Magnavox generally has pretty junky products, and based on the reviews, there are a lot of people who have had 'bad' units. But, that is your own research to deal with.
I personally would VERY strongly recommend a home theater PC for you. Not a desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard, but a PC for $500 or so, with a remote control and a nice on screen user interface. You can plug your antenna right into it to record HD shows in HD. You can playback movies, and do all the other stuff which may be worth doing. I know there are some free, or pay once options for DVR schedules and program guides which will allow you the same type of Tivo like interface without the regular costs and fees, but with far higher quality than the Magnavox. I can't tell from the blurbs, but most DVD/DVR units do not actually record in HD. They can tune digital channels, but rarely do they actually record HD content in HD.
I know a few people who use HTPCs and their setup was easy to use and very much enjoyed by family members including the wife and kids.
