In Belgium, there are only a couple of digital TV providers. One of them is Telenet. You can get digital TV from them in two ways:
- Using a digibox: a simple decoder and remote control without recording features
- Using a digicorder: a decoder but with a 160 GB hard disk and two tuners so you can record one digital program and watch another. Only a hard disk, no dvd!
The digibox is available since the launch of digital tv in 2005. The digicorder can be ordered from january 2006 and will be delivered from february. The funny part is that you can only start recording from march 2006 because a software upgrade is needed first. The software upgrade is done automatically via the cable network.
Like any good HDD recorder, you will be able to record a program by selecting the program from the EPG (electronic program guide). But with Telenet's offering, this will only work if you pay 4,95€ a month for the Easy Recording Service. Some are even saying that timeshifting (pausing live tv) will only work with that service. Of course, like always, it is absolutely unclear because Telenet is not specifying all features clearly on their website. Even when you talk to Telenet help desk staff, they cannot clearly say how it will work. You even get different answers depending on who you talk to. Typical!
Having to pay a monthly fee for a service like that is just ridiculous. It is another reason why I think that it is not a good time to switch to digital tv unless they adopt standards like in our neighbouring countries or the UK.
I do not want to be tied to the hardware (digibox/digicorder) that Telenet provides. I want standard hardware, with smartcards, so I can use digital equipment from others that do get it right. I want an easy (or easier) upgrade path to HDTV. Maybe I want to much. Sigh...... 
