Verdict: The dual in the crown

Word about this action-packed little card seems to be getting around. We had more than one retailer wanting to supply us with a sample for this test. This shows the interest it has garnered, despite being from a previously unknown Korean company that mostly specialises in niche multimedia products, such as solid state MP3 players.

It isn't hard to see why everyone is so interested in the FusionHDTV. Not only does it manage to pack two digital TV tuners onto one PCI card, but it also manages to do so in a low-profile format. As a result, this card will probably fit in most chassis. A low-profile bracket is supplied in the box to facilitate use in half-height cases.

Installation isn't quite as simple as plugging in the card and firing up the PC though. The second TV tuner is a USB device, so you either need to connect this using the external port and supplied cable, or connect it internally via a supplied cable to one of your motherboard's USB headers.

You can also route the case's power switch via the FusionHDTV, or use PME (power management events) with the FusionHDTV software to wake up the PC from standby, hibernation or powered-down modes.

The PME method provides the least hardware installation hassles, but not every BIOS will properly support it. We found that it worked perfectly with our test rig, bringing it in and out of standby or hibernation as required. If you don't like leaving your PC on all the time then this is a reassuring feature, although it only works with DVico's own software, not MCE.

The BDA drivers are fully MCE-compatible, so you don't need any different versions for this OS. However, disconcertingly, the two tuners show up as different models within the Microsoft setup routine, although they still give you Windows XP MCE 2005's ability to record two channels at once, or record one while watching another. The bundled IR remote is MCE-compatible too, so you won't need to purchase one separately. This will save around £30 on the overall cost of building an MCE system, and takes a bit of the sting off the card's high price.

However, you get similar abilities with the standalone FusionHDTV application. This has all the requisite PVR features, including a built-in graphical EPG derived from the DVB-T signal. It isn't quite as easy to use as the EPG built into PowerCinema 4.7, as supplied with the Terratec Cinergy 2400i DT, but it's possible to schedule recordings without having to use the keyboard and mouse. You can also use it to select which live TV programme you want to watch, an option that not all EPGs allow.

After initial setup, you can access the best portion of FusionHDTV's functions using just the remote control. This includes playing back recordings, which are accessible using a Folder Open button on the remote. One feature you can't access with the remote, however, is the picture-in-picture capability. This is a shame, as it could be genuinely useful. With two TV tuners, both picture-in-picture channels can be from different multiplexes, so you can keep an eye on the sports news while watching a movie. The current version of the FusionHDTV doesn't support Teletext, although DVico is under considerable pressure from UK resellers to implement this feature, so we'd expect to see it added soon.

The DVico's dual digital tuners work seamlessly with the FusionHDTV PVR software. If you've scheduled a recording, it will simply start while you're watching another channel, and you can switch live channels whenever you like. So although FusionHDTV isn't quite as distance-friendly as PowerCinema, in some ways, it's better integrated with the underlying hardware.

If there is a drawback with the FusionHDTV then it's the price, which is three times that of Leadtek's WinFast DTV1000 T. If you're building an MCE system, Terratec's Cinergy 2400i DT gives you dual tuners for less, although not in a low-profile package. The DVico's MCE-compatible remote is some compensation, but doesn't quite make up for the difference in cost.

However, we can't deny that the DVico FusionHDTV has everything you need to make a great media PC, with or without Windows XP MCE. It will fit in most chassis, even truly dinky ones such as the Hiper Media Centre. We also found it very dependable and stable during testing, and as such, a worthy recipient of this month's couch coronation.

• Cases - 21st November 2008
• Motherboards - 24th October 2008
• Gaming Headsets - 26th September 2008
• Dream PCs - 24th September 2008
• Headphones - 12th September 2008
• Media PC components - 22nd August 2008
• PSUs - 14th July 2008

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