Do we know if the 5800 will be upgradeable to conform to the Playback standard? I am holding off a DVB PVR purchase until this is in the shops and proven.

Does the 5800 also use a 7 day and not 14 day EPG.

Topfield has indicated that they will be working to implement the Playback features on the TF5800; the EPG is the standard broadcast 8 day guide, but if you want to hook the box up to the net, you could download a 14 day guide from other sources

Nigel.

If they implement Playback will they stop any ad-skipping features? And if they do will it be possible to TAP ad-skipping back on the box?

I don't see any earthly reason why they should remove features at the same time as they add Playback support.

Nigel.

I thought that I'd seen it elsewhere that Playback support restricted ad-skipping abilities to slow fast forward speeds (3x ?) at best.

IIRC the ITV wanted to restrict FF to, I think it was 15x. That would not trouble the Toppy . Do not know if they got their way on that in any event.

As for ad skipping features I dont know of any true automatic ad skipping features anyway. The Toppy with TAPs (MYStuff or Quickjumps and others) can jump various configurable time gaps.
The Playback spec will not affect what can be done with TAPs as far as I know.
NB I think there is a quick jump feature on the vanilla Toppy (some firmwares) but dont use it myself so not sure.

In exchange for using the Freeview Playback brand and logo manufacturers have to agree not to promote ad skipping as a feature of the product. They can still have the feature just not call it an Ad Skip button. I don't know the technicalities of the restriction and how open to interpretation it is or what constitutes promotion (packaging and sales literature, userguides, website tech spec etc). Calling it '30 Second Jump' or 'quick skip' button 'to skip parts of a recording you are not interested in' may or may not be OK but I would think it should. AFAIK Topfield have never refered to the progress bar yellow, right and FF button features as Ad Skip anyway (I haven't checked the latest manual though).