digital to own dvr?

Hi,

Sorry if I'm not quite in the right forum, but is there any DVR's out
there that you can just buy for OTA recording of digital content (480
resolution via converter box)? I got the gov't coupons for the
converter and am thinking of ditching my cable which keeps going up up
and away, and just using digital OTA. I mainly watch only the locals
anyway. I don't want to pay TIVO fees or anything like that, just a
simple DVR recorder, but one I can download TV programs to my PC or an
external HD? I don't see many if any online. Anything that will also
accept HD recording when I can afford to upgrade to that?

Anyone know of any converter boxes with DVR function built in?
Hopefully on the coupons, but I see a very limited selection out there
so far. The coupon said they will have boxes with extra features, but
so far only one basic model at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack,
and my coupons expire June 23.

Thanks much.

Dish Network is comming out with a converter/dvr TR-50 but it's not ready
yet and doesn't qualify for the coupon. Their TR-40 is a converter featuring
a 7 day guide but no dvr should be ready in June for $39, free with coupon
except for the taxes and shipping.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/search/de...tr-50&x=19&y=6


"DK1000" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Sorry if I'm not quite in the right forum, but is there any DVR's out
there that you can just buy for OTA recording of digital content (480
resolution via converter box)? I got the gov't coupons for the
converter and am thinking of ditching my cable which keeps going up up
and away, and just using digital OTA. I mainly watch only the locals
anyway. I don't want to pay TIVO fees or anything like that, just a
simple DVR recorder, but one I can download TV programs to my PC or an
external HD? I don't see many if any online. Anything that will also
accept HD recording when I can afford to upgrade to that?

Anyone know of any converter boxes with DVR function built in?
Hopefully on the coupons, but I see a very limited selection out there
so far. The coupon said they will have boxes with extra features, but
so far only one basic model at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack,
and my coupons expire June 23.

Thanks much.

On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:15:34 -0700, DK1000 wrote:

Sorry if I'm not quite in the right forum, but is there any DVR's out
there that you can just buy for OTA recording of digital content (480
resolution via converter box)? I got the gov't coupons for the converter
and am thinking of ditching my cable which keeps going up up and away,
and just using digital OTA. I mainly watch only the locals anyway. I
don't want to pay TIVO fees or anything like that, just a simple DVR
recorder, but one I can download TV programs to my PC or an external HD?
I don't see many if any online. Anything that will also accept HD
recording when I can afford to upgrade to that?

Anyone know of any converter boxes with DVR function built in? Hopefully
on the coupons, but I see a very limited selection out there so far. The
coupon said they will have boxes with extra features, but so far only
one basic model at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and my coupons
expire June 23.

Coupon eligible converter boxes aren't allowed to have anything except
480i output (no HD) and aren't allowed to have dvr functions.

It sounds like a PC based DVR is just right for you. They are not
expensive and have complete flexibility. See links below.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

On Apr 13, 10:25*pm, Wes Newell wrote:
On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:15:34 -0700, DK1000 wrote:
Sorry if I'm not quite in the right forum, but is there any DVR's
out
there that you can just buy for OTA recording of digital content
(480
resolution via converter box)? I got the gov't coupons for the
converter
and am thinking of ditching my cable which keeps going up up and
away,
and just using digital OTA. I mainly watch only the locals
anyway. I
don't want to pay TIVO fees or anything like that, just a simple
DVR
recorder, but one I can download TV programs to my PC or an
external HD?
I don't see many if any online. Anything that will also accept HD
recording when I can afford to upgrade to that?

Anyone know of any converter boxes with DVR function built in?
Hopefully
on the coupons, but I see a very limited selection out there so
far. The
coupon said they will have boxes with extra features, but so far
only
one basic model at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and my
coupons
expire June 23.

Coupon eligible converter boxes aren't allowed to have anything
except
480i output (no HD) and aren't allowed to have dvr functions.

It sounds like a PC based DVR is just right for you. They are not
expensive and have complete flexibility. See links below.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder?http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experiencehttp://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 comparedhttp://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu helphttp://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

While I have no disagreement with Wes and Myth/Linux, it is also
possible to do DVRs under Windows XP using Sage TV or Beyond TV
software. Some tuner manufacturers include Beyond or Sage as part of
the bundle.

I was looking around on the net this weekend for a standalone ATSC DVR
and wasn't having much luck. Our first TV PC from November '04 is
running right now and gets used daily.

GG

"G-squared" wrote in message


While I have no disagreement with Wes and Myth/Linux, it
is also possible to do DVRs under Windows XP using Sage
TV or Beyond TV software. Some tuner manufacturers
include Beyond or Sage as part of the bundle.

Agreed.

I was looking around on the net this weekend for a
standalone ATSC DVR and wasn't having much luck.

Almost a mystery why this is so.

However there are big IP concerns related to HDTV. HDTV allows lossless
digital capture and copying, in fact it basically has to work that way.
People who own movies are concerned about people capturing and copying their
IP for just the price of a cable service or satellite service fee.

Our first TV PC from November '04 is running right now and
gets used daily.

That all said, I observe the following:

I much prefer my dedicated RCA NTSC hard drive DVR's usability as compared
to PC/Software approaches. Of course it doesn't do HDTV.

If you hook a HDTV PC capture card to your cable system, you will only be
able to pick up a tiny subset of the total available channels, basically the
OTA plus public-access channels, if that.

G-squared wrote (in part):

I was looking around on the net this weekend for a standalone ATSC DVR
and wasn't having much luck.

You won't, at least until the Echostar TR-50 come out. And who knows
when that will be, and whether its abilities will be too crippled to
be truly useful.

The only standalone HD DVRs I know of (not counting those tied to a
cable or satellite service) are the LG LST-3410A and the Sony
DHG-HDD250/500, both discontinued. I have the LG box and would
recommend it to anyone who wants an easy-to-use recorder for OTA or
clear QAM. I would, that is, if most of these had not become
unreliable in a few short years (they were made in 2003-2004),
apparently due to a combination of low-grade parts (mainly power
supply electrolytics that dry out before their time) and a design with
little tolerance for voltage changes and ripple.

The Sonys seem to have held up better, maybe because they're newer.
But they and the LG depend on an analog signal for their guide
information, and if they can be made to work with the digital version
of the guide it will be by a method only a tinkerer will tolerate.

As for transfers to and from a PC, AFAIK the Sonys can't do that at
all. The LG can work with a short list of D-VHS recorders which can
then transfer with a computer, or the LG can work directly with a
computer if it thinks the computer is a D-VHS. Windows-based efforts
haven't worked well, but apparently it's quite easy to do with a Mac.

But it isn't just DVRs. Where are the receivers for the many HD
displays that were sold with just an analog tuner or no tuner? There
used to be several manufacturers; now it's pretty much down to one:
Samsung. There's a flurry of CECBs but that market will dry up in
about a year when the last coupons expire.

Del Mibbler

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:37:06 -0400, Arny Krueger wrote:

I much prefer my dedicated RCA NTSC hard drive DVR's usability as
compared to PC/Software approaches. Of course it doesn't do HDTV.

I find this very curious. I had an RCA DVR, a Tivo, and 3 VCR's all hooked
to my TV. I dumped all of that crap when I went digital. And good
riddance. I'm trying to figure out what it is that you would prefer about
the RCA that you would prefer over a PC recorder. I can't think of a
single advantage. I can sure think of many disadvantages though.

If you hook a HDTV PC capture card to your cable system, you will only
be able to pick up a tiny subset of the total available channels,
basically the OTA plus public-access channels, if that.

Well, that's just not true. You can record everything you can record with
the NTSC RCA or Tivo, plus you can record HD in addition. Of course that's
assuming you use the right equipment and software. But a simple $10 NTSC
card is all you'd need to record everything the RCA can record.

--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php

On Apr 14, 12:02*pm, Del Mibbler [email protected] wrote:

As for transfers to and from a PC, AFAIK the Sonys can't do that at
all. *The LG can work with a short list of D-VHS recorders which can
then transfer with a computer, or the LG can work directly with a
computer if it thinks the computer is a D-VHS. *Windows-based efforts
haven't worked well, but apparently it's quite easy to do with a Mac.

I'd like to learn more about that.

On Apr 14, 9:02*am, Del Mibbler [email protected] wrote:
G-squared wrote (in part):

I was looking around on the net this weekend for a standalone ATSC
DVR
and wasn't having much luck.

You won't, at least until the Echostar TR-50 come out. *And who
knows
when that will be, and whether its abilities will be too crippled
to
be truly useful.

The only standalone HD DVRs I know of (not counting those tied to a
cable or satellite service) are the LG LST-3410A and the Sony
DHG-HDD250/500, both discontinued. *I have the LG box and would
recommend it to anyone who wants an easy-to-use recorder for OTA or
clear QAM. *I *would, that is, if most of these had not become
unreliable in a few short years (they were made in 2003-2004),
apparently due to a combination of low-grade parts (mainly power
supply electrolytics that dry out before their time) and a design
with
little tolerance for voltage changes and ripple.

We buy LOTS of capacitors at work though most are for Sony units 20+
years old. The Ampex gear from the same period has virtually no issues
with capacitors - 4 or 5 ceramic failures but no electrolytics.

The Sonys seem to have held up better, maybe because they're newer.
But they and the LG depend on an analog signal for their guide
information, and if they can be made to work with the digital
version
of the guide it will be by a method only a tinkerer will tolerate.

As for transfers to and from a PC, AFAIK the Sonys can't do that at
all. *The LG can work with a short list of D-VHS recorders which
can
then transfer with a computer, or the LG can work directly with a
computer if it thinks the computer is a D-VHS. *Windows-based
efforts
haven't worked well, but apparently it's quite easy to do with a
Mac.

You mean like sharing a TV show or watching remotely? We frequently
watch TV shows across the LAN and archive onto USB hard drives. Why
screw with tape if you don't have to?

But it isn't just DVRs. *Where are the receivers for the many HD
displays that were sold with just an analog tuner or no tuner?
*There
used to be several manufacturers; now it's pretty much down to one:
Samsung. *There's a flurry of CECBs but that market will dry up in
about a year when the last coupons expire.

Del Mibbler

Why would anyone sell an HD STB at this point in time? If you bought
the set in 2003 or 2004 and wanted HD OTA, you bought it then. Since
then, all that has been folded into the TV as "integrated HDTV" so
either way, there is no pressing need. Your cheapest way to do this
now is a tuner in the PC which is not nearly as goofy as it sounds.
While we have the Samsung HD STB, it rarely gets used as the computer
can pause and skip fwd / reverse.

GG

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:02:02 -0400, Del Mibbler wrote:

As for transfers to and from a PC, AFAIK the Sonys can't do that at all.
The LG can work with a short list of D-VHS recorders which can then
transfer with a computer, or the LG can work directly with a computer if
it thinks the computer is a D-VHS. Windows-based efforts haven't worked
well, but apparently it's quite easy to do with a Mac.

Well if you start with a PC to begin with it's real easy. And that could
be one reason you don't see many standalone models yet. They will never
build one as cheap or as versatile as you can yourself. And it's not that
hard these days. And talk about cheap. I just bought a couple of AM2+ MB's
with AMD X2 CPU's for $59.99. And that's with Nvidia on board video.
Picked up 2 GB of ram for $20 after rebate. Throw in a decent sized drive
and a case and PSU and a couple of $20 ATSC cards, a DVD player, and
you've a full media center for under $300. All the software is free. Just
takes a few hours to get it set up. Going to be hard to compete with that
commercially. Hopefully the TR-50 will be dual tuner. If they can price it
under $400 with no extra costs (like Tivo subscription), they can probably
sell a bunch of them.



--
Want the ultimate in free OTA SD/HDTV Recorder? http://mythtv.org
My Tivo Experience http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/tivo.htm
Tivo HD/S3 compared http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/mythtivo.htm
AMD cpu help http://wesnewell.no-ip.com/cpu.php