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BBC iPlayer on a Freeview box: Vestel HD DVB T2 PVR (T7650)

Though you can access the BBC iPlayer through many apps, your laptop or, if you’re a Virgin Media customer, your TV, we still wouldn’t say no to a Freeview set-top box with  iPlayer access baked in.

This is precisely what Vestel’s HD DVB T2 PVR (T7650) is. We had a quick go with the T7650 at TV Connect in London and loved being able to zip through the simple iPlayer menu. It’s practically identical to the web based version in terms of layout and function. As well as the iPlayer you’ve also got access to Facebook, Twitter, ITN and eBay as well.

Coming in 320GB, 500GB and 1TB versions, Vestel’s not skimping on the storage space here. Compatible with Freeview HD+, you’ve got enough room to store high def episodes of Sherlock for later viewing. There’s HDMI for Full HD 1080p out along with the standard connections plus ethernet (required for the iPlayer to work) and USB.

Vestel isn’t the first company to release an iPlayer-impregnated box. Both Humax and Sony have released Freeview boxes with iPlayer goodness, and we daresay more boxes like this will hit the shelves. But like we said, we wouldn’t say no to one, the more the merrier.

Coming to the UK this year, Vestel couldn’t provide us with a price or a concrete release date. Vestel is a company that tends to white label a lot of its products, so expect to see the Vestel HD DVB T2 PVR T7650 surfacing under a different name. Vestel’s set-top boxes are also pretty easy on the wallet, so we’re hoping that we can pick up this iPlayer-ready box for peanuts.

  

  

  

  

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