Anyone use an OTA DVR??

[Brian Ski]

Nice to get something that will plug into a TV, I don't need the network setup. Just an HDMi out. I want something that will pull in over the air TV and has a good menu. There are some subscription services, If I have to drop a $100 or so for a lifetime sub that is OK. As far as streaming services... Not really, but would not hurt for future. I don't watch a lot of TV. But it would be nice to record the locals that are not on satellite. Thinking of dropping dish service anyway. I do not need a 4k setup either. I think that covers it. I think someone mentioned a channel master. But it was $1500... Wow!!!

 

[radar8756]

We got a Romanio TiVo OTA (1gb) from Amazon in 2018 for $399 that included the Lifetime Program Guide ...
Working well considering we live in a Fringe area ...

Looks like it has been updated to the ... TiVo Edge for Antenna | Live, DVR and Streaming 4K UHD Media Player for $270
but requires separate Subscription plan -- $6. 99/month, $69. 99/year or the all-in plan for $249. 99

 

[woowoo2]

Tagged...
I was using a windows 7 computer with a tuner card, but windows shut down the OTA guide service earlier this year.

Channel Master has a couple of choices.
https://www.channelmaster.com/OTA_DVR_s/336.htm

View TV made a tuner that could record to a flash drive Model #AT-163 but I think they are discontinued.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Viewtv-AT-...464581?hash=item56dbf52905:g:2jgAAOSwV~Bewskz

And we have the whole home stream it yourself complicated devices.
https://www.tablotv.com/products/tablo-dual-lite-ota-dvr/

Just about any DVR is going to need an internet connection for the guide data.

 

[Brian Ski]

Tagged...
I was using a windows 7 computer with a tuner card, but windows shut down the OTA guide service earlier this year.

Channel Master has a couple of choices.
https://www.channelmaster.com/OTA_DVR_s/336.htm

Just about any DVR is going to need an internet connection for the guide data.

It was a philips magnovox that had the $1500 tag on it. not the channel master. I did not think about it needed the net connection for the guide....

Will look into the options. Will check amazon for the tivo edge too. Thx

 

[Hoosierdood]

Does anyone use OTA anymore?

 

[Ziggidy]

I have used Channel Master DVR+ for years without a problem; but they no longer make the model I have now. I recently got an email from Channel Master ab out a promo for the TIVO edge and a lifetime, but I forget the cost. It was a good deal BUT TIVO is really falling behind the times and getting bad reviews. I had TIVO before I switched to Channel Master....could not be happier.

I would check out Channel Masters newer DVR and forget about TIVO.

 

[bobzilla]

Does anyone use OTA anymore?

It’s either satellite or ota. When we had satellite they couldn’t get us local Channels anyway. They were all Chicago. We Are in Zionsville. We’ve been free for about 7 years now.

 

[Brian Ski]

I would check out Channel Masters newer DVR and forget about TIVO.

Channel Master is a good name... They only have 2 available now. Unless you try to find used/refurb. One is a no frills and the other is a subscription Tivo model

https://www.channelmaster.com/OTA_DVR_s/336.htm

 

[Brian Ski]

Does anyone use OTA anymore?

I watch it in the garage a lot. You are getting a lot of local channels that are not available on dish or cable. And at the price of those it is $100-150 a month. Almost all of that is crap. You can go the other way and go streaming. The sat and cable business are feeling the hurt with streaming and OTA.

 

[4651feeder]

Got a MediaSonic HW-150 for a senior citizen couple years back to record her shows ironically also in Michiana and have not heard any complaints since installation. I know it almost sounds too good to be true at that price. Live or timed recording to USB memory stick and if I remember correctly it too had a channel guide.

https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HomeWorx-Converter-Recording-HW-150PVR/dp/B00I2ZBD1U


Chalk me up as another who watches OTA and only free streaming services.

 

[04FXSTS]

We have this one but haven't really used the record function much, worked fine when we did use it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/LAVA-DVR-HD-Video-Recorder-Converter-Box-Records-TV-in-HD-1080p/525658828
No subscription necessary so buy and you are done spending money, I like that. The only thing we planned to record was the wife's soap opera but it was on a network that is not reliable so I added the small TV option to our Xfinity internet plan.
The most important thing is DO NOT BUY from antennadeals.com, got this and an antenna from them and the antenna was not what it should have been for reception. The worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life. Jim.

 

[woowoo2]

We have this one but haven't really used the record function much, worked fine when we did use it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/LAVA-DVR-HD-Video-Recorder-Converter-Box-Records-TV-in-HD-1080p/525658828

That is the same unit as the View TV tuner I linked to earlier.
I just set mine up to record CBS Sunday morning tomorrow on a 16 Gig flash drive. I will see if it does it.

 

[terrehautian]

I had one years ago, had a dvd burner built in. Let a friend use it since I don't use OTA. I should get it back. You set it up like a vcr but it only had a 160 gig hd.

 

[Ziggidy]

You need to be careful with the OTA DVR. Need to make sure it has a decent menu guide so you can program it to record in advance. Also, make sure you can watch one channel while recording another. DVR+ has that ability, not sure they all have it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[radar8756]

Another factor is how much DVR space you require ... if it is just to Timeshift to watch the next day - you can to the HD Tuner route that has the External USB Drive DVR option ...
[h=1]Mediasonic ATSC Digital Converter Box with Recording / Media Player / TV Tuner Function (HW130STB) (Amazon $29.99)[/h]

 

[Brian Ski]

You need to be careful with the OTA DVR. Need to make sure it has a decent menu guide so you can program it to record in advance. Also, make sure you can watch one channel while recording another. DVR+ has that ability, not sure they all have it.

Someone mentioned that before. If you have a generic device it will have a short and very vague menu guide. But it you get a subscription or lifetime sub, they are usually quite good. Like the one on cable or sat. Thx..

The one I was looking at had 4 tuners. (Tivo Roamio) Can record 4 shows or watch one and record 3... Like there is that much on tv to record anyway. Nice unit with built in drive. but about $200. I guess a cheap unit will cost you another $100 for a decent drive anyway.

 

[Ziggidy]

Someone mentioned that before. If you have a generic device it will have a short and very vague menu guide. But it you get a subscription or lifetime sub, they are usually quite good. Like the one on cable or sat. Thx..

The one I was looking at had 4 tuners. (Tivo Roamio) Can record 4 shows or watch one and record 3... Like there is that much on tv to record anyway. Nice unit with built in drive. but about $200. I guess a cheap unit will cost you another $100 for a decent drive anyway.

Be careful with Tivo....read up on the consumer reviews. There is a reason they agreed to partner with Channel Master. They are falling way behind with their product.

My CHannel Master DVR+ is a simple dvr with OTA ability / 2 tuners and the guide goes out well over 2 weeks at a time (if you have it connected to internet); otherwise the time / updates are limited. On mine, I added an external 2t portable HD via USB. Works like a charm and the DVR retrieval is excellent.

They have a newer model, DVR with 1TB memory for $169.00 (great deal) No need to pay another penny, ever. If you want it simple and clean, that's it.

As you can tell, I do not like Tivo. I tried then 2 times over the last 20 years and both times I had a headache with them. Noisy, lag times, freezes, goes dead and so much more. The worst think with the Channel Master is your are out $160.....but I doubt it will; you'll get your money's worth quickly.

I would stay with The Stream deal Channel Master has 169 period. The Tivo deal for the edge is minimum 199 with a monthly subscription or 349 with lifetime.

Unless you need to scan through commercials or need to record more than one show at a time...it should be a no brainier.

Let me add that you can record seasonal shows. with one click (basically). Select record and it will ask if you want the season or just this one time. The season can be any length***,2 months, 6 months, year.....whatever; you will not miss a recording