OTV HD DVR???

[DodgerKing]

Hey you all. It's been a long time since I posted on this site. I know it has been well over a year.

I have some questions. After many years with DirecTV, I am looking to cut the cord. I am looking at a good OTA DVR. It has to have HDMI connection so I can connect it to my sound system, so many of those WiFi only models that require a streaming source are out.

I am currently looking at the Channel Master DVR+. The 16GB ($250) with a 1TB external HD (~$50) is less expensive in total cost than the 1TB internal HD version ($400).

Any thought on this model or any other suggestions?

 

[navychop]

I've read good things about it.

 

[jayn_j]

You really should look into TIVO. Costs more, but it is a seamless integration and it does everything well. It will take a large disk (mine is 2 TB) as a drop in that self formats. I don't like the external HD, because the manufacturers all seem to format these things striped. When either disk fails, you lose everything, so I find it better to use one larger disk.

 

[DodgerKing]

Don't want TiVo for two reasons. Over the long run it ends up costing much more. I am trying to get away from paying for free TV. Secondly, it doesn't have SlingTV. With the Channel Master I am able to get the basic cable channels through SlingTV on the unit and in the guide. The other APPs I use are already on my TV or on my PS3

 

[osu1991]

Read up on the DVR+ at AVS. It's not bad, but it has its many quirks. I went with Tivo's because I didn't want to play tech support for problems for the ones I gave my mom and dad. Tivo's just work, DVR+, like its predecessor the DTV Pal ( which I also have 3 of) takes a little work. If you want a whole home solution, the Tivo is the one to go with, as you can just add a mini to the system for another room. The DVR+ is for one room only.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/42-hdtv-recorders/1481183-channel-master-dvr-owners-thread-100.html

 

[Mr Tony]

Don't want TiVo for two reasons. Over the long run it ends up costing much more. I am trying to get away from paying for free TV

the CM DVR+ has only two tuners
The Tivo Series 3 also has two tuners. You can find them on ebay with lifetime for under $175 (and I shot high there). And you can slam a 2TB drive into it from the get-go. It is an older unit but it just works. I have one along with a Roamio. If you do go the Series 3 route it HAS to have Lifetime on it. Tivo wont activate them anymore so lifetime is required

 

[jayn_j]

Can get lots of TIVOs with lifetime on eBay. Stay away from Premiere units because they have weak tuners for OTA. Series 3 is better and cheap. Roamios with lifetime will cost more, but have better features and also better streaming capabilities. The S3 requires some tech knowledge to upgrade the disk. The Roamio is a drop in affair and it self formats.

 

[Mr Tony]

The S3 requires some tech knowledge to upgrade the disk. The Roamio is a drop in affair and it self formats.

thats true. Forgot about that
But then again I've remapped drives for the Series 3 so many times its like 2nd nature for me

 

[Tampa8]

TIVO is expensive, period. Now after that, I believe they are the better of the OTA DVR's. My Roamio works as it should, the upconverting to 1080P it can do looks excellent. One Pass is very good, and their Mini option for a one time cost to get anything from the Roamio to any other room works tremendously well. All of it can be streamed outside the home also if OTA, limitations if using a Cable version. Streaming outside the home using the TIVO system is near excellent in my opinion. The Apps overall work as they should, I use HBOGO, VUDU, and Amazon Prime. You can also see when new shows or new seasons start with some of the streaming sites as part of your search with TIVO for "What's on Now."

At least to consider however, there is definitely a turning point or decision coming with TIVO. Consumer unit sales have plummeted and there is alot of talk of them going MSO only at some point, (Make units for cable companies etc) fueled by the possible merger with Rovi. I have not had a TIVO long enough to know, but the forums are full of posters who say the customer service has plummeted over the last two years, this year in particular,and that the guide is no longer as up to date with all the info as it used to be, something that made TIVO a standout. My only experience with that was with local news. It was scheduled for 6:30PM instead of 6pm because of sports, the DISH guide showed it correctly. The TIVO guide still had it at 6pm. Happened again with the change in time of People's Court a few weeks ago that again DISH had correct but TIVO did not. That is nitpicking, I don't see it a huge deal, I mean how often is DISH wrong? LOL Just pointing out these things that others say did not happen in past years.
Had I not seen the fantastic lifetime deal on my OTA Roamio on Amazon I may not have paid the kind of money it now is for a TIVO with lifetime. And as the poster, not sure I would want to get into a $15 a month payment situation for OTA if there are other options that I can live with. Am I happy with the unit and system? As Rocky would say "Absolutely."

 

[danristheman]

How is the CM dvr ota tuner is it better or worse than tivo?

 

[Mr Tony]

If the DVR+ has the same tuner sensitivity as the predecessor the DTVPal DVR (and DTVPal) the Tivo would be better tuner wise

 

[danristheman]

ok thank you ice.