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.
User comments (4)
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Brian16 February 2012
This review by the Gadget Show is useless. They clearly haven't tested it properly. I've just (@ Feb 2012) bought one and I'm very happy with it. However, the USB socket currently only allows pictures to be displayed (no music or videos) and the Ethernet apparently does nothing. If you are thinking of buying one have a look at the manual first (on Toshiba's website).
Report as inappropriatesiarad17 November 2012
It consistently fails to record only 1 out of 8 last night. it continually jumbles programming so there are time clashes thus recording nothing - why doesn't it stick to my workable settings. Last night set 8 to record - it's VERY difficult to set plus1 timers jumping back to clashing - why does it think I chose plus1. Having done this at 1800 only one program recorded by 2100 it had altered my settings to clash - I kid you not it had jumped back the plus1 thus recorded nothing by 2200 it had done similarly and by 2300 too. Often it fails to record for no discernible reason but shows it so in timer and trying instant recording says it's already recording - power cycling is the only cure cutting the second recording of course. Other times when programs are split it only records half as again it jumps back from plus1 to a clash for one half - it will NOT record plus1 setting. What works one week will definitely NOT work the next as it jumbles programs to clash As with plus1 so with serial recording being jumbled to clash. Day after day it refuses to respond to the remote although the response light flashes, requiring to power cycle. It's unbelievably slow in responding to the remote - turning into a game of getting the right item selected - it can take seconds to move in a menu and can take 30 yes thirty minutes to set 6 programmes. Last night it took 18 min. before the timer menu came up The USB seems to do nothing likewise the Ethernet and using the HDMI switch often stops recording as does viewing a recording. Week after week I set it to update firmware but there has been none. The display is so dim even in a dark room it's not readable. There are no firmware updates and the device doesn't even appear on Toshiba site when searched. The remote - if designed at all - must have had a committee with a brief to produce the worst possible one to get into the Guinness book of records. Do not use plus1 or serial and you may get some recordings mostly it is just an HD set-top box. By the way there is nothing wrong with my setup as my old recorder run in parallel works faultlessly just is not HD and I am using a mains filter
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