We'll go ahead and hurt the feelings of those in Asia, North America and the Cook Islands: this here set is bound for the European market only (for now, anyway), but hey, at least we know the technology is here. Over in the UK, one Cello Electronics has issued the first HDTV that records OTA (Freeview) content directly to an SD card, giving users an easy option for shuffling recorded content to portable players. The set itself boasts twin TV tuners, a built-in EPG, split-screen functionality and an integrated DVD player; as for sizes, you'll find it in 22-, 26- and 32-inch flavors. Sadly, you'll be stuck with "just" 1,440 x 900 pixels and no HDMI socket, but those who couldn't care less can take ownership starting next month for TBD, £399.99 ($661) or £469.99 ($777) in order of mention.

Update: Cello pinged us to say that all three models do indeed have HDMI sockets. The larger two have a pair, while the 22-incher has one.

The jury's still out on whether inbuilt DVRs are good for HDTVs, but LG's obviously hot to trot on the whole idea. Nearly a year after first introducing sets with an integrated Time Machine, the outfit is hitting back with two new big-screen plasmas that each posses a 160GB internal hard drive. The X Canvas 50PS70 (50-inch) and 60PS70 (60-inch) panels also boast 600Hz dejudder technology and can record overflow onto external drives connected via USB 2.0. Additional details (price, screen resolution, availability, etc.) are scant, but we'll be sure to keep an ear to the ground.

[Via Akihabara News]

AVerMedia's starting off the year on a good foot, and it's introducing a number of new TV tuners for a variety of applications. Kicking things off is the AVerTV Hybrid PocketExpress ($89.99), which brings ATSC / NTSC / Clear QAM / FM Radio tuning to one's 34mm or 54mm ExpressCard slot. Next up is the AVerTV Bravo ($49.99), which slides into your PCI Express x1 slot in order to handle digital TV tuning and all the PVR functions (record, pause, rewind, etc.) you'd expect. The AVerTVHD Volar Max ($69.99) holds it down on the USB 2.0 front, while the AVerTVHD Duet can tune two digital signals at once for $79.99. Have a look at the read link for all the intimate details on each.

Not to be confused with the similarly named DM 800, the DM 8000 HD PVR is finally shipping overseas. The Dream Multimedia DVR comes with a 400MHz processor, MPEG-2 / H.264 decoding, an Ethernet jack, an OLED display, twin DVB-S2 tuners (DVB-C / DVB-T optional), a pair of SmartCard readers, S/PDIF audio output and all sorts of other ports. According to a local, the potent box is on sale now for €989 ($1,369), and just in case you're having trouble deciding if the inkling you're having is true: yes, that's absurdly expensive.

[Thanks, Rob]

Now that DVRs have really hit critical mass, just about everyone and their brother makes one. But for the most part, people don't get to choose which one they use. Sure, you can select a provider just based on the DVR, but seriously, who does that? When it comes to reviewing such a device, we tend to focus on it in comparison to a TiVo or Windows Media Center, because in reality we think that is the decision that most are faced with. The following review is based on that perspective and is intended for someone with FiOS TV that is trying to find the best DVR solution.

Mvix has a history of pumping out reliable, multi-faceted media streamers, but it has evidently decided to branch out a touch with its latest piece. Taking a note from the HD PVR from Hauppauge, the box packs component video inputs that will likely capture high-def video from set-top-boxes and the like. It's also an HDD-based media player (bring your own hard drive, of course), which outputs content up to 1080p via HDMI. You'll also find integrated WiFi, a USB port for streaming files on external drives and UPnP / BitTorrent functionality. Mvix hasn't stated when this puppy will go on sale nor how expensive it will be, but those looking for a multi-purpose media streamer / recorder should probably keep a check on this one.

Barely a week after the MyFreeview HD emerges, in swoops some competition to keep things level. Hailed as New Zealand's first combo satellite / terrestrial HD personal video recorder, the Hyundai AH-3110 enables users to record Freeview or Freeview HD (sat or OTA) content with full EIT EPG support. Oddly, the box doesn't come with an HDD within, so you'll be required to connect your own hard drive via USB 2.0. You'll find an HDMI port, seven-day EPG, MPEG-2/4 compatibility and component / S-Video / S/PDIF sockets. The good news? It's slated to ship on December 15th. The bad? It's NZ$579 ($319 in US bucks), and remember, that's without an internal hard drive.

[Via DTVForum]

So, what? 2012 is too close now, so we're moving the target date for all consumer electronics-related estimates to 2014? All jesting aside, a new study from Magna asserts that by the end of 2014, some 44% of US households will have a DVR of some kind. Also by that time, the DVR will be responsible for a 4% erosion in total viewing impressions across all dayparts, but those primetime spots will become that much less important when users can simply make anytime their own personal primetime. The report also expects around 68.8 million homes to receive video-on-demand (up from 40.4 million in Q3 2008), while the number of US domiciles with broadband internet access will rise to 86.2 million from 68.3 million now. Ah, the beautiful scent of progress.

[Image courtesy of AT&T]

We're not exactly sure why we're just now beginning to see a rash of new bedroom-sized HDTVs again, but we'll go the safe route and pick "economy." At any rate, JVC's got a unique one on its hands with the LT-26DE9BJ, a 26-inch LCD TV with a 160GB hard drive built-in to handle the PVR duties. The set, which is available now in the UK, also boasts a Freeview tuner and an 8-day EPG. Under scrutiny, the tele held up fairly well, with critics finding the image quality to be "exceptionally sharp" with both SD and HD material. The recording features were also admired, but the "average black levels" kept it from receiving a wholehearted recommendation. Still, if you can manage to find this one for a deep discount (sticker is £500), you just might have a winner on your hands.

Tata Sky may be ready for HD broadcasting, but it can't really expect to topple Dish TV and friends without its own PVR service. At long last, the Indian satcaster is finally enabling its 2.7 million subscribers to enjoy the unbelievable bliss that comes with timeshifting. As for pricing, you'll be asked to hand over Rs 8,999 ($189) for the HDD-packed set-top-box, though current users who choose to upgrade can get ahold of one for "a discounted rate." In related news, managing director and CEO Vikram Kaushik has also expressed his desire to net "at least" 8 million subs by 2012 -- get some serious high-def material rolling and we'd say you can snag 10+ million with ease.

For the most part, you'll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't like the TiVo UI. The scary thing is that despite the fact that it hasn't seen a real overhaul in like... ever, it's still better than just about anything else out there. So it makes sense that TiVo would be willing to work with Nero to bring that TiVo experience to the PC -- with a few enhancements to boot. Unfortunately for Nero, the PC DVR market is a little more competitive than the stand-alone market, so it's going to take much more than just a pretty face to fetch the $99 a year for TiVo service.

This week's Ask Engadget HD question couldn't possibly be any nearer and dearer to our hearts. For years now, we've wondered why nobody is producing standalone OTA HD DVRs. Sony's DHG-HDD500 and LG's LST-3410A were the last two significant options that we could find, but hopefully our searching abilities are severely flawed.

"In the continued theme of the recent question regarding To TiVo, or not to TiVo?, I have a question regarding standalone HD DVR's. My question is: Where are they? Seriously, I don't want to pay a monthly fee to TiVo nor do I want to have to boot up a HTPC all the time. All I want is a standalone unit with no monthly fees to record OTA HD. Does an animal like this even exist? Thanks!"

Like we said, there are a few animals such as this if you don't mind scouring the secondhand market, but we'd love to hear from any relative newcomers that we've somehow overlooked. Oh, and where the heck is that EchoStar TR-50 we spotted at CES 2008?

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Was it really 2006 when Linux lovers were sinking their gums into Neuros Technology's OSD? Two years later, we're finally seeing shipment of the OSD 2.0, which diverts quite significantly from the original in terms of design and ups the ante by adding support for encoding high-definition video at 720p in MPEG-4 and D1 resolution in the H.264 format. It's built around a Texas Instruments Davinci-based CPU module and a mini-ITX motherboard / enclosure, but rather than just being a very hackable consumer product, this one is described as a "super-reference design" by CEO Joe Born. You'll likely remember the WhereverTV, which is of course based on the OSD 2.0, and the firm has already landed another partner for the box in Hupla. For the individuals who just want an undisturbed unit, you can latch on now for $250.

After a long summer of staying all but silent, Conceptronic is hitting back with an all new PVR / media player. The aptly-named Media Titan brings along optional 802.11n wireless support, twin hard drives, dual DVB-T tuners and support for more formats than you can shake a stick at. You'll also find a bundled remote, three USB ports for external storage, HDMI / Ethernet ports and UPnP AV compliance. Pricing remains a mystery for now, but citizens of Germany, Spain, Portugal and France can expect to find out later this month. Full release after the break.

[Thanks, KJ]