Audio, while sounding very good, is a little quiet for our liking. Our slightly underpowered TV speakers needed to be cranked up quite high to get a decent amount of sound. People using external amplification, or less weedy TVs, won't suffer any problems though.
We aren't crazy about the menu system design on the 64160T. Like the company's other PVRs we've tested in the past, the graphics are rather shaky-looking and don't look brilliant on a large-screen TV. Still, the menus are functional, and they aren't complicated to use, which is always a relief.
Recording programmes is no more difficult than pressing the 'guide' button, looking for what you want to record, and pressing the red button. We can easily envisage people without any technical expertise using this PVR easily. Indeed, there is virtually no set-up required to start watching TV, apart from tuning in channels, so even the most technophobic users should be able to cope.
Conclusion
The Sagem DTR 64160T is a decent machine and very cheap for a 160GB Freeview recorder. While 160GB isn't a massive capacity, we think it will be more than enough for the casual viewer. It's worth pointing out that, for £30 more, you can get a 250GB version, with HDMI out.
We have no problems with the quality, and think the connectivity is well suited to the casual user. The 64160T's only real competition costs £100 more, and, while rivals have better storage space, that's not the be-all and end-all.
Edited by Charles Kloet
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