Hauppauge HD PVR

Let’s quickly get something out of the way; the Hauppauge HD PVR isn’t a PVR in the strict sense.

Most PVRs – or personal video recorders – plug straight into a broadcast TV signal and feature their own built-in storage so that you can schedule and record programmes and films. The Hauppauge HD PVR, on the other hand, could more accurately be described as a video capture device. It sits between a PC and an external video device, allowing users to capture footage to their computers.

This wouldn’t be particularly remarkable were it not for the HD part of the name. The HD PVR is one of the first devices we’ve seen that can record high-definition video to a PC. The accompanying software also provides the means to burn HD footage to a standard blank DVD that can also be read in Blu-ray players such as the Sony Playstation 3.

Obviously, you’ll need to have a high-definition video source of some kind. This could be an HD Sky or Virgin Media box or a Blu-ray player. The device must be able to output high-definition video over a component connection (most also use HDMI connections, which won't work here) and, for best results, have a digital audio output. Component video cables are included in the box.

On the PC end of things, the only connection you’ll need is a standard USB socket. Recordings will work as long as you have a Core Duo processor or better and at least 512MB of memory. Make sure you have a decent amount of storage too, as HD video recordings can eat up hard disk space like there’s no tomorrow.

With all the cables in place, the user can simply press Play on the HD source and click Record in the included Arcsoft software to set the wheels in motion. Alternatively, it’s possible to use the supplied infra-red receiver and remote control handset to control your HD source device or schedule recordings, though we found this aspect of the operation a little fiddly.

In our tests, we found we were able to record excellent quality files (the PVR uses the H.264 AVCHD format) in both of the common HD resolutions from just about any HD source. Burning the resulting file to DVD was pretty straightforward too. We did encounter a few technical glitches in the capture process, but these were usually resolved by a reboot.

It’s worth noting that the device has the potential to open a legal can of worms, since it could theoretically be used to rip copy-protected HD material from a Blu-ray disc.

Above all else, however, if you don’t have a great deal of HD video that you need to record, then there’s not much point in rushing out to buy the HD PVR, especially given its high price.