Avermedia Hybrid Volar HD

Avermedia Hybrid Volar HD review

Having 'HD' in the title is a bit of a misnomer for this terrestrial PC TV tuner as far as UK viewers are concerned as, while it's capable of receiving H.264 HD broadcasts (as used in parts of Europe), it can't be used to receive Freeview HD's DVB-T2 transmissions. What it does give you is SD Freeview channels, analogue terrestrial TV and FM radio broadcasts. You can also capture video from external sources, which is welcome if you have cherished video footage that needs archiving or want to use it to record from a receiver. Size-wise, the Volar HD compares with some of the bulkier flash drives on the market and sports a red power light. Also in the box is a two-pronged portable high-gain antenna that can be attached to your laptop using a sticky pad. However, we failed to get channels using it and found ourselves relying on our rooftop aerial instead. An additional antenna caters for radio reception. A lead is supplied for external capturing with S-video, composite and stereo phono connectors. If you want to record from a Scart output you'll need an adapter (sadly not included here). The stubby, angular remote is very basic, though it has clearly labelled buttons and the tuner proves responsive from a distance.