sleemanj: Anybody have anything to say about this unit? ?My google-fu isn't turning up any thing in the way of a review.
I'm interested mainly in how the PVR functions compare to the T1020.?
Is it a rebadged something else? Seems quite cheap for a PVR. The quality of interface and speed of that interface is is very important with these things.
Had a lone of one, it does not have a Full EPG only now and next does support a NTFS hard drives and the recorded file format is dead simple and lets you play Full HD on a PC..
You can select the partition that you wish to record to, my old boss that lent it to me could not get the record timer to work, the T1020 has full EPG and the picture a little better, the reported sig/qual levels was very low some 62% , 83% on the T1020 and 100% on all my TV's.
sleemanj: Thanks ZipDisk, sounds like the T1020 is a lot better.
The ZeaTek 8000 does have 10 timers, I never tested them just the manual recording as I was put off by the lack of full EPG, the T1020 only had 8 timers and these are shared with the EPG, I think the T1020 is not to bad for the price, if you after some thing that is say 100% you need to get a Panasonic, but what puts me off is the 250GB HD and you can only record in Full HD, but it can Automaticlly down convert when idle.
I have the Analoge Panasonic and found that the 250GB drive is some times a bit of a limitation and that is only set to record in SD/XP Mode.
I have added a Sanyo TUHD1010 so that I can record all the Freeview channels and its the same as a DRACO HDTV5500, what is interesting is the firmware file formats are very similar to the T1020 and the T1020 timers menu is the same.
The Other nice thing regarding the Panasonic you can copy your recoding's to a DVD in SD quality and edit frame by frame.
The T1020 is used in another room to replace a VCR.
The problems with both the ZeaTek 8000 and the T1020 is totally bad manuals and crappy remotes.
The range of set top boxes here is very limited and most lack and kind of Technical support, plus many of the importers folding.
DishTV is sold in nearly all the shops here and that might help with some confidence.
If it's cheap enough, it could be worth picking up despite the limitations - if it's easy to record on and the recordings are easy to access/convert/edit on a PC.
If it's cheap enough, it could be worth picking up despite the limitations - if it's easy to record on and the recordings are easy to access/convert/edit on a PC.
If it's cheap enough, it could be worth picking up despite the limitations - if it's easy to record on and the recordings are easy to access/convert/edit on a PC.
I dont think its easy to record on no real EPG and Problems with the Timers..
Its listed at $169 I could get one for $100 but decided on the T1020 for $146, prefered the rear mounted USB. and better support and the screen menus are a lot better with more features.
Plus I dont think there is any real support, ie firmware updates etc and none of the retail shops around here sell it, my $100 price was from a TV shop that I used to work for.
Dont forget most things are sold with a 60% mark up as you can see.
The cheapest PVR I have seen was a Akai at around $80 but MightyApe now sells this one Akai AD188X for $108.99
I don't personally regard a box being Freeview approved as a positive - while the EPG is nice, the other requirements of certification offset the benefits IMHO. Not just the crippling of the box in the sense of no transferring HD recordings (even if the hardware is capable) but all the other myriad niggles as well - eg no HD over component allowed, no ad skip button allowed etc.
A PVR without ad skip loses a good portion of its value to me. Plus, I get an OK signal (except for the Kordia Mux for some reason) in the living room due to a rooftop aerial with masthead amplifier, but not in other rooms - and I want to be able to view recordings in other rooms.
Something cheap and cheerful that will do what I want, even without an EPG, would have been interesting. Eventually I will solve the problem with an HTPC build, for which I have been gradually accumulating hard find components, and putting other bits of the solution such as networked media players in place, already. But budget and time constraints, as well as the need to install a network storage solution etc first, mean that build won't be until at least the middle of the new year.
The Dish 1020 would have been purchased already, if it wasn't for the crippling of the unit to gain Freeview accreditation.
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