Prestigio PMR-701, comes with TV tuner

Presigio may be setting a new trend in portable media players with its new "portable multimedia recorder," the PMR-701. This device purports to record video or single frames from an external source like a TV, DVD player or camcorder. There's also an integrated TV tuner (doesn't say what kind) to pick up free broadcast channels, and while the press release claims you can also watch cable, but there's no apparent dock or coax jack. That said, its built-in 20 or 30GB storage turns it into a portable DVR, which is sorta sweet. The PMR-701 has a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 color display and it supports MPEG-4, AVI (DivX and XviD), WMV9 and MP4 and MP3, WMA9, AC3, AAC, and OGG files. Funny though, the press release fails to list a price, and says it will be available "immediately at Prestigio partners' stores across the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa." What, no love for the Americas, Western Europe or Asia / Oceania?

[Ig @ Sep 11th 2006 5:08PM]

If Archos offered that kind of codec support plus a TV tuner on their devices, they would absolutely own the PVR market.

[Batary Acid @ Sep 11th 2006 5:10PM]

Looks like a fast forward video recorder for consumers. Nice Design.
First First Comment

[Batary Acid @ Sep 11th 2006 5:11PM]

LG. you stole my first first coment. I was 5 seconds late.

[Stock @ Sep 11th 2006 5:20PM]

Does it mean that player will have bult-in antenna? Or just connector?

[Ken @ Sep 11th 2006 5:36PM]

@ Stock. The photo (if accurate) shows an antennae at the top.
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I wonder if it has a minijack with an adapter dongle for cable. would be the most conventional method I s'pose.

[John Abraham @ Sep 11th 2006 6:06PM]

If I wanted this functionality right now, I have to buy an Archos and a separate TV tuner, right? What are my other options?

(Not holding my breath on this, especially since I don't live in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa.)

[Bridgette @ Sep 11th 2006 11:01PM]

Awesome. If that tv tuner works then that camera is gonna go ahead than others. I would definitely get that. Videocam slash TV. Great for camp outs and picnics.

[Scooter @ Sep 12th 2006 2:26AM]

Prestigio has offices in the Czech Republic, Russia and Ukraine and seems happily focused on its markets. Most of its kit is fairly up to date (LCD TVs, network storage, PCs etc.) and most likely Taiwanese and/or Korean in origin.

This item sports a Samsung screen (looks like 4:3) and possibly an Hitachi HDD. The TV tuner seems to be standard def. and it can record off air or though composite inputs. Only PAL and SECAM are supported.

The price for the 20GB model, found on the company's website in Prague, is around US$350 before local tax (which would be refunded if the item was exported). After tax price is around $420.

Surf to
http://www.shop-pc.cz/prestigio and search for
NBPPMR701020TV

Depth: 24 mm
Height: 127 mm
Width: 77 mm
Nominal Weight: 0.25 kg