TF5800PVR

The TF5800PVR is the UK version of Topfield's TF5000PVRt, which is a personal video recorder (PVR) with twin tuners for Freeview. It's marketed on a non-subscription model, but does support subscription services such as Top Up TV with the provision of two CAM slots. Firmware upgrades are distributed over-the-air using the normal FreeView distribution method, but also as files downloadable from the manufacturer's web site. Topfield devices are often referred to as “Toppys”.

The device has all the normal features one expects from a dual-tuner PVR, but it has one facility which no competing models have: TAPs, described below. Apart from that, the featureset is similar to a device marketed by Humax.

This model is now accompanied by another with similar functionality: the Topfield PVR5810. However, as of April 2008 both models are being sold side-by-side.

File transfer between PVR and computer

The USB 2.0 socket (compatible, but slower, with USB 1) allows files to be transported both ways between the device and a computer. Both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X are supported, as are some versions of Linux/Unix depending on availability of transfer software. Files of any kind can be moved in both directions but the feature is mainly used
* to move a recording to a computer for viewing with media-playing software or burning to a DVD
* to move MP3s to the PVR to use it as a media center
* to move TAPs to the PVR
* to move new versions of firmware to the PVR
* to load EPG data to the PVR

Topfield Application Programs (TAPs)

The functionality of the TF5800PVR can be enhanced via the use of Topfield Application Programs (TAP). TAPs are C programs, developed by users for users. They can be developed under Microsoft Windows using a Topfield platform cross compiler (GCC for TAP) or the Cygwin GCC compiler.

TAPs are applications written using an API available free from the manufacturer. The API provides access to almost all features of the device: TAPs can access EPG information, change channels, start or stop a recording session, change pre-set recording timers, write text and draw graphics to the screen, and react to buttons pressed on the remote control. It's possible to write a useful program, adding useful functionality, in ten lines of C code. It is not possible to completely re-write the device's operating system using TAPs.

TAPs have been written to provide many enhancements to the Toppy, most are available as freeware. Although some technical users consider TAPs to be the best thing about the device, most users are perfectly happy using one with no TAPs loaded at all.

External links

* [http://www.turbosat.com Turbosat, the UK importer and distributor]
* [http://www.toppy.org.uk/ toppy.org.uk: a busy site for users of the TF5800PVR]
* [http://www.tapworld.net TAPWorld: one source of pre-compiled TAPs]