You worry me with the expression "best quality". Freeview PVRs have no mpeg hardware encoder because they grab the bitstream right out of the air. And that bitstream is in MPEG2 format so the PVR just saves the MPEG2 file to the HDD. therefore the quality is that broadcast and the number of hours you get on the HDD is dependent upon the bandwidth of the bitstream that you are receiving which is channel dependent.

Typically, allow 2GB per hour for Freeview. So the 80GB drive on this will hold about 40 hours.

Interestingly, Sony have not announced this model yet, however on their website, they've quietly announced a new Media Distributor system which will allow you to control your DVD/STB from your PC.

http://www.sony-europe.com/view/View...sReleaseDetail

Does this mean that the next generation of Sony STB's including the SVR-S500 will have an ethernet or some other Network Connectivity included

Also, I'm interested if the S500 has a Card Slot or CAM-Slot. Not that I'm ready to subscribe to TUTV, but I can forsee in the future that Pay-TV will become part of DTT and I would like some future-proofing

Possibly the poster was thinking of this from earlier in the thread


I think software compression like the 4TV models use is a likely explanation, although hardware encoders are getting cheaper. Sony already use them in their Freeview DVD recorders.

If they used a decent sized HDD in the first place they wouldn't need either, would they?

True - 80 GB does seem a bit mean in a £200+ machine.

Yes, I was. 40 hours seems pretty good for what I want though.

Well, it wouldn't be for me. All of my boxes have Samsung V120CE 250's in and they soon fill up.

Everyone has different needs, but I don't think 80gb would limit most people. Having upgraded my cramped 40gb Fusion to 120gb, I find we still have at least a third free most of the time, and that's with all manner of junk left on there that we'll never get around to watching.

There's only so many hours in the day after all, no matter how big (or full) your platters are.

Yes, but you've just got married and have better things to do with your time than record TV programmes. Some of us old farts collect TV shows we'll never get to watch.

Sony Centres round my area are now saying that is it Overdue and 'imminent' within the next 2 weeks. I'm hoping to see a showroom demo at my local centre when it's in.

It better be the Dogs danglies for £249, or I'm off to John Lewis for a Humax at £199

Everyone said that about the Panny and thought it was going to be. Sony the next big brand to have a go - one of those big big boys is going to manage it some point surely and I would probably bet more on Sony doing it than any of the others. Though I probably wouldnt put that much money down in the first place

Panny owners case of once bitten.... No? Oh, never mind.

Can you please tell me which Panasonic model they are withdrawing.

Regards Joon

TU-CTH100 is already deleted, however will be replaced with the TU-CTH200... oh yes, made in the Czech Republic it's back on the cards (no ETA other than this year!) with a 160MB HD, else pretty much the same as its predecessor, however, with one or two new nuggets The MHEG software being currently re-written for the CT100 forms the backbone of the CT200... unfortunately, I have not been able to extract much more from my Welsh buddy, sorry

Well -slight update on the Sony. I went into my Local Sony Centre this weekend and they showed me their dealer brochure, which stated available in April.

More importantly though, it stated a 14-day EPG!. Yes, 14-Day. The picture that was posted here indicated 8-day EPG. This gives the Sony a slight edge I think, assuming this is true.

We won't know for sure until we see a specification or manual. Amazon now has the Sony listed with a £249 pricetag, but no spec. Why would anyone buy without a specification? No signs on the Sony site anywhere.

Looks increasingly likely it's another 4TV clone, as speculated earlier. ISTR the lack of 14 day EPG was one of the few things that didn't fit with that theory. Hopefully it won't be too long before we know for sure.

Just because it's a 14 day EPG doesn't necessarily mean that it's 4TV (although it might be). Aren't Sony pushing an alternative EPG (the name of which escapes my memory at the moment)?

Ah, here we go. It's called "tvtv". Here's a news item about it:

http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?id=1437

As I said, I'm speculating though (just like everyone else).

The question is, if tvtv is used for the Sony, will you be able to program it from their website? If so, then I'm almost (yes, almost) a customer. Still waiting on the official specs
too much speculation - this could be the PVR to beat!

I agree. It could be they are just copying the 4TV feature set - long play modes, disk size, and now a 14 day epg. But for now it's all speculation while we wait.

Ordered mine on saturday the sony guy in my local shop had a look on his computer and said it was showing as 'in stock' and should expect delivery by the 17th of May £239.99!

My money's still on it being a 4TV model - the similarities, both in epg and physical dimensions & design (which don't seem particularly Sony-like), are just too much of a coincidence. Also, somebody said before that this model was a way for Sony to "test the water" in PVRs - and an off-the-shelf 4TV design would be perfect for that. If they've given it the right Sony gloss, it could be a real winner.

I've always thought the basic 4TV twin tuner concept is excellent - at their best, the Thomson and Fusion models are really great machines - it's only the few bugs and (especially in Fusion's case) hardware shortcomings that have let them down so far. Partnering with Sony might just be enough to deliver what the previous models have been promising for so long.

Incidentally, if it is a 4TV clone, that would also explain the unimpressive hard drive - the chipset they use is limited to 128gb, so they can't compete with the Humax and Topfield on headline figures. Usability is a whole different thing, however.

Wouldn't you say that in that case £239.99 is a tad steep, Boinng?

Definitely, but then that's not going to be the price for more than a month or two, is it? It's just the actual price plus the usual tax of whatever they think they can get away with, in regard to the Sony brand, and the enthusiasm of early adopters.

Virtually all of the PVRs on the market have been launched with high price tags, and then been subjected to fairly steep price reductions soon afterwards - I can't see this one being any different. It'll get down to about £200 soon enough, and be competing directly with the Humax - and if it's as reliable and user friendly as it (potentially) could be, it might compete very well at that level.

Without looking like I am trying to diss 4TV I hope Sony dont get 4TV do design their PVR. The software on my Fusion is, ok, but I am expecting better things from Sony. They should start by taking cues from the good things about their current freeview offerings for a start.