I'm sick and tired of the very high price of Comcast. I can get every major network channel in Crystal clear (and better than the signal on Comcast) HD over the air. I will of course miss Discovery HD and about six other channels I periodically watch, but I really can't justify $70 a month for what breaks down to about six to nine cable only channels I watch.

Thing is I have the Comcast HD-DVR. I like being able to record two HD shows at once. I often watch two prime time shows that share the same time slot on different networks.

Is there anything out there I can get that will allow me to record two HD channels at the same time from OTA broadcasts?

PC-PVR with two HD tuner cards

I'm sick and tired of the very high price of Comcast. I can get every major network channel in Crystal clear (and better than the signal on Comcast) HD over the air. I will of course miss Discovery HD and about six other channels I periodically watch, but I really can't justify $70 a month for what breaks down to about six to nine cable only channels I watch.

Thing is I have the Comcast HD-DVR. I like being able to record two HD shows at once. I often watch two prime time shows that share the same time slot on different networks.

Is there anything out there I can get that will allow me to record two HD channels at the same time from OTA broadcasts?

If you are in one of the top 250 major TV market areas you can use a Sony DHG-HDD500 (some Frys still have them) and some times you will find them on Ebay. There is also a smaller HDD250.

One thing to be aware of the unit may die in 2009? No one knows at this point?

The adavantages are outstanding.
It's Free.
It records in "any" format automatically (ie 1080i or 720p, etc etc) and the box will convert to old or new TV's OR you can let your TV do the conversion.

The HD recording will better then what you get with Comspastic.

You can record one show and watch another(either live or previously recorded), etc. but you can not record two at once, and watch another (unless you add another box)

Some CC or BB may have them sitting around.........believe me, no one in the stores have the foggiest idea what they are!

Tivo series 3

Well, it has a digital tuner for OTA so it should be 2009 safe, as the change in 2009 only effects things without digital tuners for OTA.

It looks good, too bad it doesn't have duel OTA tuners.

Well, it has a digital tuner for OTA so it should be 2009 safe, as the change in 2009 only effects things without digital tuners for OTA.

It looks good, too bad it doesn't have duel OTA tuners.

Caution...it is fully dependent on TV Guide On Screen (why it only works in TOP USA markets - major cities). Sony has not yet made any official statement IF? they will provide an upgrade path OR if one is even necessary? The Sony box currentsly gets its TV Guide via it's analogue tuner.

TV Guide On Screen has already entered into contracts with CBS (for a national distribution) of TV Guide On Sceen digital and testing has already begun in a couple of markets. So that seems assured.............now it is a matter of time before we know if the Sony box will work with that? OR if it it would be upgradable? OR if it becomes a boat anchor?

I wish TIVO would make an HD box that is geared towards OTA. I know the new Series three has a DIGITAL OTA tuner, but I don't think it can record TWO HD channels via OTA. The box is clearly geared towards Cable. Frankly I don't understand why people would pay 14 bucks a month on top of Cable fees, PLUS have to pay $800 for the box when every major cable provider now has their own Duel Tuner HD DVRS.

With the advent of Digital OTA I think more people will turn to OTA again as the quality of OTA is far superior to the compressed HD signals on cable. Digital OTA also broadcasts further and stronger than analog OTA, channels that would never come in very well with my antenna OTA now come in perfectly on their digital OTA channel.

I'd like to see the major broadcasters take advantage of all the benefits Digital OTA brings, add more channels OTA and put the squeeze on cable.

The way I see it, if I have to endure 20 minutes of commercials for every hour of programming I shouldn't have to pay money on top to watch them, commercials were supposed to pay for the shows we watch, now we pay to watch commercials.

The Tivo Series 3 has dual OTA tuners and can record HD off both tuners at the same time. You may be thinking of the Dish 622 which has only one OTA HD tuner.
Something to think about, starting May 27th, there is a $200 rebate on the Tivo S3. Current prices are around $599 so that would be $399 after rebate.

It's not free but depending on where you are, you might be able to lower your Comcast package to Basic + Digital Classic. That will reduce your bill by around $40. You need to call in to get that. Check your local HDTV thread if you haven't.

It's not free but depending on where you are, you might be able to lower your Comcast package to Basic + Digital Classic. That will reduce your bill by around $40. You need to call in to get that. Check your local HDTV thread if you haven't.

Wow! I'm wondering where you have to live to get the Digital Classic package for only $30 a month :)

We already have the Basic + Digital Classic -- the cheapest possible digital package. By the time you add on the DVR service it comes to just under $75 a month (before taxes). The Digital Classic upgrade is only $12 so even if we dropped down to expanded Basic, it would still be $63. I find it ridiculous that Basic cable is around $12 a month and expanded Basic is almost $51. Why are there no options in between?

I will definitely have to check out the local HDTV thread. We just really need to do something different.

Sony has been making for some time, a dual digital turner HD OTA recorder for Austrailia market. And one can assume a much updated version will be here in about 1 or 2 years tops..........but that is also dependent on the roll out of the TV Guide CBS deal (which appears 99% certain). Both Cable and Sat companies will continue to fight it.

Because 99% of the US market place do not understand these things........it will also be dependent on how many more people go to OTA for most of their viewing. More and more people are discovering they get far better service and quality via OTA free HD, and that is were 90% of their viewing takes place anyway.

Sony has been making for some time, a dual digital turner HD OTA recorder for Austrailia market. And one can assume a much updated version will be here in about 1 or 2 years tops..........but that is also dependent on the roll out of the TV Guide CBS deal (which appears 99% certain). Both Cable and Sat companies will continue to fight it.

Because 99% of the US market place do not understand these things........it will also be dependent on how many more people go to OTA for most of their viewing. More and more people are discovering they get far better service and quality via OTA free HD, and that is were 90% of their viewing takes place anyway.

Yep - over here in Europe there are plenty of digital OTA single and dual tuner hard drive recorders - though we're still SD OTA digital.

As Aus uses the same system but with added HD MPEG2 I guess there are Aussie HD variants of some of these.

They are proving pretty popular - though the UK has a free-to-air 7 day EPG guide data broadcast on all digital TV stations covering all digital TV stations (i.e. the BBC broadcast ITV guide data and ITV broadcast BBC guide data so you get a full guide without having to tune every channel.)

OTA DVRs beat trying to interface a set top box to a VCR or DVD Recorder and fiddle with timers on both machines etc.

I'd love an OTA Tivo in the UK - but the subscription fee would be difficult to justify I guess.

(Another option is a dual tuner equipped Windows Media Center based PC I guess)

We already have the Basic + Digital Classic -- the cheapest possible digital package. By the time you add on the DVR service it comes to just under $75 a month (before taxes). The Digital Classic upgrade is only $12 so even if we dropped down to expanded Basic, it would still be $63. I find it ridiculous that Basic cable is around $12 a month and expanded Basic is almost $51. Why are there no options in between?
Sorry I didn't make it clear. By Basic I mean the limited basic that contains only your local broadcast channels and other few (mostly shopping) ones. It's not the extended basic. The difference between the 2 is $40 in my area.

Oh, well yes, the basic cable....rock bottom package...is only $14 but except for the Hallmark Channel and Discovery Channel (not Discovery HD) plus a few local cable access channels and several shop at home type channels, the other channels are ABC CBS NBC FOX CW ION UPN(or whatever it is UPN is called now, I rarely watch that channel anymore). I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and CW all in HD OTA. I can get UPN's digital channel OTA, I can also get ION OTA (not being broadcast Digital yet...when it is I'll get that OTA as well with ease)

Via the basic cable lineup (non-set top box channels) my QAM tuner is only getting CBS, NBC, ABC and CW in HD I had FOX in HD through the QAM tuner, but then it disappeared, and on the channel FOX HD should be on CW HD is on, though the TV still displays that channel as being FOX, and the channel that was the actual CW HD channel is blank. Comcast guy came out and claimed that was not their problem, that the digital channels get switched around and they aren't supported apart from using a set top Comcast box. LAME.

Oh, well yes, the basic cable....rock bottom package...is only $14 but except for the Hallmark Channel and Discovery Channel (not Discovery HD) plus a few local cable access channels and several shop at home type channels, the other channels are ABC CBS NBC FOX CW ION UPN(or whatever it is UPN is called now, I rarely watch that channel anymore). I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and CW all in HD OTA. I can get UPN's digital channel OTA, I can also get ION OTA (not being broadcast Digital yet...when it is I'll get that OTA as well with ease)

LAME.

$14 Man that is a BARGIN!

In Houston I think the minimum package is $80, and you ONLY get "How To Make Tacos in Pig Latin" not even HD go figure! If you want additional language version each one is ONLY $20 more; except English is $100 more - But it is still not available in HD so I did not sign up.

The Tivo Series 3 has dual OTA tuners and can record HD off both tuners at the same time. You may be thinking of the Dish 622 which has only one OTA HD tuner.
Something to think about, starting May 27th, there is a $200 rebate on the Tivo S3. Current prices are around $599 so that would be $399 after rebate.


I just called TIVO to look into getting the TVIO series 3, they told me it can only record and view 1 OTA channel. You can watch one previously recorded show while recording an OTA channel, but it only has one tuner. Also, the price AFTER rebate is $599.

I wish TIVO would get with the program and make a TIVO that has two OTA Digital tuners. After all, with almost every Satellite or Cable company out there, if you are paying the bucks to get HD they have their own Duel Tuner HD recorder you can lease for cheaper monthly payment and no upfront equipment cost.

TIVO needs to look to capitalizing on what is already becoming a reemergence of OTA popularity and more channels are DIGITAL and HD looks better OTA, and Digital Channels come in better OTA than the old Analog signals.

Just because a rep says something, it doesn't mean they always know what they're talking about.

From a TiVo S3 FAQ thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=315791 ) @ TCF:
"How many tuners does the S3 have?
The S3 has two tuner blocks. Each is capable of tuning NTSC, ATSC, analog cable, and digital cable."

I just called TIVO to look into getting the TVIO series 3, they told me it can only record and view 1 OTA channel.


The rep is wrong, I have an S3 and in fact, record two OTA HD stations at the same time. You should get the reps name and report it to Tivo

Well that is good to know.

The Tivo Series 3 has dual OTA tuners and can record HD off both tuners at the same time. You may be thinking of the Dish 622 which has only one OTA HD tuner.
Something to think about, starting May 27th, there is a $200 rebate on the Tivo S3. Current prices are around $599 so that would be $399 after rebate.

I've been following these discussions with some interest.

Unfortunately, from my perspective the Tivo rebate just sounds like the first year's subscription fees - which for me (a former Series 1 owner) seems a little high to help me with recording. But then I never did use the DVR for anything more than timed recordings and live program pausing (I am aware that some people make good use of Tivo's offerings, just not me).

I have found it a bit frustrating as to how difficult it is to get your hands on a non-subscription DVR for OTA.

I did go out and price a base computer with no monitor (my LCD HDTV should cover that), the upgraded Windows Vista (to support Media Center), and a big hard drive; then priced some ATSC tuner cards - this came out to the neighborhood of $600 (more if you need a QAM tuner; and more if you need two ATSC tuners). Setup at the HDTV with basic PVR software, I've seen this kind of setup work pretty well for pausing live programs and timed recordings - very basic PVR stuff. Still sounds a bit expensive (and alot of work) at this point, but I may have to bite the bullet.

Well I'm thinking we will be going with the Tivo S3. Three years ago we had Tivo, with an unlimited subscription (too bad they don't do that anymore) and we loved Tivo. Then our box stopped working (and well beyond warranty), Comcast came out with their Duel tuner HD DVR and we went with that. That Comcast Box stinks, it is incredibly buggy. Well now, we can say goodbye to the Comcast HD DVR, say goodbye to Comcast's high prices, and hello to brilliant HD on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, and CW for free OTA and hello again to Tivo.