This page has been created to enable links to be provided for several useful multimedia programs that have been found as a consequence of buying a Topfield Personal Video Recorder. This records Freeview programs onto an internal Hard Disc and has a USB port to enable them to be copied off onto a computer.
During my research into programs to enhance my use of this machine I found several programs which may be of more general use, hence this page.
This is the primary source of information about this product, affectionately referred to as a Toppy. There is an active self support forum where topics are raised and answered.
Using this machine has led to discovery of several useful programs that are applicable to other uses.
MPEG Stream Clip can play video files in many formats. In particular it can play Topfield .rec files (as stored on the hard disk) directly on a PC.
It can however do far more! It can convert files from many formats into many others. From my point of view it can convert Toppy files into MPEG files which can then be authored onto DVD. It could also go in the reverse direction although I have not yet tried it.
As a player it does not have a fancy user interface. It is functional and does all that is necessary.
There are alternative conversion programs (Project X and PVAStrumento) but I have had problems with missing sound and lip-synch problems with both of them. This one has worked (so far) with all my Toppy files.
Quicktime Alternative provides an alternative decoder to the standard Quicktime, and this DOES support MPEG. The download comes in two forms. The Lite version comes without another Media Player utility - Media Player. The full version includes it. See RealPlayer alternative for more information.
I do not have a need for this additional utility as this does not play the special Toppy format properly but the additional player is small and does not appear to do any harm!
The site with Quicktime Alternative also provides and alternative for Real. The plugin provides support for streaming sources such as the BBC. It avoids any worries about Real "phoning home" as it has this reputation.
In this case you may need the Media Player utility to play downloaded Real files. It is the same player as packaged with the standard Quicktime Alternative - your choice.
I have tried this as a genuine alternative to Real for playing BBC audio and it works well. The Media Player will play Real downloaded files.