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Dual-Tuner Freeview PVR Comparison


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Old 25-02-2005, 10:17
Ang
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Originally Posted by immcinto
Can a resume feature that is more time-consuming than simply starting playback from the beginning and fast-forwarding to the point where you stopped really be considered a feature?
What are you talking about? It's not time consuming to move to a manually created scene. You seem to really want to bash the Fusion, but you might want to think again as you never know - Fusion might come out with a software update that has more than Thomson next time! In the mean time, Fusion always had some features that made things fairly easy that the Thomson only acquired with the update to 1.7.7. And some of the new features are not really helpful in the end. Like I thought turning off creation of thumbnails was something I would love to have. It is, but not the way Thomson have done it - if you turn off thumbnail creation, you cannot then manually add a scene. I hope that if/when Fusion give us a non-thumbnail option they will realise that we still want to be able to create a manual one.
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Old 25-02-2005, 10:21
Ang
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Originally Posted by immcinto
Fair enough. I suppose this could be useful for some people.
Some people? I would bet the huge majority of Fusion owners add at least a minute to start and end time of every recording... just like Thomson owners would have done before they had the option of an automatic buffer. Yes, I would like Fusion to have that too. But no, it is not a major gripe, as it takes very little time to pad a recording - I do it EVERY SINGLE TIME so I do know of what I speak!
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Old 25-02-2005, 10:28
Ang
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Very nice and useful chart. Some corrections:

Fusion does have pause/rewind live TV - always has... so you can remove the question mark.

Record current program + Buffer - both Fusion and Thomson have this with latest OTA updates.

Timer entries - I think you can safely say "unlimited" with the Fusion.

Skip x seconds - 5 minutes for the Fusion is not entirely correct. It depends on whether you have scenes for the recording or not. If no scenes, skip goes 30 seconds. So it skips to the next scene, but if there are no scenes, skip button = 30 seconds.

Personal reminders - The Fusion does have this but I've never used it.
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Old 25-02-2005, 13:33
Pops
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Has anyone come across a PVR with an equivalent of the Panasonic 'Quick View' feature (ie. the ability to watch a program at 1 1/3 speed)?
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Old 25-02-2005, 14:20
immcinto
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You seem to really want to bash the Fusion
I like my Fusion, it beats a VCR every time but the reason why I am pointing out the deficiencies in comparison to the Thomson box is because, at the moment, emcee's excellent spreadsheet doesn't mention the many features that the Thomson has but the Fusion doesn't. This isn't grumbling ( OK I admit I was grumbling earlier!) , it just gives people a better idea of the differences. Perhaps we could collect together a list of the feaures that the Fusion has which are lacking on the Thomson for emcee to enter into the spreadsheet. Anyone?

Perhaps a good compromise would be to desribe the Fusion resume function as Manual - the Thomson's being Automatic.
The same goes for the Time Padding facility.
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Old 25-02-2005, 18:43
emsee
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Originally Posted by immcinto
Perhaps we could collect together a list of the feaures that the Fusion has which are lacking on the Thomson for emsee to enter into the spreadsheet. Anyone?
Sounds like a good idea to me - I started the table by just taking the info from spec sheets but there does seem to be a lot of useful features which the manufacturers don't include on them so any more info I can add will be welcome
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Old 26-02-2005, 09:23
kieronishere
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emsee: thanks for such a great comparison chart. I've spotted an error which is that the Inverto actually does have a seperate s video output socket according to the picture of the back of the unit in the first impressions review by pix (Mike) on pvruk (linked from the inverto thread). We had been given specs which didn't incude this which is no doubt why you put an N in the box.
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Old 26-02-2005, 13:16
emsee
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Originally Posted by kieronishere
emsee: thanks for such a great comparison chart. I've spotted an error which is that the Inverto actually does have a seperate s video output socket according to the picture of the back of the unit in the first impressions review by pix (Mike) on pvruk (linked from the inverto thread). We had been given specs which didn't incude this which is no doubt why you put an N in the box.
Thanks
I've corrected the Inverto S-Video entry (Inverto's website seems to be down at the moment but, as you say, S-Video out is shown on the PVR UK review sample).
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Old 26-02-2005, 13:19
slimgym
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Slight picky point; it's Thomson, not Thompson ...

Extremely good site BTW!
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Old 02-03-2005, 21:32
Neil Johnson
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Being a bit lazy I suppose but I wondered which PVR's feature 14:9 mode, as I have a 4:3 set that I'm not about to part with. I think the Humax does having downloaded the manual, but the Fusion doesn't . What about the others ? (or do I need to download and believe all the manuals) ...
Could this kind of info be added to the comparision table ? I'd really like twin tuner function but with 14:9 .

Cheers
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Old 02-03-2005, 21:48
slimgym
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I wondered which PVR's feature 14:9 mode, as I have a 4:3 set that I'm not about to part with.
I have a Thomson DHD4000 on a 4:3 set. It has four modes, 4:3 CC (Centre Cut), 4:3 LB (Letter Box, which I think is what you mean by 14:9, a sort of part full frame) and 4:3 FF (Full Frame), and also 16:9 widescreen. I tend to run it in the 4:3 LB mode unless it's a film that isn't protected for 4:3 when I flick it to FF.

The default option is set within the menu but there's a "wide" button which flicks through them on the fly, on playback; it's recorded native and you select the preference for display on playback.

If you select LB or FF and the broadcaster indicates it's 4:3 native then the DHD4000 automatically selects 4:3 (it flicks out and back during the adverts).
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Old 02-03-2005, 23:12
popkid
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One error I have spotted, the Thomson's maximum record time (for tv) should be 20hrs/40hrs (same as fvrt 100) not 40hrs/80hrs

Pauly
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Old 02-03-2005, 23:23
emsee
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Originally Posted by popkid
One error I have spotted, the Thomson's maximum record time (for tv) should be 20hrs/40hrs (same as fvrt 100) not 40hrs/80hrs

Pauly
Oops! Thanks for spotting that - now corrected
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Old 04-03-2005, 11:45
~phil~
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emsee, once again well done on your comparison sheet. I, am also in the market for a PVR and have spent a lot of time looking around. At present I have bought a fusion 100 on a 7 day refund option from my local Curry’s.
The first problem that has caught me out is I cannot receive EPG/software upgrades via TV4 from my transmitter because ‘mux D’ is turned OFF !
I have a possibility of getting my digital feed from another transmitter in the area, but that’s another story.

I quite like the FVRT100, on the plus side the picture quality is great and the ambient noise levels are very low and it looks good, but on the down side I feel the menu system seems poor, and the remote control is horrible and yuk!,also every morning the machine is totally locked up and have to recycle the power but this is possibly due to the 1.6.3 software.

My neighbor has the Thompson DHD4000 (his aerial is pointing to the alternative transmitter) which on first appearances looks ugly, but I noticed that when looking at the EPG it shows current channel in a window (is this PIP?), I also felt the menu system and the remote to be superior, but on the down side only 40gig.

I also spoke with Panasonic yesterday and they are saying the TUCTH1000 will be end March and they think the EPG will be on channel 1, I also spoke with the chap at Inverto who was very helpful and said the IDL7000 product is finishing field trials soon and the feedback is very positive.

So to recap I feel a 40gig machine is probably a bit small, the Thompson seems like the best menu system, all the machine except the Pani use channel 704, and not sure if I could live with the Fusion’s remote/menu system….I might wait for the Inverto/Panasonic to get released??

Can anyone help with my indecision?
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Old 04-03-2005, 11:48
stickofjoy
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Buy a Topfield

matt
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Old 04-03-2005, 14:12
tellyfiend
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Or the Inverto
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Old 04-03-2005, 14:18
stickofjoy
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Yep, or the Inverto.

Review here: http://www.pvruk.com/2005/03/review_inverto_.html
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Old 04-03-2005, 15:29
DX30
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From ~phil~'s email he can't get mux D, so none of the 4TV based PVR's are any good for him.
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Old 04-03-2005, 15:33
stickofjoy
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Ah, that narrows it down then
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Old 04-03-2005, 15:44
~phil~
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I have just read the review of the Inverto (link kindly supplied by stickofjoy) and to be honest, apart from the Panasonic (which delivery time is still an unkown) I think I'll get my areial re-pointed and try Inverto.

I know only a few have had a chance to play with the Inverto, but how does it compare with the topfield?
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Old 04-03-2005, 16:15
stickofjoy
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We'll know more about the Topfield next week.
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Old 04-03-2005, 19:31
emsee
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I've updated the comparison page again, mainly for the Inverto following the PVR UK review.
I've also made a few tweaks here & there to clarify things like separating pause & rewind live TV and adding a entry for whether adverts are shown in the EPG (please can any Fusion & Thomson owners tell me if adverts are shown in their EPG's).
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Old 04-03-2005, 20:52
leapingdog
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emsee - the article on Local Contrast Enhancement is very interesting - but what is the connection to the Inverto remote picture?

great chart - keep up the good work
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Old 04-03-2005, 21:06
emsee
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Originally Posted by leapingdog
emsee - the article on Local Contrast Enhancement is very interesting - but what is the connection to the Inverto remote picture?

great chart - keep up the good work

Oops!
Should be fixed now
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Old 05-03-2005, 13:30
sablade
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emsee, I know windows xp media center is more complex and expensive but can you add it to your chart please, as i believe it prob is the best. I also have a tivo which is brill but getting dated
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