Need a DVR with no monthly usage fee?

[8trackman]

I need a basic DVR/PVR to hook up to an analog cable service from time/warner. I do not want to pay the upchargeS to get their DVR. Is there something I can buy? On ebay I can get a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000 for cheap but will that work on my analog cable signal? Most retailers no longer sell DVR/PVR's.

I want to be able to record programs when I am not in the house. I know the time and channel so I do not need a TV schedule in the DVR/PVR.

Thank you,
8trackman

 

[Adam]

8trackman, welcome to the forum!

I just recently purchased a Philips DVDR3575H/37 for my parents, and it's working out great for them. No monthly fees, and it works just fine with their analog cable (and also has ATSC and QAM tuners, too). It has a hard drive and a DVD recorder.

EDIT: Also, it can be programmed just like a VCR, so that should also fit your needs.

 

[mtrycrafts]

8trackman, welcome to the forum!

I just recently purchased a Philips DVDR3575H/37 for my parents, and it's working out great for them. No monthly fees, and it works just fine with their analog cable (and also has ATSC and QAM tuners, too). It has a hard drive and a DVD recorder.

EDIT: Also, it can be programmed just like a VCR, so that should also fit your needs.

Fill me in Maybe it is time to upgrade my VCR
I checked on line for some info but I didn't see analog TV tuner. So, this will record analog cable TV and the digital cable TV? If you record a digital channel, will it play back to an analog TV, downconvert to analog that is?
How many hours? Easy to skip commercials, a big plus. Easy to program? Flexibility like a VCR in recording programs? Thanks.

 

[Adam]

Fill me in Maybe it is time to upgrade my VCR
I checked on line for some info but I didn't see analog TV tuner. So, this will record analog cable TV and the digital cable TV? If you record a digital channel, will it play back to an analog TV, downconvert to analog that is?
How many hours? Easy to skip commercials, a big plus. Easy to program? Flexibility like a VCR in recording programs? Thanks.

I'll try my best, as I've never actually used it. I has NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. My dad was able to record off of analog cable and watch it on an analog CRT TV. I was excited to buy it for them because I wanted them to check if they got any digital stations...but that will have to wait until I (or one of my brothers) goes home again. I don't know if it can record digital cable because I'm not a cable user and don't know if they use encryption. My understanding is that it will record digital broadcasts in standard def, so it should have no problem playing those back on an analog TV. I don't know if it has commercial skip. My dad can program it...so, yes, I'm thinking that it's not difficult. I think that it's much like a VCR when it comes to recording.

Among other places, they sell this model at Wal-Mart. So, you could always try it out and return it if it isn't what you want.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'll try my best, as I've never actually used it. I has NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners. My dad was able to record off of analog cable and watch it on an analog CRT TV. I was excited to buy it for them because I wanted them to check if they got any digital stations...but that will have to wait until I (or one of my brothers) goes home again. I don't know if it can record digital cable because I'm not a cable user and don't know if they use encryption. My understanding is that it will record digital broadcasts in standard def, so it should have no problem playing those back on an analog TV. I don't know if it has commercial skip. My dad can program it...so, yes, I'm thinking that it's not difficult. I think that it's much like a VCR when it comes to recording.

Among other places, they sell this model at Wal-Mart. So, you could always try it out and return it if it isn't what you want.

Great, thanks. Now to keep this model handy.
Even if it doesn't have an auto commercial skip, it must have a fast forward, right?

 

[Adam]

Even if it doesn't have an auto commercial skip, it must have a fast forward, right?

Oh, yeah, it has that.

You can snag the owners manual at this link for all the specifics.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Oh, yeah, it has that.

You can snag the owners manual at this link for all the specifics.

This is great, thanks. I guess I should have tried to look for it

 

[GlocksRock]

I got a pinnacle HD stick, it's a USB HD/SD tv tuner that easily integrates itself with windows media center, for both XP and Vista, and also includes it's own media center. If you have a media PC, this will turn it into a full DVR, and windows media center will download program guide data and allow you to record shows just like a tivo does. But if you don't happen to have a media PC, I guess this won't help you.

 

[bur1196]

There are some models out there that have a hard disk drive (Panny, Phillips, etc) that are decent. I opted for the DirecTV DVR because it records in HD but of course you have to pay the monthly fee...

 

[Guiria]

I own a replaytv 5060 with a lifetime paid subscription. You can sometimes see them pop up on ebay for a couple hundred bucks (lifetime subscription included). These have commercial advance where it literally skips the commercials, of course replaytv got sued and had to remove that feature but it rules. You can also go to poopli.com and register your 5000 series replaytv and request and send shows to other 5000 series users over your internet connection. Very handy if you forgot to record something, that feature was also removed after the lawsuit. One more cool thing, once it's connected to your home network you can download shows you've recorded to your PC for backup or for watching tv on the road. I've always got a couple episodes of The Office on my laptop just incase...

In my opinion hands down the best standard def. DVR out there.