Am I missing something, or does the 2160A not have an EPG?

No EPG.

No EPG.

Hmmm.:(

I noticed that there was no mention of EPG in the advertising, but couldn't believe that anyone would make a PVR w/o EPG.

Fortunately, I can return it to the local Target.:)

Hmmm.:(

I noticed that there was no mention of EPG in the advertising, but couldn't believe that anyone would make a PVR w/o EPG.

Fortunately, I can return it to the local Target.:)
Did you buy it from the Target website?

If so, I've been waiting for someone to get one of those so we can see what mfg date it is (tag on back) and what FW versions it has.

Would you be able to use SKIP 123 described here (the "FW Version Check Only) (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13686310&postcount=709#123) to see if the FW versions are the same as those posted below that procedure for the 2160A of Mar-May and June 2009 mfg date.

Hmmm.:(

I noticed that there was no mention of EPG in the advertising, but couldn't believe that anyone would make a PVR w/o EPG.

Fortunately, I can return it to the local Target.:)

There are a number of devices that may have EPGs but these are not the current models of general consumer DVD Recorders, Combo Recorders and HDD/DVD Recorders. A DVD Recorder is not strictly a PVR or DVR.

DVRs provided by cable and satellite providers and a few other tuners, including CECBs, may have EPGs.

Some devices that record to removable media (DVDs) may show current program information for digital sub-channels, but these recorders do not have extended EPGs.

There's no EPG on any current model DVD recorder. The EPG is a patented technology and few vendors want to pay the patent licensing fees for a low-cost product. All current products with a EPG are listed below:

The EPG-less Magnavox H2160 SD recorder is included for comparison.

||Magnavox H2160 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657)|DTVPal DVR (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1099071)|TivoHD (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=11126048&postcount=2)|Moxi (http://www.moxi.com)
||SD Recorder| HD Recorder | HD Recorder| HD Recorder

PRICE
|Price online | $229 (http://www.walmart.com/Magnavox-160GB-DVD-Recorder-Tuner/ip/10104532)| $300 (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_05757709000P) | $250 (http://www.amazon.com/TiVo-TCD652160-Digital-Video-Recorder/dp/B000RZDBM2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251293215&sr=8-1) | $799 (http://www.amazon.com/Moxi-MR-1500T3-Digital-Video-Recorder/dp/B001GQ8MT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251293255&sr=1-1)
|DVR fees | None | None|$129/year or$330-$399 lifetime| Included
|Total upfront cost without any future fees | $229|$300 | $580 - $650| $799
TUNERS
|Tuners for off-air antenna | 1|2 | 2| None
|Tuners for analog (NTSC) and digital cable (QAM) |1|None| 2x digital cable2x analog| 2x digital cable1x analog with dongle
|Separate coax inputs for antenna and cable ||| X|
|Supports encrypted digital channels on cable with a CableCard ||| X| X
BASIC
|Program guide || X | X| X
|High-definition output || X | X| X


|Recorded programs are listed with program title || X | X| X

|Pause and rewind liveTV on both SD and HD channels |X| X | X| X
|Record one channel while you watch another live || X | X| X
|Record one HD channel as SD while you watch a previously recorded show in SD |X
|Record two different HD channels, while you watch a previously recorded HD show || X | X| X
|Pause, replay, 30sec skip, slow mo, and multiple speeds of FF and RW|X| X | X| X
|Skip-to-tick or comparable function (i.e. skip 15 minutes at a time) ||| X| X
|Progress bar (on trickplay) shows current position in video | X |X | X| X
|Dual live buffers (i.e. saves pause position and video on inactive tuner) ||| X| (Does not save position)
|Remembers where you left off in every recording | X| X | X| X
|Conflict management (i.e. ability to skip a scheduled recording to record something new) ||| X| X
|Closed captions on recordings |(Analog only)| X | X| X
RECORD
|Records HD at 100% original quality |(Only records in SD)| X | X| X
|Records all programs using VCR-like timers (ex: every Monday from 8:00-8:30pm) | X |X
|Records and tracks programs by their name ||| X| X
|Ability to record only new episodes and ignore repeats ||| X| X
|Automatically adjusts record schedule when programs change their days, times, and/or lengths ||| X| X
|Series manager to prioritize what two programs are recorded when 3+ programs conflict ||| X| X
|Automatic rescheduling so programs missed due to conflicts are recorded the next time they air ||| X| X
|Overlap protection to eliminate conflicts when three or more programs overlap by up to five minutes ||| X
|Automatically deletes oldest recording (not set "keep until I delete") when space needed for new recording ||| X | X| X
|Start recordings early or end late || X | X| X
|Keep only the last X episodes of a show ||| X| X
|Keep recording until I delete or until space is needed || X | X| X

GUIDE
|Create recording from program guide selection || X | X| X
|Guide filters and favorites||| X| X
|Delete individual channels from guide || X | X| X

|Days of program information |None| 8 days on many channels(Check availability (http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=tvgos)) | 14 days on all channels| 14 days on all channels
|Comprehensive program information available on all channels in all markets ||| X| X
|Detailed episode information and original airdate; distinguishes between new and repeat episodes ||| X| X
|Program information on unencrypted digital cable (ClearQAM) channels without a CableCard ||| (Requires CableCard)| X
|Downloads guide data without an Internet connection (wired or wireless) or phone line || X | (Requires Internet or phone) | (Requires Internet)


|Integrates off-air and cable channels into a single guide || N/A | X| N/A
|Maximum number of 30min timeslots shown on guide screen || 6 in grid | 3 in grid, 8 in TiVo-style| 6 in grid, 4 in Moxi-style
|Guide data available for past timeslots ||| X|
SEARCH
|Search program titles and descriptions || X | X| X
|Search program titles, descriptions, actors, directors, and categories with boolean operators (AND/OR/NOT) ||| X
|Record a single program found with search || X | X| X
|Automatically record all future programs matching a saved search ||| X

DVR UI
|High-definition user interface ||(Upconverted SD) (http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/ilovehdtv/Other/DTVPalDVR/large/myrecordingsdatedescend-1.jpg)| (Upconverted SD on HD background) (http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/ilovehdtv/Other/TivoHD/large/nowplaying2_date.png) | X (http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/ilovehdtv/Other/Moxi/moxi_recorded.jpg?t=1256406998)
|Single-click delete ||| X
|Deleted Items folder with recording undelete ||| X
|Number of programs shown on recorded list screen | ?| 6 | 8| 10
|Recorded list shows name of every recording || X| X| X
|Recorded list shows date of every recording ||| X| X
|Recorded list can be sorted by name, date, or grouped || X | X|| (Name+Grouped only)
|Program groups (folders) can be sorted by name or date || (Name only) | X| (Name only)
|Inside program groups (folders), recordings are sorted by recorded date ||| X| X
|Inside program groups (folders), episode names are listed ||| X| X
|Record schedule shows names of upcoming programs ||| X| X
|Recorded history shows why programs didn't record || (Limited) | X
|Free disk space estimate | X| X | (Recently Deleted)| X
|No advertising of any kind | X| X | main menu (http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm314/ilovehdtv/Other/TivoHD/large/tivocentral-ad.png), pause (hidable) (http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/70/pausemenu5.jpg)| X

STORAGE
|Built-in capacity | 160GB|250GB | 160GB (1TB on XL)| 500 GB
|Supports external drive expansion ||| Up to 1TB | Up to 6 TB w/ RAID
|Allows internal hard drive upgrades|X | X | X| ?
TRANSFER
|Allows download/transfer of HD and SD recorded files to a computer ||| X
|Allows transfer of PC videos to DVR for viewing ||| X
|Allows streaming of PC videos to DVR for viewing ||| (Limited)| X
|Software to automatically download favorite series and convert them for portable players (ex: iPhone) ||| X
MULTIROOM
|Access and view recordings on a DVR in another room ||| X| X
|Pause a recording in one room and resume it in another ||| X| X
ONLINE
|Connects to Internet time server each night to set clock ||| X| X
|Download software updates using ethernet connection || X | X| X
|Remote scheduling via the web and mobile phone ||| X| X
|Real-time conflict management for remote scheduling |||| X
|Edit and/or delete scheduled recordings online |||| X
|View list of recorded programs and upcoming / scheduled recordings online ||| X| X
|Subscribe to specific RSS video feeds and podcasts (i.e. so they automatically download when available) ||| X

|Support for Amazon's "TV Passes" (i.e. purchase a cable series and new episodes are downloaded in HD) ||| X

|Support for Netflix SD/HD streaming ||| X| Netflix SD Only(Requires third-party Windows software)
OUTPUT

|High-definition output through HDMI and component? |No - SD only|Yes|Yes|Yes

|HDMI / Component / S-Video / Composite ? |Yes /Yes/Yes/Yes|Yes/Yes/No/Yes|Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes|Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes
|All SD and HD outputs active simultaneously || X | X| X
|Native output mode to output all video as is without conversion ||| X|X
|Downconverts HD video to SD over s-video and composite connections for non-HDTVs |X|(Composite only)| X|X
|Allows 16:9 anamorphic output through SD connections |X|X| X
|Coax passthrough for TV tuner |When box is off|When box is off
OTHER
|Power consumption |33W (in use)|22W|34W|?
|Requires phone line? Requires Internet connection? Requires one or the other? |No/No/No|No/No/No| No/No/Yes|No/Yes
|DLNA compliant |||| X
|Built-in DVD writer | X|||
|
WARRANTY
|Parts warranty |One year| 90 days | One year|One year

|Cost to replace after warranty expires |? | $300 | $150| $?
|Cost to transfer lifetime service to a replacement DVR for three years | N/A|N/A | $0| N/A
|Cost to transfer lifetime service to a replacement DVR after three years |N/A| N/A | $199| N/A