TVonics intros 'durable' DVR
Freeview HD recorder launched
UK DVR specialist TVonics has introduced its second Freeview HD recorder, this one with a rather more discreet design than the company's first such offering.
The "physically durable" metal-cased DTR-Z500HD follows the oblong TVonics design of old making it rather better at slotting into your AV stack than last year's huge DTR-HD500, reviewed here.
Functionally, the two seem identical. Like the earlier machine, the new one has a 500GB hard drive, two tuners for simultaneously recording and viewing Freeview HD and standard-definition programmes.
The Z500HD can output at 1080p through HDMI, and has a pair of HDMI input ports in case your telly has too few of its own. There's a front-facing USB port too, for picture playback.
Available now, the Z500HD costs £225. Buy it direct and get a two-year warranty, but it's also available in John Lewis and Comet. ®
COMMENTS
Terrible design!
Metal over plastic usually gives nice, high quality, heft, but why again do they insist on such a tall (70mm), narrow, structure? Laptop manufacturers can make machines that pack a lot more in ten times thinner.
Don't they realise that this will likely need to stack with a DVD player, and that people often have limited headroom in their cabinets? At least the old design was squat, and it's not as though the DVD couldn't go on the bottom: no top-loaders these days!
And that horrid USB port, and huge brassy logo, stuck on the front. Really naff. Not very understated British design here - it looks like something Jordan would design.
No wonder people buy Japanese!
Does anyone know if this supports iPlayer?
Does anyone know if this supports iPlayer, network attached media players, and has WIFI?
If so I might just be tempted....
