Freeview PVR Review

For many people who either don't have Sky+ or have the basic Sky subscription and don't want to pay the extra £10 a month for Sky+, a Freeview PVR will provide many of the same digital video recorder functionality without the monthly subsciption. We provide PVR reviews of the best and most popular Freeview digital video recorders below.

Benefits & Limitations of Freeview Recorders

Currently there are less channels available on Freeview to choose from and none of the Sky Sports channels are currently included, but if your viewing is largely based around free to air digital channels like the main BBC and ITV channels then a Freeview PVR will be hugely convenient.

Both of the Freeview PVR's featured provide the ability to edit and transfer recordings via a USB cable onto a PC for archiving onto DVD (subject to applicable copyright laws) and come with an easy to use on-screen menu system. Neither box has a HDMI cable or upscaling, so connection to a flat screen TV has to be via a conventional Scart socket.

If you've got a baby or young child then the ability to pause the programme you are watching for up to an hour and then re-start it from where you left off will have massive benefits.

Humax PVR 8000T

Whilst this PVR is now superceded by the Humax PVR9200T, some second hand units may be available on Ebay at cheap prices. The PVR8000T is a single tuner Freeview PVR with excellent picture quality and DVB-T tuner sensitivity. It comes with an 80GB disk as standard.

Humax PVR 9200T

The PVR9200T by Humax is a twin tuner Freeview PVR with advanced functionality, recommended by Which! in their recent product reviews. It offers exceptional performance in areas with a poor Freeview signal and benefits of being able to record one channel whilst watching another. It includes a large 160GB hard disk to compliment what is one of the best digital video recorders on the market.

Topfield TF5800

The Topfield TF5800 PVR is a feature-rich high end digital video recorder with exceptional flexibility which will perfectly compliment a high end home entertainment system. It features an advanced twin tuner design and up to 136 hours of digital video recording time. The Topfield PVR also offers customisation through the addition of free TAP (Topfield Application programmes), making it the AV enthusiast's PVR of choice.

Panasonic DMREX77 DVD / HDD Recorder

Whilst it's not a PVR as such, the Panasonic DMREX77 DVD and Freeview HDD recorder offers time slip playback where a Freeview programme can be recorded and simultaneously played back in time delayed mode whilst it's being recorded. Digital video recordings can be made either onto the 160GB hard disk or directly onto DVD and programme editing is provided. No analogue tuner is provided so you'll need to live in an area with Freeview coverage.

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