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The Playon! DVR HD is without question one of the finest media players on the market right now with a staggering level of functionality. While other manufacturers such as ASUS are selling similar units the AC Ryan products stand head and shoulders above, thanks to the sophisicated and frequently updated operating systems.
We really liked the Playon HD! and Mini Media players, but the DVR HD is the strongest product in their range. Not only does the DVD HR have the complete functionality of the Playon HD! but it delivers a dual Digital TV (DVB-T) system meaning it is possible to record and watch different channels at the same time.
With features such as EPG program schedule recording, Web remote schedule recording and full Time Shift options this is a very capable and diverse system. We also love the fact it supports external eSATA drives and can be used as a network capable NAS device.
Image quality is another area in which the DVR HD excels, if you have a good signal strength then Digital TV is a pleasure to watch with strong vibrant colours and clear pixel definition.
Support from A.C Ryan is top drawer with a 2 year warranty as well as proactive forum staff who interact with the public answering questions and even offering advice. We have been watching their forums for the last month and everyone who asks a question gets an answer, normally on the same day.
When used in conjunction with our Panasonic 42 inch NeoPDP 600hz Plasma television, the picture quality was extremely impressive, particularly with 1080p source material. Detail is delivered to a very high standard and there are plenty of options to cater for purists, such as 24hz movie playback.
The only drawback right now with the product is still a lack of gigabit wired lan support which while not proving an issue for movie streaming can be painful when copying files across the network to the internal hard drive. Gigabit networks are already a ‘must have' for a media fanatic and we hope that AC Ryan take our advice onboard and add 1000mbps support. Copying HD MKV files to the internal drive would take seconds, not minutes.
All in all this is a fantastic product and one which competently replaced our media PC in the living room, we also love the new LED based digital readout on the front, displaying all manner of relevant information. Misco are selling the full range of products right now in the UK.
AC Ryan Playon! DVR HD Player – £189.99 (no storage)
AC Ryan Playon! DVR HD Player – £209.98 (500GB)
AC Ryan Playon! DVR HD Player – £239.99 (1TB)
AC Ryan Playon! DVR HD Player – £279.99 (1.5TB)
