Recommend a DVR ???

[Z-man17]

I currently own a 508 (love it when it works) and will soon lease a 622 - but I'm in the early learning stages about a seperate, non - E* DVR. Canf anyone reccommend a good one? I would like to record HDTV - and hopefully MPEG4 -- what are the monthly charges for these things? Is the E* unit - like the one in the 622 the way to go or do you recommend a seperate DVR?
Thanks

 

[NightRyder]

The only HD-DVR that meets your criteria is the 622. It has its little annoyances but overall it's great box. I replaced 3 receivers with mine (508, 501, 811).


NightRyder

 

[Z-man17]

OK my fault - I guess I'm looking for / thinking about a seperate box - that does NOT have a sat. receiver in it - just a DVR - so I could record OTA or whatever comes out of the sat receiver....make sense?

 

[NightRyder]

OK, the MPEG4 thing threw me off. No OTA broadcasts are in MPEG4, nor are they ever likely to be. I know Humax, Sony and LG made stand alone HD-DVRs at one time, a PC card could also be an option if you want a HTPC.


NightRyder

 

[Jim5506]

There is NO DVR that can record HD coming out of a sat box, and there is unlikely to ever be one, because of DRM. Entertainment industry does not want us to be able to collect pristine copies of any of its material, they don't even like you being able to record on a 622 but can't stop it YET.

NetCom makes a R5000 modification for the ViP211 and ViP622 that intercepts the HD digital stream BEFORE it is encrypted on the HD (in the case of the 622) and sends it via USB 2.0 to your PC. Cost - $550 and you better have a BIG hard drive.

 

[nazz]

Has that R5000 mod been at that price for quite a while? Any thoughts on a future price drop?

 

[Jim5506]

Has that R5000 mod been at that price for quite a while? Any thoughts on a future price drop?

That is the current price on the NextCom website.

 

[navychop]

I am quite happy with my LG products, and I also use that discontinued Sony DVR. This one records HD OTA. I also use the ATI HDTV Wonder.

Yes, you can record the output from a satellite receiver, even HD if your DVR is capable- but only from the analog outputs.