Freeview box boosts standard TV to HD

Evesham's new iplayer Freeview box provides access to high-definition content - and scales standard programmes up to the same resolution to take full advantage of HDTVs.

The £299 device includes an HD Freeview tuner, an 80GB hard disk, and HDMI out, SPDIF, 3.5mm audio, and two Scart sockets. A special chip translates standard TV and video to 1080i HD resolution.

An Ethernet port provides access to the internet and a home network, on which it can function as a fully-fledged media server. It support's Microsoft's Windows Media Connect technology, which means you can stream video, photos and music from your PC or NAS to your TV. You can also save recorded shows onto your computer.

An inbuilt browser allows you to surf the web and you can set your favourite websites to TV channels. It also supports IPTV, which allows you to stream TV shows from the internet.

Freeview HD will be a free alternative to Sky HD and the BBC and is currently being trialled in London by 450 households, who receive 1080i signals on a handful of channels.

Broadcasters participating include ITV, which has focussed on remastering old films, Channel 4 and Five, who are deeply involved in broadcasting American HD shows such as Lost. The BBC has broadcast some big-budget documentaries, such as Planet Earth.

Most people in London can see the HD channel listings but can't view them. If you select the channels on a standard set-top box you can listen to the HD audio stream. On the iplayer Evesham completely blocks the listings, so you can't even do this. It has locked down the unit because the trials are supposed to be exclusive and secure.

Phil Walder, chief country officer for the iplayer's French manufacturer Netgem, said that when you use it to show pictures on TV "it's the best picture frame in the world".

Evesham doesn't support upgrading the internal hard disk but admitted it can be done. A single USB port will allow external hard disks, keyboards and other peripherals to be connected to the device. External hard disks can then be used to store content and play media from.

Evesham will launch a download service in two weeks which will amalgamate content from Channel 4's catch-up service 4oD, Universal films and other content. The device ships next week but Evesham is taking orders now.

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