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.
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:
- 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
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.
Captive Works CW-100R
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.
Moxi HD DVR
This unit has a digital tuner (options for cards for cable tv standards). Very complex.
