BestBuy, the electronics supermarket that operates online and from its 11 stores in the UK, recently announced it would be closing all UK stores as they weren’t profitable. The stores are in Liverpool (Aintree), Bristol, London (Croydon, Enfield, Hayes and Thurrock), Derby, Southampton (Hedge End), Birmingham (Merry Hill), Nottingham, Rotherham.


All of its UK stores were closed this weekend (26-27th November) to allow it to prepare for the grand closing sale, which starts at 9am on Monday 28th November. The sale will also take place online at www.bestbuy.co.uk.

Customers will no doubt be concerned about warranties – however manufacturer warranties will not be affected. BestBuy’s website states that it will modify its instore Returns Policy, which means that items bought in store after 27th November 2011 will not be returnable. However, UK Distance Selling laws means that anything bought online is still eligible to be returned up to 7 days after purchasing, so long as it has not been used. The BestBuy website confirms this.

So we expect shoppers to have a field day, with hot Christmas presents such as iPads, digital cameras, Plasma & LED TVS, Blu-ray players, Freeview Recorders and more being discounted by anything from 10-30%. BestBuy say that all stores and the website will close on 15th January 2012 or before – and you would assume that once items are out of stock, they will not be restocked.

BestBuy have offered a ‘collect-in-store’ service in the past, and there is nothing to suggest this will end once the sale begins. However, if you aren’t sure about what you are buying, our recommendation is to buy online and be protected by the Distance Selling legislation.

Website: www.bestbuy.co.uk

Happy shopping!

Goodmans GDB1232DTR Freeview+ Recorder

This model from Goodmans is designed to compete with other entry-level models. It has twin standard definition Freeview tuners allowing you to record  2 channels at the same time, with a 320Gb hard drive, capable of storing over 100 hours of television programs.

Goodmans GDB1232DTR Best Price Comparison and Stockist Finder

Our automates price comparison engine checks stock and price information from the UK leading high street stores including Dixons, Currys, Comet, BestBuy, Maplin, Argos and more, as well as online favourites such as Amazon, ebay and play.com. The comparison engine checks prices daily – so please check back on the day you are going to buy, to make sure you still have the cheapest price.

Goodmands GDB1232DTR Specifications

This model carries the Freeview+ logo and therefore has all the basic functionality of being able to pause, rewingd and record digital Freeview television programs.

• Twin Freeview Tuners
• Built in 320Gb hard drive, for storing over 100 hours of recordings.
• Series Link
• 8-day Electronic Program Guide

Icecrypt T2400 Freeview+ HD Recorder

Our Verdict: The Icecrypt T2400 Freeview HD Recorder is a solid all-round performer – dual Freeview HD tuners, choice of 500Gb, 1TB or 2TB hard drives, twin USB ports for media playback and sturdy, reliable build quality. Going against it, there is no internet connectivity for on-demand services (read BBC iPlayer) and on a physical aspect it’s not a small unit. The price tag doesn’t rule it out completely, but with a feature list that most would agree is inferior to the Humax HDR Fox-T2, Icecrypt has to keep a realistic view on the price tag if it wants to attract buyers’ attention.

Icecrypt T2400 Best Price and Stock Availability

Our price engine automatically monitors prices from UK stockists to find the cheapest price for you. Our search includes leading high street and online retailers such as Comet, Currys, Dixons, Best Buy, Argos, Amazon, PC World, Ebuyer, Dabs.com and more.

Icecrypt T2400 Freeview HD Recorder Review

I was lucky enough to be given a T2400 for a long-term review. What I think says wonders for this device is that during the 4 months I used it (and that was daily), it never crashed once.

The first thing I noticed was that it’s not a compact unit – think more the size of an old VHS player. That said, providing you have space under you TV, there are plenty of other more important considerations to make. There is a decent sized, and useful LCD display on the front, alongside a multi-function wheel that helps move between menu options. The remote unfortunately doesn’t quite meet up to the style offered by the main unit – but it is however extremely functional with more than enough buttons!

On the rear are the usual set of sockets – 2 scart, one HDMI, one ethernet, one USB, and a composite video output. There are both analogue and digital audio outputs. In addition, this unit features a serial port which I believe is only used to update the firware – although I don’t know whay this can’t be done with a USB stick these days.

Basic Operation

At first, I didn’t find the menu system very intuitive. If you have used Sky+ in the past, or even a Humax device, then it will take a few days to get used to the way the Icecrypt menu system works. Having said that, I got used to it after a while, but I would still flag this as an area for improvement.

As for day to day use, you can’t complain at the feature set. Twin Freeview HD tuners, meaning watch one HD channel and record another HD channel, or record 2 HD channels simultaneously. The T2400 has the 8-day EPG you would expect, with Series Recording, pause/rewind and record live TV etc etc.

As I mentioned in the verdict, a big plus is the reliability. Over the years I think this is the first device I have used that hasn’t crashed every once in a while. For that reason alone, the T2400 will receive many positive reviews I am sure.

Network Connectivity

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments for this unit is the lack of network connectivity options. Sure – it has an ethernet port, and yes you can transfer media files back and forth from your home pc /laptop to this device, but you can’t stream anything. So if you have a mp4 or similar file on your laptop, you have to literally copy the file from your laptop to the T2400 before you can watch it. Then when you have finished, you need to remember to delete the file so that it doesn’t use up space on the hard drive. You would think that with an ethernet port built in, there would be DLNA compatibility, or even the ability to view BBC iPlayer but unfortunately this isn’t the case. Maybe through a firmware update in the future, but nothing on the horizon as yet.

Icecrypt T2400 Freeview+ HD Recorder Price Comparison and Stockists

Samsung BD-DT7800 Freeview+ HD Smart Hub Recorder

Samsung BD-DT7800 Best Price & Stock Checker

Samsung BD-DT7800 Freeview+ HD Recorder with Smart Hub Review

Not content with their innovative Smart Hub TVs, Samsung have added the BD-DT7800 Freeview+ HD Recorder device to their SmartHub range.  In terms of a Freeview+ HD recorder, it does all you would expect. But it’s the SmartHub features that really make this device stand out from the rest.

The DLNA / Allshare functionality not only allows you to watch programs you have recorded on that device, but also stream any video/audio content stored elsewhere on your network. So if you have photo albums or even videos from holidays, the BD-DT7800 make it easy to watch all of those on your TV, without having to transfer to DVD or connect any wires.

Any interesting feature is the 2D to 3D conversion. So if you have a 3D compatible TV, this device will effectively convert non-3D programs to 3D. Let’s face it – the quality will never be as good as a movie engineered for 3D, but at least it helps make the most of your new 3D TV..

Samsung BD-DT7800 Freeview+ HD Recorder Specifications

• Twin Freeview HD tuners (although only one can be used to record)
• 500Gb hard drive (approx 120 hours HD, 240 hours standard def.)
• Built in WiFi
• Samsung Smart Hub and Samsung Apps (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
• 2D to 3D convertor
• HDMI output (x1)
• USB port (x1)
• Electronic program guide / Channel List /
• DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible
• Dimensions: 360mm wide x 273mm deep x 50mm tall
• Power Consumption: 1 watt standby, 45 watt playback/recording

Refurbished PVR9150T Freeview Recorders available at Tesco for under £80

Tesco have more stock of the extremely popular Humax PVR9150T Freeview Recorder available to buy as ‘refurbished’ for just £79.97  - that’s around £50 cheaper than a brand new unit.

The last time there was stock available (before Christmas) these all sold in a matter of weeks, so if you are thinking about buying one, go do it now!

I personally bought one of these devices (refurbished) and it is probably the best ‘tech’ purchase I made all year. The Humax PVR9150T has been the best selling model of all standard definition Freeview Recorders and these refurbished models come will full warranty, in new packaging with all the manuals, controls etc. If I didn’t already know it was a refurbished model, I would have no reason to believe it was.

If you want to know more about the PVR9150T, read our review here. Alternatively, go straight to the Price Comparison page and see how much you will save buying one of the refurbished models!

Sony SVR-HDT500 Freeview+HD Recorder

With the HDT500, this is Sony’s first foray in to the world of Freeview+ HD recorders. Sony tend to have a loyal band of followers – their devices are never the cheapest available, but customers will defend them on the basis that their products are solid and reliable.

Jump below the SVR-HDT500 Price Comparison engine to read a more detailed review of what’s good, and what’s not.

Sony SVR-HDT500 Best Price

Our price comparison engine automatically checks for UK stockists of the Sony SVR-HDT500 Freeview+HD Recorder to find the best price, saving you the hassle of shopping around.

Sony SVR-HDT500 Freeview+ HD Recorder Specifications & Review

Sony follow the same naming-conventions as many other manufacturers seem to these days – the numbers in the product name often refer to the size of the hard disk drive. In this case, this model has a 500Gb hard drive, sufficient for storing 125 hours of HD content, or a massive 300 hours of standard defintion recordings (or somewhere in the middle for a combination of both!)

As you would expect, to be worth of the Freeview+ name tag, the SVR-HDT500 has twin Freeview High Definition tuners, enabling you to watch one HD channel at the same time as recording another HD Channel. Series Link, pause, rewind and record live TV and an 8 day electronic programme guide are also in the feature list too.

An extra feature of this Sony Freeview HD Recorder is the 2 USB ports. These allow you to connect a removable hard drive or USB storage device (memory stick) to play/view photos and music files. In addition, the Bravia Sync means that you can control all your Sony devices with just the one control… you really don’t realise how much of a bonus this is until you get one.

Overall this Sony doesn’t set the world alight with any new features, but you can be sure that it offers quality build and reliability – all the things that Sony deliver time and time again.

Sony SVRHDT500 Price Comparison and Stock Check

Our price comparison tool compares prices from UK stockists of the SVR-HDR500T such as Amazon, Currys, John Lewis, Best Buy, Dixons, Comet and more.

Humax PVR9150T Freeview Recorder Discontinued

It seems the Humax PVR9150T - probably the best and most popular Freeview Recorder – has been discontinued. Before Christmas Tesco were selling ‘Grade A’ versions for around £80, and since then, stores with stock of this model have been few and far between.

It makes sense – with Freeview HD now available in half of the UK, and Humax now pushing its Freeview HD Recorder, the Humax HDR Fox T2, then it is the next step to discontinue the older models like the PVR9150T and the PVR9300T. For the time being, the PVR9300T seems to be in good supply in most stores.

We have emailed Humax for an official response and will let you know. In the meantime, if you want to buy a PVR9150T, then check out the stores in our price comparison page, as there will no doubt be some good offers on the remaining stock.

Humax HDR-Fox-T2 Price Comparison:

Humax HDR Fox T2 Freeview+ HD Review

Humax have finally released their first Freeview HD Recorder, the Humax HDR-Fox T2. Not to be confused with the HD-Fox T2 (notice the extra R in HDR) – this device adds the ‘+’ functionality – so the ability to pause, record and record live television.

The HDR-Fox-T2 has dual Freeview HD tuners, giving you the ability to record two Freeview HD channels simultaneously. It is also backward compatible, so will also receive/record standard definition Freeview channels as well. The unit packs in a 300Gb hard drive, big enough to store 300 hours of standard defintion recordings or 125 hours of High Definition. You also get the usual Series Link and 8-day electronic programme guide that comes with the Freeview+ devices.

An extra feature of the HDR-Fox-T2 is DLNA compliance – i.e. the ability to play media stored on your home PC/laptop through your connected television.

Humax also promise that they are very close to releasing a free over the air (OTA) update which will enable BBC iPlayer on the box. To view iPlayer, you will need to connect the Freeview HD recorder to your internet connection. As this box doesn’t have built in Wi-Fi you will need a long ethernet cable to your router, or one of the powerline type adapters that send internet from your router through your electricity cables in your home. These are quite simple to use and can now be bought for in the region of £40-50.

Feedback so far for this device is extremely positive. Many early adopters have said the build quality, reliability, ease of use of the menus is second to none, and they are pleased they waited for the Humax to be released rather than going for one of the other models released back in the Summer.

Humax HDR-Fox-T2 Cheapest Price:

The Smartbox 8320HD is available exclusively through Tesco and surprisingly is the most advanced box on the market today.

Technika Smartbox 8320HD Freeview Recorder Review

This Technika branded model from Tesco seems to have it all – twin Freeview HD tuners, built in 320Gb hard drive with Freeview+ features (record 2 programs at the same time, series link etc) for a great price at launch of £200.

On top of the basics, this model offers HD upscaling – effectively taking the standard definition Freeview channels and working its magic to enhance the quality of the image to make the most of your HD TV.

One of the features that will appeal to most is the internet connectivity. While some models offer connectivity by ethernet cable or an optional wireless adapter, the 8320HD has built-in WiFi. Simply enter your details of your home WiFi and away you go. Currently the Smartbox enables you to play BBC iPlayer through your TV. So even if you haven’t recorded a program using the built in hard-drive, chances are you will be able to watch again using the iPlayer.

Price Comparison : Technika 8320HD Freeview+ HD Recorder

Sagemcom, part of the Sagem stable, have released these 2 new Freeview HD Recorders, hoping to build on the success of their previous standard definition Freeview+ Recorders.

Best Price: Sagemcom RTI90-320

Sagemcom RTI90-320 Freeview HD Recorder Summary

Sagem had a huge success with some of their previous standard definition Freeview Recorders. Now, in Sagemcom, a new brand has been born hoping to continue their success in the Freeview HD Recorder arena with the launch of the Sagemcom RTI90-320 and RTI90-500 Freeview+ HD Recorders.

Both models, the RTI90-320 and RTI90-500 are identical apart for the capacity of the hard drive, which unsurprisingly is 320gb and 500gb respectively. The 320Gb hard drive is reported to be sufficient to hold 160Gb of HD TV, while the 500gb version will hold 250 hours.

Series Link, Pause, Record & Rewinf live tv, 8-day EPG and programme library are all standard features as you would expect. The pprogramme library goes one step further to allow you to organise recorded programmes in to different folders – perhaps for sport, drama, soaps etc, or different folders for each person in the house.

We hope to receive a sample unit shortly when we will give findings of a more indepth hands-on review.

Sagemcom RTI90-320 Freeview+ HD Recorder Specification

• Freeview+ HD Recorder
• Dual Freeview HD Tuners (DVB-T2)
• Series Link
• Pause, Record & Rewind Freeview HD TV
• 320Gb hard drive (RTI90-320) / 500gb hard drive (RTI90-500)
• HDMI output
• Upscaling to 1080p
• Scart socket for connection to non-HD TVs
• USB port
• RJ45 ethernet port
• Dimensions: width 260mm x depth 160mm x height 48mm

Sagemcom RTI90-320 Quick Start Guide & User Manual

If you would like to find out exactly what these 2 models can do, read the user guides and quick start leaflets provided by Sagemcom.

• Sagemcom RTI90-320 Brochure
• Sagemcom RTI90-320 Quick Start Guide
• Sagemcom TYI90-320 User Manual

Sagemcom RTI90-320 & RTI90-500 Price Comparison & UK Stockists

Use the price comparison tool below to find the cheapest price to buy either the RTI90-320 or RTI90-500 Freeview HD Recorders. Our price comparison tool automatically checks prices from leading stockists such as Amazon, Comet, Currys, Dixons, John Lewis, Argos, Tesco and more.
Sagemcom RTI90-320 Freeview + HD Recorder

Sagemcom RTI90-500 Freeview+ HD Recorder