PHILIPS HDTV 8520 High-Definition Digital Terrestrial Recorder
PHILIPS HDTV 8520
PHILIPS HDTV 8520 High-Definition Digital Terrestrial Recorder can only be described as a the toy every Freeview enthusiast should buy.
After having bench tested lots of different satellite and Terrestrial receivers we now have an outright winner.
Originally this little box (it is a little box in comparison to some of the freesat receivers on sale) could be bought for around the £300 mark - we bought ours for £147-50, and what a bargain it has turned out to be.
At this point I would strongly suggest updating the software(latest version dated 20-06-2011 version 7.21 released) which you can download from the Philips address within the guide book which comes with the Philips HDTV receiver. The update irons out all the little bugs.
To update you simply download the update either directly onto your pen-drive or directly onto your computer desktop and then load your chosen pen-drive and load the software as directed within the Philips HDTV booklet - very easy.
I love the little touches, such as when you select your viewing the box will suggest the following;
"this programme is also available in High-Definition" and the projected buttons to press appear on your screen for choosing yes or no - clever and so user friendly.
If you want to record something and there is a series it will also ask if you wish to record that particular episode or the whole series.
The menu system is child's play and designed by the experts of the stunning pictures; "Pace", all TV programmes are upscaled if they are not on HD and the picture is stunning.
I own a Philips plasma with built in Freeview and this little box with it's brilliant picture puts it to shame.
The Philips HDTV 8520 has a large 500gbs disk for recording and to sweeten the techie side we have a time shift buffer, and to explain here's how it works;
When you switch to a channel your HD recorder automatically starts recording the programme that is being played and stores it temporarily in the time shift buffer. When you switch to a different channel, your HD recorder discards the previously recorded programme, and starts recording the currant programme.
This feature enables you to pause a live programme at any moment and later continue watching it from that point, or instantly rewind and watch what you have seen or missed in the last few seconds.
The HD recorder stores up to 3 hours of live TV content in the time shift buffer. At the end of 3 hours, the oldest part of the recording is overwritten.
Your HD recorder empties the contents of the time shift buffer when you change the channel, or turn off your HD recorder or put it in standby - similar idea to the RAM memory in a computer.
The Philips HDTV 8520 has a 500Gb hard Disk Drive and the recording times are;
MPEG2 220 hours
MPEG4 110 hours(High-Definition)
The little box's size is;
240mm X 210mm X 65mm
Conclusion;
If your in the market for an HD Freeview box then grab one while you still can. They may be hard to find but do not be put off by that, the box working is head and shoulders above the rest. The box has MPEG4 built in which makes it future proof for a while yet.
They offer exactly what you want; ie;
Excellent picture quality;
User friendly;
The box can fit into spaces that other receivers never will.
PHILIPS HDTV 8520
PHILIPS HDTV 8520 High-Definition Digital Terrestrial Recorder can only be described as a the toy every Freeview enthusiast should buy.
After having bench tested lots of different satellite and Terrestrial receivers we now have an outright winner.
Originally this little box (it is a little box in comparison to some of the freesat receivers on sale) could be bought for around the £300 mark - we bought ours for £147-50, and what a bargain it has turned out to be.
At this point I would strongly suggest updating the software(latest version dated 20-06-2011 version 7.21 released) which you can download from the Philips address within the guide book which comes with the Philips HDTV receiver. The update irons out all the little bugs.
To update you simply download the update either directly onto your pen-drive or directly onto your computer desktop and then load your chosen pen-drive and load the software as directed within the Philips HDTV booklet - very easy.
I love the little touches, such as when you select your viewing the box will suggest the following;
"this programme is also available in High-Definition" and the projected buttons to press appear on your screen for choosing yes or no - clever and so user friendly.
If you want to record something and there is a series it will also ask if you wish to record that particular episode or the whole series.
The menu system is child's play and designed by the experts of the stunning pictures; "Pace", all TV programmes are upscaled if they are not on HD and the picture is stunning.
I own a Philips plasma with built in Freeview and this little box with it's brilliant picture puts it to shame.
The Philips HDTV 8520 has a large 500gbs disk for recording and to sweeten the techie side we have a time shift buffer, and to explain here's how it works;
When you switch to a channel your HD recorder automatically starts recording the programme that is being played and stores it temporarily in the time shift buffer. When you switch to a different channel, your HD recorder discards the previously recorded programme, and starts recording the currant programme.
This feature enables you to pause a live programme at any moment and later continue watching it from that point, or instantly rewind and watch what you have seen or missed in the last few seconds.
The HD recorder stores up to 3 hours of live TV content in the time shift buffer. At the end of 3 hours, the oldest part of the recording is overwritten.
Your HD recorder empties the contents of the time shift buffer when you change the channel, or turn off your HD recorder or put it in standby - similar idea to the RAM memory in a computer.
The Philips HDTV 8520 has a 500Gb hard Disk Drive and the recording times are;
MPEG2 220 hours
MPEG4 110 hours(High-Definition)
The little box's size is;
240mm X 210mm X 65mm
Conclusion;
If your in the market for an HD Freeview box then grab one while you still can. They may be hard to find but do not be put off by that, the box working is head and shoulders above the rest. The box has MPEG4 built in which makes it future proof for a while yet.
They offer exactly what you want; ie;
Excellent picture quality;
User friendly;
The box can fit into spaces that other receivers never will.
