Channel Master DVR advise?

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robertjp

robertjp

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Oct 22, 2004
161
5
Upstate NY
Im about ready to cut the cord. Ive been a Satellite customer since Dish first started years ago and have also tried Direct tv but I think the time has come as too many channels never get watched while the price is now ridiculous. So anyways Im planning on OTA (I get about 15-20 good channels) and Roku streaming. I need a DVR though without a subscription so forget tivo. That leaves channel masters DVR for OTA. Has anyone here had any experience with them? From what I hear the tuner is not as good as the TV tuner and there still is some kinks they need to get out but I think its the only game in town. Any recommendations on this or any other OTA DVRs?
 
Simple.TV with Lifetime, Tablo with Lifetime, or Channel Master DVR+ with no subscription. All require external hard drives, but Channel Master DVR+ is definitely cheapest. The main difference is Channel Master DVR+ will only work on one TV, the others will stream to all your Rokus, plus I think they have more tuner options (Channel Master DVR+ only has one tuner).

EDIT: Strike that, Channel Master DVR+ has 2 tuners. Tablo has the option of four tuners.

I don't know about the tuner personally, but I haven't heard anything bad about it myself. Check here:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/42-hdtv-recorders/1481183-channel-master-dvr-owners-thread-19.html

Maybe you're thinking of the older model? Anyway, Tivo has this too, but they're not letting you do Lifetime with it just yet:
https://www.tivo.com/discover/antenna

You'd have more options if you used a PC.
 
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Search Walmarts web site, I found Ematic AT103B $29.88/ iview 3500STBII $36.47. I think there might have been a couple others.
 
I see simple.tv and tablo are both streaming devices. Is channel master the only game in town that has a hard wired hookup to the tv? Also simple.tv does not have a wifi option that I see, you have to somehow run an ethernet cable to the tv area. Tablo does have a wifi option. I like the channel master but am worried about the tuner quality. Anyone here have a newer one? And why the homeworx mediasonic machine is so cheap leaves me suspicious. Why is that 40 bucks and everything else 250ish? Thanks
 
As far as I know it's the only brand name one, outside of Tivo. I don't have one, but based on all my research into it I have no reservations buying one once I get my antenna set-up. The main reason for the price gap is that Channel Master is a name brand and will essentially be giving you a 14-day guide data subscription via Rovio if you connect it to the Internet. Homeworx and other cheaper options will probably get the job done, but will rely on the broadcast station's own data, which is typically only 24 hours worth of guide data or less. If you're worried about tuner sensitivity, I can't imagine Homeworx working better than Channel Master.

By the way, Channel Master doesn't have Wifi either, you'd need the Wifi dongle accessory.
 
I have the channel master I bought it after I saw it at CES last year. It's a very nice DVR easy setup no fees and they do release new firmware.

The guy behind it worked for echostar.
 
Homeworx is a 1 tuner unit, no guide past 24 hours (uses PSIP data from the channel) and can hook a hard drive to. Manual timers setting

ChannelMaster DVR+ is basically a rebadged DTVPal DVR that Dish (Echostar) sold a few years ago. 2 tuners, between a 7-14 day guide (I've heard it got knocked down to 7 days), 16GB internal drive (can add an external) and has other options like streaming (Vudu, Pandora, YouTube). You can set timers to find programs and record when the title comes up. There are some drawbacks with it and the avsforum thread posted above has them. Biggest one if I remember right is it wont distinguish between new and old episodes. It records by the name only. ALso if you want wireless you have to get their dongle (you can hook it up wired via ethernet)

If you want to record a show every now and then...go with the Homeworx
if you want to use it to record your favorite series and have a bunch...go with something else
 
I need a DVR though without a subscription so forget tivo
Click to expand...

why not get a used Series 3 with lifetime? Series 3 has 2 tuners in it, a better guide than the CM does and you can find them with lifetime for less than the CM is (they can be had for under 200 bucks)
 
Quick search found this:
http://dvr-review.toptenreviews.com/magnavox-review.html
Not sure about guide data for it.

Iceberg said:
why not get a used Series 3 with lifetime? Series 3 has 2 tuners in it, a better guide than the CM does and you can find them with lifetime for less than the CM is (they can be had for under 200 bucks)
Click to expand...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TiVo-Series...fetime-Service-Wireless-Adapter-/131396909456
How is Lifetime so cheap on these? Is the subscription just being transferred to you by the reseller?
 
Iceberg said:
Homeworx is a 1 tuner unit, no guide past 24 hours (uses PSIP data from the channel) and can hook a hard drive to. Manual timers setting

ChannelMaster DVR+ is basically a rebadged DTVPal DVR that Dish (Echostar) sold a few years ago. 2 tuners, between a 7-14 day guide (I've heard it got knocked down to 7 days), 16GB internal drive (can add an external) and has other options like streaming (Vudu, Pandora, YouTube). You can set timers to find programs and record when the title comes up. There are some drawbacks with it and the avsforum thread posted above has them. Biggest one if I remember right is it wont distinguish between new and old episodes. It records by the name only. ALso if you want wireless you have to get their dongle (you can hook it up wired via ethernet)

If you want to record a show every now and then...go with the Homeworx
if you want to use it to record your favorite series and have a bunch...go with something else
Click to expand...


Last DVR+ firmware update added recording new episodes. I believe it is still a 14 guide or more than 7 anyway. Not sure, the avs thread gets polluted with a bunch off topic. I have 3 Pal Dvrs that still function perfectly with psip so I havent bought a DVR+ yet, but would have no problems getting one.
 
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The magnavox is a single tuner sd only dvr dvd recorder. There is no guide, only psip show descriptions. It is a glorified vcr that will let you offload recordings to disc if you want. If you want the dvr experience that you get with a pay tv device with hd recordings, look elsewhere.
 
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Robertoo said:
How is Lifetime so cheap on these? Is the subscription just being transferred to you by the reseller?
Click to expand...
yes. Basically the owner calls Tivo and says "I need to transfer my Tivo to a new owner" and they give you a reference number. The new owner calls and says "I have a referewnce number of ______" and they transfer it over.

Did it once to a new customer and have had it done twice for me. Real easy to do
 
I do alot of recording and I want the newest technology so because channel master is an offshoot of DISH, Im leaning that way. I am def. considering tablo and simple tv though. I was worried about the pic quality if Tablo and simple stream only without a hard wired connection but the truth is my Roku3 streamed has a better pic than my DISH satellite compressed pic. The Roku broadcasts in 1080p. I still like the hard wire though so Im leaning CM. Are there any players Im over looking.??? I think the homeworx is just too cheap but seems like a good value.

And if you buy a used tivo with service transferred, isnt there still a monthly charge?
 
robertjp said:
I do alot of recording and I want the newest technology so because channel master is an offshoot of DISH, Im leaning that way. I am def. considering tablo and simple tv though. I was worried about the pic quality if Tablo and simple stream only without a hard wired connection but the truth is my Roku3 streamed has a better pic than my DISH satellite compressed pic. The Roku broadcasts in 1080p. I still like the hard wire though so Im leaning CM. Are there any players Im over looking.??? I think the homeworx is just too cheap but seems like a good value.

And if you buy a used tivo with service transferred, isnt there still a monthly charge?
Click to expand...
NO FEE !! From what I see on ebay some used Tivo's are very good buys in the $100 range with lifetime. Tivo seems to be offering some type of deal where non lifetime customers can buy a lifetime subscription for $99-199 at time of transfer.
 
robertjp said:
And if you buy a used tivo with service transferred, isnt there still a monthly charge?
Click to expand...

Lifetime service from TiVo does not have a monthly charge. You do need to be sure you buy one that is HD (i.e. not series 1 or series 2, but series 3 or later) and that has lifetime service. Lifetime is tied to the unit, not the account. So, when the TiVo eventually breaks you cannot transfer the lifetime to a new box.

So, the seller originally probably paid $200-300 for the box and an extra $400-500 for lifetime service (you get service for $400 if you already have a TiVo box with service), or $700-$800 when it was new. Now they are selling it to you for $100-$200 as a used unit. TiVo is not getting any more money when they do the transfer, the seller is getting the money.
 
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On another note the most likely thing to break in a TiVo is the HDD. The first thing I do with my TiVos is remove the original drive and put in a bigger one. Here is a big thread on tivocommunity.com: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=370784 on how to replace it in various models. I save the original drive in case I ever need it. If you do lose your original drive weaknees.com sells replacement drives already formatted.
 

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