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April 2010

TVonics DTR-HV250

Freesat Freeview euro tv skyThe best kit, The best programmes

the current channel and others can also be accessed from the information bar. You can schedule recordings of TV or radio shows from the EpG (you’re prompted if you want to record series), information bar or using the manual timer that has once, daily or weekly repeat options.

Dual tuners enable you to record up to two channels at once while playing back a recording at the same time, or to timeshift one while recording another. The pause buffer can be set to last up to two hours, but cached video cannot be retro-committed to the hard disc.

recordings are stored in the library, where they can be sorted by name, size and duration and playlisted. For playback you can specify where you want to start watching from, including the last-played position, fast-forward and rewind at three speed levels shown by by onscreen arrows. Trick-play features are slow-motion playback and picture-in-picture. Media playback is currently limited to JpEGs, for which there is a slideshow option, and hi-res photos really shine piped via HDMi.

The HV250 boasts upscaling via HDMi to 720p or 1080i and results are as smooth as you’d expect without making proceedings look unnatural. rGB Scart pictures aren’t so sharp, but passable if HDMi is not an option.

Audio delivered via Scart is punchy, especially for radio channels and crisper when plugging the S/pDiF into a hi-fi system n Grant Rennell

FeaturesFreeview+: YesFreeview HD: NoHard disc size: 250 GB MHEG-5: Yes Teletext: Yes EPG support: 8-day DVB

UHF modulator tuning: None Card reader: None Software upgrade: OTA, via USBAV out: TV Scart (composite, rGB), HDMiAV in: 2 x HDMiAudio out: S/pDiFData port: 2 x USB 2.0

TVonics DTR-HV250TVonics’ Freeview+ PVR boasts upscaling and JPEG display, but should you wait for a Freeview HD recorder instead?

TVonics pVrs have always looked stylish and distinctive, but what if, say, you wanted to use the receiver to listen to radio channels when

connected to your speaker system but didn’t want the TV on at the same time?

That’s now possible as the HV250 is the first to have a proper lED readout showing both the name of the channel and programme you’re tuned to (in scrolling form), or the time if you prefer. The case design is the same as that of previous TVonics DTrs and feels reassuringly heavy and solid even if the fan can be noisy when powering up.

Next to the lED display is a USB port with another featured on the rear. These can be used for applying software updates downloaded from the TVonics website and viewing JpEGs browsed on storage devices (hopefully more formats will be supported in the future).

Also on the rear are a dedicated power switch and a UHF loopthrough (no modulator is included). A single composite/ rGB-capable Scart is joined by three HDMis, one for your TV, the others for connecting other devices – effectively turning the pVr into a switchbox. There’s an S/pDiF audio output but no analogue alternatives.

Apeing Sky+The remote is cut from the same Sky+ apeing plastic as previous TVonics boxes and many other receivers. This is no bad thing for those of us who are used to Sky boxes, but others should find it easy to use and it can also be programmed to control DVD players and TVs.

Channels can be browsed as a list where they can be hidden or shuffled. The latter makes up for the fact that there is no favourites option. Eight-day DVB EpG data is displayed overlaid on the current channel as a full-screen grid for nine channels at a time in hourly chunks. You can skip back and forth 24 hours or browse page by page.

Eight-day data including synopses for programmes on

n www.tvonics.co.uk n 0870 80 30 551 n £230

VerdictIf you’ve been holding out for a Freeview HD PVR then upscaling is a nice bonus but no substitute for true HD. On its own merits, however, this is a well-built, reliable recorder, even if those USB ports remain a tease. We hope MP3 (or even DivX) playback or recording exporting are on the cards, as such features would enable it to better compete with similar products from the likes of Topfield.

RatingsPLUSn Excellent build and remote n Effective upscalingn HDMI switching

MinUSn A little expensiven No recording exportingn Limited media playback

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79%April 2010 What Satellite & Digital TV 2

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