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August 11, 2005
Review: Topfield TF5800PVR
The Topfield TF5800PVR is a twin-tuner Freeview PVR that has some unique capabilities that make it stand out from the competition. It has 2 Common Interfaces that allow you to plug in a cards for Top Up TV and other services that may become available. Whereas most PVRs are a closed piece of consumer electronics, the Topfield has been designed to allow the user to connect it up to a PC or Mac and copy the video files off, download MP3s onto it for playback and add software modules developed by Topfield and the user community to enhance it's functionality.
I've managed to get hold of one for an extended test, and I'll be posting this review and my experiences over the next few days. Check back for updates as the week progresses.
The Topfield TF5800PVR is available from around £265.
Initial Impressions
The
Topfield comes well packaged and gives an impression of quality from
the start. The case is a solid-feeling pressed steel construction, and
has plenty of ventilation. I've included plenty of pictures in this
review - click them for a bigger version.
As you can see, it's a well-connected beast. From left to right we have
- Dual Antennas with a loop through
- Video out
- Audio left
- Audio right
- S-Video
- TV Scart
- VCR Scart
- USB port (for connecting to your PC/Mac)
- RF in
- RF out
- S/PDIF (optical output for digital audio)
- RS232
More to come soon!
August 11, 2005 in Freeview, Reviews, Topfield | Permalink
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Comments
Any more reviews/news ont the topfield?
cheers
nick
Posted by: nick phillips at Aug 16, 2005 1:58:15 PM
Any more news on the topfield?
cheers
nick
Posted by: nick phillips at Aug 16, 2005 1:58:54 PM
Looks good, shame there is not ethernet port.
Is the USB 2.0? if not coping stuff off is going to be very slow
Posted by: Mat at Aug 25, 2005 11:04:13 AM
I've just been looking about for possible PVR purchases and the Topfield looks good.
To answer Mat, yes, the connection is a USB 2.0 jobbie.
Posted by: Lee at Aug 28, 2005 2:48:33 PM
G-day from Australia,
I'm thinking of buying one of these. I've heard that you can record dvd's and videos onto the hard-drive if you use an RF converter and input through the RF in. Has anyone actually done this? What is the picture quality like to watch?
Posted by: James at Oct 3, 2005 6:49:16 AM
James, I'm afraid you can't do that, the Toppy does NOT have an mpeg encoder, so can only record the pre-encoded digital TV broadcasts.
Posted by: Mark at Oct 8, 2005 10:47:27 PM
Is it possible to record ntl channels on to Topfield 5800? Has anyone managed to do this?
If so, please use simple terms if at all possible.
Andrew Kirk, Hemel Hempstead
Posted by: Andrew Kirk at Jan 28, 2006 5:34:20 PM
Pictures are superb but I need to increase the audio level from my Toppy. TV vol must be set at max. to make sound audible.
It is very disturbing to switch my TV over to own tuner or play an external DVD and be driven out of the room! Is there a software fix?
Posted by: Donald at Feb 6, 2006 10:48:44 AM
Does anybody know if it is possible to use the Topfield TF5100PVRc (Cable PVR) on NTL. Also does anybody know if there is a UK ditributor for this device.
Posted by: Paul at Apr 15, 2006 4:09:08 PM
Is it possible to record ntl channels on to Topfield 5800? Has anyone managed to do this?
Posted by: nev at May 26, 2006 8:14:08 PM
yes, you can record 2 channels from ntl or sky.
i have it set up to do this.
Posted by: michael bublie at Sep 12, 2006 3:33:07 PM
i,ve had the toppy 250gb for 2 mths now.it has vgood menu system, and programme guide.recording from epg is easy as is opening libary folder, i,ve not tranfered 2 comp yet which had 2 b done in real time on my previous digifusion 200.my only disapointment is that it doesnt have retrospective record( record the whole programme even if u have been watching for 1/2 hour) and the pause/rewind is only for 1 channel, so u cant pause and flick between 2 channels, the digifusion could do both these features, however the damn thing kept losing the hard drive and was generally unreliable
Posted by: steve at Sep 16, 2006 11:50:49 PM
Please can anyone tell me if it is possible to transfer from VCR to PVR as i have some 50+ VHS C tapes that i want to transfer.
PS I have the Topfield 5800 250GB
Thanks
Posted by: smudger at Oct 14, 2006 3:11:25 PM
visit www.toppy.org.uk forums for all your Topfield 5800 questions.
CW
Posted by: chunkywizard at Dec 19, 2006 9:31:08 AM
HI, I have just installed my 'Toppy' and found that after searching for stations four times I can only get 6 tv stations and no Radio. I am running it through a Digital DVD player and a Digital LCD TV and both of those have all available TV and Radio stations clear as a bell. Am I making a school boy error somehow?
Posted by: Northernmonkey at Apr 6, 2007 1:06:05 PM
Help Wanted
My Toppy 5800 has suddenly developed a soft/firm ware problem It started as sometimes not replaying audio, though perfect video, and occaisionly a recording would not start, This has suddenly deteriorated to the EPG displayed times slipping and not matching the listed pgms, and now it gives the apparency of recording but no title appears on the archive! so any recording made is inaccessable.
Can I correct this by installing new firmware? If so what is recommended and how do I do it.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Neal at Sep 15, 2007 2:21:59 AM
