Main content last updated: 24th August 2006

A 160gig hard drive: No more hunting around for video cassette tapes! Digital Video Recorders use a hard disk drive - like the one  in your PC - to record programmes; in this case, up to 80 hours-worth!! This also means that the quality of the recording will be as good as the original broadcast and because the TW PVR will record the signal directly, rather than the encoding/decoding process used in products like the Tivo, the recorded programme will be just as good as if watched live. The added advantage is that it is much easier and faster to skip the ad breaks on commercial channels.

HDTV Compatible: High-Defenition Television is the "next big thing" in TV broadcasting. Basically, it's a higher-quality signal. More information here.

Three Tuners & Two Decoders:  Having three tuners means you can record three different programmes at the same time*, so programme clashes will be a thing of the past! You could also watch one show and record two others; or any other combination. Two decoders means that it can output from the hard disk to both TV and VCR at the same time, which would allow you to watch a program you recorded to hard disk at the same  time as streaming another one off to video tape.

Note: 14/04/06 - At this time, you can only record two programmes at the same time. You can, however, watch a third in "Delay TV" mode. The functionality to record a third programme will be added at a later date.

• 4 Tuners (3 video, 1 data)
• 500 Total MIPs Processing Power
• Full Graphics Engine w/2 Graphics Planes
• DOCSIS 1.x Cable Modem
• 160GB Hard Disk Drive
• Built-In PVR HDD Security (3DES)
• Dual SD or Single HDTV decode capability
• Dimensions (WxDxH) : 16"x11"x3.5" (40cm x 28cm x 9cm)
  (Figures rounded up to nearest half-unit)

• Power Cord Inlet
• Antenna Loopthrough Input
• RF IN and RF Out (UHF Modulated Output)
• IR/Serial I/0 Port
• Component YPrPb HDTV Outputs
• Stereo RCA Audio Output (L&R)
• Dual SCART
• Optical Digital Audio Output
• HDMI Digital Output for HDTV
• Serial ATA (SATA) Port
• Ethernet Port
• Smartcard Reader Slot
• USB 1. 1 Master

*Not all of these features will be enabled on the TV Drive

The corrected instructions for programming your TVD remote to control your TV volume can be found here

The TVD has three tuners, only one of which the user actually sees and controls. The other two are 'hidden' and only used to record the programmes you select. Three tuners means that you are able to record two different programmes while watching either a third - live - show, or something you've previously recorded. Of course, the recording quality is perfect because, as with Sky+, the TVD records the stream directly so there is no loss of quality. In fact, I think the picture is actually better than my old Pace 2000 but I suppose that that is only to be expected as the Pace boxes are now very old technology.

Although the TVD does come with a nice, printed User Guide, there is also a selection of tutorial videos on how to perform the various tasks. These are accessed through the appropriately-named "How To Use" menu.

The 160GB Maxtor hard drive gives you 80 hours of recording time in Standard mode, which should be enough for the majority of people. Those with HD TVs might (when content becomes available) want to record in HD mode. However, this does reduce the amount of time available for recordings to just 20 hours.

The lastest code update (May 23rd, 2006) added two options for what action you want the TVD  to take when it gets 'full'. It can either delete programmes (oldest first) or just stop recording.

The unit itself is silver with a black strip accross the front where control buttons and the LED display is. Personally, I find the display to be too bright and distracting. An option to make it a little dimmer would be a good idea.

I have set up a few recordings already and that was simplicity itself. Find the programme in the Guide (press the TV button on the remote) and press the 'record' button. Job done! If the programme is part of a series you can also press the yellow button to record the series. This will give you three options; record this weeks episodes, record all episodes or choose which episodes to record. This third option brings up a list of all the available episodes within the current (8 days) programme guide data and allows you to select which episodes you want to record. Anyone who regularly watches programmes on the standard five terrestrial channels will be well aware that these channels schedules regularly over-run. Luckily, the TVDrive has an option to pad the start and/or end of all your recordings by up to ten minutes. Having two tuners also means that the unit will pad the end of one programme with one tuner while padding the start of the next with the other for consecutive recordings. Neat!

The menu layout is in line with those found on the standard STBs and is fairly intuitive.

Recorded Programmes
Naturally enough, this is a list of programmes that the TVD has recorded. They can be listed by Alphabetical Order, Date or Series. You can FastForward and Rewind at four different speeds: 2x, 6x, 12x and 32x.

Planned Recordings
A list of what TVD is going to record
 
Set New Recordings
You can find things to record either by using the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) or by Type (Genre)

Extras.
Options here are:
Copy to VCR/DVD - You can set a few recording to record (in real time) onto a VCR or DVD Recorder.
Extend Recordings - This is setting will affect all recordings. Start/end recordings early/late to allow for over-runs.
Recording Priorities - In the event of a programme clash, set which type of programme will take priority.

UPDATE 10/03/06:
Sorry it's taken so long to do and update but I have not actually been using my TVDrive this week. There was a problem with activating the box with the correct package. It was human error though, and nothing to to with the TVD itself. Anyway, problem sorted. First couple of shows recorded today. I've also set up most of my permanent recordings. The one thing I do wish the TVD had was the ability to search through an alphabetical list of programme titles. This would be much easier than having to trawl through the Programme Guide!

The other weird thing is this ability to record two programmes at the same time. I was going to try and not mention the fact that I have a Tivo but in this instance I have to. Although you can watch something already recorded while the Tivo is recording something else for you, it can only record one thing at once. So it came as a bit of a shock when I went back into "Recorded Programmes" to find a couple of shows in there where, had I been using my Tivo, there would only have been the one!

Incidently, my Tivo is still there, hooked up to my old Pace STB just in case the TVDrive goes a little ka-ka on me. I wouldn't want to miss anything!!

UPDATE: 11/03/06
Well, just had my first forced re-boot 'cos things went a little ka-ka. Not quite sure what happened. I think it probably just got a little confused. I kow I did :-) At least I've been able to test one other feature. If the box is re-booted in the middle of a recording, the TVD will simply pick-up where it left off. Of course you'll miss a couple of minutes but that has to be expected!

UPDATE: 12/03/06
Not a great weekend. My TVD reset itself twice yesterday. That said, there was an issue in the area so it can be forgiven, I suppose :-)

Also had problems today. My attempt to delete a 'failed' recording caused the box to hang. I couple of resets later and I was able to delete it successfully. Unfortunately, it then decided not to record something that it was set to. No idea why. It also seems that there is a problem with some programmes in that setting them to 'record series [all]' doesn't actually work. Apparently, it's being looked into.

A quick word about the TVD support people. They're a top bunch! Very friendly, patient and (in some cases) very talkative!. 0800 953 0019 for TVD-related questions and issue only!

Also a quick mention for the remote control, as seen below. Although a bit on the large size, it is very easy and pleasant to use. The buttons all have a good feel to them and, as it has a rubber base it doesn't slip around your coffee table!

UPDATE: 14/03/06
Just thought I'd mention that there's nothing to mention! Okay, one small point. Not sure why but one programme that I swear was in the "Planned Recordings" list failed to be recorded. Not sure why.

One final thought for the day. Can we please have a way to completely switch off any parental controls. PCs are an excellent idea and it's good that they are implemented but as a single person with no family I don't need them active at any time!!!

Don't forget, questions or comments are always welcome. If you post them on the Forums then everyone can read them!

UPDATE: 19/03/06
Time for some more random ramblings then :-)

I decided (on a whim) to record "Click" (BBCN24, Ch # 610) last night (Saturday) instead of this morning as scheduled. As it happens, I leave my box on News24 al the time so when the programme came on I just pressed 'record'. Interestingly, it used one of the internal tuners to record the programme. I think that must be why it does't yet keep the whole of the buffer, as the system was was originally designed to do . Well, back to the start of the currently-airing programme, of course. That it doesn't is actually one of the current bugs, according to a friend at TW.

Also, it is intended that the Muti-room functionality, as well as USB port be 'activated' in a future software release; just not for some time.

There are reports that more "series" shows are being correctly scheduled. I presume that it was that and hopefully some other stuff that was fixed when some new code was downloaded (I assume) towards the back-end of this last week, which is why all our boxes were showing 890 again on either Thursday or Friday; can't remember which day it was :-)

UPDATE: 23/03/06
Sorry there hasn't been an update for a few days. However, this is only because there's nothing to report. My TVDrive is working exactly as it's meant to.

UPDATE: 24/03/06
See. You wait ages for an update and then two come along at once ;-) So, here's a handy hint. Don't be too quick when pressing buttons as your TV Drive won't like it and will either freeze or re-boot itself. I should know, mine did one of each tonight!

00:48 Also, if you record two consecutive programmes on the same channel, with no other programme recording, will TVD use the second tuner to record the second episode and pad both of them, or just record them back-to-back on the one tuner? I'll let you know!

14:30
Yes, that's exactly what it did. So, should there be any schedule over-runs, you'll still get both episodes complete per recording. Nice one Telewest!

UPDATE: 29/03/06
Not been updating as there's nothing to report! TVD is working as expected. Not perfectly, of course, but then it is a new product. No major problems, though. Things are being recorded as expected. Hasn't missed anything yet. Of course, you know what will happen now, don't you :-/

UPDATE: 30/03/06
As predicted above, I did have a small problem today. Although a 30-minute programme did seem to completely record, I was only able to watch teh first ten minutes before I was presented with the "We hope you enjoyed this programme...." screen. Bah! That'll teach me to say how well things are going!

UPDATE: 01/04/06
Had another problem with two items set to record where only one actually did. I'd've been more annoyed if it had been something new rather than a repeat though!

UPDATE: 08/04/06
Well, I found an intereting fault last week but have only just verified it as repeatable as it happened again this week.

I set two shows to record, both starting at different times and both started recording while I was watching something already recorded on the TVD. When I had finished watching this programme I returned, as usual, to 'Recordings By Date". At this point, there was no signal from the third tuner that usually appears in the top right-hand corner. Also, I could not start to watch any other recorded programme. I could, however, navigate all menus. Last week, a hard re-boot (unplug the box) fixed it but this week, doing the same thing trashed all recordings and series links!! As I had both "Charlie's Angels" movies still to watch, I was not pleased!! Okay, so I've already seen them but I wanted to see them again. Who wouldn't ;-)

I had to re-format the box.

The April update can't come soon enough, can it?!!

UPDATE: 16/04/06
Had a couple of "was apparently recording but wasn't really" programmes yesterday, which was - of course - slightly annoying. Lukily, one of them was only a programme I'd seen before so wasn't that bothered about and my Tivo recorded the other one okay so at least I didn't miss it completely ;-)

UPDATE: 18/04/06
Three more of these "phantom" recordings again. This is not good. Also, couldn't delete something from the "upcoming recordings" list either. Needed about three re-boots to sort it. This is not good :-( That said, it might have been my fault this time as I sometimes confuse it by deleting something while it's recording. It's usually okay but it seemed to throw a hissy-fit this evening. Can't say I blame it really ;-)

UPDATE: 22/04/06
It has come to my attention that the TVDrive User Manual contains an error with regards to programming the remote to control the volume of your TV. The screens mentioned in the instructions on Page 45 don't exist. Maybe they did when the manual was first written; I don't know!

Here is the corrected procedure:

1. To find your make of TV and the code which matches it:
Press the Home button
Choose Settings & Services then
Choose TV then
Choose Trouble-Shooting then
Choose Remote Control
A full list of TV brand codes will appear
2 Press and hold down Volume + and mute on your remote control at the same time for at least three seconds.
3 Release the buttons and enter the first four digit code from the list (you must do this within ten seconds)

You can download a PDF of the number you need for Step 3 from here

UPDATE: 30/04/06
It's been nearly a week since the first major update for the TVD software and the only major problem that I personally had with the system, the non-recording of series-linked programmes, seems to have been fixed. I have been away since Thursday and, since Thursday and Saturday evenings are my busiest recording times, I really was rather worried that I would come home to a lot of failed recordings.

Well, I am happy to report that it looks very-much like every one of my series-linked recordings have worked perfectly!!

It is somewhat ironic, then, that my older Pace 2000 box actually failed in the early hours of Friday morning and anything my Tivo tried to record after that is simply a lot af black screen!! If I hadn't had my TVD I would have been majorly upset!!

UPDATE: 13/05/06
You may have noticed that there hasn't been an update for a while. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I have been quite busy. The second is that, since the code update I have had almost perfect performance from my TVDrive!! A couple of weeks ago it did mess-up a couple of times. It only recorded a couple of minutes of "Neighbours" and failed to record "Home & Away" at all; the early-evening showings of both shows. Then, yesterday I had a repeat of this problem. So, still not 100% reliable 100% of the time, but definitely an improvement!

There is another code update due towards the end of this month which is supposed to sort out all the other problems that weren't fixed last time. Well, we'll see about that :-)

UPDATE: 05/06/06
Sorry it's been nearly a month since my last update. I have been busy, but also there's been nothing much to report as my TVD has been working almost flawlessly. Well, I did say 'almost'. Had a problem last week with episodes in series-linked programmes having an exclamation-point, thus indicating that they would not be recorded. The odd thing was that there was no apparent reason for them not to be. I wasn't trying to schedule more than two shows at once, for example. The person I spoke to on the phone put it down to 'local issues' rather than something in the coding. I don't know! I've just checked now and have found a couple more this week with the same problem, with one being the same programme as last week - NCIS on Saturdays on five.

I am going away for a while shortly so it will be interesting to see if this happens while I'm away and I consequently miss the odd episode of something. Then again, it's only TV ;-)

UPDATE: 09/08/06
Well. I've just realised that it's been quite some time since I last updated this page, hasn't it! Sorry about that. However, it is good news as I would generally have only updated this page if there had been anything to tell you, but there hasn't. My TVD has been working almost flawlessly since the last time wrote here!

You'll note I said almost flawlessly! Well, yes there has still been the occasional hiccup. That "black screen with white border" has shown itself more than a couple of times, and the odd episode of a Series-Link'd programme has failed to record. However, it is certainly (in my opinion) a lot better than it was when I first got it. I'd say they were 99% there. I understand that a further code update is on the way.

UPDATE: 24/08/06

CONCLUSION:
I know that there are some people who are still having some problems with their TVDrive and they have my sympathies and full support in getting their particular problems fixed. However, in general the TVDrive is an excellent product that, works brilliantly. The twin-tuners is occasionally very handy, more so people who might predominantly watch the five 'standard' channels as they don't tend to repeat their programmes much. That said, there's always Teleport Replay ;-) If Telewest could just make sure that every series had a link (I have never been able to automatically record "Click" on BBC24 for example), that would be great.

However, I already actually own one DVR (a PVR, Tivo) so cannot justify the expense of having another. Of course, there's always room for improvement so here's my wish-list for future TVD updates:

• Search by Title for programmes to record

• Smoother playback on REW/FF

• 15-minute 'skip to' points in long programmes (i.e. >30 mins)

See, not a big list, really; and yes, basically I want it to be more like my  Tivo ;-) 

AND THAT'S IT! My time with the TVDrive has come to an end. My thanks go to John Moorwood of the Telewest Media Centre for arranging the loan.  If you have any comments, please join the Forum and let us all know!