Photo gallery: LG MS408 HD DVRLG is taking on established names like Topfield and TiVo by releasing a fully-featured PVR on the market which boasts the most expandability we've ever seen.
The LG MS400 features an internal caddy that will accept any 3.5-inch SATA drive, saving you money. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET.com.au)
LG is releasing two models, the MS408 (AU$849) with 250GB on-board storage, and the MS409 (AU$999) with 500GB. Not only do the devices feature two USB ports for external drives, but also include an innovative — for a PVR, anyway — removable caddy that will accept any internal 3.5-inch drive. No need to pay for a proprietary external drive here, and LG reckons it will take most people less than 30 seconds to install. It takes up to a maximum of 1TB drives at this stage.
Unlike other recorders in LG's range, this is without a DVD recorder, but it includes dual HD tuners and an seven-day EPG. While it includes MPEG-4 compatibility, it lacks Freeview certification, so it will simply use the current free EPG provided by the stations instead.
But what sets this PVR apart is its media handling capabilities: not only does it feature a wireless dongle for DLNA media streaming from PCs, but also handles a wide range of formats including the high-quality MKV video standard. In this regard it resembles the Time Machine plasmas, and if those were DeLoreans, think of the MS400 as more of a TARDIS. The PVRs feature a similar, if even friendlier, interface, with the capability to access YouTube and Picasa as before.
The MS408 and MS409 are expected to be released in Australia in the coming weeks.
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