Toshiba HDR5010KB

The basics

The Toshiba HDR5010KB features a 500GB hard drive, which allows for up to 125 hours of HD recording or an equally impressive 250 hours of SD programming. Built into a piano black, gloss case this PVR bears a striking resemblance to a high end DVD or Blu-ray player, rather than an ugly set top box.

The HDR5010KB also features USB connectivity allowing you to hook up a number of different devices for playback of music, video, images and more.

The good

There is no getting away from that fact that having a Sky HD or Virgin HD subscription can get expensive, which is why Freeview HD is set to dominate over the coming years. The Toshiba HDR5010KB allows for full reception (aerial dependent) of everything this service offers; and it does it with style and panache.

The interface is really nice – everything is displayed simply and intuitively. Having the ability to display photos, home movies and audio content through the box is a great added extra too.

The HDR5010KB also has an Ethernet port, meaning you will always have access to the latest software and features.

The bad

To be honest, there isn’t much in this box to find fault with. If we had to pick something, it would be the build quality. The box is sturdy, however the front panel feels a little cheap and the power button feels like something you would press on a washing machine, rather than an AV product.

Maybe we are being over critical, but it’s these finishing touches that turn a good product into a great one.

The bottom line

If you are looking for a box that will deliver a great feature set at a decent price, you can’t go far wrong with this PVR. At a shade under £200 it can add a new lease of life to an old LCD TV and gives a feeling of technological excellence well above its price point.