ATSC DVR's and DRM

[snafoo]

Hi. I want to buy another DVR to record TV. The one i have, the Iview 3300STB, records beautifully, but i want something that will record in 4k. Does anyone recommend one that doesn't have that DRM stuff, that will prevent you from recording a tv show? Also, i know some of them, like the Tablo, has a feature that allows you to skip commercials. I have the video editing software, VideoRedo, that supposedly has a commercial skip feature, but i never got it to work right. It would skip over part of the tv show, not just the commercials. Are there any parameters to set with that commercial skipping feature, or do you just set it and forget it? Is there an art to it working correctly?

[usually_quiet]

Hi. I want to buy another DVR to record TV. The one i have, the Iview 3300STB, records beautifully, but i want something that will record in 4k. Does anyone recommend one that doesn't have that DRM stuff, that will prevent you from recording a tv show? Also, i know some of them, like the Tablo, has a feature that allows you to skip commercials. I have the video editing software, VideoRedo, that supposedly has a commercial skip feature, but i never got it to work right. It would skip over part of the tv show, not just the commercials. Are there any parameters to set with that commercial skipping feature, or do you just set it and forget it? Is there an art to it working correctly?

At present, I don't think there are any DVRs available in the USA that can record ATSC 3.0 signals, although ATSC 3.0 converter boxes, analogous to the DTA converter boxes that were released starting in 2009 are under development.

Unfortunately, the current devices being tested now don't work very well. The main problem seems to be that OTA broadcasters want to encrypt their ATSC 3.0 signals and the current prototype receiver models struggle with decryption. I hope that changes soon because the FCC is currently deciding when the switch from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 for all OTA TV broadcasts will happen.

SiliconDust makes an HDHomerun ATSC 3.0 networked tuner that can be used to record non-encrypted ATSC 3.0 TV broadcasts using a computer with a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection. https://shop.silicondust.com/shop/product/hdfx-4k/ However some of their competitors are suing to ban the device because it contains a Chinese chip that the US goverment considers a threat.

[usually_quiet]

I forgot to mention that, currently, there is almost no 4K content available from ATSC 3.0 channels in the USA.

I found one ATSC 3.0 DVR sold in the USA, the ZapperBox M1 ATSC 3.0 OTA Single Tuner + DVR + Gateway with 4K, HDR, and Channel Guide, which is also available in a dual tuner model for a bit more. It is relatively expensive, and to use it as a DVR, one needs to subscribe to a guide service and connect the device to the internet. Also, recordings are encrypted and playable only by the individual unit that originally made the recordings. Learn more about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zTsme4GD4M

Learn more about ATSC 3.0 encryption here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82V3YZonSq0