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TF5800 manual: intro and setup

Congratulations on buying a Topfield TF5800 Personal Video Recorder (PVR). The TF5800 allows you to view and record digital TV channels easily, via an ordinary television aerial. You can receive all the Freeview channels broadcast in your area, which includes a range of digital radio stations too. In addition, with a small subscription module, you can access some additional channels from pay TV broadcasters.

Your new PVR allows you to record two different programmes simultaneously, and even to play back existing recordings while you’re making new ones. With it’s large hard drive, there’s plenty of space for all the shows you want to watch, and the built in electronic programme guide (EPG) makes it easy to find programmes and schedule automatic recordings.

As well as recording and playback of TV programmes, it has plenty of other features. You can pause TV when the phone rings, for example, or rewind a sports match to watch someone score a second time. Channels can be arranged into groups of ‘favourites,’ and there are other useful features like picture in picture, interactive services and even a link to your home computer.

We’ll cover all of those issues in this manual, starting from basic installation and setup, then looking at everyday use, and finally giving you an idea of some of the advanced features that you can make use of when you’re comfortable with how your PVR works.

Unpacking

Before going any further, check that you have received the following items with your PVR. If any are missing, please contact your supplier.

Remote control unit
Two AA batteries for the remote control
One aerial cable, to link the PVR to your TV aerial
One loop cable (a short aerial cable)
One SCART cable, to link the PVR to your television set
A copy of this user guide

Unpack the cables, and insert the batteries in the remote control; make sure you insert them the correct way round, following the symbols on the inside of the battery compartment.

Before going any further, you should familiarise yourself with the remote control and with the connectors on the rear of the PVR. Let’s look at the remote control first. Don’t worry if some of the things we mention here seem a little unusual – all the functions and features will be explained later on.

Next: the remote control