Regarding this: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...ETOP+UP+TV.htm

How does it work - when you buy it do you need to activate the box by ringing up?

If not, do you have to take out the (admittidly only one month) Setana subscription?

Will it work as a Freeview PVR without any subscription to any of the services?

Mine worked out of the box.
Didn't take up the free month after reading about serious aggravation with cancelling it on here.
Picks up free to air channels.
However, a word of warning, mine kept missing recordings and crashing and gave up recording altogether a few months ago (it was a Xmas present). I've been trying to download everything off the hard drive onto disc/video so I can get it back under warranty without losing my precious saved recordings. Shame my damn DVD recorder keeps breaking down too!

So it is essentially 90 a quid Freeview PVR without any requirement to subscribe to anything?

Definitely.

They have them at £79.95 in our local Tesco

Might be worthwhile to keep an eye on signal strength and quality in case it's just due to poor reception

its a good idea to check your reception with the tommy as its receiver isnt as good as the built in panasonic receiver in my panny tv. it does tend to suffer more when in a weaker signal area.

I bought one yesterday from Tesco. I'm 35 miles from the TX,works fine. I am high up on a hill though.160gb drive not bad for the money.Didn't bother with the Top Up not interested in any type of pay tv.

I want to get another HD recorder for my Technomate sat receiver although I might wait and get a High Def receiver with a HD.

They are £69.99 in Asda but its a nightmare of a box riddled with bugs.

i intend to upgrade my aerial in a few weeks time and incorporate multi point system - if that doest improve the recetion the tommy box is going back to tescos for a refund. I may consider buying a topfield unit with 500gb HDD etc etc. so will see and let you guys know ok

Does Tesco hae a return policy if you are not happy with your product.I always thought Freeview boxes couldn't be returned .....or is that only Argos?

Took my set top box back to Tesco no problems with refund.

I have a Thomson tv which is great and I thought this box would be OK for the money but there were a few things I noticed within a day or so.Very slow changing channels,when I tried to switch between tuners using 0 on the remote it often just went blank, found channels freezing up,fan a bit noisy. Didn't even get round to trying the record facility.

Pity it didn't suit my needs as the price was good.

I don't really want a more expensive Freeview PVR as most of my viewing is on multisat.

Oh well I will buy again from Tesco though, I like shops that don't hassle you (like DSG awful company)when you have to return something. Makes you want to go back.

Just to clarify 'Swap' is not intended to switch between 'tuners' but between 'active streams'

OK thanks.

What's the EPG like - my old mum likes my sky+ box but has no intention of paying for TV. I was wondering if the thommo PVR replicates the simplicity of the sky+ EPG & mirrors the functionality like series link?

The epg is a matter of taste, but yes it is very simple to use and the handset is a good'un. There are still some bugs but you now have to work harder to spot them

Sky installation is normally done by an engineer with new dish, cable, and alignment to make sure that side is ok. Our Thomson had to be properly installed as well, but I guess you need to be very lucky indeed to just plug one into an old analogue TV aerial setup and have it working reliably. On top of that reception varies from street to street so a bit of research and preparation would help your mum no end

Taking all that for granted, I reckon the series link, 14 day epg, and search function puts it in the lead regardless of price, and it's 'only' 90 quid! - with a bit of homework, 'nearly' a free lunch

High there i bought one of these boxes yesterday and set it all up and recorded a couple of programmes with it with no problems i sat down to watch the first one and after about ten minutes of playback it locked up i had to switch it of and reboot to get it running again then five minutes later it did it again ! I tried the second recording and exactly the same thing happened again so its now packed back in its box ready to go back to tesco tomorrow. Its a shame its a good machine if there wasn't the faults.

Just to contrast that I got one a week ago and it has worked flawlessly

I know it has a few bugs but I think you got a dodgy box there.

That sounds like a signal quality issue.....something must have interferred with the signal during recording

I had a Fusion FVRT200 for three years with no problem with the signal and also have a panasonic EX87 digi/dvd recorder and the signal slways reads on or very near the maximum. I am now on the lookout for another recorder to replace my beloved fusion that has died.