| Make | BriteView | Channel Master | CM/Entone | Digital Stream | DVICO TViX | ePVision | Moxi | TiVo | test | test test test test |
| Model | BVT-980H | CM7000/DTVPal | CM7400/458 | DPH1000R | M6620N | PHD-VRX | HD MR1500T3 | S3/HD/Premiere/P4 | ||
| Cost new | $165.00 | $320.00 | $380.00 | $230.00 | $300.00 | $230.00 | $500 / $600 | -/-/ $100 & up | ||
| used/open box | $220.00 | $260.00 | OB $190 | Mate $120 | S3-$330/P-$480 | |||||
| authors rating | * | *** | ** / ** | ** | *** | *** | **** | **** | ||
| Hardware: | ||||||||||
| Tuner types; ATSC, QAM, NTSC | 1 ATSC/QAM | 2 ATSC | 2 ATSC/QAM | 2 All | 2 ATSC/QAM | 2 All | 2 or 3 QAM | All except Prem4 | ||
| Combined analog & digital tuners | --- | --- | --- | Separate | --- | Yes | --- | Combined | ||
| RF inputs | One | One | One | One | One | Two | One | Two except Prem4 | ||
| HD Video outputs: HDMI / Component | HDMI | Both | Both | Both | HDMI | HDMI | Both | Both | ||
| HD Audio outputs: Optical / Coaxial | None | Optical | Optical | Optical | Both | Optical | Both | Optical | ||
| Front panel display type text or LED's | LED | LED | Clock & LED | Led | Full Text | Text & LED | LED | LED | ||
| Front panel functions; transport and/or menu | None | None | Menu | Menu | Menu & PB | Menu & Ch. | Menu | S3 Text/LED/LED | ||
| Power consumption; operating & standby | 9 \ 1 | 23/21 | 24/ ? | ? | 1/ ? | 22 w/HD/15/2 | 26/Mate 10 | S3-34/ S4-26 | ||
| HDD: internal stock/maximum external size | 320G / No | 250G / No | 320G / Yes | 320G / Yes | None / 2TB | None / 2TB | 500G / 6TB | 250/160/320 - 1TB | ||
| HDD spins down in standby | Yes | No | No? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No standby | No standby | ||
| External record: HDD/Memory stick | Stick | None | Both | Both | Both | Both | Yes / No | Yes / No | ||
| Low power standby | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | --- | --- | ||
| Boot time from standby | 30 sec | --- | --- | 30 sec | 30 sec | 30 sec | --- | --- | ||
| HDD file system (format) | NTFS | DFS – Proprietary | EXT3 | NTFS ? | NTFS | EXT2 | Linux ? | MFS – Proprietary | ||
| Tuners setup: | ||||||||||
| Separate OTA & CATV channel scans | No | --- | No | No | No | Yes | No scan | No | ||
| Add channels not in the original scan | Yes ? | ? | ? | Yes ? | No | Yes | --- | Yes w/ 2nd scan | ||
| Add individual channels via physical numbers | No | No | ? | Yes ? | Yes, no sub ch | Yes | No | No | ||
| M Cable Card support | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Edit channel names and/or call letters | No | No | Yes | Analog ? | No | Call letters | No | No | ||
| Ability to re-map QAM channels | No | --- | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | ||
| Signal strength indicator | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Skips encrypted QAM channels | ? | --- | ? | ? | ? | Yes | Yes via CC | Yes | ||
| Skip channels. in Guide that are in ch. List | ? | No ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | S3-No / S4–Yes | ||
| Program Guide & Recording: | ||||||||||
| Program guide; PSIP and/or Pay (full) | PSIP | PSIP | Both | PSIP dig. only | PSIP | PSIP | Full | Pay only | test | test test test test |
| Fully usable without additional fees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Register DVR | No | ||
| Number of days of programming | Varies | Varies | Varies / 14 | Varies | Up to 1 | Varies | 14 | 7 | ||
| Grid type of guide | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Combined or separate guide for all tuners | --- | Combined | Combined | Combined | Combined | Separate | Combined | Combined | ||
| 12 or 24 hr clock | 24 hr | 12 hr | 12 or 24 hr | 24 hr | 12 or 24 hr | 12 hr | 12 hr | 12 hr | ||
| Time setting; auto and/or manual & source | Manual | Both / PSIP | Both / PSIP | Both / PSIP | PSIP/NTP | NTP/PSIP/Man | Auto/NTP | Auto/NTP | ||
| QAM channels listings w/o using a CC | Varies w/MSO | --- | Yes w/sub. | Varies w/MSO | Varies w/MSO | Varies w/MSO | Yes | No !! | ||
| Jump fwd & back in Guide | No | 1-8 days | 6 & 24 hrs | No ? | ? | Page up/down | 24 hrs | Not in Grid view | ||
| Guide search by program names | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Save program searches | No | Yes | Yes | --- | --- | --- | Yes | Yes | ||
| Manual recording VCR style | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Protect recordings from deletion | No ? | No | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Record only new episodes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Name and/or time based recordings | Time | Time | Name (pd G) | Time | Time | Time | Name | Name | ||
| Auto adjusts for changing days or start times | No | No | No ? | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Recording conflicts action; auto or manual | No | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual ? | Auto | ||
| Auto pad recordings start & end in Guide | No | No | No | Indirectly | No | No | No | Yes | ||
| Number of programs recorded at once | One | Two | Two | One | Two | Two | Two or Three | 2 / 2 / 2 / 4 | ||
| Record indicators of future programs | ? | Yes | Yes | From the guide | Yes | Yes in Rec list | Yes | No | ||
| Available HDD space shown | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No/No/Yes/Yes | ||
| Adjustable buffer time amount | No | No | No ? | No buffer | Yes | Up to four hrs | No | No | ||
| Closed Caption available in playback | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes ? | ||
| Playback & Misc: | ||||||||||
| Dedicated play & stop & standby buttons | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No play /stop | Yes | Yes | No stop or StBy | ||
| Remembers where playback left off | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Skip ahead or back time amounts | None | Both; 30 sec | Fwd; 30 sec | None | Both: 15 sec | Both to 2 min | Fwd variable | Fwd 30 sec hack | ||
| Edit recorded program name | ? | No? | ? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Recordings encrypted within HDD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ||
| Record history showing errors | Shows failed | No | ? | Yes | No | Yes (limited) | No ? | Yes | ||
| PC / USB file transfer ability | No / Yes | No / No | No / Yes | No / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / No | Yes / No | ||
| Media Player | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Create playlists for external media | --- | --- | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | ||
| Ethernet: wired/wireless | No | No | Both | No | Both | Wired | Wired | Both | ||
| Internet services available | --- | --- | Vulu | --- | None | U Tube | Numerous | Numerous | ||
| Multiple room recording and/or viewing | --- | --- | No | --- | Yes | No | Yes w/Mate | Yes w/extender | ||
| Firmware upgrade; Internet and/or USB | USB | Both | Both | None available | Internet | USB | Internet | Internet | ||
| Available support; on-line and/or telephone | None | Limited | Limited/None | Very Limited | Very limited | Limited | Both | Both – Good |
Edited by videobruce - 4/18/13 at 9:32am
