Hot wired: Wise squirrel can set and forget

Although he's a bit short on social skills, Bert Badger has pretty much got it right with his endorsement of MySky.

This good looking set-top box plus remote allows you the convenience of controlling your television watching rather than have it control you, so you might say it's something like running your own TV station. And it's simple, as Bert is at pains to convey.

I've had MySky for a month now, and while I expect it will get more work over the winter months it has already proved a boon - particularly for catching long-winded summer sport like the Aussie Open tennis.

Like a squirrel, its hard disk allows you to stock up about 60 hours of entertainment fodder for those social hibernation periods.

Simplicity is the key to the unusual pleasure of using this entertainment technology combo. Simple and consistent navigation combined with an easy-to-use remote control. I love the way that with just one or two presses of a button you can record the show you are watching, or any of the others detailed in the well-presented on-screen programme scheduler up to seven days ahead.

You can set and forget for any number of programmes and channels, MySky will start recording on time and stop at the end of each show.

If you want to record a whole series it's as simple as recording one episode - just one extra push of a button and its done. Deletion, you'll be pleased to know, is just as easy with clear screen prompts, but not so simple as to be done accidentally.

You can pause live TV, and MySky will automatically record the show until you press pause again, so now you miss nothing when the phone rings with yet another survey.

Even better, if the news or the game has already started you can rewind by up to an hour then watch it delayed, or record it in full.

Having two tuners on board means two different channels can be recorded simultaneously, even while you watch a previously recorded programme.

Increasingly competitive free-to-air networks delight in pitching their best shows against each other and with the new network season coming on tap a MySky will be mighty handy.

If you do want to watch a show live you can tell MySky to remind you, again up to seven days out. One minute before the programme starts an on-screen prompt will appear, complete with the programme name and channel.

Sky remotes have always been well configured and this one is particularly well-designed, making it a delight to use.

Already it's my pick for the home entertainment tool of the year.