Freeview, the UK's leading free digital TV service, have updated their range of TV planner apps, giving a once over to their iPhone offering as well as releaseing native Android and iPad versions for the first time.

Listing all that's scheduled for broadcast on each Freeview channel, you can share shows you plan to watch with pals via Twitter, Facebook or email, as well as marking favourite shows and leaving calendar reminders for shows that are broadcast beyond the standard 7-day EPG offering that makes up the majority of the app.

All information on shows is downloaded to the device for offline viewing, offering reccomendations based on things you've liked in the past, while a new Twitter trending feature lets you check what's hot on the gogglebox right now.

"Freeview aims to offer the best subscription-free TV service possible and the upgrade of our Freeview HD TV Guide app underlines this," said Adrian Mack, new media manager at Freeview.

"We want as many of our viewers to be able to benefit from the new features, with the Android and tablet market opening doors to an even wider audience - as well as offering new features such as the personalised recommendations to new and existing users."

Click here to grab the app for Android devices, and here to snap up the version for Apple devices. All versions are free.

Name: DTR-Z500HD (TVonics)

Type: Freeview+ HD Digital TV recorder

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: £224.99 direct from TVonics

HDMI switching is a rare feature for a digital TV recorder, but the TVonics DTR-Z500HD packs it in. Does the rest of its features live up to the relatively hefty price tag attached to this PVR?

Sleek black curves and its stout boxy frame aside, the DTR-Z500HD is a rather unassuming Freeview HD set top box, completely bereft of buttons, that houses a rather unique feature. On its rear is not only a HDMI Output port, but also two HDMI inputs, allowing for pass-through switching of two further HD sources, such as a Blu-ray player or games console. Switching between the two via dedicated "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2" buttons on the remote control, it'll be a godsend for those with a TV packing only the one HDMI port, or those looking to tidily wall-mount a TV with the minimum amount of input cables on show. With Freeview HD broadcast in 1080i, it also reveals why the need for 1080p support is included here, as so many Blu-ray players and games consoles using the sharper picture format could potentially pass through the box.

Cramming in a 500GB hard disk, the DTR-Z500HD has all the Freeview+ HD features you'd expect from a premium digital TV recorder, including series link options, one-button recording and Live TV pause, allowing you to fence off a portion of the hard drive for as many as 4 hours of live TV to be rewound through. Dual tuners allow two channels to be recorded whilst a third is being viewed. Around 70 hours of HD footage can be stored, or 220 hours of standard definition programming. There's even a recommendation service which, depending on whether or not broadcasters include the relevant information with their shows, will suggest programs you may enjoy based on those you've already recorded.

In use, the EPG and menu system is punchy and fast, skirting around the layers of programme information and channel listings briskly. Text is crisp and easy to read, and there's even some light customisation options when it comes to the skin of the EPG and its colours.

Sharp, smear-free Freeview HD images are delivered from the box, while even standard definition channels are upscaled to a high standard. Those using larger screen TVs upwards of 40 inches may see a little softening to SD images, but only minimally. Though few shows are broadcast with 5.1 sound on Freeview HD, the DTR-Z500HD supports it regardless, converting the compressed HE-AAC format into Dolby Digital 5.1, compatible with all AV amps. There's even a Dolby Surround option, converting stereo sources into 5.1 through an AV with Dolby Pro Logic codecs.

The remote control is very comfortable, if a little lightweight. Along with the afore-mentioned HDMI switching buttons, there's a central click wheel, surrounded by "Guide", "Text", "Info" and "Back" buttons. A button dedicated for switching between TV and radio EPG listings will suit those who listen to the wireless a lot too. However there's one pretty glaring issue with the remote set-up here. Though leaving the DTR-Z500HD without buttons makes a fairly sleek design for the box itself, losing the remote down the side of a sofa or, even worse, breaking it, will lead to you being unable to control the box at all.

If we had any other major complaints with the box, it's how underused both the dual USB ports and Ethernet port found on the device are. The USB ports can only display photos stored on a memory stick rather than music or movie files, with their purpose predominately for updating the system software. Likewise, the Ethernet port is incapable of grabbing content from a networked PC or other DLNA compliant device, though it will be future-proofed for eventual Freeview+ HD web features.

Verdict:

Delivering class-leading Freeview HD images and offering a genuinely useful feature in the shape of its HDMI switching function, there's a lot to love in this latest TVonics box. However, it's got quite a steep price tag, and those looking for a little more storage space or a more robust feature list may be better served elsewhere.

Name: DTR-HD500 Freeview+ HD recorder (TVonics)

Type: HD set-top box and recorder

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: £255.31 direct from TVonics

Let's not beat around the bush; £250+ is a hell of a lot of money to pay for a Freeview+ HD recorder these days, considering you can get very capable set-top boxes for little over the £100 mark. While the entry price may prove a barrier for many, there is no denying however the quality of TVonics' latest flagship recorder, the DTR-HD500 Freeview+ HD recorder.

A slick, curved, black gloss design makes the 85mm x 380mm x x200mm DTR-HD500 very easy on the eye, with a small display on the front showing channel names and other info snippets. The first clue as to the reasoning behind the DTR-HD500's premium pricing can be found on the unit's rear, where you'll find a HDMI output accompanied by a pair of HDMI inputs. Though labelled for a DVD player and games console, they can in fact be used as a dual HDMI switch for any device that uses the connection, including Blu-ray players.

Two USB ports are available for viewing media files, equally useful for those looking to update the box. After listening to the requests of early testers, the DTR-HD500 can now playback Dolby Digital Surround audio, installed via a download popped onto a memory stick. An Ethernet port sits on the back too, though its purpose isn't all that clear. We'd have much rather had a Common Interface slot for Top-Up TV, sadly absent.

Housing a 500GB hard-drive, the DTR-HD500 is just about the biggest Freeview+ HD recorder we've seen, allowing you to store a veritable library of around 65 hours worth of Freeview HD programming or 250 hours worth of standard definition content. Twin DVB-T2 tuners also allow two channels to be recorded at once, as well as set up series links; very handy should the X-Factor clash with the footie.

All of the excellent features above however would be a bit pointless should the DTR-HD500 suffer from poor image quality. After a quick and simple channel scanning set-up, the box thankfully doesn't disappoint, offering vibrant, pin-sharp HD content and top-notch standard def upscaling. A clear EPG offers lists nine channels over 90 minutes per screen-filling page, while an overlaying pop-up box can be used to browse channels while watching shows. The EPG can be a little slow to refresh if you try to quickly scan far into the future though, which was a little disappointing at this price range.

Recorded shows are kept in a dedicated library area, displaying how much hard drive space has been used and is left to fill. The remote control proves a little confusing here, as as sorting and navigating through stored shows is overly complex, while an "editing" function only allows you to block minors from shows or lock a show to prevent its deletion. Both live TV and recordings can be paused, rewound and (providing you're running slightly behind broadcast time with live shows) fast-forwarded, at two different speeds.

All in, the TVonics DTR-HD500 Freeview+ HD recorder is a very capable set-top box that, while having a few quirks, does well to keep the pace with the standard-setting Sky+ HD box. Those quirks can be a little annoying considering the premium price tag, but you still get a load of quality features for the dough.

4/5

Though the televisual buzz-word this year has shifted from high-definition over to 3D, there's still a lot of folks out there who can't tell their 1080p resolutions from their Teletext menus.

Hoping to clear things up a little are the Freeview team, who have today launched an online guide to not only promote their wares, but also clear up the confusion surrounding the many ways you can enjoy their Freeview, Freeview + and Freeview + HD services.

Reviews of DVRs, PVRs and Freeview enabled TVs sit alongside guides to whats on offer from the four subscription free HD channels they offer.

Take a look by clicking here.

Humax released their impressive HD-FOX T2 Freeview box back at the start of the year, but it's this, the Humax HDR-FOX T2 Freeview HD recorder, that we've been really looking forward to. Humax have now finalised the details of the recorder's release, so read on for the low-down on this impressive set-top box.

Due out in July, the Humax HDR-FOX T2 Freeview HD recorder can playback and record the free High Definition TV service offered by Freeview. It features a 500GB hard drive, storing 125 hours of HD video, and roughly double that for standard definition content.

The Humax HDR-FOX T2 Freeview HD recorder will also play back mp3s, photos and video from a USB port or across your home network via Ethernet.

Pick this one up for around £349 when it launches in July.

Sky have announced a new deal this morning, bringing their on-demand Sky Player to Humax Freeview set-top boxes, expanding the number of Sky viewers by thousands.

The deal comes hot on the heels of similar ones made with 3View and TV manufacturers Cello, as well as Microsoft and the Xbox 360. However, the new partnership with the popular Humax brand is a significant move for Sky, as Humax themselves are key players in the now-lucrative Freeview market.

"Until recently, Sky Player has largely been confined to the PC screen but that is changing fast. Since last autumn, it has been available on the Xbox and this year it will roll out to more broadband-enabled devices through deals with the likes of Fetch TV, 3 View and Cello," said Sky's chief executive Jeremy Darroch.

"Just today, we're announcing a further expansion of Sky Player through a new agreement with Humax, the leading provider of Freeview boxes. And there are more deals in the pipeline."

Speaking in Cannes, much of Darroch's speech focussed on Sky's fight with Ofcom over the price of its premium sports content. The expansion of the Sky Player and the increasing move away from satellite based services seems to show that quality content is the most high on Sky's agenda.

"In providing both new and existing customers with more choice and control over how they access Sky content, we continue to harness secure and high-quality distribution platforms like Humax," said Griff Parry, Sky's Director of On-Demand.

"We know that many Sky homes also have Freeview in other rooms, and this provides a great way for them to enjoy Sky away from their Sky box. And for new customers, particularly those in Freeview homes, it provides an innovative new access point to Sky's high-quality pay TV content."

Humax's Graham North added:"The addition of Sky Player on our Freeview HD boxes ensures Humax is positioned to offer consumers an exciting way to experience digital TV, with great content and a range of home networking and content sharing features."

Sky's online TV service will launch across Humax's new range of IP-enabled high definition Freeview boxes, including the Humax HD-FOX T2.

Philips have timed the launch of their new HDT8520 HD PVR and DTR5520 HD receiver set-top boxes to perfection. Packing in Freeview+ HD receivers as the high-def channel list continues to grow and just in time for the World Cup, these sleek-looking new items from Philips could be sitting pretty underneath your HD TV this Spring. Here are HDTVUK's first impressions after our quick hands-on session.

First up is the HDT8520 HD PVR. Broadcasting and recording Freeview HD channels, it's 500GB HDD can store 125 hours of high-def content or 125 hours of standard definition broadcasts. There's an upscaler inside that will boost standard definition content up to 1080p, while the broadcast resolution itself ranges from 720p to 1080i.

The 8 day EPG was very easy to navigate, with a dedicated back button to jump straight back to the previous channel watched. Most impressive was the recording library, where a picture-in-picture preview of your stored shows was shown. Recordings are automatically protected, making the dreaded accidental wiping of a series finale a thing of the past. Dual receivers also mean that one channel can be watched whilst another is recorded, and there is a series record function too. The box features one-touch recording in increments of ten minutes, with a 3 hour time shift buffer and playback speeds ranging from x1/4 slo-mo to x128 super-fast-forward.

Next up was the DTR5520 HD receiver set-top box. Again receiving Freeview and Freeview HD channels, it features the same EPG, upscaling tech and HD resolutions as the PVR, minus the recording functionality. As a result, the set-top box is a shade slimmer (290x37x160mm), and consumes less than <6W of power on average. Both boxes also feature a USB port for photos and MP3's (sadly no video playback) and an Ethernet port for any future software updates.

It was an impressive showcase. Both the Pace-built boxes were very responsive, with little lag between inputs and the commands shown onscreen. Philips proprietary EPG styling is simple to use, and the low carbon footprint across both models was again impressive.

The HDT8520 HD PVR will be available in May, priced £299, with the DTR5520 HD receiver due a little earlier in mid-April, priced £159.

Sagemcom have unveiled their first set of Freeview HD TV recorders for the UK, the RTI90-320 T2 HD and the RTI90-500 T2 HD.

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that Sagemcom were once the communications arm of tech manufacturers Sagem. Sagemcom are now a manufacturer in their own right, and these two brand new DTRs represent their first step out into the big wide world of consumer tech.

Both models have basically the same set of specs, barring the amount of storage available on each. The RTI90-500 T2 HD features 500GB of recording space, while the RTI90-320 T2 HD has 320GB. 500GB equals roughly 250 hours of SD video or 125 hours of HD, while the 320GB model can hold around 160 hours of SD video or 80 hours of HD.

Both are capable of recording and playing back the full range of Freeview + channels, including the growing number of HD channels the service provides free of charge. As both are packing in dual twin tuners, you're able to watch one channel and record another at the same time.

There's an eight-day EPG at the heart of the UI, as well as one-touch recording, series recording and one-touch access to your library of saved shows. Looking t the future, there's also an Ethernet port for a potential roll out of interactive services.

The the RTI90-320 T2 HD will be available at the end of April, whilst the RTI90-500 T2 HD will hit stores at the end of May. No pricing available yet.

Sharp's new range of Aquos LED LCD TVs have launched in the UK. While most of the industry's attention is now on the big 3D push, Sharp are looking to update current HD standards by pioneering a new Quad Pixel technology, which adds a forth colour sub-pixel, yellow, to the traditional red, green, blue format.

What this means for the layman is that billions upon billions of colours can now be displayed, making in theory for a far more realistic colour palette.

Three models are available; the LC-LE811E, LC-LE821E and LC-LE921E sets ranging in size from 40 to 46 inches, while the LC-LE920 model is 60 inches in size.

While each set features robust energy saving technology and built-in Freeview HD, the flagship LC-LE921E will also have E-motion 200 Hz tech built in too, retaining clarity in fast moving images.

No prices or availability details knocking around yet, but it's good to see innovative new 2D TV tech hasn't been swept away by the 3D wave.

Looking for an all-in-one HD TV solution? Toshiba have just launched the Regza WL series of LED backlit HD TVs, boasting built-in Freeview HD.

That means that rather than having to dish out for a separate HD source to make the most of all that LED 1080p goodness, a built in DVB-T2 tuner will deliver crystal clear images straight out of the box, without the need for a satellite dish.

The 200Hz sets will be available in 40, 46, and 55 inch sizes. Toshiba's Resolution + tech will upscale standard definition sources, while DLNA wireless streaming is also supported.

Toshiba also launched the SL series, packing similar specs apart from 100Hz refresh rates and 32, 40 and 46 inch screen sizes.

The WL series will be available from May, but the impatient among you can snap up an SL model from April.

Perhaps it's a knock on effect of the global rescession, but the latest report by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has found that TV viewing is at the highest it has been in 18 years.

Viewers watched an average of 3.75 hours of TV a day last year, the highest figure since 1992, according to IPA research.

As one would expect to find, the first and last quarters of the year, with less daylight and fewer people away on holiday, tended to show the highest television viewing figures.

Interestingly, the IPA revealed that only 8.2 % of UK households relied on an analogue signal to catch their favourite shows, showing that the digital switch-over is almost complete.

While ITV and GMTV gathered 19% of the total television audience in the last three months of 2009, likely thanks to the popularity of the X-Factor, BBC1 continued to achieve the highest share of all the terrestrial channels, at 21%. All five analogue channels continue to lose ground however, as multi-channel satellite options grow in prominence.

We spoke about this little Humax number a few weeks back. The Fox-T2 Freeview HD box has now been officially unveiled and HDTVUK have all the latest details.

The Fox-T2 will be able to pick up HD signals without need for a satellite dish, upscaling standard definition content and also being able to play media content straight from a USB drive through an integrated USB port. Scart and HDMI connectivity are both also included.

Humax's outlined web portal services will also be fully catered for by the Fox-T2. An onboard Ethernet port will mean that the FOX-T2 will be ready to take online content when Humax launch the service early in the new year.

Sadly though, the Fox-T2's recording capabilities are a little lacking. With only one built in tuner, users will be unable to watch one TV show while recording another.

Hitting stores in February, you'll be able to pick the Fox T-2 box up for around the £170 mark.

Humax are also planning on launching an upgraded Freeview+ HD model in time for next year's World Cup, which will feature a 500GB hard drive.

Humax also unveiled the Foxsat-HDR2. It boasts an integrated BBC iPlayer catch-up widget, as well as home networking and the ability to record video directly onto a USB stick.

The first technical transmissions of Freeview HD have begun today.

The Winter Hill transmitter group is currently beaming broadcasts to select areas of Manchester, with the Crystal Palace group doing the same for pockets of London. They are the first in the world to adopt the DVB-T2 standard and MPEG-4.

James Jackson, BBC head of broadcast infrastructure carried out a demonstration live at the BBC Media Centre. Promotional cuts from BBC HD and ITV HD broadcast by the Crystal Hill group were displayed using brand new IDTV's manufactured by Sony and Panasonic. Both channels were fully incorporated into the Freeview electronic programme guide.

Though the BBC broadcast was the same as is currently available on Freesat, ITV's offering was currently just an upscaled broadcast of the ITV1 channel. ITV have committed however to broadcast most of their top peak programme scheduling in full HD as the service becomes more widespread.

The BBC hope to have a national coverage of 50% for Freeview HD in time for the 2010 World Cup, reaching its maximum 98.5% national coverage by late 2012. Channel 4 also hope to launch a Freeview HD channel in the new year, with as many as five other HD channels in the wings from the network.

For news of when your area will be receiving Freeview HD broadcasts, click here.

With Freeview HD content just around the corner, we we're starting to worry whether or not we'd get our hands on a Freeview HD set-top box before the end of the year. Humax are now set to be first out of the starting blocks with their Fox-HD-T2 being unveiled on December 9th (though they won't be available to buy until early 2010).

Featuring an integrated DVB-T2 tuner (a must for picking up the HD Freeview signal), the box will not be compatible with the DVB-T system currently used by Freeview broadcasts.

Humax are also readying BBC iPlayer for the FOXSAT-HDR before Christmas.

Though details are scarce, Humax are also looking to roll-out a brand new EPG across its range of set-top boxes.

Looks like Humax are keeping themselves very busy. We'll have more details on these new developments after the December 9th launch date.

Although Freeview HD is far from being a BBC exclusive, the Corporation obviously has a lot of involvement and influence over its rollout, so it's good to see an update on proceedings on the BBC Internet Blog (well worth subscribing to) from the BBC Operations Group head of distribution technology, Graham Plumb.

He writes that the plans is still to launch Freeview HD on 2nd December at the Winter Hill transmitter which serves Manchester and Liverpool.

The London Crystal Palace transmitter is also due to be upgraded in December, despite the fact that digital switchover isn't due until 2012.