Silicondust HDHomeRun review

The convergence of TV and computer continues apace with the innovative HDHomeRun.

This small unit connects to your TV aerial and router, sharing the incoming Freeview broadcasts with any computer linked to your network.

SiliconDust claims the HomeRun is ready for Freeview HD (1080i) when it becomes available in the UK.

Watch one channel, record aother
There are two aerial sockets and twin tuners, so with the use of an RF splitter you can use a single computer to watch one channel while you record another, or watch different programmes on two computers at the same time.

When it comes to playback software, the HDHomeRun is highly flexible. A free download of Arcsoft's TotalMedia software is available to purchasers (usually US$80), but it'll also work with Windows Media Center.

If you use Mac OS X or Linux, there are alternatives like VLC and EyeTV.

Natural images with little noise
Picture quality will depend largely on the quality of your computer and wi-fi signal, but in our tests pictures were natural and sharp, with decent motion and little noise.

We experienced only very occasional drop-out, despite the thick walls of our listening rooms.

If you want to extend the number of rooms in your house that can get Freeview without buying more TVs, the HDHome-Run makes a heck of a lot of sense.