Ricability digital 2007 Digital TV Recorder Reviews - This is Ricability digital 2007

Humax Duovisio PVR-9200TB

Ease of Use: 81%
Price: �164.69

Verdict: Slightly bulky PVR with lots of useful features and convenient to use. Can be connected to old no-SCART TVs. Background noise from hard drive slightly annoying. This model has Freeview Playback features - which can be downloaded over air or the internet onto the PVR - 9200T version. Also has the Easy to Install badge and offers good consumer support.

Thomson Sky HD

Ease of Use: 79%
Price: �99999.99

Verdict: This PVR receives digital TV via the Sky satellite service including the new high definition channels. It is installed with a satellite dish by Sky and you pay a monthly subscription. It was easy to use with a well laid out remote control and TV guide and a straightforward menu structure. Allows accurate recording times and series recording - and handles audio description. Power consumption is high.

Wharfedale 160DTR

Ease of Use: 77%
Price: �119.99

Verdict: Convenient to use with no significant drawbacks. Standby power consumption quite high. Has Freeview Playback features but no manual repeat recording option. Also has the Easy to Install badge, but could offer more consumer support.

Technika AEDTR160S7

Ease of Use: 77%
Price: �119.97

Verdict: Convenient to use with no significant drawbacks. Standby power consumption quite high. Has Freeview Playback features but no manual repeat recording option. Also has the Easy to Install badge, but could offer more consumer support.

TVonics DVR-250

Ease of Use: 75%
Price: �159.99

Verdict: Compact PVR with large capacity hard drive. Intuitive and straightforward to use, particularly N&N, recording and library functions but TV guide lacks contrast and no favourites option. Also sold by Currys as Logik LPV2250.

Evesham PVR160

Ease of Use: 74%
Price: �149.99

Verdict: Generally fairly easy to use, but some niggles e.g. took a long time to boot up from off and an instruction manual which lacked detail for the novice.

Sharp TU-R160H

Ease of Use: 74%
Price: �89.99

Verdict: Generally fairly easy to use, but some niggles e.g. took a long time to boot up from off and an instruction manual which lacked detail for the novice.

Sky(plus) Thomson 160

Ease of Use: 74%
Price: �99999.99

Verdict: This is a complex product that is made simple to use by a well laid-out remote control with intuitive on-screen menu and TV Guide.

Digihome DTR160

Ease of Use: 74%
Price: �94.99

Verdict: A versatile, intuitive and generally easy to use PVR with a well prompted, 7-8 day TV guide. A Freeview Playback recorder that allows accurate recording times and series recording. Has the Easy to Install badge.

Topfield TF5800PVR

Ease of Use: 66%
Price: �199

Verdict: A fully-featured product that was slightly let down by its on-screen menus and the way some features were activated.

BT Vision

Ease of Use: 64%
Price: �99999.99

Verdict: Lots of features and generally intuitive to use, but let down by very slow TV guide and see-through menus and TV guide. This terrestrial PVR connects to BT broadband for pay TV and interactive telephone services.

Topfield TF5810PVRt

Ease of Use: 64%
Price: �349

Verdict: This PVR has the Easy to Install badge but no wizard or automatic installation from first set-up and comes with a wordy instruction manual. Freeview Playback recorder that allows accurate recording times and series recording. Daunting remote control - poorly laid out with small buttons and labelling. Several video output sockets including HDMI and a UHF modulator output for connecting to TVs with no spare SCART socket. Also has two empty slots so you could fit card reader slots for Pay TV channels and advanced features like connection to a PC to download other features. Advanced recorder for enthusiasts. Fairly high power consumption.

Humax PVR-9200T

Ease of Use: 62%
Price: �159.95

Verdict: Fully featured machine with a good on-screen menu and TV Guide, let down by a few niggles. Can be upgraded with Freeview Playback features with an over air download - see our Humax Duovisio report for how it then performs.

Virgin Media V(plus)

Ease of Use: 61%
Price: �99999.99

Verdict: Started life as the Telewest TV Drive. Cable PVR and portal to lots of features, but this makes menu structure complex, and does not record radio. Does provide audio description.

Goodmans GHD1621F2

Ease of Use: 59%
Price: �99.99

Verdict: Fairly easy to use but lacks some useful features eg no favourite channels option. Can �pause live TV� but can't rewind to review programme from before you pressed pause. Has Freeview Playback features, but no manual repeat recording option, and the Easy to Install badge.

Daewoo DSD9520

Ease of Use: 56%
Price: �89.95

Verdict: Satisfactory product with some nice features but remote control labelling poor.

Thomson DT16300-16

Ease of Use: 52%
Price: �89.99

Verdict: This is a standard terrestrial PVR that also receives Top Up TV channels. Records an extra range of programmes during the night. Too many niggles setting timer recordings, using TV guide and navigating out of menus with the remote - lacks important prompt

Sagem DVR62160SL-T

Ease of Use: 49%
Price: �119.99

Verdict: Good for recording TV but does not record radio and everyday ease of use - navigating the menus, using Now & Next and TV guide - all poor.

Sagem PVR6240T

Ease of Use: 47%
Price: �75

Verdict: Product has a poor menu structure, poorly laid-out and cramped remote control and poor instruction manual.

Inverto IDL-7000 PRV

Ease of Use: 46%
Price: �199.99

Verdict: On screen menus are difficult to read and navigate. TV Guide poorly laid-out and difficult to use. Remote control is unresponsive, erratic, with poor angle of use and is poorly labelled and laid-out.

Yamada DTV-3000HDD

Ease of Use: 42%
Price: �139.99

Verdict: System has some unusual protocols and quirks that hinder use of basic and advanced functions - not helped by a poor instructions manual.