and Ethernet cables you then need to install the software provided. Elgato has a strong background in the Mac market, so it includes its own easy-to-use EyeTV software for Mac users.

If you're using a PC then the manual states that you can either use the Windows Media Centre software that is included as part of Windows 7, or use the copy of Terratec's Home Cinema software that is also supplied with the Netstream Sat.

Sadly, the Windows Media Centre on our Windows 7-powered laptop simply told us that it couldn't detect a TV signal and refused to proceed, so we moved on and installed Terratec's Home Cinema software instead.

Luckily, Home Cinema was able to automatically detect that we had the Netstream Sat connected to our network and we were then able to install the software and start scanning for channels. The scanning process took 23 minutes, but was trouble-free.

Basic use

The Home Cinema software isn't very elegant, but it provides a useful range of features, including the ability to record and timeshift live broadcasts, and a handy 'Mode' button that allows you to quickly switch between live TV, recordings and radio channels.

The standard Freesat EPG isn't supported and standard DVB data wasn't picked up either, but Home Cinema does allow you to use the online tvtv service instead.

The EyeTV software for the Mac provides a similar range of features, but has a much more elegant interface, including features such as a graphical preview of your recorded programmes (similar to the album artwork display in Apple's iTunes). It managed to pull in up to four days' worth of DVB EPG data and supports tvtv.

Performance

Up to this point the Netstream Sat had worked perfectly well, but had only been used with computers that were connected to our network via Ethernet cables. If you've got a wireless router then Elgato says you should also be able to stream the TV signal over your network via Wi-Fi.

Unfortunately, this is where things started to go wrong as we were unable to stream the signal via Wi-Fi using our normal BT HomeHub2 router – even though the router's Wi-Fi features works perfectly well with other streaming video services such as the BBC iPlayer or LoveFilm.

We had similar problems with a second router from D-Link and only managed to get the Wi-Fi streaming working on our third attempt with a Belkin N+ wireless router. Even then, the Wi-Fi transmission was rather erratic, with noticeable stutters and jerks on both SD and HD channels.

We had long discussions with Elgato in a bid to sort out the Wi-Fi problems; it even sent someone to analyse our network setup, but to no avail.

The iPhone and iPad only work via Wi-Fi, which means that the erratic Wi-Fi performance produces poor results on those devices too.

We found it was possible to stream the TV signal to our Mac using Ethernet cables and then use the EyeTV software on the Mac to relay the signal via Wi-Fi to our iPad, but that's a clumsy way to do things – especially as you pay extra for the app.

Compro VideoMate U680F: Overview

If TV on your laptop is your bag the bargainous Compro VideoMate U680F is the one for you.

Let's face it, TV tuners have been on the market since God was a boy and we all still own a TV set. To make it worth our while, tuners need to offer us features that the idiot box doesn't.

It's about pausing and rewinding live shows, recording to HDD, scheduling what and when to record automatically. On top of all that, it must be effortlessly easy to make use of all this extra functionality. No labyrinths of menus or cables.

You, the jaded consumer, know this. And so apparently do Compro.

It's relieving to see that tuner hardware is getting simpler and cheaper. The Compro VideoMate U680F is a TV tuner aiming for maximum functionality without any fuss, which boils down to all the above features with just a USB stick, antenna and remote.

Hardware tuners need to compete with on demand web content like iPlayer, so manufacturers are mixing things up a bit.

Compro VideoMate U680F: Verdict

Verdict

With the Compro VideoMate U680F there's nothing to install internally - as with several other market contenders the idea here is plug in the USB stick to your desktop or laptop, connect the antenna and you're good to go.

Your PCI-E slots can breathe, and the whole operation can be fully functional in ten minutes.

The level of functionality you get will depend on the signal in your home - you will need an external antenna to pick up any reception.

It's also worth mentioning that the mini antenna you plug into the USB stick is very sensitive to position, so to get the best reception, some Beano-esque hanging out of a window will most likely ensue.

There's a very handy blue LED that glows, flashes or turns off depending on signal strength though, which turns the whole endeavour into quite a pleasant treasure hunt.

It's not military grade hardware, but hey, it's 28 quids people!

There are similar pieces of kit on the market for less, but Compro's trusty DTV software is what makes the Compro VideoMate U680F worth a few extra doubloons.

It's simple as pie to rearrange channels, set up a recording schedule to automatically save every episode of Steve Backshall's Deadly 60 to your hard drive, or endlessly rewind horror tackles while you're watching the football.

The U680F succeeds in nailing the level of simplicity and functionality needed to give actual TV a run for its money. For twenty eight pounds you're getting Sky Plus features on your PC with much less fussing about than tuners of 2 years ago demanded.

We liked:

The most likeable features here are the USB interface and DTV 4 software.

USB tuners have been available for a couple of years now but have yet to render the PCIe cards obsolete, which is where they deserve to be; USB is the best option for systems of all sizes.

The DTV software is bundled with every tuner in the VideoMate range, and its ease of use is still unsurpassed.

We disliked:

The media centre remote though, resembles a toy mobile phone and is much bigger than necessary, whereas the mini antenna feels like it could do with beefing up for improved reception.

Final word:

Simple and effective tuner solution for laptops and desktops alike.

We've seen many digital terrestrial tuners for PCs, but until now all have supported only the original DVB-T standard – and that means the brave new world of DVB-T2 HD (Freeview HD) broadcasting has been strictly off -limits.

All of this changes with the introduction of the nanoStick T2 290e from Hauppauge subsidiary PCTV Systems. The first tuner to support both standards, it's a tiny and stylish USB 2.0 dongle.

Decoding and displaying HD channels is a punishing task; PCTV Systems recommends a multi-core 2.6GHz processor for HDTV. It's tiny, but the nanoStick T2 also accommodates an infrared receiver for armchair control over volume/channel changes and other features.

The supplied handset is small but perfectly formed, however, those small buttons won't be appreciated by the ham-fisted. Also included is a somewhat-optimistic whip aerial – only of use if you can literally see the transmitter mast from your window. For those who aren't in such a position, an adapter allows standard aerial connectors to be attached to the nanoStick T2's diddly little MCX socket. Rounding off the package is a CD-ROM containing the software.

Experiment remotely

The main program, TV Center, is neatly presented. Setting up and tuning channels via a wizard was simple. It's also easy to use; selection of channels can be achieved with up/down buttons or a pop-up channel list.

TV Center offers all the essential features including the selection of subtitles and alternative soundtracks, time shifting and a smart, grid-based EPG for scheduling recordings (radio or TV) and channel-changes. 'Red button' digital teletext does not figure here.

Recordings, which can be quickly opened for playback in TV Center's 'gallery', take the form of transport streams. Analysis of these shows that all of the recorded channel's data, including subtitles and multiple soundtracks, is intact. From the gallery you can also arrange for recordings to be transcoded into various formats, such as PSP/iPod-compatible MPEG-4, DivX, .mkv or .mpg, but you'll need to pay €5 to use each after a trial period.

TV Center does, however, have its limitations. The EPG covers full schedules, but they take a long time to appear. Neither can you record and view different channels, even if they're on the same mux.

Picture and sound quality, especially with HD channels was, however, excellent on our regularly updated Yoyotech PC equipped with a quad-core Intel processor, digital audio output and powerful ATi graphics card.

Sensitivity appears to be good – better than some Freeview HD boxes we've tried recently. Also positive is PCTV's decision to adopt BDA drivers, instead of a proprietary one so we were successfully able to partner the capable DVBViewer with the nanoStick T2.

Macs aren't supported (though drivers may follow), although one of the features of the supplied software – DistanTV – is an ability to stream the current programme (or a recording) to another computer on your home network. That computer can be a PC or Mac; you can also stream to other devices (such as iPads and iPhones). TV streaming over the internet and web-streaming and remote scheduling of recordings is also possible.

Every day, we're amazed by what our iOS devices can do. And being the lazy couch pota… err, inquisitive and culturally aware individuals that we are, we love watching TV on our iPhone or iPad, so our ears pricked up when we heard about the equinux tizi.

It's a mini TV receiver that lets you watch and record television on your iPhone 4, 3GS, iPad or iPod touch (third or fourth gen). Now it's not the only way to watch live TV on your device – TVCatchup and iPlayer are well established services, but they have their drawbacks.

Firstly, to get a consistent, watchable video, you really need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. Sure, they work over 3G, but this is incredibly dependent on your signal strength, and will munch through your data allowance like nobody's business. Sling Media or Elgato also offer ways to watch live TV, but many of these require bulky hardware or for your computer to be running to watch on your iPad.

The tizi, on the other hand, is the only piece of hardware you'll need. It gets its TV signal from the airwaves and sends it directly over Wi-Fi to your iOS device. There's no need to be connected to the net or have a mobile signal – as long as you've got digital TV reception.

You link your device to the tizi's Wi-Fi hotspot (so no browsing the web over Wi-Fi during the ads, though you can over 3G) and it scans the airwaves for channels using the free tizi.tv companion app, which was at version 1.2 when we tested.

It's wonderfully easy to set up, although the channel search will take several minutes, but you only do this once unless you're in a new location. Like the unit itself, the aerial is tiny, but extendible, adjustable and robust.

However, standing just beneath our rooftop aerial (which provides us with a perfect Freeview signal), the tizi couldn't find a single channel, despite its signal level indicator light telling us it had good reception. We were distraught, and spent a long time trying the tizi and its aerial in different positions, but to no avail.

Back at Tap! Towers, we had little Five and various ITV and Channel 4 flavours. Now, not being able to latch onto the signal isn't in itself a crime, but we were disappointed by the misleading light. The app has a signal strength indicator too, but it's been hidden away in the Settings screen, partly perhaps because we often found it giving inaccurate readings – 0% despite a perfect picture, anyone?

Annoyingly, it wouldn't update in real time, either, which is annoying if you're trying to find the perfect position for the aerial. But when we did get reception, we have to say, the picture quality was brilliant, the sound likewise.

While we had to leave the tizi propped by the window, we were able to move several metres away without the picture quality deteriorating. But as we found, just because a bigger aerial can pick up Freeview signal doesn't necessarily mean the tizi will be able to. The only real way to find out is to try it for yourself.

Provided you can get reception, you can watch in portrait or landscape orientation. Clearly, you're always going to want to watch in the latter, and you can swipe between channels in this orientation, but you have to flip back into portrait to get at any meaningful controls, the channel list or the 'now and next' information – sigh.

Speaking of this programme information, tizi uses the data from the digital TV signal, just like your regular television. But it doesn't let you see beyond the next programme, so you can't find out what's on in the evening, for example – sigh again.

There's no option to add subtitles, either. The app also enables you to record programmes at the tap of a button (though not on a timer). The recordings are saved at full quality in the tizi app for you to enjoy at your leisure, or transfer to your PC or Mac using iTunes and watch later. Note that you'll need a codec that will play the MPEG-2 TS format, since even VLC didn't want to open our recording.

As we mentioned, the tizi unit is tiny – roughly the length and width of a credit card and slightly thicker than the iPhone 4 – so it's very portable. It has a removable 1050mAh lithium-ion battery that charges via a mini-USB port, so you can charge it via your computer or your iPhone's mains adapter. It took a little over two hours to charge from empty via a Mac's USB port and then played TV for just over three hours nonstop. The unit's battery indicator changes colour depending on the remaining charge.

Unfortunately, there's no way to connect an external aerial: this capability would have made the tizi appeal to far more people. As it is, it's a great option for watching TV where there isn't an aerial or Wi-Fi, or for if you don't have space for a Freeview box. And if you travel a lot, the tizi would be a great companion for whiling away hours spent on trains or in airports – reception permitting.

The tizi's a clever, impressive bit of kit. But with tweaks to the hardware and the app, it could be so much better. Oh, and don't forget you'll need a TV licence!

Although some PC TV tuners are designed to be fitted internally, the Windows-compatible SkyStar USB HD featured here is a USB 2.0 device. Not only does this ease installation, but also it ensures that the advantages of such an idea are available to notebook users.

The SkyStar USB HD is designed for use with FTA channels, and has no conditional access hardware support. However, you can buy external card readers that plug into a PC via USB. DiSEqC 1.0 is supported, for selection of up to four satellites.

Build and connectivity

The hardware takes the form of a compact black lozenge containing a DVB-S/S2 tuner, which sits neatly on its desk stand. On the rear are a standard F-connector for your dish/LNB, a 12V inlet (the necessary mains adapter is supplied) and the USB connection that provides the umbilical link between PC and receiver.

A remote control unit is included. Annoyingly, this takes CR2032 lithium cells, which are more expensive and trickier to find than the usual AAAs. Also supplied is a CD-ROM containing drivers and application software.

Among the latter is a cut-down TE ('Technisat Edition') version of the very capable DVBViewer desktop TV software – and a simple 'Eve' editing program that allows you to, for example, remove the ads from recordings.

TE's transport-stream (.TS) files are supported here, although HD isn't. An advantage is that the drivers are BDA-compliant. In plain English, this means that the SkyStar USB HD can be used with a wider range of desktop TV software including the full version of DVBViewer.

Setup

The SkyStar USB HD is easy to set up. Plug it in and, after Windows recognises the device, insert the CD-ROM for driver and application installation. It's then a case of running DVBViewer TE.

A database covering a number of popular satellites (including Astra 1x/2x and Hot Bird) is pre-installed, meaning that you can be watching TV within minutes. Scanning a satellite for new channels is easy, although you don't get any of the more flexible search options of enthusiast-grade gear.

You can specify a frequency/transponder, polarity and symbol rate – and whether all channels, or just FTA ones, should be found and stored – but that's about it.

With DVBViewer TE no provision has been made for features like PID entry/modification (a feature of the full DVBViewer) or blind search. You can specify step size, but this seems to have little effect as scanning ignores your input and works through the preset transponder lists as usual.

Basic use

The software, of course, provides much of the functionality. DVBViewer TE lacks some of the full software's features, such as DVD support, screenshot capture and third-party plug-in compatibility. The lack of compatibility with various brands of PC remote isn't really an issue, given that Technisat supplies a handset.

Nevertheless, DVBViewer TE gives you all of the basics – the selection, viewing/auditioning and recording of TV and radio channels. Channels are grouped by satellite and provider in the channel list – one or more can be added to a single favourites list. You can home in on a channel by typing all or part of its name.

PVR and multimedia

As with all other PVRs, a timeshift mode allows you to pause the current channel and then resume viewing at your convenience. Teletext is supported too, as are an EPG and windowed/full-screen viewing.

Playback of existing recordings (or compatible multimedia files) while new programmes are being captured is allowed. Engage 'multicast' and you can record and view different programmes if they're carried by the same transponder.

A patch for DVBViewer can be downloaded from Technisat's website. This converts 'side-by-side' 3D broadcasts, like the FTA test-transmissions on the Astra 3A satellite (the box is not Sky-compatible), into anaglyphs that can be viewed on any monitor or TV set connected to your PC. Glasses are not included but we were supplied with a robust pair with the requisite red and green lenses. These are, alas, difficult to wear if you already wear spectacles.

Performance

Ultimately, this will be restricted by the performance of your PC and ancillary componentry. With our regularly updated Yoyotech PC, which is equipped with a quad-core Intel processor and decent ATi graphics card, pictures from FTA SD and HD channels looked superb. They're crisp, dynamic and accurately coloured.

But there are caveats. On occasions, you could view a channel yet it would refuse to record. And even with our fast PC, HD channels would frequently 'glitch'. In addition we sometimes got a 'hardware not available' message.

3D is quite interesting. Yes, this Technisat system does give you some depth, albeit in a 'cardboard cut-out' sort of way. Coloured outlines spoil sharply defined objects and viewing can be quite fatiguing after a while.

Sound quality is also good, but if you have a home cinema receiver we recommend using the digital audio output should your PC have one; doing so opens up the world of multichannel Dolby Digital, from channels that broadcast it.

Satellite scans are at a snail's pace so it's just as well you don't have to do this very often. Switching between channels is also on the unresponsive side compared with today's stand-alone receivers.