Thomson DTI 6300-16 (160 GB) DTV Receiver

Having previously bought a Thomson DTI-2300 Freeview Set Top Box which impressed me [see my review] and being in the market for a Freeview DVR [Digital Video Recorder] my first stop was Thomson. Their DTI 6300-16 is an impressive looking unit with an equally impressive specification.
Here are just a few of the features;
* 160 GB hard disk (upto 80 hours recording)
* 2 Freeview Tuners (can record two programmes or record one channel whilst watching another)
* 14 day Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)
* Adjustable buffer for pausing live TV
* S-Video / Scart / RGB Scart
* Stereo Audio / Digital Audio
* UHF loop through
* UHF Modulator Output
* Top Up TV
and a lot more besides!

When I got it I fell in love with it. The unit is beautiful to look at, black and silver with lots of lovely curves but, sadly, the love affair was short lived. So what went wrong? Here's the petty stuff to start with; the front panel buttons are too small to use and it is very noisy in operation.

Moving on, the main problem is the software. It is crap.
Actually, crap is nowhere near sufficient to describe that software. Any self respecting piece of crap would jump up and smack you in the mouth if it caught you comparing it to that software. If one piece of crap wants to insult another piece of crap they call it 'that software'.

Here are a few of the many problems; the EPG is very slow, the unit will - without fail - tune away from a strong signal and lock onto the weakest possible signal prior to commencing a recording, it regularly fails to record programmes, about 5% of recorded programmes cannot be played back or lock up the unit, the most basic of VCR functions simply don't work, the unit locks up and has to be unplugged AT LEAST once a week [usually two or three times] and the audio has an unacceptable HUM which breaks into every soft passage of every recording.

I researched the market, compared specifications and chose the DTI 6300-16. I looked for one on eBay at the best possible price and purchased it. I had done exactly the same previously and landed myself the excellent DTI-2300 STB and the fantastic Toshiba RD XS24 PVR.

Maybe mine was a rogue unit? Sadly no. Check out the web for more tales of woe!

Had I bought this unit new from a high street store I would have taken it back long ago demanding my money back as, under the Sale of Goods Act, it has to be 'of merchantable quality' and 'fit for the purpose described' and it is clearly neither.

On paper this unit is perfect; twin tuners allow you to watch one programme while recording another or to watch a previous recording while recording two new programmes. WOW! With decent working software this unit WOULD be perfect but I simply cannot see that happening any time soon.

Why? Well I have been sent five or six software updates since I got my box but instead of fixing bugs or getting the basics right - like recording programmes you can play back or being able to fast forward and rewind properly - they keep adding new features like subtitles and garbled alert messages regarding non existent scheduling problems.
Unbelievably the most recent software update [a few days ago] has made recording EVEN LESS RELIABLE than it was before - the unit now locks up three or four times A DAY and has to be unplugged to reset it.
Someone needs to sort their software department out. A sharp knife or a block of semtex ought to do it...

Avoid it like the plague.

Oh, does anyone want to buy a used DTI 6300?

Regards
tbod