Japanese HD TV recorder breaks 1TB barrier

I-O Data's HVR-HD1000LE brings an extra 1TB of HD TV storage to an existing setup.

Outside the geekiest of DIY communities, there can't be that many homes with digital video recorders that can lay down over 100 hours of HD TV, but that's about to change in Japan with the arrival of I-O Data 's 1 terabyte DVR.

For a very reasonable ¥79,800 (£346) the 1TB HVR-HD1000LE hooks up to a tuner of choice - whether that's in a set-top box, another DVR or inside a TV set, for example - and records up to 103 hours of full high-definition broadcasts.

Bigger and better

In its sales literature I-O Data goes to some length to point out that the HD1000LE is all about extra storage and is an add-on product that won't function on its own. The firm even provides set-up guides for hooking it up to lesser DVRs - including Sony and Toshiba models - by FireWire, for which there are two ports.

Dropping the recording quality below full HD allows up to 260 hours of superior Japanese game shows to fit onto the drive - clearly more than enough for anyone sane.

Should more 'compact' storage space suffice, interested shoppers are currently being invited to avail themselves of the clearance price of just ¥39,800 (£172) on the 600GB model, which sounds like a bargain in any language.

J Mark Lytle was an International Editor for TechRadar, based out of Tokyo, who now works as a Script Editor, Consultant at NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. Writer, multi-platform journalist, all-round editorial and PR consultant with many years' experience as a professional writer, their bylines include CNN, Snap Media and IDG.

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