1347 replies to this topic

[diesel]

TOPFIELD High Definition Set Top Box with PVR and 320GB HDD

Now advertised for sale at Dick Smith Electronics for $899

Quote

TOPFIELD High Definition Digital TV Recorder, with 320GB HDD (Model: TF7100HDPVRt)
Record 2 High Definition Channels and Playback Simultaneously
Pause, Record, Rewind LIVE HDTV
Powerful Trick Mode (Time Recording, One Touch Recording, Time Shift)
Large 320GB Hard Disk Drive
External Hard Disk Storage supported up to 1000GB by USB2.0 connectivity
Wired and Wireless LAN Network for fast file transfers between your PVR and PC⁄Mac
USB 2.0 Connectivity
HDMI Digital Video & Audio Output
Ice TV Remote Capability

So does this mean the 7000pvrt will cease production or will they continue with both??

Edited by diesel, 03 July 2008 - 08:55 PM.

[niss_man]

diesel, on Jul 3 2008, 08:52 PM, said:

TOPFIELD High Definition Set Top Box with PVR and 320GB HDD

Now advertised for sale at Dick Smith Electronics for $899


So does this mean the 7000pvrt will cease production or will they continue with both??

I'd say Topfield will stop the 7000's. After their sold out only the 7100's will be left.

[hallycat]

I was wondering where these were available. I have a Toppy 5000 and am looking at upgrading to HD and the extra hdd space would be handy with HD. I'll be interested to hear of some feedback on these units.
This new model has come out considerably cheaper than previous new models from Topfield.

Edited by hallycat, 03 July 2008 - 11:35 PM.

[Vortical]

hallycat, on Jul 3 2008, 09:30 PM, said:

This new model has come out considerably cheaper than previous new models from Topfield.

That's because Topfield took the Distributor out of the equation.
Topfield now have thier own office Australian Outlet in NSW.

It's also why the 7000 is now only RRP $699.

I don't think 7000's will cease production just yet but don't quote me on that.

As far as being available from Dick Smiths I'm not sure if they are in store yet but it should be before the end of this month I'm led to beleive.

[50MXE20]

Hmmmmm. Yum.  Bigger HDD and LAN.

Oh would having the LAN be nice.

[Yapab]

Just wondering how many hours in HD you could get from 320gb?

I have a HTPC and thinking of upgrading my HDD to 500 or 750gb, as recording HDTV takes up around 13gb for 2 hours... a lot of space!

I'm thinking of going external via USB2 so I can then move my collection between pc's, faster than network sending it as I dont have gigabit routers.

Yapa

[deangelj]

There is still active development of the 7000 firmware going on right now, so I doubt the 7000 will be ceasing production any time soon.

[Trufflehunter]

deangelj, on Jul 4 2008, 07:39 AM, said:

I doubt the 7000 will be ceasing production any time soon.

...and not everyone would want/need the wireless features, so I think there'll be a continuing market for the 7000 at its cheaper price point.

Can't wait for the reviews to come in. I have a 5000MP and am seriously considering this baby! To think I paid over 1K for the 5000 when it first came out!

[tamarasue]

Sounds like the 7000 with Lan.   As they have not got the 7000 working properly, I guess this is also a problematic 7000 with Lan!

[deangelj]

tamarasue, on Jul 4 2008, 07:54 AM, said:

Sounds like the 7000 with Lan.   As they have not got the 7000 working properly, I guess this is also a problematic 7000 with Lan!

Maybe, maybe not

[swillis]

Vortical, on Jul 4 2008, 12:11 AM, said:

That's because Topfield took the Distributor out of the equation.
Topfield now have thier own office Australian Outlet in NSW.

It's also why the 7000 is now only RRP $699.

I don't think 7000's will cease production just yet but don't quote me on that.

As far as being available from Dick Smiths I'm not sure if they are in store yet but it should be before the end of this month I'm led to beleive.

The 7100 has been advertised on the Dick Smith website for a couple?? of weeks now, but as you say Vortical, not sure if they are actually in store yet. Topfield Australia told me they would be available sometime in July.

[pgdownload]

As a straight PVR the 7100 is very good however there's little to differentiate it with the Tivo on this basis - each has a few +/- .

It would seem that its major draw card would be its ability to transfer off files for editing which the Tivo won't allow.

Topfield traditionally was able to maintain a high price point for its PVR because it really didn't have any real rivals for its SD PVR feature set.

If their initial supply of 7100 is low then they might as well get $900 for each unit but I'd be thinking they'd want to drop their price point closer to the Tivo to really attract consumers. IMO the Tivo will sell at its RRP ($699) while traditionally new PVRs have had a high RRP but are quite rapidly discounted in store. It wouldn't surprise me to see the 7100 selling for $750 in store pretty quickly.

At that price the sale staff can argue its the same as a Tivo and you can send saved files direct to your PC for editing.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[ozdoc]

pgdownload, on Jul 4 2008, 09:05 AM, said:

At that price the sale staff can argue its the same as a Tivo and you can send saved files direct to your PC for editing.

They'll want to make that argument fairly quickly, as it won't be that long until TiVo surpasses them in that ability, as well as hope like heck that IceTV survives.

[harrydmofo]

ozdoc, on Jul 4 2008, 11:48 AM, said:

hope like heck that IceTV survives.

Heres hoping !!

[pgdownload]

ozdoc, on Jul 4 2008, 11:48 AM, said:

They'll want to make that argument fairly quickly, as it won't be that long until TiVo surpasses them in that ability, as well as hope like heck that IceTV survives.

Makes me wonder what will happen in the PVR market if ICE does fail? Currently a small bunch of boxes are being sold that pretty much ignore the absence of a credible OTA EPG. This has been because there's generally been no choice or option. A few manufacturers have worked to implement an alternative way to load up an EPG however based on network rhetoric, this is increasingly going to be frowned on (and Oz law now states that you can no longer supply a device designed that is designed to breech copyright and just say that its actually the end user that is doing the breeching not the company). I can imagine a few of the bigger manufacturers will bring out PVRs that are somewhat similar to the Tivo in nature and in this case how do the current ICE dependant PVR manufacturers react? Do they stick it out and let their more savy users upload 'rogue' EPGs or do they start modifying there FW so that they can also get the 14 day EPG?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[Robert E]

diesel, on Jul 3 2008, 08:52 PM, said:

So does this mean the 7000pvrt will cease production or will they continue with both??

If you look at Topfield's product range and its marketing history then not offering both the 7000 and 7100 PVR models would be strange.

[diesel]

pgdownload, on Jul 4 2008, 01:58 PM, said:

I can imagine a few of the bigger manufacturers will bring out PVRs that are somewhat similar to the Tivo in nature and in this case how do the current ICE dependant PVR manufacturers react? Do they stick it out and let their more savy users upload 'rogue' EPGs or do they start modifying there FW so that they can also get the 14 day EPG?

I think if Ice continues to be harrassed by 9, the PVR manufacturers will need to seriously look at a "Network Friendly" version of their products. I recall some banter we had 6 months ago PG and this was one of the suggestions back then. I am sure if this happens, then we shall see some FW hacks surfacing to get the best of both worlds

[harrydmofo]

Robert E, on Jul 4 2008, 07:17 PM, said:

If you look at Topfield's product range and its marketing history then not offering both the 7000 and 7100 PVR models would be strange.

So which one.. DP-P1 or 7100 ???

[deangelj]

good Media Player + good PVR = BeyondWiz
Great PVR but no media player = Topfield 7100

I would use that as a basis.

Cheers,
John

[dtvdtv]

if I don't need the wireless & lan stuff, is it better off to stay with 7000?

regards.

[pgdownload]

Hard to say. It would depend on the price premium IMO. If its only $100 or so then I'd go the 7100. Essentially though without the wireless & lan stuff the 7000 = 7100 AFAIK. Its just that the 7100 might have had more work in getting the hardware 100% and the firmware sorted.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[deangelj]

Also, with a LAN you can get automatic IceTV Remote functionality versus the FTA EPG which is a bit hit-and-miss depending on your location and the channels you watch. But I agree with Peter, if the price difference is not much then go with the 7100. Otherwise the 7000 is a good deal - someone on the Topfield forum mentioned he got one for $600.

cheers,
John

[cliffo]

Are the 7100's in stores yet?

My 5000BP died the other day and I am wanting ot replace it with the new HD Toppy ASAP.

cheers,
cliffo

[pgdownload]

cliffo, on Jul 7 2008, 03:55 PM, said:

Are the 7100's in stores yet? My 5000BP died the other day and I am wanting ot replace it with the new HD Toppy ASAP.

Not yet, should be pretty damn close but that might still mean a month away which is possibly too long for you to wait? Pity its not like Windows where if you by XP in its dying days you get a free option for the next OS when it arrives. Might pay to try resurrect the old Toppy?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[cliffo]

pgdownload, on Jul 7 2008, 04:02 PM, said:

Not yet, should be pretty damn close but that might still mean a month away which is possibly too long for you to wait? Pity its not like Windows where if you by XP in its dying days you get a free option for the next OS when it arrives. Might pay to try resurrect the old Toppy?

Regards

Peter Gillespie

Thanks for the info.

Tried to resurect the Toppy with several HDD's but it keeps freezing at the screen where it asks if I want to format the hard drive. Granted the drives I tried have just been sitting around for some time so they could well be the problem.

I'm in no huge rush so more than content to wait if need be - looked at the Beyonwiz but think I'd be happier with the 7100.

cliffo