Design
As far as set-top boxes are concerned, Compro's T1000W takes on something of an unusual guise. Its L-shaped frame - designed, presumably, to separate heat from the optional hard drive and the main components - is easy on the eye, but potentially awkward in situ.
At first glance, the T1000W looks smooth and sophisticated, but the design doesn't stand up well to an up-close examination. What looks like a useful LCD display is merely a black panel with a handful of LEDs behind it, and the silver plastic is little more than an imitation of brushed aluminium.
Turn it around and you get a good idea of the L-shaped arrangement. The antenna you see is in place for wireless networking connectivity, but can be removed for those who opt for a wired setup. The base of the unit is designed to support a single 3.5in hard disk drive (optional).
A look at the T1000W's array of connectivity options.
Beneath the unit, four screws remove a metal plate and provide access to a 3.5in drive bay. SATA cables are present, and drive installation is as straightforward as it gets (four screws hold the drive in place). An obvious oversight, however, is that Compro ships the T1000W without any rubber grommets and little in terms of anti-vibration features. An installed hard drive can consequently be noisy, and somewhat negates the fanless and "silent" operation that Compro advertises.
Measuring 270mm x 180mm x 180mm, the T1000W is a surprisingly large device, and its awkward shape makes it difficult to position inside a traditional AV unit. Indeed, the T1000W's best resting place is likely to be on top of a cabinet (here's hoping you've more room than me) as it'll need to remain in direct view in order to function with Compro's bundled infrared remote.
Speaking of which, Compro's remote is a fairly basic-looking solution, and though it feels a little lightweight, it covers just about all of the device's functions - with dedicated buttons taking the user to live TV, the EPG, recorded media and more.
A few negatives aside, the hardware is decent in terms of design and feels solidly put together. But, as with most consumer electronic products, the software is likely to be the all-important factor. Let's see how the T1000W fares when in use.