OTA antenna, Sling TV, DVR+

wa8yxm wrote:

I have two chatty DVR's so I can record in one room, play back in the other,

What are Chatty DVR's ?

Tom N wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:

I have an associates degree, applied science, NOT an EE degree, you do not need one.

Yes, but you're wa8yxm!

I get it! :B

Here's some info on available OTR DVRs:

Tablo
https://www.tablotv.com/
Program guide requires subscription.
Can be used without program guide.
No HDMI out so content must be streamed to device.
No internal hard drive. Requires USB external drive.
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Channel Master DVR+
http://www.channelmaster.com/Antenna_DVR_s/336.htm
Program guide is free. Will acquire guide data from internet if connected, otherwise uses PSIP data from OTA signal.
16GB built-in storage which gives about 2 hours recording. External USB hard drive needed for longer recording.
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Magnavox MDR557H/F7
http://www.magnavox.com/product/product.php?id=151
Only one tuner.
TV program is down-converted to standard definition prior to saving to hard drive or DVD.
No program guide.
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Tivo
http://www.tivo.com/
All units require subscription for program guide.

Romio (for digital cable and antenna)
$199.99
4 digital tuners.
Guide subscriptions:
$14.99/month
$149.00/year
$499.99 lifetime

Roamio OTA (for antenna only)
$49.99
4 digital tuners.
Guide subscription:
$14.99/month.

As of May 29, 2015 $399.99 includes lifetime guide subscription.
https://www.tivo.com/roamioota2176
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ePVision PHD-VRX2
http://www.epvision.com/HDTVSTB/phdvrx2main.htm

Dual tuners. Tuner-1 is digital and analog. Tuner-2 is digital only.
Can view ATSC, Clear QAM, and NTSC but only records digital ATSC and Clear QAM. Will not record analog.
Requires external USB drive.
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I own the following boxes:

Mediasonic HW180STB
http://www.mediasonic.ca/product.php?id=1377202059
Single tuner.
Requires external USB drive.
Acquires program guide from PSIP data in OTA signal.
Sets clock to time data broadcast from station that it is tuned to. If the station is broadcasting incorrect time the recording will not start at the proper time.

iView 3500STB
http://www.iviewus.com/index.php/iview-3500stb.html
Same as above.

Both boxes are virtually identical. They can be purchased on Amazon for about $35 plus the cost of a hard drive. They do the job but it takes a while to figure out the best way to do things.

I also have a PC running Windows 7 Media Center with two dual tuner SiliconDust HDHomerun boxes. Needs an internet connection for program guide. This setup works very well for me.

http://www.silicondust.com/

Windows Media Center

Media Center was free with Windows 7 but costs extra for Windows 8 and Windows 10 will not have it at all.

rk911 wrote:
CAN the DVR+ be used on cable or sat TV?

No, DVR+ is only for an OTA antenna. I just like to watch TV on my own schedule and the satellite DVR spoiled me, love my Blue Bloods, 48 Hours, and Dateline!

Tom N wrote:

lap527 wrote:
Thought I would share.....
We share netflix with 3 others so it averages out to $3 a month.

Can you explain how you do this.

I selected 3 friends that I asked if they wanted to share netflix. It's 4 screens for 11.99 plus tax. Each person paid me a year in advance for netflix..38.00 plus tax, I then gave them a username and password and set up a profile for each family. Everyone is good til next July, I didn't want to be nickled and dimed every month so they had to pay up front. It doesn't matter where those 4 screens are either, as long as you have wifi, a tablet, or enough data. One friend has dish and channel 370 is netflix.
The streaming cannot be recorded on netflix or sling tv but my Channel Master dvr+ , OTA recording has a dongle to connect to my wifi so I can get the channel guide off the internet free. I looked at tivo but didn't want to be dinged for a channel guide every month. Dvr+ has 1 terabyte of space or 160 hours of recording time. On sling tv there are several channels that you can go back and view up to 3 days, history, history 2 and a few others. My biggest concern was my football and SEC network and ESPNU is on the extra $5 sports package. :B

wa8yxm wrote:

I have an associates degree, applied science, NOT an EE degree, you do not need one.

Yes, but you're wa8yxm!

lap527 wrote:
Thought I would share.....
We share netflix with 3 others so it averages out to $3 a month.

Can you explain how you do this.

CAN the DVR+ be used on cable or sat TV?

cameronpatentlaw wrote:
Where did you get your electrical engineering degree?:)

I have a system that is less expensive than his, (Of course I do not have a sticks and bricks) but I have two chatty DVR's so I can record in one room, play back in the other, Stop and switch rooms mid playback, Download to portable device (Phone or laptop) and view elsewhere. All the things that the expensive advertising cable/sat companies offer and claim "Only our system lets you do this) I can do it all AND MORE.

And I pay less than 50 dollars a YEAR for the channel listing service.

I have an associates degree, applied science, NOT an EE degree, you do not need one.