Evesham Technology DTR250 review

Despite looking rather different, Evesham's PVR functions almost identically to Goodmans' GHD8020F2.

It may have more controls on the front, but the connections on the rear are exactly the same and, apart from the cover, even the manual is the same.

Like many of the PVRs in the group, the DTR250 has an RF input and passthrough output for each of its two digital tuners. However, an external soldered connection links these, so you have to connect only a single lead to get a signal to both tuners. It's not the prettiest solution, but it's effective and is hidden from view. Along with the remaining RF input, there's a single RF passthrough so you can run the aerial signal into a TV or VCR. The PVR also has two SCART sockets. The first is an output for connecting to your TV, while the second simply acts a passthrough for a DVD or VCR. Composite and phono outputs are also provided.

The DTR250 comes with the same remote control as Goodmans' GHD8020F2. It's incredibly light and the spongy buttons provide little feedback, so it's hard to know if you've actually pressed them. All the most commonly used controls are grouped together at the top, but the channel up and down buttons are arranged horizontally, so you have to press left and right to scroll through the channels, rather than the usual up and down.

Timeshifting programmes and scheduling recordings from the EPG is the same on the DTR250 as on the Goodmans PVR, with all the same problems. Both are capable of picture-in-picture viewing, though, which is handy if you want to keep an eye on the cricket while watching something else.

However, Evesham's DTR250 has one major advantage over the similar GHD8020F2; it has a 250GB hard disk, which can hold at least 125 hours of TV programmes, instead of the Goodmans PVR's small 80GB disk.

With such a big hard disk at a low price the Evesham PVR will appeal to serious telly addicts. But most people would be better off buying Top Up TV's cheaper Anytime DTR, as it has a far better remote control and has useful extras such as series link recording and a viewing card slot.