As logical as they are, TVs with PVR technology inside are still pretty scarce. There’s the ludicrously expensive Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 9, the comparatively cheap Medion Life TV, and now JVC’s first screen with built-in TV recording, the DE9 series.
Inside the slim chassis is a 160GB hard drive and two Freeview tuners. That means, unlike the Life TV, this model will record one programme while watching another.
As you’d expect, there’s a full seven day EPG and all the usual Freeview+ features, such as pausing and rewinding TV.
Unusually, JVC has packed in an analogue tuner too, so while the quality won’t match that of Freeview, there’s the option to record or watch a third show (at least, until switchover in 2012).
A full complement of three HDMI sockets, two Scart connectors, component input and digital audio out make the new range a good choice for square-eyed minimalists. Plump for the top of the range 32 inch LT-32DE9 and you’ll get JVC’s Slim Oblique Cone Speakers thrown into the bargain too.
Out now | £520 | JVC
