What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
08 NOV 2005
Humax PVR-9200T
The first time the Humax PVR-9200T strutted its stuff in our magazine pages was in our Awards 2006 issue, where it sat atop the PVR perch as our best Freeview recorder. Now, 18 months on, and without a badly needed price cut, it's starting to struggle against newer (and cheaper) rivals.
Let's get one thing straight: this certainly isn't a poor device. The Humax looks smart in black, is well built, and can be set up in minutes. It's larger than some other machines here, but not obtrusive.
In operation, its menus are clear and responsive. The remote is reminiscent of a kid's toy - 'my first remote', maybe - but is strangely affable with it, and sets the tone for the child-like ease of use that greets you when you move around the on-screen interface.
Competent but not outstanding
The best output is Scart, and the 160GB hard disk is competitive. Twin tuners, a digital audio output and USB 2.0 for connecting to a PC complete a useful package. The latter feature allows you to play your MP3s or view digital photographs through your TV, should you so wish. Recording via the seven-day EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) is simple, as is rewinding and pausing live TV, always a handy feature.
At first we were a tad disturbed by the ticking of the box's internals, but with the TV at normal volume you can't hear it, so it ceased to bother us. Picture quality isn't bad: movement is handled confidently and there's good contrast. But there's a hint of softness to the image, and colours look a tad overblown for our tastes: David Dickinson's skin on Real Deal looks even more odd than usual. We'd prefer a more natural balance to the colour palette, especially with skin tones.
Those factors aside, you wouldn't be disappointed to own one of these Humax PVRs. Features like the huge hard disk, solid build, and being able to view photos and play MP3s from your computer, complement the reasonably good picture quality.
Rivals offer more for less
However, the only problem is that you might be disappointed to discover you can get better performance for less cash. Models such as the Goodmans GHD8020F2 and TVonics DVR-150 offer better value for money. The PVR-9200T was once king of the PVR castle, but no more. Time and the competition have caught up with it. If Humax decided to cut the price that might help, but for now it's four stars.