Feeling the pinch? A HD TV subscription can cost up to £60 a month. However, if you’re willing to settle for fewer channels, an HD PVR offers HD for a one-off cost. You get two BBC HD channels and ITV 1 HD on Freesat and the addition of 4HD on Freeview HD, plus the ability to time-shift, pause live telly and view web content.

Best: Blu-ray movies
Samsung BD-C8500
£350
Love: Blu-ray playback. Internet@TV content
Hate: Only one Freeview HD tuner. No series link
Samsung BD-C8500 review I Link: Samsung

Best: Ex-Sky subscribers
Sagem DTR94500S
£230
Love: Compact and affordable. Dual tuners. Access to BBC iPlayer. Sharp picture quality
Hate: Low-res interface. Setup can be awkward
Sagem DTR94500S review I Link: Sagem

Best: Ease of use
Humax HDR-Fox T2
£300
Love: Dual HD tuners. File support. Audio conversion to Dolby Digital 5.1
Hate: Soft standard-def picture. Poor upscaling
Humax HDR-Fox T2 review I Link: Humax

Best: Blu-ray recording
Panasonic DMR-BS780
£500
Love: Blu-ray recording. Dual tuner. BBC iPlayer
Hate: Limited storage. Overly expensive
Panasonic DMR-BS780 review I Link: Panasonic

Best: Upscaling
TVonics DTR-HD500
£250
Love: Picture quality. HDMI switching
Hate: Garish interface. Cheap remote. Limited file support from USB
TVonics DTR-HD500 review I Link: TVonics

Best: Storage
Icecrypt T2400
£320
Love: 1TB hard disk. Ability to export to PC
Hate: Lacks features
Icecrypt T2400 review I Link: Icecrypt