I've just come back from a weekend away, and saw my friend's PVR. It had this really great facility whereby each recorded programme would start to preview in a window when selected, just like many DVD players. This seems such an obvious feature to implement in a system which deals with video (in the same way that audio systems often let you preview audio tracks etc). I wonder if this has been thought about in the new TF5810, or whether it has been totally ignored?

I'm happy enough that the title of the programme is displayed in the archive, this generally gives me all the 'preview' I need

Will a week go by without the usual suspects thinking of a negative thread to start about Topfield?

Go and buy that machine then.

That'll be the TopupTV+ box then... I had a shot of one less than an hour ago, and have to concede that the one thing I liked about it was the preview window.

However, the rest of the box is God-awful and a quick look at the TopupTV forums will show you that this box is riddled with problems.

Perhaps Ianmoticons' energy would be better spent over there picking holes in a different PVR...

Glen

PS: I see you've discovered the blog feature.

Anyone ever heard the expression "Don't feed the Troll"?

Its impossible. I've posted my 'final post' here several times now.

Glen.

So you only just found out that there is one PVR with this feature. Out of all the ones you have seen? So how does that make it a "standard" feature?

A useful feature to some people, maybe, maybe not. I have that feature on my HDD/DVDR and if anything I find it nore annoying than useful.

The TF5815 has this feature, on a mix screen of up to 9 snapshots. The one that's moving is the currently selected one. Which can be rather hard to see if it's a test card. Stupid engineers.

Thats nothing new, my 3 years old Panasonic DVD Recorder has that feature. Also has thumbnails of all the recorded programmes.

I find it rather annoying as it slows you down quite a bit when scrolling through the recordings to get to the one you want to view and you can't switch it off.

I'm glad the Topfield doesn't have this feature.

And didn't the (much loved) Panasonic TU-CTH100 have this feature too? You just have to accept that all machines are different.
Unless the boxes are just re-badged versions of the same machine, they will be different won't they?

So, I think we're agreed then. Given that there's enough processing power (to not slow down the box) then a preview feature would be good. I'd hope that a new model would come with a very decent updated, faster processor anyway (unless it's new money for old rope). The preview function looks pretty good on the existing DVD players/PVRs that implement it.

From a systems engineering point of view, it's a very logical function to implement given the nature of the media.

I find that sometimes the programme info isn't enough to remind me what the episode is of a series. The programme description is rarely enough, and the programme title even more rarely enough.

The TF5815 has acknowledged that some people want to do more than just watch and record DVB data, so it's got a small slave PC (dual core) in it, in case you want to run your accounts and play the latest games.

Good, because I could buy something for half the price to do that job.

PS I guess you're assuming that Topfield won't actually be using the model number 5815, otherwise you'll have serious egg on your face

Nope.

However, the upcoming TF5815 will have this preview feature, and from the initial reports you will be able to customise the display (background colours, font etc) as well as the size of the thumbnails created, as Topfield have acknowledged that people with poor eyesight can struggle to see the existing standard size preview thumbnails that are provided on most dvd recorders.

Ah, that will be a serious omission on behalf of the broadcasters then - much more information should be provided by default as part of the transmitted EPG. I gather that Freeview Playback V2.0 will allow for more meta data to be transmitted by the broadcasters, this will enable a maximum of six screens of additional programme info to be catered for, as well as images from the programme (such as characters etc). The TF5815 (via a firmware upgrade) will be able to integrate this information into the preview screen utilising a timecode that the broadcasters will also be transmitting as part of Playback V2.0, so that an instant summary of each scene can be provided in text form in addition to the thumbnails.

It's good to see some creative juices flowing, and less of the dull "towing-the-party-line" comments.

I think we're all agreed that a preview feature would be valuable, which was the point of the thread really.

I see you don't actually bother to read replies then.

Really? Perhaps if you actually created a thread like "Wouldn't this be a neat feature to add" people might believe you.

But when you say instead "Will the TF5810 lack standard functions" following on from classics like "Another serious omission...", "Major bug discovered..." and "Not much for the extra 10" I really don't think anyone believes you're being anything other than disingenuous when you say you're just trying to come up with good ideas.

Lots of people have said they don't want a preview; just as in other threads here, you seem to be under the impression that saying something like "we're all agreed" actually means that's the case.

It's not. People don't agree with you.

I think many of us are fairly confident that, whatever the final spec of the TF5810, you will present a list of things that are serious omissions, major failings, signs that Topfield has variously lost it, or is being cynical and planning on releasing another model later to "kick users in the teeth."

Perhaps ianmoticon should submit a list of his requirements to Topfield (and other manufacturers) for their inclusion in the next pvr rather than moan about things not being in the spec

That won't work. I think we all know people like him who epitomise the phrase "Function Creep"

Oh, I see that there appears to be some confusion. Let's have a show of hands then. Given that the processor can comfortably cope with the overhead, how many on this forum are asking Topield not to implement a preview feature (as described earlier) ?

Is that with or without an OFF switch?

Is that before or after they implement other features which people might want?