Stream TV at home: View21

    Going on appearances, you probably think this is just another Freeview PVR with a 500GB hard drive and two digital tuners. Well, look again. Yep, still a PVR. But what if we told you it has a remote control app that can also stream live TV or recorded telly to your iPad over WI-Fi? "Wow," you'd say, "that's the sort of techno-magic you normally only get with pricey cable or satellite TV services." And you'd be right. And what, then, if we told you it's also a toastie maker? "Wow," you'd frown, "you're terrible liars and bad people." And you'd be right.
£250,  view21.com

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Belkin @TV Plus: stream TV, wish you were at home

    Sigh. You fork out for cable so you can spend your time watching NesTV, the UK's premier dedicated birdwatching channel, and suddenly everyone's making demands — go to work, go for a walk, please please spend time with your family... Don't they know Looking at Pigeons is on? Do they want you to miss My Mallards and Me? The PTV Plus controls your digibox and can stream TV to your Android or iThing via Wi-Fi or 3G. Now you can be out and still not miss The Great Crested Grebe Hour.


£150, belkin.co.uk

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Sony NSZ-GS7 with Google TV: Digital Media Streamer

    Google puts the web on your telly, but quantity beats quality for now.

    Much like YouView, Google TV has taken its time sauntering to market. An abortive US launch, undermined by inadequate software and hardware complexity, led to a major rethink by both Google and its hardware partners. The result is this diminutive set-top box that aspires to bring the power of the Android platform directly to your telly.
    The NSZ-GS7 sits between any HDMI¬connected set-top box (Freeview, Sky, Freesat) and your flatscreen; an interface overlay offers access to apps, YouTube, the Google Play store, some of the Sony Entertainment Network — though sadly not the whole thing —and a Chrome browser. To help navigate web pages, the remote flips between a QWERTY backlit keyboard and a touchpad zapper.
    While the NSZ-GS7 lacks a hard drive for downloaded content, and with no TV tuner no chance of recording live TV, there is a smidgen of flash onboard to store apps and affiliated code. There's also a pair of USB inputs, allied to a dedicated media player. This supports all key video file types including MKV. MP3s play back with album art and Wi-Fi is built in.
    There are things to admire about Sony's Google TV 'net player: it's fast and powerful, the implementation of YouTube is corking, but it's also a bit boring. There's just not much you can do with it at present. Optimised apps are thin on the ground. The IMDB download shows potential, with beautiful HD trailers on tap, but there's no built-in BBC iPlayer, 40D or iTV Player, you have to use the Chrome browser to visit the web versions. Ironically, there's currently more internet entertainment available on a standard Sony Blu-ray player.
    Google TV has potential, but without more compelling software it's currently little more than a well-made curiosity. It's certainly one to watch for the future. Watching it now? Not so good.

Google TV is potentially a great net connected upgrade, but it currently relies too heavily on its Chrome browser for content

{LOVE} Optimised Google TV apps look terrific. Fully-functional Chrome browser.
{HATE} Too few dedicated Google TV apps. You'll need a good wrist action to master the flipper remote.

{SPECIFICATION}
SYSTEM  Broadband
STORAGE  No
TUNERS  No
HD CHANNELS  No
EPG  No
SMART TV APPS  YouTube, CNN Money, WSJ, CNBC, Redux, Qello
CONNECTIONS  HDMI, 2x USB, ethernet, optical digital audio outputs

{DIMENSIONS)
HEIGHT 370mm  WIDTH 237mm  DEPTH 68mm  WEIGHT 0.5kg


{DETAILS}
LOOKS
The distinctive design is not entirely practical and it runs very hot after a couple of hours.
STORAGE
There's no local hard drive included, although you can download shows to a USB memory stick.
ONLINE
Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity is built in for web browsing and catch-up TV streaming.

{KILLER CONTENT}
Chrome browser
Full access to the internet with a Google Chrome browser and QWERTY remote means web catch-up on your telly, but few dedicated services
( GOOGLE.COM/TV )

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HOT STUFF: VIRGIN MEDIA TIVO

    Tivo makes sure you're never short of something to watch...

    Originally available in the US only, Tivo was the original Smart TV box, offering a retrospective EPG back when YouView was just a twinkle in Lord Sugar's eye. The Tivo box itself looks suitably futuristic and there are two configurations available, one with 500GB, the other 1TB storage. Opt for the beefier version and you'll be able to record and store up to 500 hours of SD footage.
    You won't be short of options, either. In addition to a huge live channel choice — up to 205 channels, 36 of which are HD — Tivo boasts a sizeable on-demand library.
    With three tuners Tivo can record three channels while you watch a fourth. That means there's very rarely a clash and Tivo can auto-record programmes it thinks you'll like without affecting your viewing. Use the red and green Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down buttons on the remote to record your tastes and this feature can become genuinely useful.
    With lots of contextual cleverness, this box also has the best search function around, helping you find when the shows you want to watch are next on, or locating catch-up if you've missed them. Alternatively you can use the EPG to zip seven days forward and back in time to search for content.

Tivo is the ultimate telly addict's gadget, bringing you all the shows you love and even suggesting new favourites

( BOX: 500GB FREE, 1TB £49.95, SUB: £31.50 A MONTH, VIRGINMEDIA.CO.UK )

    So far, so impressive, but for the uninitiated Tivo's interface can be baffling and keeping track of the sheer volume of content is tiring —hopefully the new Virgin TV Anywhere app will help.
    If your home is in a fibre-optic area (input your postcode online to check) the Tivo box's connection doesn't impact on your normal data traffic. However, this didn't prevent our box from occasionally buffering, and it wasn't uncommon to loose interactive services altogether, requiring a reboot of the box. Clever then, but not bullet proof.

{SPECIFICATION}
SYSTEM Fibre-optic broadband or cable
STORAGE 500GB (60hrs HD) or 1TB (100hrs HD)
HD CHANNELS 36
TUNERS 3 EPG 7 days forward and back
SMART TV APPS YouTube, Flickr, BBC iPlayer, eBay, Twitter, Facebook
CONNECTIONS HDMI, start, 2x USB, ethernet, optical audio out

{DIMENSIONS}

HEIGHT 68mm    WIDTH 370mm    DEPTH 237mm    WEIGHT 2.5kg

{DETAILS}

LOOKS Finished in matt black with a sloping fascia, Tivo looks good under your TV.

STORAGE 500GB or 1TB, how much space do you need? With Tivo expanding your tastes we suggest you go big.

ONLINE Tivo boxes connect to their own high-speed network connection where available, Buffering does still &Ter though.

{KILLER CONTENT}

Virgin Media On Demand
Bespoke collections of on-demand progammes include season boxsets, often in hi-def. There's also catch-up from all the major channels and access to Sky Anytime on Virgin.

{LOVE} A huge on-demand library. Tivo's intelligent auto-recording. Multiple search and catch-up options allow you to customise the way you use the box.
{HATE} Interface not completely intuitive. Occasional buffering and box glitches. Expensive.

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