Well, clever you! First I tried it on 4HD and got no joy, then changed the channel to BBC1HD and lo! got sound. Thank you Futaura.

I'm puzzled as to why it played on one HD channel but not the other

Another thing that puzzles me (obviously I haven't studied these things but it's all so complicated) is why one channel will break up and another be perfect when all my channels are transmitted by Crystal Palace

Had a big freeze up today whilst in the EPG setting a recording of a program that had already started, had to unplug from power to get it going again. No big deal, just mentioning it.

IIRC, there was some discussion of this bug in this thread not so long ago, although in most cases it affected playback of HD recordings, but I'm sure the ordering of the muxes and UHF frequencies is a factor in what channels are affected. I never did figure out the pattern, but fortunately with the help of others I came up with a reproducable test case. I wasn't completely sure this was the issue you had encountered, but now we know. This issue has been fixed, but no public software update yet.

I was going to point you to the bug id, but seeing as my webhost is still having major problems with the datacenter my websites are located in, there wasn't much point . As this isn't the first time I've experienced such trouble, I've decided to change to another provider (UK based), so hopefully things will start to return to normal tomorrow and be more reliable.

Thanks for everything, Futaura

I've spotted a Digihome 500Gb SD PVR on the Argos website at (an overpriced) £149.

Good spot - hmmm... £80 at Amazon or £150 at Argos. I know which I'd prefer . Probably it will get a permanent "was £149.99" offer price once generally available.

I suspected there may be some different models for the upcoming new catalogue, but didn't guess this one. It might mean the end of the line for their current Hitachi T835 models, which are discounted at present. In a way, I had hoped it was the end of the T835 entirely, as the newer HD models are a far better choice if the price is right.

Two more PVR s on the Argos website of an indeterminate design. As I write, The Hitachi is described as a Freeview+HD recorder requiring a connection to a satellite dish!

The Hitachi is a Vestel T7655 . Basically a compact version of the T7650, fitted with a 2.5" HDD. Not impressed with the price. The spec seems correct except the satellite part, as you mention, and it has no CI slot (physically no room for one). Not sure on the Bush - since it mentions "Smart" in the title (i.e. internet portal, like the T7300 had), I might suspect this is a T7655 also, although the photo and dimensions in the specs don't tie into that theory (looks like they've reused these from the older chinese Bush SD recorder that they used to sell, although it could be that manufacturer's first attempt at a HD recorder). Looks like they're using the mere mention of "Smart" as a license to whack up the RRP, unjustifiably IMHO. The Hitachi T7655 is why I was suspected that the T835 models may disappear from the new catalogue, but with these prices maybe not.

How do you spot these so quickly? I checked yesterday and they weren't on there.

I think it's just luck, I periodically check as we're looking for a small Freeview HD recorder for a tiny office. (Argos tend to add new items to the website Fri/Sat and change prices on a Weds) The Hitachi is a possibility although , as you say, it's typically overpriced.

People must be happy to pay these prices though.

My mind isn't made up on the T7655 just yet - I've only had one for just over 3 weeks, in which time I was asked to test some specific issues that are not present on the T7650. I've yet to run through my T7650 bug list to see if any of those have been addressed for the T7655, but I am disappointed to see some things that certainly haven't (no 5.1 sound output, EPG population issues with full channel list, etc). It's just as good as the T7650, but as always I hope for more .

Certainly the T7655 is quieter, due to the 2.5" HDD. Mine has a Toshiba 320Gb drive, and the sound it makes is really quite different to the Western Digital drives that we're used to (e.g. the relatively loud click WD AV drives make when switching off, doesn't occur on the Toshiba drive). That said, I'm not sure what drives the retail units are fitted with. As you might expect, the T7655 does get significently warmer than the T7650 due to the tighter packaging.

Well I've been using mine now for a little over six months and have noticed a number of faults of varying degrees of
seriousness. I'll have to look at your website futaura to see if they're already reported before mentioning them here. What I would really like to know is if you've been able to get an answer as to what size of HDD can be recognised over and above the 1TB units that are fitted. Also, how likely is it that a future software update (if such a feature were requested) would allow programs to be exported to an external HDD via the USB (a la Technika 8320HD PVR)?

I'm still not sure on the maximum size, although I'd guess it will handle pretty much anything. That said, I'd say that anything bigger than 1Tb is not worth it... The bigger your recording library becomes, the slower the unit takes to boot, the slower the unit takes to display the library, the slower it takes to delete a recording, etc. I have one with 500Gb and that is slow enough - a full 1Tb drive must be quite painful . It's not as if you could use the extra storage for important videos from USB, as the partition that data is stored on is fixed at 64Gb currently (on all HDD sizes).

I doubt there will be a USB export function, at least on the current models, partly because everything is encrypted. I have transferred recordings of the drive via telnet/ftp on the T7300 as my unit at least does not encrypt, but it doesn't work on the newer models.

Shock, horror... now that the new catalogue is out, the new T7655 box(es) have now been discounted. The Hitachi by £20 to £169.99. Still the errors previously mentioned on the site have not been fixed, and I'm still unclear on whether the new Bush box is a T7655 also - this has been reduced by £40 to £139.99. I've not got the paper catalogue yet, so haven't been able to check the photo in there.

Also, I've not mentioned it here yet, but T7655 has moved away from using Sony CXD2820R DVB-T2 demodulator chips and instead now uses Broadcom BCM3461 DVB-T2 demodulator chips.

Having now seen the catalogue in the flesh, I'm still none the wiser as to exactly who makes the new Bush Freeview+ HD box - the photo and dimensions are the same as on the website. However, the Bush 320Gb and 1Tb T7650 boxes are no longer in the catalogue, leaving the new Hitachi T7655 Vestel's only HD box at Argos, assuming the new Bush is made by somebody else. Somewhat surprisingly, the Hitachi T835 boxes are still in the catalogue.

If you are still looking, go to Richer Sounds and have a look at the Tvonics

oh dam i was in argos today but bought a george foreman grill £14.99

Judging by their case designs, both the Bush FVHD boxes are made by the Chinese company Hylab.

The Vestel/Hitachi is being sold by Currys as their own brand Logik for £10 less but with a 1Tb drive. The three buttons on the bottom left of the front panel screams Vestel.

Did you read the previous posts at all? To summarise:

The old Bush Freeview+ HD boxes listed on the Argos website are the exact equivalent of the Logik. Both are Vestel T7650 boxes, with the Argos 1Tb box now being £10 cheaper than Currys. These are a good buy currently, assuming stock still exists.

The new Hitachi box is Vestel T7655 based which is similar to the T7650 in some ways, but very different in others, such as the physical size, 2.5" HDD and Broadcom demodulator chips (no Sony chips anymore). It cannot be compared to the Logik and Bush T7650 boxes on a like-for-like basis.

The only question mark is the new Bush Freeview+ HD box which has replaced the T7650 Bush boxes. You are right that the photo looks like a Hylab box, but then again the photo is exactly the same as the old Hylab Bush Freeview+ SD boxes that Argos used to sell some time ago, even down to the logos (no mention of HD or DVB-T2). I suspect Argos have reused the details from the old listing. The fact that it is listed as having smart features, like the Hitachi, makes me think in reality the new Bush box is a Vestel T7655 box just like the Hitachi is, but I can't prove that. Which would obviously make the photo and details on the website wrong, which wouldn't be a first time.

Further update regarding the Bush 500Gb Freeview+ HD box - the Argos website has been updated and "with Smart" removed from the product title. There's also a range of photos including the back of the unit. From these, it's almost certain this is indeed not a Vestel box, but maybe Hylab. Tesco seem to have a Goodmans branded version of the same.

The reduced prices on the older Bush branded Vestel T7650 boxes are appealing - for a Vestel T7650 box, the 320Gb model at £99 is a pretty good deal, if not a bargain. That's £20 cheaper than the ageing Hitachi branded 320Gb Vestel T835!

This means that only Vestel PVRs sold in the current catalogue being the Hitachi branded ones - the T835 (SD) and T7655 (HD) models. And now with only Currys selling T7650 boxes.

That is a good price, as long as the user doesn't need to retain too much HD recording. It would be a great price if export were possible. Is it, on this model?

Thanks for all the research, Futaura

No export, and I doubt such a feature will be added anytime soon considering that all recordings are encrypted on the T7650 and T7655. In the past, I have successfully exported recordings off a T7300 via telnet/ftpput, but it doesn't work on the T7650 as files are unreadable/corrupt once exported . One problem with 320Gb is that 64Gb preallocated to imported USB data (that's 21% of the storage available gone before starting). On the plus side, with a 1Tb drive if you start filling the library up, the library itself will take even longer to load, and generally become slower to navigate, delete stuff, etc, compared to a 320Gb drive. I never have problems running out of space on my 320Gb drives, but then again I tend to delete most stuff once I've watched it, so don't retain a lot.

Do you think that means there will not be any future OAD software transmissions for the T7650?

Only I bought a cheapish B1TBHDPVR from Ebay a couple of months ago, it has the original factory software (+ faults) so I have been hoping for an OAD transmission to cure some of the problems. Seems I may be out of luck?

I see a USB update system is listed in the instructions.
Do you know if the 1.49 update is available for download/use anywhere?

Thanks

Or v1.55 that has a few bug fixes?

Cheers Tom

Currys are still selling the Logik T7650, so I don't think the dropping of the T7650 at Argos will have any impact on whether there is to be an OAD or not.

I shall see what I can find out from Vestel regarding an OAD. v1.55 isn't worthy of a public release, IMO, but the problems in it were fixed in the T7655 software. So, hopefully they can release a new update for the T7650 via OAD. Has anybody else noticed population problems with the EPG? If I don't delete tons of channels, I'm lucky to get a full 4 or 5 day EPG. I'm frustrated that Cabot/Vestel have not addressed this issue, despite me having mentioned it multiple times.

One odd thing is that I have not seen the "An error has occurred writing the current recording" problem since it was last discussed here in March, or any failed recordings at all for that matter. Makes me think it may have been triggered by a broadcast/EIT/EPG issue. I've not seen the issue on the T7655 either. The T7300 is unfortunately a little flakey in that often I find it is stuck in active standby waiting for something, when it should be in LP standby, and it regularly records SD channels instead of HD (or worse still, both simultaneously). I still use my T7300 to record HD stuff that has 5.1 soundtracks as that can at least output 5.1 over optical, unlike the T7650 and T7655 .

[quote=futaura;68005120 So, hopefully they can release a new update for the T7650 via OAD. [/QUOTE]

I noticed in the excellent firmware summaries on your web site that for a few models some releases are available to download and install. Are they missing for other models because those models can only be updated with an OAD or simply because you do not have the files?

If you have time it would be very useful to add an overview of the update status (OAD/other) of the main model families.

Quite sure you can get new PVRS in other places then Argos