Opentel or Topfield

[Bear]

Can someone tell me why I should spend $1099 for the Topfield TF5000PVRt,
instead of $659 for the Opentel ODT4200PVRt, both 120Gb, dual tuners?
I must be missing something ......

[tony_h]

Bear wrote:
> Can someone tell me why I should spend $1099 for the Topfield
> TF5000PVRt, instead of $659 for the Opentel ODT4200PVRt, both 120Gb,
> dual tuners? I must be missing something ......

The Topfield is avail for $800 to $850 if you shop around, and arm yourself
with threads regarding the Topfield price from http://www.dtvforum.info
The Topfield will record from both tuners at the same time, the Opentel will
only let you change channels to watch other programs when you record (some
call it "1.5" tuners).
The Topfield supports USB digital connection to move files from it to your
PC for further manipulation, such as to DVDs.
The Topfield has been available since mid 2003 (in Satellite form), so all
the major bugs etc are well and truely ironed out.
The Topfield has a TAP environment to allow end users to enhance some
features with it (see links on my site).
The format of the HDD has been worked out for the Topfield, so you can mount
the HDD in your PC and fast copy recordings (wait till warranty is over for
this, or until you upgrade to a 250G+ drive, and thus have a spare 120G with
Toppy recordings in it).

I *did* pay $1099 for the 80G Toppy back in Nov 03, and still completely
happy with the purchase, for that price, it really has changed the way I
watch TV and the box is so flexible.

Here is a bit of a comparison:
http://tonyspage.abock.de/images/topfieldcomparison.png

Regards
Tony

--�
http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
environment etc...

[Bear]

"tony_h" <tony_h@REMOVE.bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:xm_jd.30030$K7.1598@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Bear wrote:
>> Can someone tell me why I should spend $1099 for the Topfield
>> TF5000PVRt, instead of $659 for the Opentel ODT4200PVRt, both 120Gb,
>> dual tuners? I must be missing something ......
>
> The Topfield is avail for $800 to $850 if you shop around, and arm
> yourself with threads regarding the Topfield price from
> http://www.dtvforum.info
> The Topfield will record from both tuners at the same time, the Opentel
> will only let you change channels to watch other programs when you record
> (some call it "1.5" tuners).
> The Topfield supports USB digital connection to move files from it to your
> PC for further manipulation, such as to DVDs.
> The Topfield has been available since mid 2003 (in Satellite form), so all
> the major bugs etc are well and truely ironed out.
> The Topfield has a TAP environment to allow end users to enhance some
> features with it (see links on my site).
> The format of the HDD has been worked out for the Topfield, so you can
> mount the HDD in your PC and fast copy recordings (wait till warranty is
> over for this, or until you upgrade to a 250G+ drive, and thus have a
> spare 120G with Toppy recordings in it).
>
> I *did* pay $1099 for the 80G Toppy back in Nov 03, and still completely
> happy with the purchase, for that price, it really has changed the way I
> watch TV and the box is so flexible.
>
> Here is a bit of a comparison:
> http://tonyspage.abock.de/images/topfieldcomparison.png
>
> Regards
> Tony
>
> --�
> http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
> those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
> environment etc...
>

Thanks Tony for your very clear explanation, but I don't know whether I can
find these cheap prices over here in Perth, might just look for the 80 Gb
model.
By the way can it be used to record Foxtel digital?

[NFP]

Bear,

> Thanks Tony for your very clear explanation, but I don't know whether I can
> find these cheap prices over here in Perth, might just look for the 80 Gb
> model.

I think Rick Hart in Joondalup/Edgewater had a few of the 80GB Topfield
5000s left a few weeks ago. From memory they were around $880.

The salesdroid told me that the 120GB would be released soon for $1300,
but I think that was just a ploy to get me to buy the 80GB stock: the
120GB seem to be available elsewhere for $1099 RRP.

> By the way can it be used to record Foxtel digital?

I don't think so.

Ian

[camds78]

Bear,

> Thanks Tony for your very clear explanation, but I don't know whether I can
> find these cheap prices over here in Perth, might just look for the 80 Gb
> model.

I think Rick Hart in Joondalup/Edgewater had a few of the 80GB Topfield
5000s left a few weeks ago. From memory they were around $880.

The salesdroid told me that the 120GB would be released soon for $1300,
but I think that was just a ploy to get me to buy the 80GB stock: the
120GB seem to be available elsewhere for $1099 RRP.

> By the way can it be used to record Foxtel digital?

I don't think so.

Ian

I just picked up an 80gb Topfield from HN in Brisbane for $550 including a 5yr warranty.

[Venus]

I just picked up an 80gb Topfield from HN in Brisbane for $550 including a 5yr warranty.

Which HN in Brissie and who did you talk to?

[JandB]

Bear,

> Thanks Tony for your very clear explanation, but I don't know whether I can
> find these cheap prices over here in Perth, might just look for the 80 Gb
> model.

I think Rick Hart in Joondalup/Edgewater had a few of the 80GB Topfield
5000s left a few weeks ago. From memory they were around $880.

The salesdroid told me that the 120GB would be released soon for $1300,
but I think that was just a ploy to get me to buy the 80GB stock: the
120GB seem to be available elsewhere for $1099 RRP.

> By the way can it be used to record Foxtel digital?

I don't think so.

Ian

No - apparently the Topfield can't be usd to record from Foxtel Digital - again, the link Tony provided above to the DBA forum explains the reasons in a recent post - in summary I think it primarily relates to an inability to capture & decrypt the Foxtel signal as well as the absence of inputs on the Topfield.

[camds78]

Which HN in Brissie and who did you talk to?

The one in Broadway, they had a table with 50% off and they had 2 Toppies on it. I got 1 there was still one left yesterday. Hope it helps.

[Venus]

The one in Broadway, they had a table with 50% off and they had 2 Toppies on it. I got 1 there was still one left yesterday. Hope it helps.

Thanks! Might give them a call tomorrow, although I suspect it will be long gone.

[tony_h]

JandB wrote:
> No - apparently the Topfield can't be usd to record from Foxtel
> Digital - again, the link Tony provided above to the DBA forum
> explains the reasons in a recent post - in summary I think it
> primarily relates to an inability to capture & decrypt the Foxtel
> signal as well as the absence of inputs on the Topfield.

Not just the Topfield, the ANY digital PVR. It is a fundamental design
shift to make a PVR record from any analogue input, as it needs MPEG
encoders etc. As you said, the DBA forums (at http://www.dtvforum.info )
are a wealth of useful information for anyone wishing to understand anything
about digital TV and recently discussed this very point.
Regards
--�
http://tonyspage.abock.de for some Topfield info including turning
those recordings into DVDs, adding features with the open source TAP
environment etc...

[Venus]

The one in Broadway, they had a table with 50% off and they had 2 Toppies on it. I got 1 there was still one left yesterday. Hope it helps.


camds78

Can you check your PM please?

[Chris Severn]

Bear wrote:

[regarding price of Topfield PVRt5000]

> Thanks Tony for your very clear explanation, but I don't know whether I can
> find these cheap prices over here in Perth, might just look for the 80 Gb
> model.
> By the way can it be used to record Foxtel digital?

The 120GB model was $925 at "Sound Advice" in Hay Street 2 months ago,
and should still be that price or better.

And no, it can't record Foxtel.

Chris