Might be looking for a good OTA DVR

[ERD50]

All this OTA DVR talk has me contemplating getting one of these or something like it for football. I wouldn't use the DVR to record much but more to just watch and pause to sync to the radio broadcast.

I should have kept my older DVR. That was buggy but the picture quality was great! Now, my current DVR is very stable, but the picture just isn't as sharp. The picture is adequate, but I sure got spoiled watching games in HD .

Really, this cheap little Media-sonics PVR would be great for that. For live TV pausing, all you need is the box (~ $38) and a cheap thumb drive. Capacity isn't much of an issue, you only are looking to store a few minutes for a bathroom break or commercial skip or something - or to sync to radio, only a few seconds. High rez broadcasts need ~ 6 GB per hour.

And since this box does no compression, the picture quality is as good as the OTA broadcast quality, which is typically excellent.

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

Really, this cheap little Media-sonics PVR would be great for that. For live TV pausing, all you need is the box (~ $38) and a cheap thumb drive. Capacity isn't much of an issue, you only are looking to store a few minutes for a bathroom break or commercial skip or something - or to sync to radio, only a few seconds. High rez broadcasts need ~ 6 GB per hour.

And since this box does no compression, the picture quality is as good as the OTA broadcast quality, which is typically excellent.

-ERD50

That's my thinking too. As I have a device to buffer the radio if the radio broadcast is faster than the TV. Unlike baseball, for football often the TV broadcast is faster than the radio, thus, I need something to pause the tv. Otherwise, I'd just use my TV tuner.

 

[easysurfer]

I went ahead and got the Media-sonics PVR and just finished giving a quick test while watching baseball. This device should work fine for syncing the HD picture to my radio.

This PVR won't replace my current DVR, so I got both of them connected to my antenna and am using a HDMI switch to choose which device gets displayed on my TV.

For a cheap solution, you really can't go wrong for the price.

I really didn't find the menus that confusing but the teenie tiny buttons on the remote are clumsy. This won't be a problem for my sports watching though as I'll just press, pause or play a few times and like the game sync.

 

[easysurfer]

A Tale of Three Remote Controls

I was tinkering around with the HomeWorX PVR when the thought "That clumsy remote sure looks familiar." Well, that sure does as I realized it's the same remote (the buttons programmed differently of course) as my TV's remote.

That remote might be okay for TV's but the tiny buttons are clumsy as a DVR. I had a learning remote from a previous DVR, so after some trial and error, I got the keys of the clumsy HomeWorX remote keys mapped to my learning remote.

Here's a picture comparing the PVR's remote to my TV's remote and then to the learning one:

 

[Animorph]

I picked up a Mediasonic PVR along with a flat antenna and a USB HD:
Amazon.com: Mediasonic HW-150PVR HomeWorx ATSC Digital TV Converter Box with Media Player and Recording PVR Function/HDMI Out (Black): Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DIFIO8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Amazon.com: Toshiba Canvio 1.0 TB USB 3.0 Basics Portable Hard Drive - HDTB210XK3BA(Black): Electronics

I'm sitting here watching it now, but I'll be taking it to DS's when we visit in October. Neither DS believes in having a TV, so we supply our own. The PVR will give us a bit more flexibility. Good price if I hadn't gone a little crazy with the HDD.

It found about 50 channels, many just subchannels (-2, -3...). Just one of the major stations breaks up a little. We're probably 15-20 miles away from the transmitters. I didn't reposition the antenna for a better result.

 

[easysurfer]

I tried using a flash drive with the Mediasonic PVR, but the drive was too slow as I noticed pauses every few seconds. So I switched to a powered USB HD (had an extra drive and case) and now no pausing at all.

Really can't beat the price as the unit is pretty much a converter box with free PVR functions thrown in.

 

[Chuckanut]

I have attached a 2 TB drive to my PVR. When recording starts it takes about 5 - 10 seconds for the recording to actually start. I assume this is a result of waiting for the HD to power up.

 

[Chuckanut]

it's occured to me that this device is so inexpensive, that one could set up a recording only station in a higher part of the house, or out in a garage or barn with a better line of sight to the broadcast antennas. For about, $100 one can buy the Mediasonic device, a decent antenna, and a storage device. Set it up in the loft of the barn, up in the attic, or in the 3rd floor storage room, record away, and then bring the storage device into the house and play the shows. Or am I nuts?

 

[ERD50]

it's occured to me that this device is so inexpensive, that one could set up a recording only station in a higher part of the house, or out in a garage or barn with a better line of sight to the broadcast antennas. For about, $100 one can buy the Mediasonic device, a decent antenna, and a storage device. Set it up in the loft of the barn, up in the attic, or in the 3rd floor storage room, record away, and then bring the storage device into the house and play the shows. Or am I nuts?

No, I don't think that's crazy at all. I'm considering a second one for the rare occasions that I want to watch a recorded show at the same time I'm recording another show (and technically, this thing should allow that, it's no different than the live/pause TV mode - still one tuner used, but the UI just doesn't offer that option).

But to make this easier, take a look at something like this:

Amazon.com: SanDisk Connect 32GB Wireless Flash Drive For Smartphones And Tablets- SDWS2-032G-E57: Computers & Accessories

I think this was mentioned on the mediasonics or AVS forums. As long as you can get wi-fi up where you mount the device, I think you could copy these to another drive, delete them from the flash and you are set. There might be hard drives with this wi-fi feature as well, if you want more than a few hours storage between transfers.

I think I'll also look at a cheap learning remote, as easysurfer suggests. I didn't think the remote was as bad as the reviews said, but it is marginal, and the play pause buttons that I use a lot are tiny. First, I'm gonna try adding a little rubber pad to each, that will help.

[-]Oh, also check out that simple-tv box, it is also cheap, and uses wi-fi, you watch through a roku box (or other app/box?) on any TV in the house - but the reviews so far have been terrible. I hope they clean it up, I like the concept.[/-] NEVER MIND! Looks like they dropped their cheap single tuner box, now they have a more expensive dual tuner...

-ERD50

 

[ziggy29]

it's occured to me that this device is so inexpensive, that one could set up a recording only station in a higher part of the house, or out in a garage or barn with a better line of sight to the broadcast antennas. For about, $100 one can buy the Mediasonic device, a decent antenna, and a storage device. Set it up in the loft of the barn, up in the attic, or in the 3rd floor storage room, record away, and then bring the storage device into the house and play the shows. Or am I nuts?

I'm not sure I'd keep the PVR or the storage in an attic or outbuilding. I'd want to keep them somewhere a little more climate controlled, especially where people have brutally hot summers or cold winters.

 

[Chuckanut]

I think I'll also look at a cheap learning remote, as easysurfer suggests. I didn't think the remote was as bad as the reviews said, but it is marginal, and the play pause buttons that I use a lot are tiny. First, I'm gonna try adding a little rubber pad to each, that will help.

Yes. I guess that had to cut some corners to keep the price down, and the remote certainly shows that. I would like to get a better one, with bigger buttons and a more logical layout.

 

[easysurfer]

No, I don't think that's crazy at all. I'm considering a second one for the rare occasions that I want to watch a recorded show at the same time I'm recording another show (and technically, this thing should allow that, it's no different than the live/pause TV mode - still one tuner used, but the UI just doesn't offer that option).

...

I think I'll also look at a cheap learning remote, as easysurfer suggests. I didn't think the remote was as bad as the reviews said, but it is marginal, and the play pause buttons that I use a lot are tiny. First, I'm gonna try adding a little rubber pad to each, that will help.

...


-ERD50

I got my magnavox dvr and mediasonic both connected to my antenna with a splitter. Yes, I can now record two different shows at once since the are separate tuners. This will come in handy when times overlap like when I watch Thursday night football but also regularly record Jimmy Fallon.

As for my remote, I didn't map all the keys as some I didn't need. But got all the ones that I need. For example, I don't see myself playing audio with the PVR, and there's no mention of the "Goto" button in the manual. So, I didn't map these and a couple other buttons.

Here's a learning remote (similar to what I have, from same company) that I like. Big buttons and I like the icons for the play, stop, rew, ff more than worded descriptions. It does have four fewer buttons to assign though.

Amazon.com: URC SR3 Big Button Universal Remote Control with Easy-to-Hold Body and Simple Programming: Electronics

On my remote (and it looks like one the big button one) there are four macro buttons which could store chained button presses. My plan today is to program them for fast forward and fast rewind. Like pressing to go at 32x speed instead of having to press that manually each time.

 

[sengsational]

I'm not sure I'd keep the PVR or the storage in an attic or outbuilding. I'd want to keep them somewhere a little more climate controlled, especially where people have brutally hot summers or cold winters.

Our attic is brutally hot! I figured I'd be replacing equipment that I had up there all of the time. But as it turns out it's lasted up there for a decade amazingly! Besides if it does fail it's cheap enough where I can just buy another one.

 

[ERD50]

Our attic is brutally hot! I figured I'd be replacing equipment that I had up there all of the time. But as it turns out it's lasted up there for a decade amazingly! Besides if it does fail it's cheap enough where I can just buy another one.

I'd say you've been lucky. I'd agree with ziggy, and be wary of putting electronics like that in a space that saw really high temps (I hadn't really considered the heat issue for some of those spaces in my reply).

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

TiVo is putting out a DVR for Cord Cutters.....Well, sort of.

The product seems great until the sucker punch with a monthly subscription.

Don't have cable or satellite TV service, but still want a DVR? TiVo has just the thing.
The company on Monday unveiled the limited-edition TiVo Roamio OTA, a DVR for cord cutters. The device lets you record up to four shows simultaneously, and offers 500GB of storage, which is enough space for 75 hours of HD programming.

TiVo Launches DVR for Cord Cutters | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

 

[mpeirce]

TiVo is putting out a DVR for Cord Cutters.....Well, sort of.

The product seems great until the sucker punch with a monthly subscription.
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I've been a TiVo user for long time. We always buy the lifetime subscription for the scheduling service rather than the monthly - we always keep the TiVo long enough that it pays off. And I hate paying monthly subscriptions.

I looked at the TiVo page for the upcoming Roamio OTA

https://www.tivo.com/discover/antenna

but I don't see anything about a lifetime option. I expect there will be one with it ships, but you never know.

 

[easysurfer]

As of today, the price of the Mediasonic just went up about $10.

http://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HW...TF8&qid=1409891715&sr=8-2&keywords=mediasonic

 

[ERD50]

As of today, the price of the Mediasonic just went up about $10.

Amazon.com: Mediasonic HW-150PVR HomeWorx ATSC Digital TV Converter Box with Media Player and Recording PVR Function/HDMI Out (Black): Electronics

Put it in camelizer - I've seen it for a few bucks lower then the $38 I paid. Maybe this is a semi-permanent increase though, we will see.

If they simply improved the UI, it would be worth another $10 increase, IMO.

-ERD50

 

[Chuckanut]

Personally, I think we are seeing the ER Forum effect here. ERD50 should get a fee for promoting the device. Me too, now that I think of it.

I have combined the device with the TV Guide app which gives me a two week heads up as to when new episodes will be on. With some geeky effort, I can now record my FREE, DIGITAL sometimes HI DEFINITION, OVER THE AIR TV. Life is good.

 

[Chuckanut]

If they simply improved the UI, it would be worth another $10 increase, IMO.

+1

The interface seems to be written by the engineer for his geeky engineer friends. Still, a few notes in the owner' manual to help the memory and I can do everything I want.

 

[ERD50]

Personally, I think we are seeing the ER Forum effect here. ERD50 should get a fee for promoting the device. Me too, now that I think of it.

I have combined the device with the TV Guide app which gives me a two week heads up as to when new episodes will be on. With some geeky effort, I can now record my FREE, DIGITAL sometimes HI DEFINITION, OVER THE AIR TV. Life is good.

Yes, I'm pretty happy with it - actually, compared to not having recording functions at all for the past few years, I am ecstatic!

Rather than a promotion fee, I'd be happy if they...

+1

The interface seems to be written by the engineer for his geeky engineer friends. Still, a few notes in the owner' manual to help the memory and I can do everything I want.

took my advice on UI improvements (actually, I need to post to their forum, but others have listed the same issues).

I agree, even though the UI is clunky, you can do most of what you want, just an odd set of steps at times, but it is second nature now. Not a big deal, but it bugs me 'cause I know it just isn't right.

A few things I'd really like that you cannot do now -

1) Add a prefix to the file name of the timed recording - right now it defaults to STATION-datetime, so it's hard to find in a list of recorded shows. You can only rename after the fact, but that's not much help. Being able to name it to something like "Jeapordy-M-STATION-datetime" and "CHI-Tonght-STATION-datetime" would be helpful. This should be easy.

2) You should be able to watch a recorded show while recording another - this really isn't different than 'live/pause' TV, still only one tuner in use, but the UI does not support it (probably a little more involved though).

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

+1

The interface seems to be written by the engineer for his geeky engineer friends. Still, a few notes in the owner' manual to help the memory and I can do everything I want.

+1

IMO, using a decent learning remote helps a lot as for the navigating.

With the original remote, when watching a program that I placed on pause, then forwarded a short time, for me that was a two fingers on remote task with one finger on the fwd rocker button and another on the small play button.

 

[easysurfer]

Put it in camelizer - I've seen it for a few bucks lower then the $38 I paid. Maybe this is a semi-permanent increase though, we will see.

If they simply improved the UI, it would be worth another $10 increase, IMO.

-ERD50

The Amazon prices fluctuate so much as now I see the price back down now. That was quick.

 

[sengsational]

I have combined the device with the TV Guide app which gives me a two week heads up as to when new episodes will be on.

How does that app work? Does it give you a listing so you can manually key-in capture/recording events?

 

[Chuckanut]

How does that app work? Does it give you a listing so you can manually key-in capture/recording events?

I told the app to give me only the listing for all the broadcast TV in my area. I still have to tell the recording device when and what to record. What I like about the app is that it tells me when new shows on my watch list are being broadcast up to two weeks ahead of time.

I'm sure that the paid subscriptions like the Tivo service are better and easier to use, but this, after buying the hardware, is free. Free is a very good price.