DVR Solutions for OTA Recording?

grengadgy

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What's everyone's ideas?
 

URGatorBait

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https://www.tablotv.com/

plus external hard drive of your choice.

Eliminates the need for an antenna for every tv, streams live and recorded content to compatible devices...pretty much all the same devices you would use for Sling tv and the like.
Also offers a tv guide for free for the first 30 days, but unlike many of the others, you do NOT have to maintain the guide, where others make you pay for it after the free trial. You can keep the guide, if you want, for monthly payments of 4.99, or yearly for 49.99, or pay once and have it for lifetime for 149.99.
 

DocZaius

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TiVo also makes an OTA model. Don't have one so I can't comment on its features or quality, but if you Google for it, you'll find it.
 

grengadgy

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I decided to go this way very cheap. $29.00 on Amazon 1 year warranty purchased an 3 year warranty for $3.50.

Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW220STB Digital Converter Box with Karaoke, TV Recording, and Media Player Function.
You can use up to 64 gig usb stick or 2 tb hard drive. I mine came in today and setup was easy. I set it to record 3 shows one after the other on different channels.
 
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grengadgy

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My cheap method works great. Mediasonic HOMEWORX HW220STB
Digital Converter Box with Karaoke, TV Recording, and Media Player Function.
I am using a spare 300 Gb hard drive to record what I want to save . The unit is capable of a 7 day program guide (EPG) but most stations only send a days worth. It records 480i to 1280p at great quality . Any questions? It has HDMI, coax, composite and component outputs with a coax rf pass-through. You can even use the outputs for alternate recording ( dvd or VHS ).

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URGatorBait

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I borrowed a mohu, and it looks like I just might be able to use one inside, so long as it is in the right spot. Working on getting it positioned right now...if that works, then I am likely using it in combo with a tablo, since it seems that location is going to matter on these antennas in my house, and I don't want one on every tv, the Tablo does it for me, since I am going to need a Fire TV stick or box on those tvs anyway for the streaming channels.

The one you have is for individual tvs right, meaning you cannot connect it to your router and then stream it, is that right?
 

URGatorBait

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on your device there gren, when recording, does it only record for an allotment of time, or for specific shows, no matter their specific start and end time?
 

grengadgy

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On manual record it records until you stop it. On EPG record it only records the allotted time on the schedule but you can add time before and after an event(an hour or a minute). It's crude but it only cost $30 at Amazon. If there's time conflict it won't let you make a error.

A plus, you plug the HD or USB stick into your computer and edit , watch or burn a dvd if you wish.
 
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URGatorBait

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On manual record it records until you stop it. On EPG record it only records the allotted time on the schedule but you can add time before and after an event(an hour or a minute). It's crude but it only cost $30 at Amazon. If there's time conflict it won't let you make a error.

A plus, you plug the HD or USB stick into your computer and edit , watch or burn a dvd if you wish.
good point on the last one, but you could do that with any set up that uses an external hard drive, no?

How many can you record at the same time on that unit?

Right now the set up I am looking at will all in cost me between 725 and 850 dollars up front (with an ongoing monthly cost of about $110 for internet and streaming tv, which would make up for the upfront equipment in under a year, then I would save almost 1k a year after that) depending on what devices I get, (antenna being one of the larger variables), however, I can cut that nearly in half if I didn't do the Tablo, and did a cheaper one like your on the main tv, but then I would have to probably put an antenna on each tv, which gets the cost back up there....the Mohu indoor antenna has shown quite a difference from the knock off one I borrowed before.
Still thinking about one that is even stronger for the attic.
I do have a pre-amp in the attic, 8way splitter, but it only offers 4db gain, and I wonder if the quality wouldn't deteriorate if I ran the OTA antenna directly to that preamp splitter, I suppose I could just get a stronger one. :dunno: might eliminate the need for antennas on every tv though if I didn't use the Tablo.

what do you think?
 

grengadgy

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what do you think?
Yes on the burning copies if it was a format that you could handle. This is MTS and that you can do easily. I did the same with Tivo but it was a few more hoops because of the internal HD and a format that they protected. I just looked and Tablo does record in a Proprietary format but you can find software to handle it.

I have a central antenna with a distribution amp. Your amplified splitter should work fine because it's purpose is to overcome the loss of the cable and splitter.

Sams has a 2for1 sale. A Mohu 65 plus a small mini-leaf for 49.98

Sam's Club Leaf Ultimate 65 and Leaf Mini Plus Bundle. Includes two amplified antennas; the Leaf 65 Amplified for up to a 65 mile reception range.16 FT high performance cable. The urban style Leaf Mini Amplified with up to a 40 mile reception range. Portable HDTV antennas. Great for urban living, camping, tailgating, dorm rooms. Watch your favorite TV shows for free in multiple rooms with this Exclusive 2 for 1 Value Pack. Mohu has combined two of its best-selling HDTV antennas to create the exclusive Sam's Club Leaf Ultimate 65 and Leaf Mini Plus Bundle. These paper-thin HDTV antennas use Mohu's CleanPeak filter technology to eliminate unwanted cellular or FM signals and help bring you the most popular broadcast TV shows, news and sports, on both network and local television in full 1080 HD for FREE. No need for cable or satellite fees to watch stations like PBS, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, with each network having its own digital sub-channels for maximum content.
 

URGatorBait

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I have a central antenna with a distribution amp. Your amplified splitter should work fine because it's purpose is to overcome the loss of the cable and splitter.
Guess it is worth trying then, would certainly save some money because the dvr would be about 10 times less, and I am already considering an antenna for the attic anyway

:thumbup:
 

grengadgy

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I think that Youtube Tv is available in Orlando now. That looks like it might be the best way to go. You can move around and only have to be in home area once every 4 months and they give you 6 ID accounts with 3 simultaneous feeds.
 

URGatorBait

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I think that Youtube Tv is available in Orlando now. That looks like it might be the best way to go. You can move around and only have to be in home area once every 4 months and they give you 6 ID accounts with 3 simultaneous feeds.
oh schit...will have to look into it then, thanks for the update
 

grengadgy

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oh schit...will have to look into it then, thanks for the update
Limited devices for Youtube Tv and on tv you might have to cast. They will send you a Chromecast dongle free with your 1st month paid.

Unlimited DVR on all 6 accounts.
 

URGatorBait

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Limited devices for Youtube Tv and on tv you might have to cast. They will send you a Chromecast dongle free with your 1st month paid.

Unlimited DVR on all 6 accounts.
you got a link for it? On my phone and having a difficult time finding it.
 

URGatorBait

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nevermind, I found it....looks like Youtube TV is in Orlando now...but are all the local stations live in Orlando....wow, I wouldn't have to buy much at all then.

If it has the live local channels in Orlando, which by my search so far, I don't see anything that says it doesn't, then I'll have to talk to my wife about it, as it would certainly save a bunch of money on equipment that we don't have to buy.

However, it is missing a several channels that she will want, and only being able to use it on chromecast so far, well, would be nice if they would expand to amazon fire tv

Looks like it will set up through computer as well, which I have connected to my main tv anyway, so that actually would work well.
 

grengadgy

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The cheap dvr recorded the Buc's game perfectly. HD , 12.209 Gb and 3 hrs long.
 

URGatorBait

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The cheap dvr recorded the Buc's game perfectly. HD , 12.209 Gb and 3 hrs long.
so 2 TB's should hold about 500 hours of HD....that's impressive. I suppose the majority of people really wouldn't need that much lol
 

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