Compro VideoMate E700 review

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Verdict:

Review Date: 19 Sep 2007

Price when reviewed: £60

Supplier: http://www.mediaatlantic.com/compro

Reviewed By: Seth Barton

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

As well as having dual tuners, Compro's VideoMate E700 can power up your PC to record scheduled programmes.

Installation is a little more complicated than with most tuners, as you have to use the provided lead to route your PC's power switch through the card. The card can then turn your PC on and off, so you don't need to leave it running to record programmes. The software can also wake your PC from standby and hibernate if preferred.

Unfortunately, the EPG isn't much help when it comes to scheduling recordings. It provides only a text listing of the programmes on the currently viewed multiplex. You can't access it at all when recording or timeshifting a programme.

You can use the dual tuner to record one programme while watching another. To watch two at once, you have to open a secondary viewing window. You can't pause or record the programme in this window, so it's not as flexible as some software. The rest of the interface is identical to that of Compro's U2700, with the same fiddly controls and tiny icons.

The E700 comes with a half-height PCI plate, so you can install it in a slender media centre chassis. It has a single RF input, so you can connect an aerial lead to both tuners without any adaptors. There's the usual input for the IR receiver, too, and the remote is big and clearly labelled, which provides some relief from the poor software.

Power-up scheduling is a welcome addition. However, the EPG lets this TV tuner down.

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