Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-900 review

Some of the benefits of digital TV, such as dedicated quiz channels, are arguable.

One definite advantage is the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), which enables you to cancel your Radio Times subscription and say goodbye to fiddly VCR programming. So it came as a shock to discover that Hauppauge's WinTV-HVR-900 doesn't support any kind of EPG. This is inexcusable for a new hybrid USB tuner. We suspect the fault lies not with the hardware but with Hauppauge's ageing WinTV2000 software.

This application wasn't attractive when released, and it has not improved with age. The grey window and little buttons are more reminiscent of a computing tool than a home entertainment centre. You even have to launch a separate program to schedule your recordings manually. It makes you realise just how far we have come and how influential the Sky+ and TiVo EPG interfaces have proven.

The tuner is easy to set up, though: just plug it into a spare USB2 port and pop in the CD provided. Once the application is installed, it automatically runs the tuning tool and finds the expected channels. Analogue and digital channels are placed together on the same list, so it's easy to switch between them for the best reception.

To give the best chance of reception, Hauppauge has included a three-part aerial that is over a foot high. Whether you can get a decent picture will depend on reception in your area, though it's undoubtedly the best 'mini' aerial we've tested. Picture quality from a roof-top aerial was good for analogue, which had a little noise but no ghosting, and digital, where only the usual MPEG2 compression artefacts could be seen.

The tuner is as grey and bland as the software, but it's big enough for a full-sized RF input, which is better than the fiddly converters on other USB stick tuners. There is no remote control included, which we thought was odd given that the device has an IR input on one side. There is also no breakout cable to allow the input of analogue video or audio signals.

The full-sized RF port and large antenna cannot make up for the mass of failings and omissions in this tuner. If you just want digital TV, buy Freecom's DVB-T USB stick for £43 including VAT. If you need a hybrid device, video inputs or comprehensive software then go for Terratec's Cinergy Hybrid T USB XS for £78 including VAT. Until Hauppauge gets round to updating its geriatric software, it simply cannot succeed in this highly competitive and rapidly growing market.