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Home Cinema Choice: Freeview digital recorders were the hot ticket item for Christmas 2008, according  to new sales data released by the UK’s digital terrestrial TV service. According to Freeview,  two Freeview+ boxes were bought every minute in the run-up to Xmas, bringing the total number of Freeview+ boxes sold in the UK to more than 900,000.

Freeview managing director Ilse Howling isn’t surprised at the surge of interest, saying: ‘Freeview+ offers outstanding value. It gives the same experience as ‘+’ a recorder from other providers, the only difference is it’s free from subscription.

During a downturn, TV viewing naturally increases as people choose to stay in and watch TV as a form of free entertainment. Freeview is now received in 17.2 million homes. CNN International recently joined the platform (channel 84) and Discovery Networks UK will launch this spring. The first Freeview HD channels will begin transmission at the end of this year.

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iPodNN: Mvix has recently and quietly introduced a new multi-functional device to complement home theater set-ups, the MvixPVR.

It combines personal video recorder capabilities with media server functionality and has a dock for iPods. The MvixPVR can play back 1080p high-definition video, will upconvert standard-def signals and supports 5.1-channel digital surround sound set-ups.

It has an HDMI input and output, in addition to standard RCAs and components as well as USB 2.0 port that allows users to connect external drives or digital cameras to play back their content.

The device itself can be connected to PCs like an external drive.

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SlashGear: The DaneDigital So Speaky PVR is a network-connected hard-drive media player and recorder, available with anything from 320GB to 1TB of internal capacity and capable of recording DVD-quality video.

Connections include two USB 2.0 host ports, one USB 2.0 port for hooking up the So Speaky PVR as an external hard-drive, one 10/100 ethernet port, A/V outputs, component outputs, HDMI, optical digital audio and a 5-in-1 memory card reader.  320GB, 500GB, 640GB, 750GB and 1TB drives are available.

Supported media files include MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (720p & 1080i), MPEG-4 (1080p), XviD, DivX 3/4/5/6 (HD), IFO, VOB, DAT, AVI, MPG, MPEG 2 TS, ISO, MP4, MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, OGG (no DRM), AC3, JPG, JPEG (720p/1080i) and BMP.

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Home Cinema Choice: Hitachi will upgrade its entire lineup of plasma TVs to 1080 resolution in 2007. Their plasmas will feature integrated personal video recorders (PVR) and a host of new picture processing technologies.

Due in the Autumn, the flagship X and XR series, available in 1920 x 1080 resolution, will ship in 42, 50 and 60in sizes. The larger two will sport 250GB hard drives, able to make recordings direct from a Freeview EPG.

This built-in PVR allows the viewer to record one channel while watching another, comes with a 28-event timer and features audio playback of recordings during slow (x0.8) and fast (x1.5) trick replay.

The PVR plasmas can even have their recording capacity enlarged through slot-in iVDR (information Versatile Disk for Removable storage) drives. This removable caddy may become a common standard for all hard drives used with consumer electronics kit.

All feature three HDMI inputs (two rear, one front-facing).

Preceding these models will be two more affordable 1080 interlaced plasmas. The T-series 42in and 50in models will feature 1024 x 1080 and 1280 x 1080 resolution respectively.

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TechDigest: Bang & Olufsen have launched their HDR-2 hard disc recorder with a 250GB hard drive. It can be set up to record TV programmes in a series and automatically delete the oldest watched episodes to conserve space.

It features much of what you’d expect from a PVR: pausing live TV and simultaneous recording and playback.

It also lets you create TV libraries which lets you store content in up to 8 different groups, named as you like. Recordings can be split, trimmed and renamed to save space and group similar programmes together.

The 250GB drive will store up to 110 hours of standard quality or 60 hours of high quality (not high definition) content.

It features 2 SCARTs, Y/C input, and aerial connections.

Price is yet to be confirmed.

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AME Info: LG has launched its new range of ‘Time Machine’ LCD and Plasma TVs – the world’s first televisions to come equipped with a built-in Digital Video Recorder (DVR). A built-in 80GB hard drive can store up to 40 hours of digital standard-definition programming.

The ‘Time Machine’ LCD TVs are available in 37 and 42-inches, while the plasma version comes in sizes of 42 and 50-inches.

The advanced ‘Time Machine’ feature allows users to pause, record, and replay TV programs just minutes after the original broadcast. The one-touch commercial skip features blocks out unwanted commercials with a touch of a button. The units also boast of continuous automatic recording in one-hour intervals.

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