[Rasczak]

Telewest have announced they will shortly be launching a PVR service equivalent to Sky+:

Cable technology provider Scientific Atlanta confirmed today that its Explorer 8300DVB set top box will be used for Telewest's rival to Sky+.

Telewest's new digital video recorder (DVR, also known as personal video recorder or PVR) service will be rolled out to customers in the second half of 2005. The cableco has entered into a contract making Scientific Atlanta the company's exclusive provider of DVR set top boxes for a two year period.

"We are capitalizing on Scientific-Atlanta’s extensive interactive video experience and innovation by using their expertise to lead our vendor integration effort," said Telewest's president and COO Eric Tveter. "This integration expertise will help accelerate deployment of the 8300DVB PVR and help deliver a smooth interactive video experience for our customers."

The Explorer 8300 features 3 tuners. This will allow subscribers to record three programmes at the same time, or to record two programmes while watching a third live. The box includes 2 video decorders, allowing subscribers to watch a channel while arching previously recorded programmes to, for example, an externally-connected VCR or DVD recorder. Most interestingly, the boxes supplied to Telewest will be capable of decoding and displaying high definition television, although there has been no word as yet as to when the cable operator will begin carrying high definition content.

"PVR technology will become the enabling digital service for operators throughout Europe," said George Stromeyer, VP and managing director at Scientific-Atlanta Europe. "Our research indicates that 92 percent of users are likely to continue their PVR service, and 75 percent say they have recommended PVR to someone not in their household."

This is good news for Cables owners who, uptil now, have had to endure lossy, Red Dot/DOGs recording.

Source:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds18555.html

[hornydragon]

also here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4194357.stm

[Nottman]

3 tuners and 160 gb - bliss! Wonder how much it'll cost?

[AVFan7667]

Cool

That would compliment my XS32 just great

[alex812]

Any reaction from NTL or is NTL too strapped for cash do do a similar deal?

[Rasczak]

Any reaction from NTL or is NTL too strapped for cash do do a similar deal?

I'm sure now one has announced plans the other will follow.

[TarMoo]

See http://www.telewestinfo.co.uk/TWPVR.shtml for details of the Scientific Atlanta 3800.

I plan to get a Plasma Screen soon and one of the major gripes for sets such as the Pioneer 435 is that it has a relatively poor picture for non-DVD sources such as Cable/Freeview/Sky.

Any Ideas on what the outputs from this box are going to be and will the picture quality be better than currently available via the Telewest Pace Set Top Box. Thanks.

[Rasczak]

Any Ideas on what the outputs from this box are going to be and will the picture quality be better than currently available via the Telewest Pace Set Top Box

The criticisms of PQ from Sky/Cable sources is not so much to do with the connectivity of the boxes but more to do with the low bitrates used to transmit the material. Connectivity won't necessarily improve things either: odds are if you tried to watch a standard def Sky/Cable picture via HDMI/DVI then it would look dreadful - even badly authored, medium bitrate DVDs can look bad - let alone low bitrate Sky.

The way to improve PQ of such sources is to purchase a scaler. Whilst you can get cheap ones the recommended ones will costs half as much as your screen again. TBH your best seeking advice on this on this subject from experts such as HornyDragon on the plasma forum.

[misog]

Hearing this news I now regret buying my FX32 3 days ago.

[Rasczak]

I now regret buying my FX32 3 days ago

What is an FX32 when it's at home? If your referring to the Toshiba RDXS32 then I can assure you then it is the perfect companion to any HDD PVR such as the Atlanta. You will be able to use the PVR for timeshifting (with the added advantage that interactive material - such as Red Dot - will be removed) whilst the HDD/DVDR is ideal for editing and archiving. It couldn't be a better combination - indeed most users here have Sky+ (the Sky equivalent) and a HDD/DVDR such as the Toshiba or Panasonic.

[misog]

Toshiba RD-XS32. Must be too much vino!!! Where did FX32 come from.
Anyway all I want is to record to HDD and to Timeslip so if I had known about Telewests plans I would not have bought the Toshiba and it dont work anyway. See my other thread.