Caporegime
I've been using a Topfield TF5800PVR digi-hard-disk-recorder box for 2 or 3 years now, and it's been great barring a few hiccups, but it now appears to be dying on its arse so I'm considering replacements. Given that it appears to be taking a very rapid trip downhill, I may have to replace it rather more quickly than I'd planned. I've a few questions about what's available. For reference, I'm looking for a HD solution at some point as we now have a HDTV. I have a fairly good budget for this (£300ish), but I don't want a subscription based service i.e. Sky is not an option.
As far as I can tell my options are as follows:
1) Get a new hard disk for my current 5800 box. This would be a stopgap, as I think the whole thing is on the way out, but it is cheap. Is there anything revolutionary due 6 months down the line that would make it worth using a stopgap like this and holding off?
2) Getting a terrestrial box that is HD ready, say the FT5810. Now, it appears that these boxes can upscale a Freeview signal to an HD resolution, but can't actually process a Freeview HD signal. Is that correct? If so, this would seem like another stopgap, and an expensive one.
3) Get a Freesat HD box like a Humax Foxsat box. These, as I understand it, require a satellite dish, but can then receive the majority of Freeview channels, which are broadcast this way, as well as some HD channels which are broadcast this way, such as BBC HD and possibly ITV HD. Is that correct? Does anyone know how these will cope when Freeview HD comes about?
It appears that this is a bad time for a forced replacement, as it looks to me like we're waiting on Freeview HD. When will proper Freeview HD capable boxes be available? If it's likely to be a fair wait, is Freesat HD a good bet? I don't want to invest in, say, an upscaling HD box or a Freesat box and then be forced to upgrade to a Freeview HD box.
Sorry for the sprawling post... any guidance would be appreciated.
As far as I can tell my options are as follows:
1) Get a new hard disk for my current 5800 box. This would be a stopgap, as I think the whole thing is on the way out, but it is cheap. Is there anything revolutionary due 6 months down the line that would make it worth using a stopgap like this and holding off?
2) Getting a terrestrial box that is HD ready, say the FT5810. Now, it appears that these boxes can upscale a Freeview signal to an HD resolution, but can't actually process a Freeview HD signal. Is that correct? If so, this would seem like another stopgap, and an expensive one.
3) Get a Freesat HD box like a Humax Foxsat box. These, as I understand it, require a satellite dish, but can then receive the majority of Freeview channels, which are broadcast this way, as well as some HD channels which are broadcast this way, such as BBC HD and possibly ITV HD. Is that correct? Does anyone know how these will cope when Freeview HD comes about?
It appears that this is a bad time for a forced replacement, as it looks to me like we're waiting on Freeview HD. When will proper Freeview HD capable boxes be available? If it's likely to be a fair wait, is Freesat HD a good bet? I don't want to invest in, say, an upscaling HD box or a Freesat box and then be forced to upgrade to a Freeview HD box.
Sorry for the sprawling post... any guidance would be appreciated.
