Thread: any ideas on HD tuner box w/ pvr or dvd recording?

Im getting rid of the Sat for now (too $) and need a atsc HD tuner for my tv but Id like to still be able to record ideally on a dvr. Anybody know of any, other than the dish tr-50? (299) Akai makes one for Austrailia but im not sure if its compatible with the US system. Anybody got any suggestions. My tv doesnt have the HD tuner so I at least need that. Thanks BP

Originally Posted by robertjp

Im getting rid of the Sat for now (too $) and need a atsc HD tuner for my tv but Id like to still be able to record ideally on a dvr. Anybody know of any, other than the dish tr-50? (299) Akai makes one for Austrailia but im not sure if its compatible with the US system. Anybody got any suggestions. My tv doesnt have the HD tuner so I at least need that. Thanks BP

The Xstream HD media server was announced this month at CES. It is reputed that the DVR has three OTA tuners. Unfortunately, the fine print says UHF only. (Channels 14-69)


XStreamHD Home

The DVR can have multiple boxes connected to allow several TVs to access the same program. Each TV needs its own media receiver.

I guess I wont be able to get an OTA dvr without subscription fees and spending 300 bucks for the Dish pal tr-50. No other manufacturers I can find other than a rebranding channelmnaster for 399. This is unbelieveable. Can anyone at least recommend a hard drive DVD recorder with hdmi and atsc tuner thats good and doesnt cost too much? Surely I cant be the only person in this position.???????

DISH Network 921 and 942 DVRs are discontinued due to TiVo's law suit. Both have ATSC tuners built in. Both I believe need to receive a signal from a DISH satellite to be able to tune ATSC channels. EBay has them starting at about $50, not exactly what you asked for but close.

You should also be able to find DVD recorders that have ATSC tuners built in I have a Panasonic DMRR-EZ47 that can record on DVD-RAM that is rerecordable so it operated like a small hard drive.

The furthest from your request would be a Hughes HTLHD Directv receiver combined with a TiVo Series 1 DVR. The HTL will tune ATSC with component out for your HDTV and the TiVo series 1 either Sony or Philips has a manual recording option that does not require a TiVo subscription. This is SD recording only but it should work off the composite outputs of the HTL

These workarounds aren't perfect but should be cheaper than the DTV PAL DVR.

How about this from Walmart


Walmart.com: Magnavox 160GB HDD & DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner: DVD & Blu-ray Players

I'm using a Sonicview 8000HD which is an FTA receiver but also has an ATSC tuner. It has a USB port that works with an external hard drive as a PVR.

Originally Posted by JohninSD

I'm using a Sonicview 8000HD which is an FTA receiver but also has an ATSC tuner. It has a USB port that works with an external hard drive as a PVR.

That would work, but the with cost of the receiver and the hard drive he might as well get the PAL DVR, which he can't afford.

Get a loan and buy the PAL, you will have two HD tuners and a DVR with no bills for many years to come.

Your cheapest solutions will all be PC-based tuners. I bought a Kworld tuner stick with software for $15 after rebate, and more recently (from Woot) a TV Wonder tuner stick with remote for $25. Now my Compaq is too feeble-minded to play back HD without jerkiness. But it records programs just fine.

Couple of options...one should work well.

1. Search Fleabay for DVD recorders with ATSC tuners
2. Try and score an LG-LST 3410A (it's a tuner with a hard drive)
3. Consider the Coolsat 8100 HD or Sonicview 8000 HD


All of it is gonna be pricey except for the PC option. Get a robust PC for recording video and a tuner card.

It will get better one day. Soon.....