The first Freeview Playback-branded digital TV recorders will be in shops in time for Christmas.
Freeview launched its digital TV recorder strategy in May after research suggested that while consumers had high interest in being able to record digital programmes there was little awareness of the tape-free recording technology, resulting in low take-up of digital terrestrial digital TV recorders.
Since then an industry-backed effort has seen the development of a Freeview Playback specification, with testing and conformance carried out by the Digital TV Group.
Freeview’s main marketing drive for the Playback brand will kick off in the New Year. Freeview general manager Cary Wakefield told Lovelace Consulting: “The industry has worked incredibly hard over the past four months and has achieved a great deal, with the logo and specification agreed and products already undergoing compliance testing.
“A very high standard has been set for Freeview Playback and we’re committed to offering a range of quality digital TV recorder products. We’re working to clearly define the category for Christmas 2006 and will continue to build upon the momentum generated this year to launch a wide-range of products to consumers in Spring 2007.”
Source: http://www.dtg.org.uk/
Hmm….. haven’t seen these explicitly yet…. However, there are a range of low priced hard disk recorders coming into the likes of Comet, with prominent Freeview logos on the box (obviously)….
I just bought the Technosonic PVR101 and have been quite impressed so far….
Steve