OTA DVR

[landtuna]

For those of us without cable/sat there was no alternative to the many DVR's serving the subscription world. This week I found and bought a Channel Master CM-7000PAL OTA DVR and am amazed at how much it resembles the Tivo.

First of all the "PAL" in the model designation does not reference the PAL technology. The unit has two ATSC receivers/decoders and is intended for the North American market.

It seems to closely parallel the Tivo product except for two small items:

1. It cannot tell the difference between a rerun and first run program.
2. If a Guide program selected is moved (due to sports running late or pre-emption) it will record the original time period.

It uses TVGOS as its Guide source so it is important to ascertain if your area is served by a station transmitting the TVGOS signal. It can be used without this feature but then it would resemble a VCR in operation.

All the normal features found in modern DVR's are there - FF thru commercials, live viewing + recording simultaneously, rewind, protect/rename saved recordings etc. Response time to commands is fast and relatively easy to learn. Although there are several layers to the full menu there are also a couple of shortcuts to the most frequently used. The remote can be programmed to operate other devices.

It will record 30 hours of HD (native mode, no compression) and 130+ hours of SD. It is important to note you do not have control of the recording mode as it will automatically record in the broadcast format. The video and audio are both clean and I have experienced no glitches in recording to date. My big screen is old school so I use the RCA cables but there are HDMI and component outputs as well. There is also an ethernet and USB port for obtaining firmware updates.

It comes with a 250GB hard drive but can support sizes up to 1 TB and replacing the hard drive is possible by someone with normal skills although it will void the 1-year warranty. As the HD will eventually fail though this is an important consideration.

I found the lowest price at TheNerds.com ($320+ $15 shipping).

It seems simple enough that my wife can use it in place of the three VCR's she now uses to record her favorite shows.

The only glitch I've found so far is in setup. I live in the only state in the continental USA that does not go on DST. When I chose that option during setup the unit displayed an error and asked if I wanted to change my mind. I ignored the error and it has not reappeared. The Guide and the unit time do accurately represent my actual time and date but I will be watching closely this weekend to see if the DST switch in the rest of the country affects the unit.

 

[pab]

I still swear by the TiVo Series 3, XL, and Premiere as the best OTA DVR's, but it's nice to see a new player in the market.

 

[JayR]

This week I found and bought a Channel Master CM-7000PAL OTA DVR and am amazed at how much it resembles the Tivo.

First of all the "PAL" in the model designation does not reference the PAL technology. The unit has two ATSC receivers/decoders and is intended for the North American market.

It seems to closely parallel the Tivo product except for two small items:

1. It cannot tell the difference between a rerun and first run program.
2. If a Guide program selected is moved (due to sports running late or pre-emption) it will record the original time period.

It uses TVGOS as its Guide source so it is important to ascertain if your area is served by a station transmitting the TVGOS signal. It can be used without this feature but then it would resemble a VCR in operation.

I prefer manual setup of a recorder. It's how I set the recording timer on my DISH Network DVR.

A perfect replacement for my VCR. Thanks for the info.

 

[landtuna]

The Tivo's have always gotten very high marks but I'm not sure if the various Tivo's will work OTA and, of course, Tivo requires a subscription while this unit does not.

It is important to note though that the CM will NOT work with cable/sat, only OTA. As my wife never watched cable/sat it was the perfect solution for me. Your mileage may vary.

One other thing I didn't list: apparently the CM continually searches for new digital signals as it has added two "new" signals since the original setup. It's nice not having to re-scan as is required by my converter boxes.

Oh, and it does have analog pass-thru if you have analog stations in your market.

 

[KERCAlum]

I bought a Hauppage Win-PVR 950Q digital USB tuner for my laptop (this particular one was marketed as an HP USB tuner) for $68. It came with lots of HP software that was useless for my laptop (an Acer), but I found a free download of WinTV version 6. With an external (>7200 rpm) hard drive this functions just as well as an OTA DVR. It also offers S-Video or Composite video inputs, in case I want to transfer something from my U-Verse DVR. The drawback is HD recordings tend to be choppy, because (under Windows Vista 32 bit) the processor can't keep up with the bitrate of the broadcast. SD recordings are OK.

But I found another solution. I also dual-boot Ubuntu 64-bit (Linux) on my laptop, and an app called MeTV works great as well. The best thing about MeTV that WinTV doesn't have is an integrated channel guide, so you can click on a channel or a program and hit "record" and it will schedule the recording (down to exactly how long the show is, which can be bad if you're recording the World Series like I was). Also, taking full advantage of my 64-bit dual-core processor means the HD recording is not choppy. The drawback here is that you can't set up MeTV to record from the composite or S-Video inputs on the 950Q USB tuner stick. Plus, you have to do a little behind-the-scenes configuration to allow HD signals to play smoothly, but that's not a hard thing to do.

Sure beats paying over $300 for a DVR, although there's a little more work involved. But the nice thing is I can burn directly from my external HDD to a DVD (and the software downconverts for me, so I don't have to worry about putting it on a Blu-Ray).

 

[landtuna]

Sure beats paying over $300 for a DVR, although there's a little more work involved. But the nice thing is I can burn directly from my external HDD to a DVD (and the software downconverts for me, so I don't have to worry about putting it on a Blu-Ray).

I currently have an analog card in my PC that works fine fed by a converter box but it seems too difficult for my wife to use and has only one NTSC tuner so no good for simultaneous recording. I looked into a digital card but that wouldn't have solved the technically-deprived-wifey issue. And, I didn't want her doing her marathon recording sessions when I was trying to use the PC.

Since she uses the DVR for time-shifting only I don't need to transfer her shows to DVD.

If I lived alone the PC would have been my choice as well but I've learned, sometimes painfully, convenience is sometimes worth every dollar spent. ;D

My post was not intended to sell the DVR but rather to make other OTA viewers aware of the features of this device since it is somewhat new to market. But your post should make them aware of other alternatives as well. All good information.

 

[flytrap]

walmart used to sell a hard drive based DVR recorder that had a built in DTV tuner. You could also record a DVD from whatever you had stored. I always thought it was dumb to pay a monthly subscription fee to record your favorite shows. We've been doing it for years for free with a VCR. Since you can't find a stand alone DVR recorder with a tuner in it anymore, I managed to find a DVD/VCR combo that had a tuner. I'm not even sure they make these anymore either. Nearly all of the DVD recorders have only line inputs and no tuners. Its getting almost impossible to record TV unless you pay a subscription. Which I refuse to do. Lately I've been recording from an old analog TV card in my old XP computer. I had to stick a converter box on it to get it to work after the shutdown. The reason I do it is so I can record in MPEG format and then convert the video to Divx format. I have a divx DVD player and instead of getting only 2 hours on a DVD you can literaly cram an entire series on one DVD that will play all day.

 

[Darth_vader]

Supposedly there are ways to make a TIVO unit work "off-the-grid" (i.e. as a stand-alone unit that doesn't "phone home" and needs no subscription.) Don't ask me what any of them are tho, because I have absolutely no idea.

My Pansat has a place to mount a hard drive, so it can be used as a DVR. I don't have one. (A hard drive is optional, the receiver ships from Panarex without one installed.) Hey, that reminds me: I can install one myself and not worry about voiding the warranty 'cos it expired half a year ago! ;o)

(Well, I guess there's my next project for a rainy December weekend.)

 

[landtuna]

walmart used to sell a hard drive based DVR recorder that had a built in DTV tuner. You could also record a DVD from whatever you had stored. I always thought it was dumb to pay a monthly subscription fee to record your favorite shows. We've been doing it for years for free with a VCR. Since you can't find a stand alone DVR recorder with a tuner in it anymore, I managed to find a DVD/VCR combo that had a tuner. I'm not even sure they make these anymore either. Nearly all of the DVD recorders have only line inputs and no tuners. Its getting almost impossible to record TV unless you pay a subscription. Which I refuse to do. Lately I've been recording from an old analog TV card in my old XP computer. I had to stick a converter box on it to get it to work after the shutdown. The reason I do it is so I can record in MPEG format and then convert the video to Divx format. I have a divx DVD player and instead of getting only 2 hours on a DVD you can literaly cram an entire series on one DVD that will play all day.

Some notes on your post:

Walmart does sell the Channel Master. Perhaps that was the one you were thinking of.

There are still digital tuner-equipped VCR's being sold. The advantage over the converter box is, of course, setting up unattended recording on multiple channels. There may be converter boxes with timers but I am not aware of any.

Divx is nice but buying DVD's in bulk means each one is about 25 cents. Not sure it is worth the time compressing an MPEG though.

 

[fybush]

Walmart does sell the Channel Master. Perhaps that was the one you were thinking of.

More likely this:

http://www.amazon.com/MAGNAVOX-MDR513H-F7-Recorder-Digital/dp/B003DPKOKK/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_0

I have several of the earlier version of this, the H2160MW9, which is essentially the same unit with a smaller (160 GB) HDD. They work quite well for what I need them to do, which is recording local newscasts and IDs and such off OTA DTV when I travel. I wish they had a second tuner, but you can't have everything, I guess. J&R in New York was selling the H2160MW9 on clearance last month for $130 or so, and may still have some left.

 

[landtuna]

More likely this:

http://www.amazon.com/MAGNAVOX-MDR513H-F7-Recorder-Digital/dp/B003DPKOKK/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_0

No. That is a DVD recorder, not a DVR.

When I checked stock before buying the CM my local Wally World said they had some in stock. It was cheaper to buy online though.

 

[fybush]

More likely this:

http://www.amazon.com/MAGNAVOX-MDR513H-F7-Recorder-Digital/dp/B003DPKOKK/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_image_0

No. That is a DVD recorder, not a DVR.

Ahem:

"Product Features

* Records up to 387hrs onto 320GB HDD
* 1080p Up Conversion
* 4 Way Dubbing (HDD->DVD, DVD->HDD, DV->HDD, DV-> DVD)"

Remember, I have two of these - rather, the earlier H2160MW version - and they have full DVR functionality: playback while recording, pause live TV, etc. It's much more than just a DVD recorder.

It does not have an EPG like a TiVo or a cable DVR; you're on your own, like a VCR, when it comes to setting the timers. That's not a drawback for the purpose to which I put mine; YMMV.

 

[landtuna]

Remember, I have two of these - rather, the earlier H2160MW version - and they have full DVR functionality: playback while recording, pause live TV, etc. It's much more than just a DVD recorder.

It does not have an EPG like a TiVo or a cable DVR; you're on your own, like a VCR, when it comes to setting the timers. That's not a drawback for the purpose to which I put mine; YMMV.

I stand corrected. It seems this unit does not have several of the common attributes of true DVR's though:

* No selection of timers via an EPG.
* No high-def format recording, SD only.
* Only one ATSC/NTSC tuner, no simultaneous multi-channel recording/viewing.

It is cheaper than true DVR's and can record/play DVD's in addition to hard disk recording in addition to up-converting SD recordings.

The lack of two tuners was a killer for me as my main objective was to allow wifey to record two shows at a time and not take over all the TV's in the house. ;D

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I like my TiVo but despite what the man at Radio Shack said I couldn't use it until one of my VCRs hooked up to cable went bad.

I don't record a lot OTA. I generally keep the first one on nthe station with "The Simpsons" (which gives me "Monk" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics"). I have to manually remember to change back from Andy Rooney and "Undercover Boss". And I have a second VCR for a news reporter I like on a Fox station I can pick up better on the first TV, but there's that manual channel changing to deal with.

Except for "The Simpsons" and the news reporter I could get all that on cable. But sometimes I have three VCRs going at once PLUS TiVo. And TiVo and the tapes fill up.

It's too expensive to replace the VCRs, which are built in to the TVs and don't require another converter box. But I had to buy one when one went bad (now it's better), and another is acting up.

: I'm glad to know TiVo's hard drive will fail. I signed up for lifetime service which means the machine has to last eight years for me to get the monthly rate the man at Radio Shack promised.

 

[vchimpanzee]

There are still digital tuner-equipped VCR's being sold. The advantage over the converter box is, of course, setting up unattended recording on multiple channels. There may be converter boxes with timers but I am not aware of any.

Sears didn't have any for less than $300. Once I visited Radio Shack, though, I thought I was set.

My TiVo has two tuners (VERY useful, it turrns out) but I hear one of these days analog cable will be hsitory. With digital channels, the TiVo has only one tuner. Once that happens, I'll have to plan VERY carefully.

 

[landtuna]

Sears didn't have any for less than $300. Once I visited Radio Shack, though, I thought I was set.

For future reference, Radio Shack tends to be on the expensive side when shopping for items like this. I've found online sources to be much cheaper and equally reliable. Using Google will usually provide a good jumping-off menu of online sellers.

My TiVo has two tuners (VERY useful, it turrns out) but I hear one of these days analog cable will be hsitory. With digital channels, the TiVo has only one tuner. Once that happens, I'll have to plan VERY carefully.

Bear in mind I am an over-the-air viewer and the CM unit I referred to is antenna-only. It will NOT work with either satellite or cable.

 

[flytrap]

I haven't seen any hard drive based stand-alone DVR's with DTV tuners in my walmart store in quite a while. Most of the DVD and VCR's have no tuners at all. I have seen hard drive DVR's at Sams, but those were designed to be used for security cameras. Not sure if it would record from the air. I doubt it. The only hard drive ota recorders I've seen are on the internet. Mine is an older discontinued magnevox VCR/DVD recorder that will record DTV from the antenna. It can record up to 6 hours on one DVD. However the quality of the 6 hour DVD mode is not even youtube quality. The VCR is actually better in the 6 hour mode. I usually time shift in either the 3 or 4 hour mode. which is poor quality but fine for recording stuff you don't intend to keep. You still have to use DVD-RW if you want to reuse the DVD. DVD-R can't be recorded over. These machines won't record in HD, but you can cheat by recording in "Squeeze-o vision" and using the stretch button on your TV during playback to reverse the process. Of course you can't do that on on a 4:3 set unless you want to watch skinny people.

 

[Carmine5]

For those of us without cable/sat there was no alternative to the many DVR's serving the subscription world. This week I found and bought a Channel Master CM-7000PAL OTA DVR and am amazed at how much it resembles the Tivo.

I have one of these Channel Master units and overall it's great. The HD quality from the HDMI output is excellent and its ATSC tuner is quite sensitive; pulling in lower dBu signals with ease (much better than any converter boxes I've looked at).

The only negatives I see is the menu which is cumbersome to use, it doesn't have S-video out nor does it accommodate so-called "smart" antennas. But time shifting a program using the channel guide is a simple two-button procedure. I kicked the cable habit two years ago and haven't missed it, especially when using my Channel Master DVR.

 

[landtuna]

The only negatives I see is the menu which is cumbersome to use, it doesn't have S-video out nor does it accommodate so-called "smart" antennas.

Yes, the menu has too many levels and could be easier. That said though, there are several "quick" buttons for commonly-used features so it's not all that big a deal in normal use.

I talked with a CM engineer the other day (we're both in the same city) and he said they opted not to go with S-video because virtually all "modern" devices are now HDMI-based. The DVR does have an HDMI output as well as composite outputs.

And while there is no "smart antenna" support there is a feature which allows the user to select the best angle for their antenna should the transmitting stations be in different directions. Since all my local stations exist on one mountaintop I haven't used this feature.

 

[vchimpanzee]

For future reference, Radio Shack tends to be on the expensive side when shopping for items like this. I've found online sources to be much cheaper and equally reliable. Using Google will usually provide a good jumping-off menu of online sellers.

Actually, my TiVo was relatively cheap. Until I had to activate it. Buying online scares me and I only went where I could actually buy in stores I normally go to. Other options I didn't even consider.

Bear in mind I am an over-the-air viewer and the CM unit I referred to is antenna-only. It will NOT work with either satellite or cable.

Yeah, well, I told them I would be too, and look how that worked out.