Compro’s Videomate E700 is a dual DVB-T tuner card with power-up scheduling, SDTV / 1080i high resolution support and software that allows direct-to-disc recording.

At 170mm by 70mm tall the E700 will fit a low profile media centre case using the alternate short back bracket provided. A standard co-ax socket for the aerial connection and a 2.5mm stereo jack socket for the IR remote sensor are the only external connectors.

Unusually for a TV tuner card, the E700 has a red and a green LED indicator mounted on the PCB. The red LED lights when signals are received from the IR remote, while the green indicator shows that standby power-up is active and supported by the motherboard.

This feature allows the PC to be turned on, either by the onboard scheduled record timer, or by the IR remote power button.

The instructions and several yellow labels warn that mains power must isolated before plugging the E700 in to avoid a premature power up damaging the card or motherboard. A full implementation of the power-up feature requires routing the PC front panel power button through a daisy chain connection on the E700.

Compro’s DTV3 software provides a viewing window and a separate control panel with only two ‘rocker’ style control areas. On the left a cross shaped control selects channel up, down and record with play or stop across the centre arm. A similar ‘rocker’ bar on the right, controls volume up or down, with mute in the centre.

This minimalist styling is all very well, but there are many concealed functions that can only be accessed either by hovering the cursor over either edge of the panel until it changes to a cross and then clicking to reveal these further options or through using keyboard control keys, which can only be discovered by reading the user manual.