DVRs

[client32]

I have started to look at DVRs again, and I am confused.  I don't really want anything fancy, and don't want to pay for a subscription.  The limited research I have done has pulled up TV Guide on Screen that may be a desired option.  I have talked to someone else here that has this and it works.  Basically I want to set it up to record a show and be able to watch it whenever(even 10 minutes after the show started) and record more than one show at a time.  I don't care to record it to dvd.  Cost is a factor.

I'm sure somebody out there is an expert and will have the perfect product.


Thanks.

[Sindawe]

If you're looking at dedicated DVR boxes, I've no experience with those. Sorry.

I do have some experince with PCs that are built with this in mind.  Brief rundown, I have a 1.8GHz P4, 1GB Ram system running an ATI All-In-Wonder 9600XT.  It came with ATI's Remote Wonder II (which has since died and been replaced under warranty that expired last month).  The card itself works great for sending video out to my ancient (circa 1987) TV, and records just fine.  The included software is frankly a POS and a pain to get stable.  ATIs support as been lackluster as well.  I've been testing SnapStream's Beyond TV 3, which so far as been stable out of the box (day 5 of a 21 day free trial).  It records, is not difficult to program or update the schedule listing, and has a plugin for the Remote I use.

Cost of the box was about $400 for parts (case, MB, CPU and RAM), since I had spare drives hanging around for recording, CD and DVD playing.

[BillBlank]

In a straw poll of acquaintances with DVR at home those with their own, upgradeable and repairable boxes were happier than those with standard tivo boxes or sky+ (UK subscription service). Tivo is a unix box though so can be "expanded".

How big is your budget?