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Panasonic DMR-HW100 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £270
inc VAT

A competent multi-tuner PVR with the bonus of DLNA media streaming, but its limited format support and basic interface count against it

The new DMR-HW100 is Panasonic’s latest attempt at a PVR with integrated Freeview HD tuners – the 320GB hard disk inside should be large enough for around 85 hours of high definition television, but that isn’t its only highlight. With DLNA media streaming and online content support, it could be a welcome addition to your home cinema setup.

Panasonic DMR-HW100 front open

Panasonic’s set-top boxes are rarely renowned for their style, and the DMR-HW100 is no different. The angular black plastic fascia folds down to reveal the front-mounted USB port and SD card reader, as well as the single line LCD display. You can close the front flap when an SD card is plugged into the front, but you’ll need to leave it open when a USB flash drive or hard disk is connected. You can always use the USB port round the back to avoid this. At the rear, an HDMI output, an aerial input and passthrough and optical S/PDIF and stereo phono audio outputs cover the connection basics.

Panasonic DMR-HW100 rear

You’ll need to run a network cable to the rear Ethernet port if you want to use the PVR’s DLNA media streaming and online content features, as the wireless dongle is sold separately (part number DY-WL10E-K, £67 from www.amazon.co.uk). Once set up, we had no trouble connecting to the networked PC containing our test files over DLNA. Unfortunately, file format support is limited, both over the network and from a USB drive. Although we could play DivX and XviD (with the native .divx and .xvid extensions) and MKV files, MP4, MOV and AVCHD files weren’t recognised. Only JPEG images and MP3 audio were supported, so you’ll have to convert any other file formats before viewing them through the player. You can’t copy recorded programs off the player onto external storage for backup, either.

As a Freeview HD receiver, the HW100 was surprisingly basic. It starts up in a leisurely 25 seconds and takes around 1.5 seconds to change channels. The on-screen programme guide lacks picture-in-picture, covers the entire screen and cuts all audio, so you won’t be able to choose another programme without missing out on the one you’re currently watching.

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Details

Rating ***

Features

Analogue tuners 0
Digital tuners 2
Hybrid tuners 0
Radio DVB-T
EPG days 7
Dual-channel recording yes
Series link yes
Teletext (analogue/digital) digital
Viewing card slot none
Certified Freeview Playback yes
Picture in Picture no
Interactive content support yes

Connections

Analogue tuner RF inputs 0
Digital tuner RF inputs 1
Hybrid tuner RF inputs 0
RF passthrough sockets 1
HDMI outputs 1
Component outputs 0
Output resolutions 480i, 480p, PAL (576i), 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Total SCART sockets 0
S-Video input 0
S-video output 0
Composite inputs 0
Composite outputs 0
Stereo phono inputs 0
Stereo phono outputs 1
Coaxial S/PDIF outputs 0
Optical S/PDIF outputs 1
Surround sound formats Dolby Digital Plus
Other ports USB, SDXC, Ethernet

Storage

Capacity 320GB
Optical drive no
Region free no
Optical drive type n/a
Audio playback formats MP3
Video playback formats DivX HD, XVid, MKV
Image viewing formats JPEG

General

Power consumption standby 7W
Power consumption on 13W
Extras remote control, RF cable
Size 430x238x59mm

Buying Information

Price £270
Warranty one year RTB
Supplier http://www.johnlewis.com
Details www.panasonic.co.uk

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