My new OTA DVR's on the cheap.

danristheman

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jan 25, 2011
3,146
1,142
85w
I recently bought from amazon 2 ota dvr's and a IDE to USB converter I wanted to show some pics off to you guys. Both are around 30 bucks so and eumatic and mediasonic 130 so far have been doing pretty good compare to what I had before. Now I can record OTA with these DVR's and they are handy. Tell me what you guys think?
 

Attachments

  • 20161213_221810[1].jpg
    20161213_221810[1].jpg
    34.1 KB · Views: 411
  • 20161213_221818[1].jpg
    20161213_221818[1].jpg
    36.1 KB · Views: 418
  • 20161213_221823[1].jpg
    20161213_221823[1].jpg
    26.3 KB · Views: 407
  • 20161213_221828[1].jpg
    20161213_221828[1].jpg
    33.9 KB · Views: 397
  • 20161213_221902[1].jpg
    20161213_221902[1].jpg
    38.4 KB · Views: 394
Video quality should be comparable across the board as all write the digital stream direct to the hard drive. Where the differences show up is in the implementation of the interface and how well the device gets along with your local PSIP data.

Repurposing low capacity hard drives (<1TB) will always be a waste of time.
 
I have that Sabrent for PC EHDs.

Looking at the dust, I gather you're single?
:D

Yes still living at home taking care of mom thank you for noticing its cool. Harshness I was using stuff lying around not buying new trying to be cheap guy here. PISP data?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hockeynut
Video quality should be comparable across the board as all write the digital stream direct to the hard drive. Where the differences show up is in the implementation of the interface and how well the device gets along with your local PSIP data.

Repurposing low capacity hard drives (<1TB) will always be a waste of time.
Not for people on a budget. Not everyone can go out and buy the newest and greatest. Apparently you can as seen in this thread and also the computer thread about repurposing a old laptop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hockeynut
Not for people on a budget.
Spending $20+ on an interfacing arrangement to adapt a 320GB hard drive isn't fiscally prudent. It is what used to be known as "stepping over dollars to pick up dimes".

In computers and electronics, buying relatively expensive adapters to adapt old equipment of questionable longevity is never the value that it may initially appear to be.
 
...,PISP data?

PSIP is the EPG broadcast by each OTA digital TV station. It generally has at least 12 hours of program data for that channel, including title and time and a few words of program description.

Sadly, few stations fully utilize it. Once in a while I see a lengthy description. But the generic "digital programming" title is seen less often.
 
Let me give you a example. I just bought the laptop I wanted, only it had a spinning drive in it. So I got a SSD for it. Now I has a 1TB spinning sata drive laying around. 8 bucks at amazon got me a usb enclosure for it and now it is recording on my FTA box. Big waste of money isn't it.
 
In reality it is a $10 adapter and that is cheaper than a $80 hard drive.
The pictured adapter goes for upwards of $26 on Amazon and Newegg.

If you use an enclosure to clean up the mess and provide proper cooling and deadening of sound, they're more money.
 
Now I has a 1TB spinning sata drive laying around. 8 bucks at amazon got me a usb enclosure for it and now it is recording on my FTA box.
This is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You started with a relatively modern, quiet, low-power drive and a modern SATA 2.5" to USB enclosure. The TS started with a drive that is quite aged (the warranty expired five years ago) and had to spend a greater amount for the interface to get less than 1/3rd the capacity without an enclosure to quell the noise and spread the heat. You can't easily find IDE drives large enough to make this cost equation work.

You can buy a complete 2TB setup in an enclosure with some manner of warranty for under $70 without even trying.
 
27 bucks on each dvr and 12.99 on the adapter. that hard drive is quite i have to shut off tv to hear it. i am not that great with computers i was trying to save money instead of having more clutter.
 
I have stacks of old HDDs, from 80GB to TB sized. I have 3-4 adapters. I use them for PC backups, and Dish EHDs. I can easily slip in a drive and note the contents and use/store it. And if it dies, I haven't lost too much.

I have three RAID units for the serious stuff for Dish.

I hope to get back to a project I started but have no time for- a Linux (currently Mint) program to read and print contents from each HDD. It really isn't that hard. But I've started twice and had to stop, due to other commitments. Maybe after I'm retired.
 
PSIP is more than the EPG.

It provides:

1. System time
2. Program rating information
3. Master Guide
4. Channel configuration data (resolution, sound, encoding, SAP)

Mishandling of #4 can lead to frustration.

Absolutely. I'm not sure the Dish DTVPal DVR uses the time tick. I think it does, but considering reception interruptions and such, I'm not sure it is as reliable as one might hope.
 
  • Like
Reactions: osu1991
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)