Hi-tech buying advice for Christmas - ask in HEXUS.lifestyle!

[Bob Crabtree]

Tell us what you need to know and - between HEXUS.lifestyle and our hugely-knowledgeable forum members - we'll surely be able to give you the advice you need.

So, here are the places to go to post your buying queries:

Hi-def TV and video (including Sky HD, Telewest TVDrive and upscaling DVD players) - HEXUS.HD

Other general AV hardware (little or large) - audio/visual arena (yes, right here!)

Still cameras (SLR and compact) - creative

Any other digital goodies that don't seem appropriate in the above - my.lifestyle

[Steve]

My housemate wants to recommend a cheapish PVR for his mum to buy his dad this Christmas.

It needs to be:

Simple and with an EPG
HDD based recording

It'd be nice to have:

DVD burner
Simultaneous record & timeshift
Progressive output

Any gems out there?

[Bob Crabtree]

Steve,

A few likkle questions.

Do we know what sort of price-range "cheapish" encompasses?

I ask because I suspect that progressive output and cheapish don't usually appear in the same sentence.

Preferences for analogue or Freeview?

My own preference would be to have both but if I could only have one - because of pricing or some other reason - then I'd choose Freeview.

But Freeview reception isn't as widespread as analogue so it would be wise to do a post-code check for Freeview reception for the place where the PVR is going to live. The checker is on Freeview's home page.

[Steve]

Bob,

The place has Freeview from the mighty Mendip transmitter (second only to the overlord of transmitters, Belmont). So it'd need to be a Freeview PVR.

Price-range: £200ish, not all that rigid though.

Cheers.