[Alan Wong]

Looking to purchase a DVR as a VCR replacement, where I don't pay a monthly fee for a service. What are low cost solutions I can connect to my TV? Don't want to build a PC to do this, as the wife would kill me. Looking to buy new and have learned that Tivo can't be used in this way anymore.

 

[MrMike6by9]

Just about any hard drive equipped DVD recorder should do. I bought a Pioneer unit at Costco a number of months ago and I program it exactly the same way I would otherwise do with a VCR. The difference being obvious, I can archive my recordings if I so choose.


YMMV

 

[mike merc]

LITEON LVW 5045 DVR-HDD available at CIRCUIT CITY works fine. Can be connected to cable, has tuner, has dvd recorder and 160 GB hard drive.

 

[davidcrowe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Wong Looking to purchase a DVR as a VCR replacement, where I don't pay a monthly fee for a service. What are low cost solutions I can connect to my TV? Don't want to build a PC to do this, as the wife would kill me. Looking to buy new and have learned that Tivo can't be used in this way anymore.

You will have to build yourself a MythTV box. Mine has been up and running for 24+ months, but, I vastly prefer our Tivo for ease of use and it high WAF (wife acceptance factor).


Dave

 

[Head Shot]

Saves money too. Many models are off the shelf hard drive equipped. Nowadays HD's are cheap, approaching $ 0.30/GB.

 

[Alan Wong]

Tried the Liteon. Had to take it back because I need a DVR which uses IR to control a cable box.


I've got a Toshiba XS34 at home right now and I like it. The free TV Guide is pretty useful. I like the search by topic feature. Box is real slow interacting with the remote though. Wish I could get this box without the DVD recorder, as I don't need that and I'm sure it adds cost and complexity to the box. This will probably go back to the store too as the wife has no clue how to use it and even I think it's pretty complicated.


Don't tell me I have to get a Tivo 40 hour box and pay the $300 lifetime fee, which comes out to be the same cost as the Toshiba. Then I've gotta upgrade the HDD myself. I'm guessing this is the easiest box for the wife to use and where I don't have to read 100 page manual.

 

[MrMike6by9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Wong ... Don't tell me I have to get a Tivo 40 hour box and pay the $300 lifetime fee, which comes out to be the same cost as the Toshiba. Then I've gotta upgrade the HDD myself. I'm guessing this is the easiest box for the wife to use and where I don't have to read 100 page manual.

Of course, if ease of use is the goal, weaknees.com sells 375, 700, and 900 hr. stand-alone Tivos for about $1 per hour; $399, $699, and $899, respectively. I haven't heard of any DVR's more user friendly than Tivo/Replay units.


YMMV

 

[davidcrowe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMike6by9 Of course, if ease of use is the goal, weaknees.com sells 375, 700, and 900 hr. stand-alone Tivos for about $1 per hour; $399, $699, and $899, respectively. I haven't heard of any DVR's more user friendly than Tivo/Replay units. YMMV

Alan,


I hated the idea of paying for the tivo subsciption too. In fact, I bought a Tivo Series 2 and fully intended to bring it back to the store after testing it against my MythTV computer and proving that Myth was "better" ... BUT ... the Tivo was just so easy to use, especially season pass subscription feature, that I kept it. I paid the 300 bucks and its been going ever since. I programmed the remote with the 30 second skip trick and presto, no more commercials.


Dave

 

[mike merc]

You can use LITEON tuner to record analog cable if you split the cable input to separately feed both the set top cable box and the LITEON.

 

[11001011]

Take some time and search the pawn shops, garage sales, Goodwill, or any place that sells used electronics and you might be able to score a used Tivo with a lifetime subscription like I did.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=570297

 

[Alan Wong]

Thanks all. For those who have used a Tivo and a DVD+HDD recorder, does the Tivo react faster than the other recorders? The XS34 is so SSSLLLOOOWWW when I use the remote.


I do wish I could find a box with the free TV Guide that is HDD recorder only, as that's all I need.