I'm planning to buy an LCD widescreen TV and a hard disk recorder. I
like the look of the Toppy.  I like the 250Gb hard disk, the twin
freeview tuners and the whole TAP idea. However, I'm concerned about
future HDTV compatibility.  I received conflicting advice about freeview
HDTV broadcasts in the shops yesterday.  Wondering if anyone here has a
definitive answer?

Will Freeview only start broadcasting in HD when additional bandwidth is
freed up by the switch off of the analog signal or will it start before
the switch off?  When will this be (the switch to freeview HD
broadcasting, not the turn off of analog)?

Will the toppy's existing twin freeview tuners be able to receive the HD
freeview broadcast & display on my (soon-to-be-purchased) HD-ready TV in
HD format or will I then need to replace the toppy with something that
is HD-ready? I want to buy something with approx 10-year lifespan (I
accept that parts like the disk might need replacing but I want to make
sure the basic system architecture will see me into the HD era OK).

Also, is it possible to get wireless access to the Toppy for
uploading/downloading recordings without plugging a laptop into the USB
port?  Are there any USB wireless dongle-type affairs that work with it?

Cheers,

Ian.

"Ian Williams"  wrote in message 
news:4413fcb8$0$70323$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...


> Will Freeview only start broadcasting in HD when additional bandwidth is
> freed up by the switch off of the analog signal or will it start before
> the switch off?  When will this be (the switch to freeview HD
> broadcasting, not the turn off of analog)?
>

the people who might possibly know havent said - as of this moment no 
announcement of hi def terrestrial has been made.



> Will the toppy's existing twin freeview tuners be able to receive the HD
> freeview broadcast & display on my (soon-to-be-purchased) HD-ready TV in
> HD format or will I then need to replace the toppy with something that
> is HD-ready? I want to buy something with approx 10-year lifespan (I
> accept that parts like the disk might need replacing but I want to make
> sure the basic system architecture will see me into the HD era OK).
>


given the above, it's a bit much to expect them to build something in which 
doesnt exist - who knows what format the transmissions would take if they 
ever come to pass?



-- 
Gareth.
Goblins are real... your Grandpa Seth is telling you!
http://www.audioscrobbler.com/user/dsbmusic/

the dog from that film you saw wrote:
> "Ian Williams"  wrote in message 
> news:4413fcb8$0$70323$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader03.plus.net...
> 
> 
>> Will Freeview only start broadcasting in HD when additional bandwidth is
>> freed up by the switch off of the analog signal or will it start before
>> the switch off?  When will this be (the switch to freeview HD
>> broadcasting, not the turn off of analog)?
>>
> 
> the people who might possibly know havent said - as of this moment no 
> announcement of hi def terrestrial has been made.
> 
> 
> 
>> Will the toppy's existing twin freeview tuners be able to receive the HD
>> freeview broadcast & display on my (soon-to-be-purchased) HD-ready TV in
>> HD format or will I then need to replace the toppy with something that
>> is HD-ready? I want to buy something with approx 10-year lifespan (I
>> accept that parts like the disk might need replacing but I want to make
>> sure the basic system architecture will see me into the HD era OK).
>>
> 
> 
> given the above, it's a bit much to expect them to build something in which 
> doesnt exist - who knows what format the transmissions would take if they 
> ever come to pass?
> 
> 
>  
 From what I can make out, the whole HD on Freeview issue won't come 
about, if at all, until after the analogue switch-off in 2012. If that's 
correct, and you buy a Toppy now, it will most likely have gone to the 
great PVR graveyard by then. Given the relative cheapness of this sort 
of kit it's not worth worrying about right now, IMO - enjoy what's 
available. If you waited for the 'next best thing' you'd never buy anything.

Clem

the dog from that film you saw wrote:
> 
> given the above, it's a bit much to expect them to build something in which 
> doesnt exist - who knows what format the transmissions would take if they 
> ever come to pass?
> 

Seems fair enough!  I was a bit suspicious of the salespeople in the 
shops telling me that their products would work with HD freeview when I 
couldn't find anything about it anywhere.  Mind you there was one guy 
who categorically told me that there were no twin-freeview-tuner PVRs on 
the market.

Thanks for the advice.

Clem Dye wrote:
>  From what I can make out, the whole HD on Freeview issue won't come 
> about, if at all, until after the analogue switch-off in 2012. If that's 
> correct, and you buy a Toppy now, it will most likely have gone to the 
> great PVR graveyard by then. Given the relative cheapness of this sort 
> of kit it's not worth worrying about right now, IMO - enjoy what's 
> available. If you waited for the 'next best thing' you'd never buy 
> anything.
> 
> Clem
Thanks.  I think I'll just change my expectations of a 10 year product 
lifespan and enjoy it now.

I have a 250gb Toppy and just had to buy a new TV when the old CRT scart 
failed.
In the end I opted for a 23" Panny which is NOT kitted up for HD, (though 
they say it is capable ) and I only paid about £500 for it and spent the 
rest on a Toppy.

I know I will not pay Murdoc for HD,
I know I will not want 'another' box.
By the time HD is commonplace (2012+)  all the HD TV's will be SO much 
better.

A 23" (or 26") is fine for my room, it does not dominate the space with a 
'big techno box'.
The definition of a good Freeview image on the 23" is fantastic in the end 
they all have the same pixels count.

The Toppy is amazing, it just works, so far I have not added any 'Taps' but 
probably will add Jags EPG. Now I gather you can even control the Toppy via 
the web or via a mobile text message!
Go for the 250gb. I quickly filled up 100gb and with 250gb you can archive a 
few favourites for later.
What I had not realised is that it is 'picture perfect', as it records the 
source digitally the playback is not degraded at all.
It has a sensitive tuner too, of course a good signal helps as the two 
tuners 'link' through and then you may need to power a third freeview tuner 
in your TV. My TV degrades on the 'BBC extra interactive channels'  but they 
all work fine via the Toppy.
It also performs very well as a radio, when you connect it to your amp you 
can junk your FM tuner. Also you can schedule it to record radio just like a 
VCR.   It is almost a one box solution.
"Ian"  wrote in message 
news:44142e15$0$6967$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
> the dog from that film you saw wrote:
>>
>> given the above, it's a bit much to expect them to build something in 
>> which doesnt exist - who knows what format the transmissions would take 
>> if they ever come to pass?
>>
>
> Seems fair enough!  I was a bit suspicious of the salespeople in the shops 
> telling me that their products would work with HD freeview when I couldn't 
> find anything about it anywhere.  Mind you there was one guy who 
> categorically told me that there were no twin-freeview-tuner PVRs on the 
> market.
>
> Thanks for the advice.

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 16:27:23 +0000 (UTC), "Jerry Fryman"
 wrote:

>The Toppy is amazing, it just works, so far I have not added any 'Taps' but 
>probably will add Jags EPG.

Out of the box, it just works - manually. With JAGS, it just works -
automatically. Get Jags on there, it transforms the usability of the
machine.
-- 
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.

The BBC is going to start engineering tests with Freeview HD on 8th May.