Subscription Free Digital Video Recorder

The most popular Digital Video Recorder (DVR) is probably the TiVo. he major down-side to the product was that you had to subscribe to the programing guide with a monthly fee that was transmitted to the device over your phone line. As the market for DVRs in general has progressed, they are offered by all of the cable and satellite TV companies with new and improved features, but they all still subscription based.

Our research on the availability and functionality of these devices began in 2010. Over the next four years (2014) little has changed in the availability of these devices for the United States. In some European and Asian markets there are a wide variety of STB (Set Top Box) DVR / PVR systems available that, like a traditional home VCR, allow you to schedule and record television programing without paying anyone a monthly fee to use the recorder. In the United States a coalition of pro-DRM, anti-consumer groups, including major players like the MPAA, and satellite and cable providers are working hard to use patent law to prevent manufacturers from producing and selling these modern replacements for the old VCR here in North America. The movie studios and cable and satellite providers place restrictions on video recording that make the availability of personal video recorders in the U.S. consumer market purposely restricted. Manufacturers and distributors face lawsuits and patent fees so they do not dare offer these products to Americans.

On a positive note, since the digital television conversion on North America there has been a release of some DVR PVR devices for the OTA (Over the Air) market. People without Satellite or Cable watching free, non-subscription television with a metal antenna can not benefit from being able to record, pause live TV, schedule from a EPG (Electronic Program Guide) all without paying any monthly fees to any content providers. Because of this, there are now DVR units that are also Digital Tuners or converters. The best units include the ability to capture and record from a composite or component input as well as from the tuner.

1 Subscription Free, Stand Alone, Digital Video Recorder
2 DVR PVR STB for NTSC United States
3 Alternative: CCTV DVR adaptation
4 Misleading Technologies
- 4.1 High-Definition Personal Video Recorder by Hauppauge
- 4.2 Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR
5 Terminology and Background
- 5.1 PVR, DVD-R, DVD Recorder
6 Related
7 External Links

Subscription Free, Stand Alone, Digital Video Recorder

Subscription Free - Works without connection to a phone line and paying a monthly subscription for a programming guide.
Stand Alone - Does not require connection to a PC, or use of a PC what-so-ever
Digital Video Recorder - records input source or from a tuner to a digital video file on an internal hard disk or EPROM memory.

Other considerations:

Record from an analog source, such as composite video, component video, or analog RF (NTSC channel 3 or 4 out from from a cable box)
Schedule recording / Timer recording, record from a analog source starting at one time and ending in a time frame, such as the old VCR could do.
Allows the recording of copy protected video source (DRM Free) (Macrovision Free / Macrovision Indifferent)
Uses a high quality, high compression digital video standard file type such as DivX, XvidD, or H.264.
Ability to extract video files from the unit for transfer to another unit or PC (by USB, Ethernet, or WiFi for example)

Clarification

A DVR doesn't necessarily have a built in digital tuner. However, the industry seems to confuse a tuner+dvr combo with a stand alone DVR. A basic DVR can record from an external video input source. It is preferred to have a unit that lets you put the PVR in-line with your cable/satellite box or other video source and your TV.

DVR PVR STB for NTSC United States

The "Date Added" is not a reflection of when the device was manufactured or became available. It merely indicates a time when it was available and we discovered the existence of it. Some of these devices have been discontinued, and of those there are still units available from venders carrying old inventory. Some of the devices are current. As new units become available on the market and we discover them, they will be added here to the list.

Archos TV+

Date Added: 2010

Captive Works CW-100R

Date Added: July 2010

The Captive Works CW-100R is a low cost DVR that is meant for connection to their Free to Air Satellite Receivers. However, it will work as a stand alone DVR device. This unit does not have a digital tuner.

Pros: Subscription Free, Stand Alone, Records XviD, Records to a USB memory stick or SD Card.
Cons: DRM Active, will not record protected video source. Composite only video input.

Channel Master CM-7000PAL HD DVR

Date Added: October 2014

The Channel Master CM-7000PAL HD DVR can view and record local over-the-air digital broadcasts. The Channel Master CM-7000PAL HD DVR is reported to be an exact, or slightly updated copy of the DTV Pal DVR, since Dish Network no longer produces any of their DTVPal products.

See:

Egreat Network Media Players

Date Added: July 2010

There are many models offered by Egreat of China, all detailed on the Egreatworld web site.

MediaSonic HomeWorX HW-150PVR

Date Added: December 2014

Mediasonic HW-150PVR HomeWorx ATSC Digital TV Converter Box with Media Player and Recording PVR Function/HDMI Out.

There is no analog tv tuner in this unit so you cannot connect it to an analog source to record from. For example, if you have Dish Network and a model 301 SD receiver, you cannot connect this to use as a DVR from this source.

MeLE

Date Added: July 2010

1080P 3.5 DVR SATA HDD Media Player Recorder DTS H.264 MKV M2TS RM RMVB NY32. The product is designed with multi-output, including composite(AV), Y/Pb/Pr and HDMI. Individuals can select different interface according various need. The product can detect video output automatically, making the operation friendly and convenient.

The product supports subtitle documents in formats of SSA, SMI, SRT, SUB and so on. When the video being played supports the corresponding subtitle format, the subtitle can be switched, displayed, or hidden through pressing the SUBTITLE controlling key. Meanwhile, the size and position of the subtitle can also be adjusted through direction keys.

Moxi HD DVR

Date Added: July 2010

This unit has a digital tuner (options for cards for cable tv standards). Very complex.

Sony DHG-HDD500 60-Hour High-Definition Digital Video Recorder (500 GB)

Date Added: March 2013

High-definition-capable digital video recorder with 500 GB storage: 60 hours of HD programming or up to 400 hours of standard content, Includes NTSC and ATSC tuners; a perfect match for bringing off-air HDTV reception to HD-ready televisions and monitors, Pause, rewind, and record live high-definition TV; record one program while watching another; HDMI/component-video outputs, CableCARD slot accommodates digital cable decoder cards; Memory Stick PRO media slot lets you enjoy digital photos and MP3 music, Measures 16.9 x 3.3 x 14 inches (W x H x D)

Viewtv At-163

Date Added: December 2014

ATSC Digital TV Converter Box and Media Player w/ Recording PVR Function / HDMI Out / Coaxial Out / Composite Out / USB Input.

No internal hard drive or storage. Must connect an external drive or USB storage to the one and only USB port on the unit. The device has both HDMI & component video inputs and outputs. The unit also comes with both cables included in the box, but will not permit recording from component or HDMI. The only input it will record from is from an antenna or coax cable for a cable box. There is no analog tv tuner in this unit so you cannot connect it to an analog source to record from. For example, if you have Dish Network and a model 301 SD receiver, you cannot connect this to use as a DVR from this source.

It has a single digital tuner. The second coax connection allows you to pass-through the antenna signal to a TV so you can watch a show (as if the box wasn't there) with it's tuner while recording on the device.

As a media player it is capable of playing many formats including MKV at 1080P.

As a replacement for your aging VCR if you have cable TV or Satellite you will find the Viewtv At-163 absolutely useless. It also does not have commercial skip or incremental skip. There is a fast forward, but this is less desirable.

Alternative: CCTV DVR adaptation

Since availability of a fully functional home DVR is available to the North American consumer, there are some similar devices intended for other industries that might be worth noting. Video surveillance has gone from using the VCR to modern digital recording devices. These devices are intended for capture of limited or low quality video feed from cameras in multiple channels, often without audio for video archiving and playback. Some CCTV digital recorders have an audio input for cameras with audio feed. These are often limited to monophonic sound sound for a single camera.

CCTV DVR units have multiple video inputs, typically composite, and using the BNC connector type. A small CCTV DVR will have inputs for monitoring 4 cameras. Taking a look at the basic 4 camera H.264 digital CCTV recorder with audio input we find some units that can be adapted for use a cable box receiver, satellite receiver, or digital converter. Video input from a single composite feed and audio combined into mono can be recorded by a CCTV DVR. Moreover, most of these units offer a schedule timer record option. It is not the most robust way to have a DVR for home entertainment, but it might be a rudimentary replacement for that aging VHS VCR.

Here are some possible units that are worth experimenting with for adaptation.

Vonnic DVR-C1104SEFD - This can be used to record based on a timer scheduler much like a VCR. If coupled with a satellite or cable receiver, as long as the receiver auto-tunes then this DVR can be programmed to start and stop a recording. This DVR has a remote control. It can do basic things like playback a recording, fast forward, and rewind. It cannot delete individual recordings. Recordings can only be removed by automatic overwrite or by reformatting the drive. Also, if rebooted, sound is disabled until a mouse is connected to the front of the unit and used to enable sound again. It is mono sound. Conclusion: It can serve as a VCR replacement, however, remote control is frustrating and it offers only the most very basic VCR like functionality.

Misleading Technologies

High-Definition Personal Video Recorder by Hauppauge

Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR

Date Added: December 2014

High-definition personal video recorder records directly from cable TV and satellite set top boxes at up to 1080i Records in AVCHD format for burning Blu-ray DVD discs Includes Hauppage's WinTV scheduler to schedule TV recordings, and built-in IR blaster to automatically change TV channels Standard definition composite and S-Video inputs lets you digitize your old home video tapes directly from VCR Record: Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3 and Game Play

MISLEADING because it is advertised as a PVR when it actually is only a capture device that requires connection to a computer. This is just a capture device that is over priced.

Terminology and Background

Some terms and acronyms being used by enthusiasts are listed below. These are useful to know while doing research on the subject.

Coax - The coax connector is the RF threaded "F" connector, 75 ohm, like what goes to an antenna.
DVR - Digital Video Recorder*
HTPC - Home Theatre PC, such as MythTV. Not what we are interested in here.
IPTV - requires pain subscription to an IPTV service provider network.
PVR - Personal Video Recorder*
STB - Set Top Box
Net Top -

*Some terms are sometimes used interchangeably depending on the source. Vendors refer aPVR as digital video recorder (DVR); personal TV receiver (PTR); personal video station (PVS); and hard disk recorder (HDR). Some manufacturers, such as Hauppauge, use the term DVR to describe a box that might not be stand-alone, requiring a computer to connect to. The term PVR seems more frequently used with stand-alone units.

PVR, DVD-R, DVD Recorder

From this thread on the DTV Forum, a PVR can only record from an internal ATSC tuner, while a DVD Recorder (DVDR) can record from external sources, such as your Dish Network satellite tuner. Some DVD Recorders have an internal hard drive.

If you want to connect your Cable Box, or Satellite TV box into a DVR so that you can use it like the old VCR to timer record programming, then you will want to buy a DVD Recorder with an internal hard drive.

Basically there are two different types of recorders (1) PVR/DVR and (2) a DVDR. There are many variations of PVR - most only recording FTA TV, others only pay TV, a few recording both and a few with external inputs like a VCR. The DTV Forum Essay on Digital Pvrs and Dvdrs explains the differences as well as touching on Subscription Free Digital Video Recorders.

The problem with AV Forum Australia is that Australia uses a different television broadcast standard than does North America. Information on AV Forum Australia is good to gain a fundamental understanding of the technologies, but use caution in product recommendations as they are centered around that regional marketplace and not the United States.

AV Forum Australia - The leading audio visual and home theatre forum → Audio Visual & Home Theatre Equipment → Recorders, Players & DTV Receivers → PVRs, HDD & DVD Recorders

Units such as the Panasonic DMR-EH59GC-K are DVD Recorders with an internal hard drive. Units like these are very few. The Panasonic DMR-EH59GC-K was manufactured in 2012 and seems to be the most recent as of early 2015.

External Links

Corporate Roadblocks

The decline (and fall) of the DVR