Looks like the options for recording ota atsc tv are very limited.
Besides a media pc, no current disk or dvd recorders seem to
be available, that is, most are older models with analog tuners built in
combo with an atsc tuner. Since ota analog is for the most part dead,
Im surprised no one is making a disk or dvd atsc recorder with at least
dual atsc tuners, and no analog tuner. Even a blu-ray player with recording
capability using an atsc tuner would be nice.
Only the mag 2160 seems to be close to anything current, kinda. But with no build in guide support and a useless analog tuner, the 2160 is already old school out dated.
If one can build a media pc to record ota atsc, Id think "someone" would have
a recorder out to do the same thing, like an updated mag 2160, or the like.
Kinda strange no company is making "something" for the market. :(

If you mean something that records and burns to disk, there was never really a market. I know that sounds unbelievable, but that's been discussed again and again. Americans don't buy DVD recorders in enough quantity to sustain them, they're too enamored with DVRs that serve their timeshifting needs, so one by one the manufacturers dropped out. They're not about to update them with dual ATSC tuners when they're about to pull the plug altogether. Blu-Ray recorders in this country are an utter pipe dream (at least non-PC models at any rate.)

If you can do without a burner, a TiVo will record ATSC, as will the DTVPal DVR. But you're right, to burn to DVD, you need a PC or one of the the Magnavox/Philips twins (or an HDD-less Panny and whatever else), and none are a perfect "holy grail" recording solution.

Looks like the options for recording ota atsc tv are very limited.
Besides a media pc, no current disk or dvd recorders seem to
be available, that is, most are older models with analog tuners built in
combo with an atsc tuner. Since ota analog is for the most part dead,
Im surprised no one is making a disk or dvd atsc recorder with at least
dual atsc tuners, and no analog tuner. Even a blu-ray player with recording
There are only two choices on the market for dual-tuner ATSC HDTV DVRs:

TivoHD

DTVPal DVR
The threads for each are linked in my signature.

I mentioned this in the DTV Pal Plus thread earlier today.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...ideo/r3310.asp

There is also a whole thread on it in the HDTV Recorders forum. It has a NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner and appears to take any size HDD and can expand capacity using the USB connection. No optical drive, but obviously you can output it into a DVDR when/if you want to burn a DVD.

Just a thought.

I mentioned this in the DTV Pal Plus thread earlier today.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...ideo/r3310.asp

There is also a whole thread on it in the HDTV Recorders forum. It has a NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner and appears to take any size HDD and can expand capacity using the USB connection. No optical drive, but obviously you can output it into a DVDR when/if you want to burn a DVD.The DVICO TViX R3310 is not a comparable product.

The TViX only has a single tuner so it can't record two channels simultaneously, nor will it allow you to watch one channel while you record another. It lacks a traditional guide grid so you can't see what programs are upcoming on multiple channels at the same time; you can only see future programs on the currently tuned channel. The TViX also has a major limitation not seen on any modern DVR -- it can only handle one liveTV or recorded program stream at once. If you are watching a previous recording, you can't record something else; if a scheduled program is already recording, then you can't watch a previous recording. This makes the TViX more of a digital VCR than a DVR.

If you want to see a demo of a more modern DVR, check out this high-resolution video of my TiVo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNvgoLVzijE&fmt=22).

The DVICO TViX R3310 is not a comparable product.

The TViX only has a single tuner so it can't record two channels simultaneously, nor will it allow you to watch one channel while you record another. It lacks a traditional guide grid so you can't see what programs are upcoming on multiple channels at the same time; you can only see future programs on the currently tuned channel. The TViX also has a major limitation not seen on any modern DVR -- it can only handle one liveTV or recorded program stream at once. If you are watching a previous recording, you can't record something else; if a scheduled program is already recording, then you can't watch a previous recording. This makes the TViX more of a digital VCR than a DVR.

If you want to see a demo of a more modern DVR, check out this high-resolution video of my TiVo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNvgoLVzijE&fmt=22).


I understand there are a lot of limitations with the TViX. I mentioned it because the OP mentioned recording OTA ATSC. Just for comparison, my Panny EZ17 records ATSC, but only has one tuner and no guide. It does have "chase play" when using DVD-RAM. Of course there is no HDD so the capacity is limited. To me the biggest drawback of the TViX is not being able to watch a previous recording while recording a new one. I could use the EZ17 at times I needed it and a TViX R3310 when I knew I would not need a "chase play" feature, such as when on vacation.

I want to replace an analog tuner Panny ES20. The current Philips/Magnavox DVDRs with HDD mentions a black level problem in some of the postings. I did try a Maggy with the 80GB HDD and it indeed had a problem as per checking its video on the PC. Dark shadow detail was crushed into black. If you didn't have a lot of dark shadows you may never notice the problem.

I thought about an HTPC, but more often than not it seems people are always playing around with these. Most comments say an HTPC is a hobby.

Tivo usually gets good reviews, but it is expensive. A Comcast Motorola DVR may not be as user friendly, but at $15/month it would take years to catch up to Tivos cost plus lifetime subscription.

So I'm still "kicking tires".

Tivo usually gets good reviews, but it is expensive. A Comcast Motorola DVR may not be as user friendly, but at $15/month it would take years to catch up to Tivos cost plus lifetime subscription.Specifically two and a half years.

Aren't we going to get in trouble for discussing DVRs in this forum? :)

Thanks much for the ideas.

I thought about an HTPC, but more often than not it seems people are always playing around with these. Most comments say an HTPC is a hobby.


Tell me about it. The problem with HTPC's, at least in my quest, are the sleep-wake issues. I've tried many motherboards and "sleep-wale & record, then back to sleep" is not 100% reliable. THen too, you're dealing with a microsofy OS system. That alone means you will never have a reliable system.

Isnt tivo a fee based product? Dont want that.

With BR, what I meant is a BR player "WITH" a record to DVD or hard drive feature. Not a BR to drive or dvd recorder feature. Just a "tuner" and ota recording ability. Like a BR player with an add on feature to record (naturally not your BR disc or BR content). Like some BR players have netflix playing built in for a added feature. An all in one thing, but in a BR player since even DVD is old school, now. So why not add the Magnavox 2160 features into a BR player?
Having an on screen tv guide is a must. I know it can be done. Even if the device needs to be hooked up to the net, it could be done. (Wireless naturally)

I guess Im waiting for a media PC type thing that is not a media pc i.e. microsoft. That has the atsc tuner(s) and can get guide data from the net, and records to a hard drive and or blank dvd, and plays BR disc's too.
Like the Magnavox 2160 with just a couple features added in (another atsc tuner, guide data, wireless built in for getting the guide data from the net, and replacing the DVD drive with a drive able to play back BR disc's, and keep the 160gb drive for ota recording).
Some type device like that would be perfect. Just an Magnavox 2160 updated version.
(BR playback, wireless, guide data).

Till that day, fighting with a HTPC looks like the closest answer.
Media pc's were once thought to be the save all answer, but reliability no doubt is why they never caught on. Actually its pretty funny MS really believed any of their os systems would actually be reliable enough to do the job. Win7 MCE is not any better.

Isnt tivo a fee based product? Only if you want it to be. A TiVo HD costs $600. If that is too rich for you they provide the option of buying the box for $200 and paying a yearly fee of $130. You do get what you pay for; TiVo HD is in a class by itself.

With BR, what I meant is a BR player "WITH" a record to DVD or hard drive feature. Not a BR to drive or dvd recorder feature. Just a "tuner" and ota recording ability. Like a BR player with an add on feature to record (naturally not your BR disc or BR content). Like some BR players have netflix playing built in for a added feature. An all in one thing, but in a BR player since even DVD is old school, now. So why not add the Magnavox 2160 features into a BR player?


Blu-Ray players will gain added functionality, including onboard storage (some already have a gig or so, and the PS3 has a hard drive) and will probably gain additional storage. Will they gain a tuner and TiVo like interfaces? Probably not, but we never know.

I would say with the increase in Internet delivered content (which is poised to go to the next level) and the prevalence of cable and satellite market penetration that ATSC devices will largely be standalone or in things like TiVo, not in Blu-Ray players. Added that Netflix delivery is sort of related to Blu-Ray playback (Netflix deals in movies for both types), whereas a tuner for TV is a bit further removed. Yes, it's content delivery, but it's also different in the parties and equipment involved.

I personally prefer standalone devices myself, but I understand the want for an all-in-one solution. Believe me, Sony would love to have everyone buy a PS3 or Blu-Ray player as their media center, but I'm not sure ATSC is on the table for them.

The newest Dvico cards supposedly can turn on your pc, record, then turn it off again so that MIGHT be a option unless you've all ready tried one and it didn't work out.
I have a fusion 3 and about 99 percent of the time it records whatever I program into it from clear QAM SD or HD, I just have to make sure the PC is on when it's set to record. It also does ATSC but I have never used it being on cable so a newer version might do what you want if you do want to build a media PC around it.
I use the CW-EPG program a member here made to program it and it has also worked very well for about 20 a year for access to a online program guide thing that sets it up.
If you want to play BD disk you just need a compatible player or burner and a program that can do them. I use a LG GGW20 combo BD/HD/DVD player burner myself.