What's a good PVR

[jacatone]

Don't want to rent a DVR from TW or buy a Tivo. What's a good PVR that I can use with one of TW's PC cards that'll record to a built in HDD? Thanks.

[usually_quiet]

Don't want to rent a DVR from TW or buy a Tivo. What's a good PVR that I can use with one of TW's PC cards that'll record to a built in HDD? Thanks.

I'll assume that "one of TW's PC cards" means a CableCARD.

There are currently no stand alone CableCARD recording devices with a built in HDD other than TiVo. Moxi is out of business, and also required monthly payments for guide service.

If you don't want to use a TiVo, then there are no other options that meet your requirements.

The only alternative to a TiVo available now for CableCARD that would allow you to record TWCs copy-once protected channels is a PC running Windows 7 (so you can use Windows Media Center for recording), plus a CableCard tuner.

Some time this year, there should be another solution (HDHomerun DVR software currently projected to cost $30 per year) that will allow someone to use a Silicondust HDHomerun Prime CableCARD tuner, plus select model NAS (network attached storage) and an Android TV box to record and watch TWC's copy-once protected cable TV channels. Note that you will also need a wired home network. The player will be in the Android TV box and the HDDs will be in the NAS, which runs the recording software. However, I suspect that this solution is also unworkable for you.

[jacatone]

I have read that the FCC is wanting to allow 3rd party OEMs to make DVRs that people can buy and own rather than having to rent from the cable companies. Of coarse the cable companies will use their political influence to fight it.

[usually_quiet]

I have read that the FCC is wanting to allow 3rd party OEMs to make DVRs that people can buy and own rather than having to rent from the cable companies. Of coarse the cable companies will use their political influence to fight it.

I have participated in too many of your threads on this subject. Accept that to have the convenience that you want, you will have to either pay fees to TiVo (or spend hundreds of dollars up front to purchase a lifetime subscription tied to an individual unit) or pay fees to TWC for a DVR.

Since I don't particularly care to read any more of the inevitable whining and political commentary that will follow, I'm outta here.

[jagabo]

I have read that the FCC is wanting to allow 3rd party OEMs to make DVRs that people can buy and own rather than having to rent from the cable companies.

Was that some 15 year old news article? The FCC has pretty much given up on that. Didn't the requirement for Cablecard support expire last month?

http://blog.tivo.com/2015/01/future-of-cablecard/

Your only real choices now are Tivo and Windows Media Center. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the latter disappear in the next few years. Microsoft has already dropped WMC support in Win10. And in Win8 it was an extra cost add-on.

I recently put together a NUC/Win7 system for a Silicon Dust HDHomerun Cablecard tuner for about $200 (already had Win7 and the HDHomerun).

[jacatone]

Hey, usually_quiet why don't you just fo!