Re: Freeview Playback

In message <46333b75$0$21835$db0fefd9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, cwyatt <diggler943@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote


First of all the Topfield does not have a fan just an almost wholly
perforated case for air-cooling and so needs lots of space around it

True, but it is at least a lot quieter than the top recommendations (for ease of usage by the elderly and disabled) on the Ricability site. Users of the Topfield also have the ability to make the box a bit quieter by adjusting some of the hard disk parameters.

....and
you continue to repeat the untruth that the Ricability reviews are entirely
focussed on usage by the "elderly and disabled"

If it isn't true you had better to tell Ricability to remove the misleading information from their site.


.That is NOT true as their
website explains - usage by the "elderly and disabled " is taken into
account but the reviews are based on usage by the entirety of the general
public.The reference to the "elderly and disabled" refers to experiences
looking at equipment use by some of this group in the DTI/DCMS experiment in
Bolton.


http://www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk/publications/pub_boltondigtv.html

Which says:

The aim of the Bolton Digital TV Trial was to investigate what type of support would be needed at digital switchover by people aged 75 and over.

Ricability also states its own aims in many places on its site and constantly refers to reviews for the elderly and disabled.

Is the British taxpayer funding Ricability for a 'What - best buy PVR' or , more likely, a study into the impact of digital TV on the elderly or disabled?

If it's the former they would have commissioned a technical laboratory to do the work and if the latter perhaps a charity such as Ricability who specialise in this field.

Either way it doesn't devalue the opinions[1] of those have produced the report as long as the reader is aware about the aims of the review. The 'ease of use' is the most promoted aspect on the site. If you delve a bit deeper you will find boxes with much higher scores for other functionality.

The ideal box would have both ease of use and full functionality.

[1] As the site originally gave incorrect information about some of the boxes I wonder which models they actually tested - and did they have to re-test them in order to correct the site.


Your point about complexity is certainly well made..there are ,in my
view,going to be major problems with equipment that has not updated itself

For ease of use probably the last thing you want is an automatic update. Overnight the interface or functionality changes! Or worse still, the box doesn't update correctly. Often the latest upgrade isn't the one to go for - let someone else sort out the bugs first.

or been updated by the user with new software needed to accomodate the
changes being made to Freeview's broadcast parameters.

There is always going to be a problem for some users - look at problems some people have upgrading the operation system or software on their computer.


As to noise - the TVonics machine is entirely quiet in my experience and
certainly not in the league of some other heavily touted PVRs to judge by
complaints on other PVR websites with which I believe you are familiar -
e.g. Humax 27db(A)

But the Humax is still quieter than your TVonics! Perhaps some people have perfect hearing :)


"Noise levels. Digital TV recorders have built-in computer style hard drives
and may also have cooling fans. These inevitably make a noise and so we have
measured it for both operating and in standby modes. Values of less that
20dB(A) will be inaudible in most rooms. Values between 20 and 30dB(A) may
be audible in quiet rooms and values above 30dB(A) will be audible - you
could find these annoying."

If you are building a quiet computer you would be selecting fans with single figure noise parameters. I have modified my PVR and installed a 400G hard disk so I have also fitted a 80mm fan for cooling purposes. I found fans with figures of around 20db(A) objectionably noisy. The fan that I finally installed has a figure of around 12 dBA It is a trade off between noise and airflow. With this arrangement the hard disks runs at around 40C (ambient temperature 24C)

At the end of the day the public will buy what they can use and the
supermarkets

A lot of boxes will be sold by supermarkets but many more will be purchased over the web.

will stock what they can sell to optimum profit and least
consumer complaints
which is why I don't think we will see Tesco staff
extolling the virtues of TAPs. :-))))

Would you trust anything that a Tesco shop assistant said about any of the boxes they sell? I wouldn't be buying a box in Tesco because of their technical expertise nor would I expect any technical support.

My recommendation when buying at a supermarket is to select a box where the manufacturer has a decent web page with plenty of support or to select a box where there is an established large user base providing self help.

BTW, if you haven't got a box that accepts TAPs then you really don't know what you are missing :) You don't have to wait for Freeview Playback when a few TAPs can provide the same functionality now :)


--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com
.

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