EMTEC has launched the Movie Cube-R, a multimedia centre hard drive that allows you to record and watch all types of video directly on your television, with or without a computer.

The Movie Cube offers functionality of a video recorder, DVD player and hi-fi system and thanks to its video-in functionality, allows direct live recordings from a TV and time-shifted recording from set top boxes.

The time shifting functionality allows you to view your television programme while you are recording it which means you can still watch a show from the start that you tuned into late.

An SD/MMC/MS card reader slot and USB 2.0 host mean that camcorders, cameras and memory cards can be hooked up for some big screen picture viewing.

The brushed aluminium casing boasts touch sensitive, illuminated buttons that give you options for recording, watching and copying - which can also be done via the infrared remote control.

A virtual keyboard allows you to name your recorded files for PC-less operation, although there is an Ethernet port to connect the device to a home network.

Common image files are supported, as are MPEG1/2/4, AVI and XVID for video and MP3, WMA, WAV, or OGG format for audio.

The Movie Cube-R will be available in 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, 400GB and 500GB capacities, prices from £150, exact availability to be announced.