The inclusion of a digital tuner is important because analogue television will eventually be switched off in Australia - perhaps as early as 2008 but more likely closer to 2012. After this time, if the DVDR9000H didn't have a digital tuner, it would be nothing more than a damned expensive DVD player. If you're the kind of person who would buy the DVDR9000H today you'll probably be ready to upgrade to a high definition Blu-ray or HD DVD recorder by then anyway, but that's not the point.

The benefit of the combination analogue/digital tuner is if reception breaks up on one you can quickly switch to the other. While digital television may produce a sharper picture, many people still have reception problems - which will hopefully improve when analogue is shut down and the digital signal boosted. Bad analogue reception means a fuzzy picture, but bad digital reception means the audio drops out and the picture can freeze up. Given a choice I'd take bad analogue - especially when watching the cricket. 

Philips Cineos DVDR9000H personal video recorder

Another great thing about the DVDR9000H is there's no draconian copyright protection at play, so you can record digital television straight to DVD and transfer recordings from the hard drive to DVD. What is draconian is the fact it ships locked into Region 4, but Philips says you can contact it for instructions on making it region free. If vendors like Philips can take advantage of globalisation to source the cheapest parts and labour to build DVD players, it's hypocritical that consumers can't do the same to source the cheapest DVDs.

When it comes to Personal Video Recorder features, the DVDR9000H automatically buffers up to the last six hours of whatever you've been watching so you can pause and review live TV. Unlike most PVRs, the buffer is not reset if you change channel. This is a fantastic feature, because it's easy to forget that you're watching the buffer instead of live TV and start flicking the channels during an ad break. Disappointingly there's no ad-zapping 30 second skip button like you'd find on a Topfield PVR.

The major disappointment is that, unlike PVRs with proper dual tuners, you can't change channel while recording or record two programs at once - very frustrating considering it actually has two tuners. The lack of a high definition tuner and DivX playback are also disappointing. So is the fact you can't use the seven day electronic program guide - but blame the television networks for that. While Philips have been innovative with the interface, the buffer timeline is difficult to read and the fact menus doesn't show all options at once is frustrating.

All bases are covered when it comes to outputs - composite, component, SCART, s-video and HDMI - but disappointingly the only rear input is one SCART port. DV, composite and s-video inputs are hidden beneath a fold down panel on the front. It also has digital audio inputs and outputs. All this isn't enough inputs if it's going the hub of your home entertainment system, connecting to Blu-ray/ HD DVD players, VCRs, games consoles, camcorders, media players and whatever else you might own.

This recorder had the potential to be something special, but the lack of a proper dual tuner and HD are major blows. At this price I expect a lot more - especially since there's PVRs coming up in the next few months that don't ask you to make these sacrifices. While a digital tuner and DVD burner in one device is a serious step towards lounge room bliss, the Cineos DVDR9000H asks you to sacrifice a lot in return.

AT A GLANCE: Philips Cineos DVDR9000H personal video recorder

PRICE $AU1729.95

PROS digital tuner and DVD burner

CONS no dual tuner, not HD

CONTACT Philips www.philips.com.au{moscomment}

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