Features to look for

So you are ready to go digital and you've chosen the platform and the type of kit you will need. Whether you've decided on a set top box, digital TV recorder (PVR) or an integrated digital TV (iDTV), there are some features well worth looking out for - see Set top box or digital TV recorder (PVR) or iDTV. And some of these products handle re-programming better than others - see automatic updating.

All the digital boxes will display an on-screen TV guide - have a look at the differences in the shop before you buy. And the remote controls you get with them vary a lot in how easy they are to use. Here are some pointers to help you choose - see TV guide and Remote.

Freeview+

Freeview+ sets a new standard for digital TV recorders (PVRs and DVD digital recorders). For these recorders to carry the Freeview+ logo, they must have passed Freeview quality testing and have certain features.

The features must include an 8 day on-screen TV guide and improved versatility for recording. This means Freeview+ digital TV recorders – with no monthly subscription - will do things that only the Sky+ satellite recorder offered subscribers in the past.

We’ve tested a batch of Freeview+ recorders – go to product search to find our reports. So what are these new features? They include:

• automatically adjusted recording times - really useful if the programme is running late or has been re-scheduled, Freeview+ will recognize this and start recording when the programme actually starts
  
• series recording – lets you set the recorder to record all episodes of a TV series
  
• resolving conflicts - if you have booked clashing programmes to record, it will automatically locate a scheduled repeat and record that instead.

For more information visit the Freeview website.

Back to top