I am trying to decide which PVR to buy and I cannot decide between the Topfield 5810 and Humax 9300T. I know that the Topfield has the full HDMI output and that you can customise with TAPs etc but is it worth the extra money? Although I'm quite good with technical stuff I'm not too fussed about TAPS and just want a reliable box with good picture that's fairly easy to use. I just don't want to go for the Humax and then be disappointed and wish I'd gone for the Topfield! What are the main differences that I should consider?

Many thanks

[100949football]

Originally Posted by sparkley

I am trying to decide which PVR to buy and I cannot decide between the Topfield 5810 and Humax 9300T. I know that the Topfield has the full HDMI output and that you can customise with TAPs etc but is it worth the extra money? Although I'm quite good with technical stuff I'm not too fussed about TAPS and just want a reliable box with good picture that's fairly easy to use. I just don't want to go for the Humax and then be disappointed and wish I'd gone for the Topfield! What are the main differences that I should consider?

Many thanks

Hi,
don't know about the differences but I can only, as a user for around four years, strongly recommend the Topfield.
I have never used TAPS - wouldn't know how to - and simply used the machine as a quality easily operated recorder.
Record two watch one all at the same time!
Brilliant.

[aekostas]

You may also want to consider the Topfield TF5800 (which is the one 100949football has). I think there are only two differences: smaller HDD and no HDMI.

I have one too and think it's great. It also has an active user community, which can help address any issues the box may have. So, not just a good product, but a great concept too.

[jammy86]

I'm having the same debate with myself too...

I think i'm going to be swayed by the Topfield as its the higher resolution and customisable.

JAmes.

[Fe_man2000]

I had this dilema 6 months ago and went for the Humax in the end. I havent used a topfield so I am not able to comment on there recording preformance but it was the price that really moved me in the end .

The HDMI output is not a factor in choosing between the two for freeview as its just not visble with SD TV broadcasts - your TV will upscale everything anyway etc etc.

I have a 37" LCD and its looks great on the HDMI at "720P" upscaled to 1080P by the TV, but I mean it, if you buy one over the other based on the output res for freeview you are wasting your money.

The humax 320GB is around £150-180 and the topfield is around £250+
The only reason I could see to get the topfield was its recording abilities/features and I couldnt really figure out what it did better or extra that I needed so I saved myself £100. So far im happy but I wish I could have used the topfield to see what its like as the humax isnt perfect.

[BrianScott1980]

Same decision here and ended up going for 9300T. Humax direct do the Grade A models for £150 delivered which is a bargain. Just wish that my BT vision box would have worked after cancelling my broadband with them as I still regard it as the best PVR available.

[Hal_loe]

Originally Posted by Fe_man2000

The humax 320GB is around £150-180 and the topfield is around £250+
The only reason I could see to get the topfield was its recording abilities/features and I couldnt really figure out what it did better or extra that I needed so I saved myself £100. So far im happy but I wish I could have used the topfield to see what its like as the humax isnt perfect.

The Topfield 5810 has a 500GB drive.

One other advantage of the Topfield is that it has a USB port to connect to a PC to allow transfer of the recordings as recorded to a PC.

[Hainsey]

I'd had this same debate over the last few days.

I've just reserved the Humax PVR9300 from Richer Sounds for £164.95

Went with the Humax in the end mainly due to cost and what I'd like to use it for vs what I'll actually use it for.

Just got to convince the missus to let me use the credit card

[Torin]

Has anyone looked at the tvonics DTR-Z500 as a third option - i ask as i have the Toppy 5800 but a coleague is now tied between the Toppy & the TVONICS - yet i cant find out to much about the DTR-Z500.

We have a freeview box by TVONICS on our 2nd set & its great but havent used their PVR's.

Any comments?

[alkip]

Toppy. I bought one of the HDMI equipped Humax' but the fan noise drove me mad, the EPG was not very user friendly and the menu in general wasn't to my liking. Sent it back got a refund and bought a 5800 Toppy Grade A refurb from Turbosat, absolutely brilliant. Keep meaning to put some TAPS on it but never seem to get around to it thankfully however, it's great to use straight out of the box I just know that when I get around to putting TAPS on I'll wonder why I didn't do it long ago.

[Hainsey]

Originally Posted by Hainsey

I'd had this same debate over the last few days.

I've just reserved the Humax PVR9300 from Richer Sounds for £164.95

Went with the Humax in the end mainly due to cost and what I'd like to use it for vs what I'll actually use it for.

Just got to convince the missus to let me use the credit card

Well I convinced the missus had to use the excuse of it being on offer (always on offer @ Richer Sounds but she dont know that!) and told her Richer Sounds were putting there prices up soon (it actually says that on the website).

Had to put an aerial to my lodgers room before I got it out the box last night but when I did get the Humax plugged in I was very impressed. The setup as it was super easy and the picture quality is fantastic, I must check to see if it upscales to HDMI because the picture was easily as good as my old Virgin+ HD Picture.

The EPG looks great to me and seems easy to use but I have been using the really crappy Philips built in Freeview on on my TV for about 3 months. I even managed to schedule a recording for Sunday (My Super Ex Girlfriend incase you were wondering). I've not looked in depth at a lot of the features yet but I should get chance tonight.

Originally Posted by alkip

Toppy. I bought one of the HDMI equipped Humax' but the fan noise drove me mad, the EPG was not very user friendly and the menu in general wasn't to my liking. Sent it back got a refund and bought a 5800 Toppy Grade A refurb from Turbosat, absolutely brilliant. Keep meaning to put some TAPS on it but never seem to get around to it thankfully however, it's great to use straight out of the box I just know that when I get around to putting TAPS on I'll wonder why I didn't do it long ago.

I have not noticed any fan noise yet, the PVR is a cupboard with glass doors and it can get hot in there, my Xbox 360 makes a right din if you dont keep the door open slightly but the Humax seems quiet as a mouse.

I hope this info helps anybody in making a choice.

[fayraz]

The latest firmware update fixed the fan noise issue and mine is now quiet.

[aekostas]

Originally Posted by Fe_man2000

IThe humax 320GB is around £150-180 and the topfield is around £250+

The Topfield TF5800PVR is under £200, with a 250GB HDD (and no HDMI). That's the value offering in my opinion.

[Torin]

Originally Posted by aekostas

The Topfield TF5800PVR is under £200, with a 250GB HDD (and no HDMI). That's the value offering in my opinion.

If HD isnt coming to freeview for a while (2011 for us), does HDMI make a difference?

[aekostas]

Irrespective of when/whether it comes or not, it makes no difference in this decision: these machines will not be able to support HD Freeview. HDMI is not relevant for Freeview, unless you have run out of SCARTs or sth.

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by 100949football

Hi,
don't know about the differences but I can only, as a user for around four years, strongly recommend the Topfield.
I have never used TAPS - wouldn't know how to - and simply used the machine as a quality easily operated recorder.
Record two watch one all at the same time!
Brilliant.

Wow. 4 years and you have not tried the MyStuff tap yet? My goodness, if you think its good now then MyStuff will blow your mind!

I have had a toppy for 3 years and i love it, but you have to install taps otherwise its a waste of money. Specifically the MyStuff tap, which is completely essential - the 'control timer' feature it provides (series link on steroids) is what makes this the best PVR on the market. Out of the box, the toppy is a joke, a master class in how to create a terrible user interface. It's also very buggy too; go to Welcome to Toppy.org.uk for some much needed firmware patches.

It you are not technically minded enough to install taps, get a humax.

[Torin]

Originally Posted by aekostas

Irrespective of when/whether it comes or not, it makes no difference in this decision: these machines will not be able to support HD Freeview. HDMI is not relevant for Freeview, unless you have run out of SCARTs or sth.

Thats what i thought - so wondering why some reviews are marking it as a negative on these boxes?

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by aekostas

Irrespective of when/whether it comes or not, it makes no difference in this decision: these machines will not be able to support HD Freeview. HDMI is not relevant for Freeview, unless you have run out of SCARTs or sth.

Not entirely. The user interface is very sharp, on a 5810 via HDMI, and up sampling can make some improvements.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by Torin

Thats what i thought - so wondering why some reviews are marking it as a negative on these boxes?

Too many reviewers are not truly independent and are in thrall to the HDMI industry myth.

[aekostas]

Originally Posted by Torin

Thats what i thought - so wondering why some reviews are marking it as a negative on these boxes?

Well, I don't know about others, but I only mentioned it because I was comparing the two models.