HDD Recorders DVD & PVR

Panasonic DMR-EX89

The DMR-EX89 Freeview personal video recorder is pricey, although, if you can afford it, we doubt you'll be disappointed. We'd like to see a second Freeview tuner included, but this machine looks good and offers plenty of flexibility, letting you record to both DVDs and its 400GB hard drive

Editor's rating 8.0

Panasonic DMR-EX79

The DMR-EX79 is one of the better Freeview personal video recorders out there. We wish it were cheaper and sported a second Freeview tuner, but it's a sturdy machine that offers plenty of recording flexibility thanks to its 250GB hard drive and DVD writing capability

User rating 8.0

Editor's rating 8.0

Sagem DTR 67500T

Although the DTR 67500T Freeview personal video recorder doesn't have the best design or most attractive menu system we've seen, we can't fault its actual performance. Easy to use, it offers plenty of storage space and excellent picture quality, while the ability to transfer your recordings to a USB stick is very welcome

Editor's rating 7.8

Panasonic DMR-BS750

We have no idea how Panasonic has managed it, but a box this size has surely never done so many things before. The BS750 lets you watch free high-definition broadcasts, record them to Blu-ray disc and play Blu-ray movies and all their cool online features. You can even watch YouTube. The only problem: the price

Editor's rating 9.0

Sagem DTR 64160T

The easy-to-use DTR 64160T is a capable Freeview recorder that represents extremely good value for money. It's a fairly hideous-looking machine, but it offers good picture and audio quality, plenty of useful features, and the 160GB of storage should be more than enough for the casual user

Editor's rating 7.1

TVonics DTR-Z500

The Freeview+ DTR-Z500 digital TV recorder offers a generous 500GB of storage, a good selection of features and impressive picture quality, although it lacks an HDMI output. Overall, it's a great device that will suit those looking for a simple but comprehensive recorder

Editor's rating 7.8

Humax Foxsat-HDR

The brilliant Foxsat-HDR is certainly the best freesat personal video recorder on the market at the moment. It's as well designed as it is easy to use, sounds great and has an excellent picture quality that we can't really fault, although the built-in storage could have been bigger

User rating 7.7

Editor's rating 9.0

Humax PVR-9300T

If it wasn't for the appalling fan noise, we'd suggest this is the best PVR we've seen in a long time. The operation is simple, the picture quality is very good indeed and the new style is fantastic, with a more modern look than the previous generation. Plus we're big fans of the addition of HDMI output

User rating 7.5

Editor's rating 7.3

Sony RDR-HXD995

Despite all the awful shopping channels, there's a wealth of great TV to record on Freeview. For maximum flexibility you'll want a DVD recorder and PVR with plenty of storage space, and that can record cable or satellite from a number of inputs. The Sony RDR-HXD995 fits the bill, with 1080p upscaling to boot

Editor's rating 7.5

Panasonic DMR-EX88

The Panasonic DMR-EX88 comes with a high-end price tag, but its features are certainly up to scratch. A Freeview recorder PVR with a massive 400GB hard drive and a DVD recorder built in, it will also play Xvid and DivX files and upscale your DVDs. That should clear out some space under the TV

User rating 3.5

Editor's rating 7.7

Philips DVDR5520H

The Philips DVDR5520H's main attraction is its built-in Freeview PVR. DVD and support for downloaded Internet material is also available. It looks sleek and attractive and has excellent connectivity, and a very well laid out electronic programme guide. Picture and sound quality are also good, with full 1080p upscaling

User rating 3.0

Editor's rating 7.0

Archos TV+

The Archos TV+ is a cross between a PVR and a media streamer. Coming in an 80GB or a 250GB version, this machine can record your favourite television programmes on its capacious hard drive. With plenty of plug-ins and features, does it fulfill both categories?

Editor's rating 5.3

Samsung DVD-SH855M

There's nothing better than kicking back and watching your favourite shows when you have time. As a DVD player, Freeview receiver and recorder, the Samsung DVD-SH855M offers you just this luxury. With excellent price and picture quality, you'll be in TV land in no time

User rating 2.0

Editor's rating 7.0

Thomson DTI 6300-16

Freeview PVRs are a great way of getting the most out of digital TV, and prices are coming down. The Thomson DTI 6300-16 comes with a Top Up TV starter pack, which increases the amount of TV you can receive, all for under £100

User rating 2.0

Editor's rating 7.8

Humax PVR-9200

Humax has replaced its popular 9200T PVR with the 9200TB and 9200TS. These new, improved models now come in two colours and qualify as 'Freeview Playback' PVRs, meaning they include certain features such as dual tuners and the ability to pause live TV

User rating 7.3

Editor's rating 8.0

Sagem DVR 6400 T

The Sagem DVR 6400 T is a simple dual-tuner Freeview recorder, available with a 160GB or 250GB hard drive. It features a seven-day electronic programme guide and boasts good quality sound and pictures

User rating 6.0

Editor's rating 6.3

TVonics DVR-FP250

The TVonics DVR-FP250 is one of the first PVRs to bear the 'Freeview Playback' standard, meaning it can pause live TV, has an eight-day EPG and can track schedule changes. It also boasts a whopping 250GB of memory

User rating 4.0

Editor's rating 7.6

BT Vision

BT is attempting to woo new broadband customers and lock in existing ones with a tempting offer -- a 160GB Freeview PVR with added on-demand content, all for almost nothing. It boasts a lovely looking set of menus and it's very easy to use, but is it worth switching ISP for?

User rating 4.3

Editor's rating 7.6

Panasonic DMR-EX77

Stuck the VHS in the loft? Need to record something while you're at a barbecue? Panasonic's latest solution is the EX77, a 160GB hard-disk Freeview PVR with a DVD burner built in. This means you can archive old programmes and keep those classic shows you can't bear to delete

User rating 7.0

Editor's rating 7.7

Pioneer DVR-545HX

Pioneer's DVR-545HX gives you the flexibility of recording analogue or digital TV channels using the integrated 160GB hard drive or to blank DVDs, including DVD-RAM and dual-layer discs. HDMI out enables video upscaling too

Editor's rating 8.1