Good PVR but ONLY for advanced users, for everyone else buy the Daewoo DSD9502T (Topfield TF5050PDR)

Member Name: jonnythurston

Product:	Topfield TF5050PDR
Date:	09/10/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: PC connection, customisable features (difficult to do)

Disadvantages: Very difficult to customise, Not very user friendly

This is my second PVR, and I am a big fan of them. If you are buying a I a freeview box and can afford it try and buy one with a built in hard drive (pvr), it's basically like having sky+ but for freeview!

If you know you are buying a PVR (good descision) make sure it has twin tuners. (You can record 2 channels at the same time, or watch 1 and record one). Most of the good ones will have this anyway, but it is an essential feature of your pvr.

As for this actual product I have been slightly dissapointed. My previous PVR was a Daewoo DSD9502T. The only reason I switched was for the Topfield's ability to transfer to PC from the hardrive.

There are many useful features to the Topfield. It is really designed to be used by experienced users who want to be able to fully customise their freeview box and controls. This sounds great to do in theory, but takes a lot of patience and skill to get it working the way you want it.

Once you have copyed the files to your pc, if you are just looking to back them up, it works fine. However if you are looking to make DVD's that can be played in your standard DVD player, then think twice, as the process can take along time and requres the use of many specific and confusing programmes and is only for advanced users.

If you're just looking for a good freeview box with recording capabilities, go for the Daewoo DSD9502T, it is so user friendly and the hard drive capacity will last you for weeks without having to delete anything. It's a much better freeview box for most people, and part of me wishes I had never bought this topfield and stuck to my good old' daewoo.

Summary: I wouldn't buy one of these unless you really need the PC connection