I just ran across your channel and really like it. However, two weeks ago I purchased a Tablo Quad DVR, and I've had an excellent experience with it receiving all of my local stations here in San Diego. Before getting the Tablo, I was using an Amazon Recast for dvr and sending out signal to four TVs in my house. I'm also using a Televes Dinova Boss antenna which I had professionally installed. The problem was that I was only getting a few channels on my Recast as well as when the antenna was plugged directly into my Vizio TV. I had the antenna installer return a while later to relocate the antenna which improved reception some, but I still wasn't getting al of my local channels. When I set up my Tablo two weeks ago, its tuner picked up all of my local channels perfectly and has been doing so ever since, and that's without me making any adjustments to the antenna's location. So I'm wondering if Tablo has updated and improved their tuners since you last tested one. I'm completely satisfied with my Tablo Quad and would highly recommend it over the Recast and the internal TV tuner as well. The Tablo has resolved all of my issues with getting local TV.
Hi Ronald, thanks so much for sharing! Yes, it's quite possible Tablo improved their tuners, as I got mine quite a few years ago. That's really good to know - thanks again!! - Brian
So glad you showed the AirTV!! I've been using the AirTV anywhere for about 2-3 years and really like it. One of my favorite features is that if I'm out and about and someone tells me about a show or a game that I'd like to see, but I know I'm not going to be home, I can just whip out my phone and go to the app and set it up to record with just a click. So convenient and easy. Also, with the AirTV anywhere, you can watch on up to 4 different devices at once.
Silicon Dust really disappoints me, I buy there hardware and supply my own hard drive and they want to charge me a subscription to use my own things. I still have my HD Homerun, but I run it through NextPVR software. Its complete with TV guide, recording, multi-room viewing, and access via my cell phone when I am out and about, and you don't pay a cent.
The generic DVRs [at the number 5 ranking], of which Homeworx is one of them, comes from an electronics manufacturer in Shenzhen, China. Years ago I found a Shenzhen company website that displayed all sorts of different style box designs, with the accompanying remote control all looking the same. That particular Shenzhen manufacturer explained the parameters for offering them for export/sale: You needed to place a minimum order of 1K units; select the design style of box the DVR would be; and specify the brand name and logo to go on the DVR and remote control. Discovering that, then it made sense why Homeworx, QFX, Ematic, NAXA, and other DVR brands were identical [or nearly so], as all those brands came from the same manufacturer. The reliability of them varies, anywhere from six months to four years. Heat affects their life, as the warmer the conditions are, the shorter life they have. The low cost of the generic DVRs makes it possible to have spares for immediate replacement when one expires. I've been using the low-dollar generic DVRs, of various brands mentioned above, for seven years; all with the same style remote, but with the function buttons arranged differently among the different brand names of the DVRs. The on-screen interface of several DVR brands are identical [or nearly so]. One major difference is that some brands denotes AM and PM times, while others use the 24 hour clock. One word of caution when using the DVR for time-shift recording: The TV station has to display the EPG [Electronic Program Guide] with the DVR; as when the EPG does not display, the timer cannot be set. There are some low-budget TV stations subchannels that won't pay the subscription fee for the EPG, so DVR time-shift recordings cannot be made with those TV stations. Instead, the TV show recordings have to be done manually at the time of the broadcast. The recording storage device you may consider is with the Samsung external SSD of 1 TB capacity. I've recorded and played back thousands of hours for many years with them, with only a handful of recording/playback issues when using them over the years. Formatting the SSD with the DVR is essential, with using the NTFS format, as the FAT32 has file size limit. What's recorded on the Samsung SSD can be saved to other external hard drives as a means to build a video library.
I've had a few of these too, and "when they expire" is a funnily entertaining way to say it, heh! But yes, sadly they don't all last very long. Some have better remote controls than others, though. So it's interesting that they all come from the same factory, because if that's the case then they should be able to make all the RCs as good as their best one. However, one thing you said that isn't true: We actually CAN set manual timer recordings. You just have to go into showing the list (even if none are set), then click "ADD." There's your manual option ready to go! So if you had (menu-driven) VCR setting figured out, then once you get into that menu of these, you good to go here too!
The Homeworx DVR has a nice additional feature, you can position your antenna with the meter built into the device. I only use this for positioning my antenna. I use Tablo for my DVR. Yes, the remote for Homeworx is not the best.
We're currently trying to resuscitate our DTVPal that I got almost 15 years ago, and it has almost more features and has a simple interface that even these new products don't seem to have. It's wild how the feature set for these has almost shrunk over time.
What's surprising to me is how my old DTV converter box could change channels almost instantly. Today, DTV tuners (no conversion required) are so slow that "channel surfing" is almost impossible. A few years ago, Broku broke their ota interface making it almost unuseable. They didn't care. They don't make money from people watching OTA. They want people to watch something for which Broku gets a cut of the loot. I don't think anyone wants OTA to work now. Anyone who might try to use it faces a predatory antenna market (the ftc doesn't care). One person has a bad experience (with a scammy 3000 mile "panel" antenna). They tell 20 others. In my area, the broadcast "guide" info is inaccurate 50% of the time. And then, tuners are incredibly under-engineered (low signal strength; slow operation). ATCS 3.0 is looking like a crazy train. I don't think anyone in power wants it to work.
Just a thought for folks that would like to watch their content "away from the house", and your DVR doesnt support it. If your router (or other device on your LAN) supports some type of VPN, that can resolve that problem. For example, I have a pfSense firewall, with the WireGuard package installed. My Android phone and Windows laptop also have WireGuard. Once connected remotely, i have access to all LAN devices.
Great review Brian. I saw your articles regarding this subject and your videos are awesome too. Just a note: TiVo discontinued the Edge for Antenna. Channel Master no longer sells it and TiVo and Channel Master support emails have verified this with me. It's disappointing because TiVo Edge looked like the best option my needs. Sadly, this is era of OTA DVR seems like it's going to short lived, I'm assuming the powers that be will not allow us to benefit from this type of function for long.
Thanks so much! Yeah, I just heard someone say that so I've updated my articles accordingly. I'll try making a new video as well. Thanks for confirming!! - Brian
@@disablemycable I think its fairly clear, that those cutting the cord are not in the market for OTA tech. Hence why the majority of the OTA tuners are all those generic "re-branded" tuners with all the exact same platform, box, inputs, outputs". As someone who has cut the cord, I have to admit, the promise of better signal and free content, its not really true. So its really for a lot of us cutting the cord, the "local channel" fall back, and all the other content often broadcast in 480p, its more the "stop-gap" solution, and we are using streaming for most of our dedicated viewing. Now - to be said, most of cable is garbage as well, except if you like sports.
Our TIVO Roamio OTA died last week. After updating myself on current products, I decided I will attempt to repair the Roamio hoping it will last until someone has a new model that isn't a downgrade. We like our Roamio a lot and really hope we don't have to settle for the current offerings.
I'm in the same quandry. Love the old Roamio w the lifetime subscription & unsure how to go about trying to repair. If you find a resource, please share. TY!
@@chewbacca5986 Soooo...I watched a couple videos and read some forum threads on repairing the Roamio and ended up ordering a new hard drive, fan, and power supply. I decided I should connect the new power supply first, just to make sure it (the power supply) worked, since it is a cheap chinese product. There were several comments in forums that stated the 2 amp power supply provided with the DVR just barely meets the requirements of the DVR and recommended upsizing slightly, so I purchased a 3 amp power supply. I plugged it in, the TIVO rebooted, and it worked perfectly. There had been a number of little glitchy things that developed during the previous year that I attributed to software glitches...they were all corrected with the new power supply. And, some reception issues that had been gradually getting worse were corrected as well. Since it worked like new after the power supply upgrade, I decided not to install the hard drive and fan and returned them. Repair video: ua-cam.com/video/XdmB7B1d24I/v-deo.html Here is what I ordered from Amazon: Facmogu 3 Prong DC 12V 3A 36W AC to DC Power Adapter, Desktop Adpater with 5.5x2.1mm & 2.5mm, 12V Power Switching Transformer, 12 Volt 3 Amp Power Supply Converter with 9.84ft/ 3m in Total Length I tested with my Fluke meter before hooking up to the DVR and got 12.9VDC with no load. WeaKnees TiVo Roamio Replacement Fan Kit for Base Roamio and Roamio OTA - Includes Tools Western Digital 3TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD30EFRX I read comments that indicate 3TB is the largest HD that will work without doing some geeky stuff. If you have a tech person in your orbit to help you, a larger hard drive may work. Again, I never installed the hard drive or fan, just the power supply. I tried posting amazon links in a separate reply, but I don't think UA-cam allows them. Good Luck!!!
@@chewbacca5986 If the unit died, its quite possibly a power supply problem, replacing that may get you going. If it seems like the hard drive died, buy a new similar unit and just pop it in. Roamio and above are nice because they will auto-format the drive. Then its just a matter of setting up your season passes
@@TheTubecrap ok, have you done it before? The roamio started freezing, couldn't change channels, as your message states, could be the power supply. I'll need to hook it back up to confirm its status. Darn, there are recorded programs, I want to copy to new drive, if the old HD is almost hosed! Wish Tivo still have new Roamio lifetime subscription OTA hardware avail for purchase. Seems Channelmaster is involved now... Tivo OTA Roamio has been the best, have since checked out few current reviews, and it seems none of the current new OTA hardware on the market is as good as the OTA Roamio! ROAMIO, ROAMIO, WHERE ART THOU ROAMIO??? Deeply miss you Roamio!!
@@chewbacca5986 I haven't had to replace a power supply but I did upgrade my hard drive after the warranty expired. It originally had a 512G drive if I recall. I bought a 2T drive and just swapped them. The Tivo OS is located in solid state memory, so no need to load it on the drive. When the system first boots, it will recognize that the drive needs to be formatted and it will take care of it. If I recall correctly, you will need a set of those Torx bits to open up the Tivo box.
I am very glad to find this video...I have the Fire Recast (which I love) and dread the day it finally conks out. I think the "AirTV Anywhere" is going to be the replacement when the Recast becomes kaput.
Great! Check out Tablo Gen 4, my new #1 pick (as long as you don't need to be able to view away from home): ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html&lc=UgzQLGjKrt77fbanz754AaABAg
Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned, I'm testing out the brand new Gen 4 Tablo now. It could become my new #1 DVR recommendation. Blog post and video will be coming soon. - Brian
Thank you for the info. I was so disappointed in the Tablo Dual Lite's tuner. It was only able to find 7 of the 40+ channels my original tuner had found (and none of the local channels on which NFL games are broadcast). I'm brand new to cord-cutting, so I'm not super comfortable and don't want to try dvr after dvr. i just want to be able to record all the nfl games so i can watch those aired simultaneously and skip commercials.
Yeah, before you purchase anything else, try these tips to get better reception with your existing antenna and DVR: ua-cam.com/video/eYcOPGVv6Jo/v-deo.html
The Airtv2 is great the added streaming channels include news movies and cult Classics they have recently committed to FREESTREAM. It feels most like cable and you can setup favorites and filter out all the channels you'll never watch and yet have access to them easily.
Recording OTA with Airtv2 is NOT working, at present. I’ve spent weeks troubleshooting and Sling now admits they are experiencing problems. OTA recordings are unwatchable, and setting a recorded program errors out after a few hours. The only way to get it to record the totally unwatchable recording is to reset and start from scratch.
I have both the Mediasonic and AirTV2. The AirTV2 is great, but am thinking of also installing the mediasonic directly to my SamsungTV to see which tuner pulls in the channels better.
Tablo has released Gen 4 version of their Tablo and it does not require a subscription and it also includes a number of free streaming channels that can be recorded.
I bought one of these. It's a Mediasonic. It works OK for recording but it won't bring in all the channels that I have with just the TV. I lost 3 channels with it. Then the remote is VERY hard to use as the buttons are so small. Wish I had bought another brand. I do like the signal meter feature on it as it helped with aiming my antenna.
@@chriscortopassi9289 I don't think ATSC 3.0 is quite there yet. Of course that will change in the future, but now I don't think the average Joe should get an HD Homerun over a Tablo or AirTV just because of ATSC 3.0. Of course, TV enthusiasts will disagree.
Great review, Brian; very helpful info. You said that one of the downsides to the Tivo was paid content mixed into the channel guide. Is it possible to remove those channels in the Channel Setup so they just do not appear on the channel guide? Also it is unclear whether it is possible to watch remotely in another room. Can this be done using a Fire stick or Roku? Thanks
Thanks Michael! To clarify, the channel guide just shows your over the air stations, which is good. I was talking about the "What to Watch" grid which shows recommended upcoming shows. I wish there was a mode to only see OTA shows in that mode (which Tablo does by default). There is no way to filter this. A TiVo Roku app was announced, but to this day I haven't been able to find it in the Roku or Amazon Fire TV app stores. You can watch in a non-Chrome browser though. Not sure if that includes the browser in the Amazon Fire TV... More info here: www.disablemycable.com/blog/tivo-edge-for-antenna-dvr/
The TV tuner in my TV is not working so I need a NEW TV tuner. Which one of these devices would you use that comes with remote for watching live antenna TV and DVR ?
Caution if you update firmware no file access. Meaning can’t move file to PC. This was ViewTV like 5(least preferred). Also AirTv2 never allowed export of file ie. MP2 or whatever. Not sure if drive format or Guessing they’ll all go to some type of DRM. Additionally AirTv2 was properly installed, however died after about 18 months usage. Guide was about 6 on scale on 1-10, my opinion. Sling app does have a lot of channels and good pricing. Best was U-Verse then DTV conventional ( before stream) albeit cost prohibitive…early TiVo was 10 out of 10, however that was pre HD😀 Thanks for the info…
I just tried the new Tablo Gen 4 and it was very disappointing. The guide looked great but on the 25 local channels I can pick up in my area 9 did not completely show on the guide. It listed the channels but no info on the show itself. So I couldn't watch those channels. And on the ones I could watch recording was a problem on a few channels. It might record part of the program and stop. The indoor antenna I used worked perfectly when connected to the tv itself. I could watch anything on the 25 channels w/o hiccups. So I'm returning mine. I saw on the Tablo member forums many had the same problems as me so it wasn't just my environment.
@@disablemycable thanks, sure hope so. This will be the first time we haven't had satellite, or streaming as far back as I can remember. I just finally realized, the only thing I was watching on DIRECTV stream was locals and Reelz, which I can get on Peacock
Hi Michael, this is a great question. I tested this on the Tablo Gen 4 and unfortunately, you can't watch a program that is being recorded from the beginning; you can only watch it from the point that you started watching it. You have to wait until the recording ends to watch it from the beginning. I've updated my website with this information and I'll test the other DVRs and let you know. www.disablemycable.com/tablo-gen-4/ - Brian
I justed tested AirTV 2 and it won't do it either. If you try to watch a show as it's recording, you can only go back to where you started watching, not to the beginning. Updated here: www.disablemycable.com/airtv2/
HD Homerun user support is great. Easy to reach via email, respond soon, and have resolved my issues. Sometimes the resolution is explaining things. Documentation is poor.
Hi Brian, do you know if I can hook up any of these boxes to my Denon AVR - X1200W receiver? So I want to go from my Antenna using coaxial cable to the Air TV2 box. Then from the Air TV2 box to my receiver via HDMI, Then from my receiver to my Samsung HD TV via HDMI cable. Do you know if it will work if I do pass through my Denon AVR - X1200W receiver before I go to my tv?
Great video Brian. Sad to hear the Tablo deal is no longer lifetime as I was impressed by your video on it at the time. Great rundown of the best options though. Great job 👍🏻👏🏻
I have a Tablo Quad and loved it until it just stopped working. The customer service and tech support are the worst. All they do is blame my network despite that EVERY DEVICE in my home, cameras, door locks, Echo devices, etc. are working fine. My Mediasonic HomeWorx ATSC Digital Converter Box with TV Tuner, TV Recording, USB Multimedia Function (HW-150PVR-Y22) doesn't have the fancy guide but it works great.
Sling is now ONLY selling the AirTV 2 if you buy 3 months of Sling subscription raising the price to $49 plus a minimum of $120. And other party sellers have correspondingly increased their prices. Way to go sling. Chill a good deal
Great descriptions and pros and cons. To be clear, to use Tablo or AirTV, one needs a smart tv to stream to. i.e. Hardwire to NON-smart tv is not possible. Correct?
You either need a compatible smart TV, or you can use a streaming device such as a Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, or iOS device (but not Apple TV yet). There is also a Roku app but the bugs are being worked out as we speak. With a streaming device you can watch your recordings on a non smart TV. - Brian
I like the Tivo because of the size which looks much better in my rack, the interface is the best, it supports ATSC 3.0 and supports all the streaming services. I don't need or want the DVR option. IMO the DVR option is what is slowing down ATSC 3.0 implementation due to copy right issues working through the legal system and bureaucracy.
Thanks for sharing! I agree the TiVo user interface is great. I don't think it supports ATSC3.0 though: www.tivocommunity.com/threads/does-the-tivo-edge-for-antenna-support-atsc-3-0.573705/#post-12480645 If I'm wrong, please point me to documentation that states that! - Brian
@@disablemycable I read that on the specs from the Channel Master website over a year ago when I first became interested. I can no longer find that on the website. I don't know if was a mistake that was eventually corrected or what happened. I'm glad I didn't jump on the purchase though because I'd probably be very disappointed. Nevertheless, I still like the Tivo even if it's not NextGen but I just can't see myself paying a subscription fee for the program menu. It's starting to look like ATSC 3.0 is just a fantasy. I'll just have to be content with my tv built in tuner. There are no stand alone tuners that appeal to me in design.
Can I use one of these to record a cable programing or record video that I already have recorded on a cable DVR? Thanks. I would like to dump a cable service, but before that I would like to record some old programs from a history channel and such.
With the 4-tuner version of the Tablo Gen 4 and with the AirTV Anywhere, you can schedule 4 overlapping shows. The HD HomeRun Scribe has four tuners, 2 of which are ATSC 3.0, but I'm not sure if you can record on all four at the same time (I assume so but haven't found confirmation). The TiVo Edge for Antenna just has two tuners.
I just got a HDHR Flex 4k on he premise that ATSC 3.0 is a better signal and it could allow me to get my local ABC without any crazy antenna placement. $35 per year is not a lot for a DVR + guide service and I might pay it if I don't get what I want out of the free version of the HDHR app. As far as Silicon Dust has published in their FAQ page, the free version of the app only allows up to 60 minute pause, 5 minute rewinding (not sure if that's total or per rewind), and 24 hours(not sure if that's consecutive or 1 calendar day at a time) of guide info. I tried an Onn Chromecast with Google TV 4k on my TV but even though my TV and 5.1 system are both 4k HDR certified, the Onn box won't present that to the apps. Is there a streaming device that I can get that isn't an Amazon device that has both Plex and the HDHR app that will do both 4k and 5.1 with no known issues? I might be willing to go Roku but Silicon Dust don't recommend it.
Is there something that can take OTA and stream to a networked computer? I was thinking of an Amazon Recast, but can the DVR recording and LiveTV be streamed to my PC? I imagine I could plug in a FireTV stick onto some USB/HDMI grabber but that seems unnecessarily complicated!
If my TV has an internal antenna and am able to receive over the air broadcast. Why would I need to buy this? I don't have a desire to record. Thank you!
Thanks for the video. My Roamio just croaked and I don't want to buy the lifetime service again. I want to try one of these. Do any of them have a 30 second skip like the roamio?
None of the others have the great 30-second skip that TiVo has. I love that feature as well. However, the Tablo Gen 4 has very snappy fast forwarding so you probably won't miss the 30-second skip too much. The fast-forwarding on the AirTV takes forever so I would avoid that one if this is important to you. - Brian
I and many others (after reading and joining forums) have been unable to record with the airtv 2. Mine worked for almost 2 years then went south about 2-3 months ago. Tried 3 external drives and even bought a new airtv2 and it would not work - even if I got to the point were it indicated the drive was formatted. I believe it is due to the current firmware. Any news on this front? Can yours still record. Thanks and good video.
Hi Garry, Thanks for letting me know. I fired up my unit and it is still able to play back recordings, but it probably has older firmware, as it's been off for a while. I'm going to do some recordings overnight to see if that works. I'm running Player Version 1.231.10 (iPhone app), Firmware version 1.12.18 and Hardware version 2.0.0. How does that compare with your versions? Best, Brian
@@disablemycable David, thanks so much for your reply. I have the same hardware and player version as yours but firmware version 1.12.31. It loads the newest firmware when when I remove and re-add the unit and from what I understand when one unplugs for a while and replugs. I have seen issues on various forums with this newest firmware version. I wish there was a repository of firmware and a way to install via usb. You are WAY more helpful than sling support concerning airtv. Thank you.
@@garrygrabow831 Glad this was helpful. My unit must have updated overnight, since the firmware is now on 1.12.31. Last night's recording worked. We'll see about tonight's. - Brian
@@disablemycable thanks again. After further diagnosis, I determined that 1 of the 2 tuners is on the fritz (half green and pixelated image). I started 2 instances on 2 Apple TVs and then 1 appletv and 1 iphone and only 1 of the 2 channels rendered a good picture. I believe this has something to do with the dvr not working even though I can manage to format it with a very specific sequence. The mystifying part is that I purchased a new AIRTV 2 on Amazon a couple weeks ago and I got the same half green and pixelated screen on playback after I installed and attempted a recording. It is possible I just got a bad unit and both tuners need to be good (or associated circuitry) for the dvr function to work. I really like the AirTv when it works, but I think they may tend to fail after a couple of years. Thanks again.
DVRS Review Major Question: I didn't hear any specific mention of how these DVRs successfully record, when faced with DRM-enabled broadcasts in the currently rolling-out ATSC-3 standard? You mentioned how the first that you reviewed (and the cheapest) created files that were readable on any PC. Was this a DRM-enabled broadcast? The law was interpreted by the Supreme Court, from the days of VCRs, to allow for recordings received as home broadcasts to remain legal and protected for archival purposes by the home user. This is where I fear ATSC-3 is attempting to restrict this legally established right with DRM implementation! Could you please address this very critical issue, in your past, or at least your future broadcast DVR reviews? Thank-you, Paul Martin Atlanta, GA
Hi Paul, Of these units, only the Silicon Dust HD Homerun products support ATSC-3.0, and even those don't support the latest DRM standard according to my understanding. Needless to say, none of my testing was with DRM-enabled broadcasts or ATSC 3.0. From what I've read, ATSC1.0 broadcasts are expected to continue until at least 2026 or perhaps even 2028. But I share your concern about DRM on broadcast TV. More information on ATSC 3 DRM from Lon.TV, with some ways to contact the FCC to complain about DRM: ua-cam.com/video/0NhV5BdEWqo/v-deo.html Another good one from the Antenna Man: ua-cam.com/video/uxnW3ed9yR4/v-deo.html Best, Brian
I have a TiVo Edge and an Amazon Recast. Love the TiVo Edge with Lifetime subscription and have had few issues, on the other hand , Amazon Recast has been very buggy. I believe Amazon will be supporting Recast only thru 2025, after that not sure. But between the two it’s not much of a contest for me…Edge by a mile.
Maybe I missed this but I'm not clear on which products that use WIFI will still work if your internet connection is lost, but WIFI still up. It's clunky but I can watch Fire TV Recast recordings over my WIFI even when I've lost internet connectivity. Sounds like with some that use WIFI and possibly internet as well can play recordings without an internet connection?
That sounds like a streaming channel on your TV, not a broadcast TV channel. The Tablo can record from broadcast PBS, which sometimes does show Antiques Roadshow I believe, if you can get broadcast PBS in your area. - Brian
The latest Tablo no longer has remote viewing. So that leaves you with AirTV basically. HD HomeRun can do it with third-party software, I've heard, but I haven't tested that. - Brian
Cox just cut the cord for me. They discontinued cable service in my area and forced me on to fiber. Their new Contour "DVR" is not a DVR, it's a streamer with some magic "Cloud DVR" functionality. You can get 2, 6, or 24 "tuners" but the whole thing is 100% dependent on having a solid Internet connection; there are no locally-stored recordings. I went looking for a TiVo OTA DVR but it looks like they are all discontinued and existing stocks are sold out. I've had several TiVo DVRs over the years and they are way better than anything else I've seen, but, . . . I guess it's the end of an era.
Saludos, Brian y A quien me quiera ayudar. Compré una barra( stick) streamers marca ONN. Y al tratar de codificar un control remoto para mí t.v. la barra,= streamers estaba encendido y parece que el control remoto cambio el código de la barra( stick) y ahora la barra muestra los canales en la pantalla del t.v.pero el control remoto no responde, Por favor alguien que me ayude a lograr poner a funcionar este control remoto, la barra es gris y el control remoto es blanco y muy sencillo. El sistema de voz tampoco funciona....Bendiciones a todos... Santiago, P.R..
My dads biggest complaint with his first Iview was it didnt record /playback programs in close caption.. I pick him up the iview 3 which he said did cc for a month then it stopped so he returned it...Do all of these play back recordings with CC available . He does not own a smart tv just a reg lcd. Thanks
I have not tried CC myself (something to add when I update these articles), but apparently Tablo Gen 4 and AirTV do support closed captions: support.tablotv.com/hc/en-us/articles/18136635263636-How-to-Enable-Closed-Captions-CC-on-the-4th-Generation-Tablo#:~:text=On%20Tablo%20apps%20except%20for,see%20a%20toggle%20for%20captions. www.airtv.net/help-how-to/articles/how-to-enable-closed-captions-airtv-player.aspx
You just have to fast forward past them. The Tablo Gen 4 is really good at that. AirTV2, not so much because there is so much delay when you try to fast forward.
Airtv 2 was horrible. The Dvr interface faced constantly. It would recognize the hard drive, format it successfully and minutes later the screen would say no hard drive connected. In addition, the channels had an intermittent picture that froze every few seconds. That flaw included the online channels. No amount of resetting worked. The box is useless!! Don’t waste your money! The new tablo was equally horrible. My tv scansoved twenty great, clear channels. The new (white, round) tablo only scanned seven. And the pictures were horrible. Tablo used to be a good brand. Too bad they’ve gone to the dogs. Once again, don’t waste your money!
I do not suggest you put any of these solid state devices in your attic as the summer heat will fry the electronics. Unless you live on either pole! Good Luck to you.
I need a remote for my TV. Using my phone is not an advantage for me. I need to stay away from my phone and rest my brain from it and watch entertainment...
All of these DVRs can be used without a phone (at least, after setup). TiVo and Mediasonic have come with a remote. You can control Tablo, AirTV, and HDHomerun through a Roku app using the Roku remote.
I disliked this video which left a lot of questions in my mind. Lots of things were left off and did not show much on channel guide which is super important. I use the Table quad which has a pricey monthly charge for 14 day channel guide.
Check out the more detailed reviews on my blog: www.disablemycable.com/dvrs/. If you want to get rid of the channel guide fee, you can check out the new Tablo, though it only has 2 tuners: ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html
F tivo...had one when they first came out...spent 250$ for 'lifetime' subscription...then they got bought out by Phillips and they wouldn't honor my paid subscription.....they suck.
I just ran across your channel and really like it. However, two weeks ago I purchased a Tablo Quad DVR, and I've had an excellent experience with it receiving all of my local stations here in San Diego. Before getting the Tablo, I was using an Amazon Recast for dvr and sending out signal to four TVs in my house. I'm also using a Televes Dinova Boss antenna which I had professionally installed. The problem was that I was only getting a few channels on my Recast as well as when the antenna was plugged directly into my Vizio TV. I had the antenna installer return a while later to relocate the antenna which improved reception some, but I still wasn't getting al of my local channels. When I set up my Tablo two weeks ago, its tuner picked up all of my local channels perfectly and has been doing so ever since, and that's without me making any adjustments to the antenna's location. So I'm wondering if Tablo has updated and improved their tuners since you last tested one. I'm completely satisfied with my Tablo Quad and would highly recommend it over the Recast and the internal TV tuner as well. The Tablo has resolved all of my issues with getting local TV.
Hi Ronald, thanks so much for sharing! Yes, it's quite possible Tablo improved their tuners, as I got mine quite a few years ago. That's really good to know - thanks again!! - Brian
0:00 Standalone DVR Recorder. Low cost.
3:00 Added benefit, removable hardrive that your computer will recognize.
So glad you showed the AirTV!! I've been using the AirTV anywhere for about 2-3 years and really like it. One of my favorite features is that if I'm out and about and someone tells me about a show or a game that I'd like to see, but I know I'm not going to be home, I can just whip out my phone and go to the app and set it up to record with just a click. So convenient and easy. Also, with the AirTV anywhere, you can watch on up to 4 different devices at once.
Thanks for sharing! Yeah, remote viewing is a huge feature that works well on AirTV! - Brian
Air TV is a great option, I went from a TiVo to the air TV anywhere. It’s so easy to use for the entire house and while traveling.
Silicon Dust really disappoints me, I buy there hardware and supply my own hard drive and they want to charge me a subscription to use my own things. I still have my HD Homerun, but I run it through NextPVR software. Its complete with TV guide, recording, multi-room viewing, and access via my cell phone when I am out and about, and you don't pay a cent.
Yeah, I hate recurring fees as well. Thanks for the info about NextPVR! - Brian
The generic DVRs [at the number 5 ranking], of which Homeworx is one of them, comes from an electronics manufacturer in Shenzhen, China.
Years ago I found a Shenzhen company website that displayed all sorts of different style box designs, with the accompanying remote control all looking the same.
That particular Shenzhen manufacturer explained the parameters for offering them for export/sale: You needed to place a minimum order of 1K units; select the design style of box the DVR would be; and specify the brand name and logo to go on the DVR and remote control.
Discovering that, then it made sense why Homeworx, QFX, Ematic, NAXA, and other DVR brands were identical [or nearly so], as all those brands came from the same manufacturer.
The reliability of them varies, anywhere from six months to four years. Heat affects their life, as the warmer the conditions are, the shorter life they have. The low cost of the generic DVRs makes it possible to have spares for immediate replacement when one expires.
I've been using the low-dollar generic DVRs, of various brands mentioned above, for seven years; all with the same style remote, but with the function buttons arranged differently among the different brand names of the DVRs.
The on-screen interface of several DVR brands are identical [or nearly so]. One major difference is that some brands denotes AM and PM times, while others use the 24 hour clock.
One word of caution when using the DVR for time-shift recording: The TV station has to display the EPG [Electronic Program Guide] with the DVR; as when the EPG does not display, the timer cannot be set.
There are some low-budget TV stations subchannels that won't pay the subscription fee for the EPG, so DVR time-shift recordings cannot be made with those TV stations. Instead, the TV show recordings have to be done manually at the time of the broadcast.
The recording storage device you may consider is with the Samsung external SSD of 1 TB capacity. I've recorded and played back thousands of hours for many years with them, with only a handful of recording/playback issues when using them over the years. Formatting the SSD with the DVR is essential, with using the NTFS format, as the FAT32 has file size limit.
What's recorded on the Samsung SSD can be saved to other external hard drives as a means to build a video library.
I've had a few of these too, and "when they expire" is a funnily entertaining way to say it, heh! But yes, sadly they don't all last very long. Some have better remote controls than others, though. So it's interesting that they all come from the same factory, because if that's the case then they should be able to make all the RCs as good as their best one. However, one thing you said that isn't true: We actually CAN set manual timer recordings. You just have to go into showing the list (even if none are set), then click "ADD." There's your manual option ready to go! So if you had (menu-driven) VCR setting figured out, then once you get into that menu of these, you good to go here too!
Thanks for info. Trying to figure out what I want.
Great info. I still have my Fire TV Recast and it too has it's problems but until it dies...
The Homeworx DVR has a nice additional feature, you can position your antenna with the meter built into the device. I only use this for positioning my antenna. I use Tablo for my DVR. Yes, the remote for Homeworx is not the best.
Thanks for sharing! Yes, totally agree with your points. - Brian
We're currently trying to resuscitate our DTVPal that I got almost 15 years ago, and it has almost more features and has a simple interface that even these new products don't seem to have. It's wild how the feature set for these has almost shrunk over time.
What's surprising to me is how my old DTV converter box could change channels almost instantly. Today, DTV tuners (no conversion required) are so slow that "channel surfing" is almost impossible. A few years ago, Broku broke their ota interface making it almost unuseable. They didn't care. They don't make money from people watching OTA. They want people to watch something for which Broku gets a cut of the loot.
I don't think anyone wants OTA to work now. Anyone who might try to use it faces a predatory antenna market (the ftc doesn't care). One person has a bad experience (with a scammy 3000 mile "panel" antenna). They tell 20 others. In my area, the broadcast "guide" info is inaccurate 50% of the time. And then, tuners are incredibly under-engineered (low signal strength; slow operation). ATCS 3.0 is looking like a crazy train. I don't think anyone in power wants it to work.
Just a thought for folks that would like to watch their content "away from the house", and your DVR doesnt support it. If your router (or other device on your LAN) supports some type of VPN, that can resolve that problem. For example, I have a pfSense firewall, with the WireGuard package installed. My Android phone and Windows laptop also have WireGuard. Once connected remotely, i have access to all LAN devices.
Great idea, thanks for sharing! - Brian
Great review Brian. I saw your articles regarding this subject and your videos are awesome too.
Just a note:
TiVo discontinued the Edge for Antenna. Channel Master no longer sells it and TiVo and Channel Master support emails have verified this with me. It's disappointing because TiVo Edge looked like the best option my needs.
Sadly, this is era of OTA DVR seems like it's going to short lived, I'm assuming the powers that be will not allow us to benefit from this type of function for long.
Thanks so much! Yeah, I just heard someone say that so I've updated my articles accordingly. I'll try making a new video as well. Thanks for confirming!! - Brian
@@disablemycable I think its fairly clear, that those cutting the cord are not in the market for OTA tech. Hence why the majority of the OTA tuners are all those generic "re-branded" tuners with all the exact same platform, box, inputs, outputs".
As someone who has cut the cord, I have to admit, the promise of better signal and free content, its not really true. So its really for a lot of us cutting the cord, the "local channel" fall back, and all the other content often broadcast in 480p, its more the "stop-gap" solution, and we are using streaming for most of our dedicated viewing.
Now - to be said, most of cable is garbage as well, except if you like sports.
Our TIVO Roamio OTA died last week. After updating myself on current products, I decided I will attempt to repair the Roamio hoping it will last until someone has a new model that isn't a downgrade. We like our Roamio a lot and really hope we don't have to settle for the current offerings.
I'm in the same quandry. Love the old Roamio w the lifetime subscription & unsure how to go about trying to repair. If you find a resource, please share. TY!
@@chewbacca5986 Soooo...I watched a couple videos and read some forum threads on repairing the Roamio and ended up ordering a new hard drive, fan, and power supply. I decided I should connect the new power supply first, just to make sure it (the power supply) worked, since it is a cheap chinese product. There were several comments in forums that stated the 2 amp power supply provided with the DVR just barely meets the requirements of the DVR and recommended upsizing slightly, so I purchased a 3 amp power supply. I plugged it in, the TIVO rebooted, and it worked perfectly. There had been a number of little glitchy things that developed during the previous year that I attributed to software glitches...they were all corrected with the new power supply. And, some reception issues that had been gradually getting worse were corrected as well.
Since it worked like new after the power supply upgrade, I decided not to install the hard drive and fan and returned them.
Repair video:
ua-cam.com/video/XdmB7B1d24I/v-deo.html
Here is what I ordered from Amazon:
Facmogu 3 Prong DC 12V 3A 36W AC to DC Power Adapter, Desktop Adpater with 5.5x2.1mm & 2.5mm, 12V Power Switching Transformer, 12 Volt 3 Amp Power Supply Converter with 9.84ft/ 3m in Total Length
I tested with my Fluke meter before hooking up to the DVR and got 12.9VDC with no load.
WeaKnees TiVo Roamio Replacement Fan Kit for Base Roamio and Roamio OTA - Includes Tools
Western Digital 3TB WD Red Plus NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD30EFRX
I read comments that indicate 3TB is the largest HD that will work without doing some geeky stuff. If you have a tech person in your orbit to help you, a larger hard drive may work.
Again, I never installed the hard drive or fan, just the power supply. I tried posting amazon links in a separate reply, but I don't think UA-cam allows them.
Good Luck!!!
@@chewbacca5986 If the unit died, its quite possibly a power supply problem, replacing that may get you going. If it seems like the hard drive died, buy a new similar unit and just pop it in. Roamio and above are nice because they will auto-format the drive. Then its just a matter of setting up your season passes
@@TheTubecrap ok, have you done it before? The roamio started freezing, couldn't change channels, as your message states, could be the power supply. I'll need to hook it back up to confirm its status. Darn, there are recorded programs, I want to copy to new drive, if the old HD is almost hosed!
Wish Tivo still have new Roamio lifetime subscription OTA hardware avail for purchase. Seems Channelmaster is involved now... Tivo OTA Roamio has been the best, have since checked out few current reviews, and it seems none of the current new OTA hardware on the market is as good as the OTA Roamio!
ROAMIO, ROAMIO, WHERE ART THOU ROAMIO??? Deeply miss you Roamio!!
@@chewbacca5986 I haven't had to replace a power supply but I did upgrade my hard drive after the warranty expired. It originally had a 512G drive if I recall. I bought a 2T drive and just swapped them. The Tivo OS is located in solid state memory, so no need to load it on the drive. When the system first boots, it will recognize that the drive needs to be formatted and it will take care of it. If I recall correctly, you will need a set of those Torx bits to open up the Tivo box.
I am very glad to find this video...I have the Fire Recast (which I love) and dread the day it finally conks out. I think the "AirTV Anywhere" is going to be the replacement when the Recast becomes kaput.
Hi Duane, yeah, I think that is your best bet, especially if you don't want to pay the monthly fee for the Tablo channel guide. - Brian
I have the fire tv recast and still works, but air tv anywhere will be my number one pick too .
This is just what I’m looking for thank you I just cut the cable and just wanted to record my local tv news
Great! Check out Tablo Gen 4, my new #1 pick (as long as you don't need to be able to view away from home): ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html&lc=UgzQLGjKrt77fbanz754AaABAg
Great video, hard to find updated info on DVR for cord cutters
Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned, I'm testing out the brand new Gen 4 Tablo now. It could become my new #1 DVR recommendation. Blog post and video will be coming soon. - Brian
A Very well done video. The Tablo has upgraded since the video. Oh Yes... TABLO. Please correct. Thanks
Thank you for the info. I was so disappointed in the Tablo Dual Lite's tuner. It was only able to find 7 of the 40+ channels my original tuner had found (and none of the local channels on which NFL games are broadcast). I'm brand new to cord-cutting, so I'm not super comfortable and don't want to try dvr after dvr. i just want to be able to record all the nfl games so i can watch those aired simultaneously and skip commercials.
Yeah, before you purchase anything else, try these tips to get better reception with your existing antenna and DVR: ua-cam.com/video/eYcOPGVv6Jo/v-deo.html
The Airtv2 is great the added streaming channels include news movies and cult Classics they have recently committed to FREESTREAM. It feels most like cable and you can setup favorites and filter out all the channels you'll never watch and yet have access to them easily.
Agreed, thanks for sharing Elliott! - Brian
Do these also have to have the antenna
Recording OTA with Airtv2 is NOT working, at present. I’ve spent weeks troubleshooting and Sling now admits they are experiencing problems. OTA recordings are unwatchable, and setting a recorded program errors out after a few hours. The only way to get it to record the totally unwatchable recording is to reset and start from scratch.
@@neorandy Thanks for the head's up!
Original Tivo was designed to work with OTA broadcast. I then had a Tivo that worked with DirectTV Satellite (way before AT&T screwed it up)
I have both the Mediasonic and AirTV2. The AirTV2 is great, but am thinking of also installing the mediasonic directly to my SamsungTV to see which tuner pulls in the channels better.
Hi Louis, that is a valid test! Let me know what you find out! - Brian
@@disablemycable Will do :)
Tablo has released Gen 4 version of their Tablo and it does not require a subscription and it also includes a number of free streaming channels that can be recorded.
Yup, thanks for mentioning that! My review of Tablo Gen 4 is here: ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html - Brian
I bought one of these. It's a Mediasonic. It works OK for recording but it won't bring in all the channels that I have with just the TV. I lost 3 channels with it. Then the remote is VERY hard to use as the buttons are so small. Wish I had bought another brand. I do like the signal meter feature on it as it helped with aiming my antenna.
Thanks for sharing! - Brian
Are any of these ATSC 3.0 compatible? Not sure when my locals will make the change, but would be nice to have it ready.
Out of the units I reviewed, only this HDHomeRun DVR is ATSC 3.0 compatible: amzn.to/3U27kf8
Just wondering why you ignored ATSC 3.0 in your ranking
@@chriscortopassi9289 I don't think ATSC 3.0 is quite there yet. Of course that will change in the future, but now I don't think the average Joe should get an HD Homerun over a Tablo or AirTV just because of ATSC 3.0. Of course, TV enthusiasts will disagree.
Great review, Brian; very helpful info. You said that one of the downsides to the Tivo was paid content mixed into the channel guide. Is it possible to remove those channels in the Channel Setup so they just do not appear on the channel guide? Also it is unclear whether it is possible to watch remotely in another room. Can this be done using a Fire stick or Roku? Thanks
Thanks Michael! To clarify, the channel guide just shows your over the air stations, which is good. I was talking about the "What to Watch" grid which shows recommended upcoming shows. I wish there was a mode to only see OTA shows in that mode (which Tablo does by default). There is no way to filter this.
A TiVo Roku app was announced, but to this day I haven't been able to find it in the Roku or Amazon Fire TV app stores. You can watch in a non-Chrome browser though. Not sure if that includes the browser in the Amazon Fire TV...
More info here:
www.disablemycable.com/blog/tivo-edge-for-antenna-dvr/
The TV tuner in my TV is not working so I need a NEW TV tuner. Which one of these devices would you use that comes with remote for watching live antenna TV and DVR ?
I would say Tablo Gen 4 is best. It's not perfect, but it's the best compromise out of the bunch. More info: www.disablemycable.com/tablo-gen-4/
Caution if you update firmware no file access. Meaning can’t move file to PC. This was ViewTV like 5(least preferred). Also AirTv2 never allowed export of file ie. MP2 or whatever. Not sure if drive format or Guessing they’ll all go to some type of DRM. Additionally AirTv2 was properly installed, however died after about 18 months usage. Guide was about 6 on scale on 1-10, my opinion. Sling app does have a lot of channels and good pricing. Best was U-Verse then DTV conventional ( before stream) albeit cost prohibitive…early TiVo was 10 out of 10, however that was pre HD😀 Thanks for the info…
I just tried the new Tablo Gen 4 and it was very disappointing. The guide looked great but on the 25 local channels I can pick up in my area 9 did not completely show on the guide. It listed the channels but no info on the show itself. So I couldn't watch those channels. And on the ones I could watch recording was a problem on a few channels. It might record part of the program and stop. The indoor antenna I used worked perfectly when connected to the tv itself. I could watch anything on the 25 channels w/o hiccups. So I'm returning mine. I saw on the Tablo member forums many had the same problems as me so it wasn't just my environment.
For the HD Home run, do you still need to pay for their channel guide if you're using Plex or Jellyfin?
I don't think so.
I ordered the Tablo Quad OTA 1TB DVR, hoping we like it. Going to cancel DirecTv STREAM
Great! I think you'll like it. - Brian
@@disablemycable thanks, sure hope so. This will be the first time we haven't had satellite, or streaming as far back as I can remember. I just finally realized, the only thing I was watching on DIRECTV stream was locals and Reelz, which I can get on Peacock
Are any of these able to watch a show as it's recording? Sometimes I start watching a live sporting event an hour after it starts.
Hi Michael, this is a great question. I tested this on the Tablo Gen 4 and unfortunately, you can't watch a program that is being recorded from the beginning; you can only watch it from the point that you started watching it. You have to wait until the recording ends to watch it from the beginning. I've updated my website with this information and I'll test the other DVRs and let you know. www.disablemycable.com/tablo-gen-4/ - Brian
I justed tested AirTV 2 and it won't do it either. If you try to watch a show as it's recording, you can only go back to where you started watching, not to the beginning. Updated here: www.disablemycable.com/airtv2/
HD Homerun user support is great. Easy to reach via email, respond soon, and have resolved my issues. Sometimes the resolution is explaining things. Documentation is poor.
Thanks for sharing! - Brian
i like my tivo edge works for me I got a lifetime sup.
Hi Brian, do you know if I can hook up any of these boxes to my Denon AVR - X1200W receiver? So I want to go from my Antenna using coaxial cable to the Air TV2 box. Then from the Air TV2 box to my receiver via HDMI, Then from my receiver to my Samsung HD TV via HDMI cable. Do you know if it will work if I do pass through my Denon AVR - X1200W receiver before I go to my tv?
I don't see why it wouldn't work, as the Air TV2 has a standard HDMI output, but I can't say for sure since I've never tried it. Best, Brian
Great video Brian. Sad to hear the Tablo deal is no longer lifetime as I was impressed by your video on it at the time. Great rundown of the best options though. Great job 👍🏻👏🏻
Thank you Chris!! - Brian
I have a Tablo Quad and loved it until it just stopped working. The customer service and tech support are the worst. All they do is blame my network despite that EVERY DEVICE in my home, cameras, door locks, Echo devices, etc. are working fine. My Mediasonic HomeWorx ATSC Digital Converter Box with TV Tuner, TV Recording, USB Multimedia Function (HW-150PVR-Y22) doesn't have the fancy guide but it works great.
Sounds like it simply went bad, maybe due to heat. Glad the Mediasonic is working for you! - Brian
Sling is now ONLY selling the AirTV 2 if you buy 3 months of Sling subscription raising the price to $49 plus a minimum of $120. And other party sellers have correspondingly increased their prices. Way to go sling. Chill a good deal
I'm still seeing the AirTV 2 on sale on Amazon for $69.99! amzn.to/3MFCGoz
Great descriptions and pros and cons.
To be clear, to use Tablo or AirTV, one needs a smart tv to stream to. i.e. Hardwire to NON-smart tv is not possible. Correct?
You either need a compatible smart TV, or you can use a streaming device such as a Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, or iOS device (but not Apple TV yet). There is also a Roku app but the bugs are being worked out as we speak. With a streaming device you can watch your recordings on a non smart TV. - Brian
I like the Tivo because of the size which looks much better in my rack, the interface is the best, it supports ATSC 3.0 and supports all the streaming services. I don't need or want the DVR option. IMO the DVR option is what is slowing down ATSC 3.0 implementation due to copy right issues working through the legal system and bureaucracy.
Thanks for sharing! I agree the TiVo user interface is great. I don't think it supports ATSC3.0 though: www.tivocommunity.com/threads/does-the-tivo-edge-for-antenna-support-atsc-3-0.573705/#post-12480645 If I'm wrong, please point me to documentation that states that! - Brian
@@disablemycable I read that on the specs from the Channel Master website over a year ago when I first became interested. I can no longer find that on the website. I don't know if was a mistake that was eventually corrected or what happened. I'm glad I didn't jump on the purchase though because I'd probably be very disappointed.
Nevertheless, I still like the Tivo even if it's not NextGen but I just can't see myself paying a subscription fee for the program menu. It's starting to look like ATSC 3.0 is just a fantasy. I'll just have to be content with my tv built in tuner. There are no stand alone tuners that appeal to me in design.
Can I use one of these to record a cable programing or record video that I already have recorded on a cable DVR? Thanks. I would like to dump a cable service, but before that I would like to record some old programs from a history channel and such.
Unfortunately, no. These only record from live broadcast TV. - Brian
9:40 is a fee something new? I've had a Silicon dust Scribe for years and there is no fee.
(I use the HDHR app on mac and windows)
Interesting, thanks for sharing. I don't know the history of the DVR fee. Maybe the fee was a recent change like you said.
Lots of great info, but wish you mentioned how many tuners are in each box. Can I schedule 4 overlapping shows?
With the 4-tuner version of the Tablo Gen 4 and with the AirTV Anywhere, you can schedule 4 overlapping shows. The HD HomeRun Scribe has four tuners, 2 of which are ATSC 3.0, but I'm not sure if you can record on all four at the same time (I assume so but haven't found confirmation). The TiVo Edge for Antenna just has two tuners.
@@disablemycable great info, appreciate it!
I just got a HDHR Flex 4k on he premise that ATSC 3.0 is a better signal and it could allow me to get my local ABC without any crazy antenna placement. $35 per year is not a lot for a DVR + guide service and I might pay it if I don't get what I want out of the free version of the HDHR app. As far as Silicon Dust has published in their FAQ page, the free version of the app only allows up to 60 minute pause, 5 minute rewinding (not sure if that's total or per rewind), and 24 hours(not sure if that's consecutive or 1 calendar day at a time) of guide info. I tried an Onn Chromecast with Google TV 4k on my TV but even though my TV and 5.1 system are both 4k HDR certified, the Onn box won't present that to the apps. Is there a streaming device that I can get that isn't an Amazon device that has both Plex and the HDHR app that will do both 4k and 5.1 with no known issues? I might be willing to go Roku but Silicon Dust don't recommend it.
I don't know of one. If anyone else reading this knows, please chime in!
Is there something that can take OTA and stream to a networked computer?
I was thinking of an Amazon Recast, but can the DVR recording and LiveTV be streamed to my PC? I imagine I could plug in a FireTV stick onto some USB/HDMI grabber but that seems unnecessarily complicated!
Hi Ben, yes, with a Tablo, you can watch live TV or your recordings on your computer's browser. Same with AirTV. - Brian
If my TV has an internal antenna and am able to receive over the air broadcast. Why would I need to buy this? I don't have a desire to record. Thank you!
I've never heard of a TV with an internal antenna. But if everything's working well for you, no need to buy this! - Brian
TIVO IS THE BEST THEY HAVE THE EDGE, BOLT, ROAMIO, PREMIERE AND SERIES 3 FOR OTA ANTENNA
Thanks for the video. My Roamio just croaked and I don't want to buy the lifetime service again. I want to try one of these. Do any of them have a 30 second skip like the roamio?
None of the others have the great 30-second skip that TiVo has. I love that feature as well. However, the Tablo Gen 4 has very snappy fast forwarding so you probably won't miss the 30-second skip too much. The fast-forwarding on the AirTV takes forever so I would avoid that one if this is important to you. - Brian
I and many others (after reading and joining forums) have been unable to record with the airtv 2. Mine worked for almost 2 years then went south about 2-3 months ago. Tried 3 external drives and even bought a new airtv2 and it would not work - even if I got to the point were it indicated the drive was formatted. I believe it is due to the current firmware. Any news on this front? Can yours still record. Thanks and good video.
Hi Garry,
Thanks for letting me know. I fired up my unit and it is still able to play back recordings, but it probably has older firmware, as it's been off for a while. I'm going to do some recordings overnight to see if that works. I'm running Player Version 1.231.10 (iPhone app), Firmware version 1.12.18 and Hardware version 2.0.0. How does that compare with your versions?
Best,
Brian
@@disablemycable David, thanks so much for your reply. I have the same hardware and player version as yours but firmware version 1.12.31. It loads the newest firmware when when I remove and re-add the unit and from what I understand when one unplugs for a while and replugs. I have seen issues on various forums with this newest firmware version. I wish there was a repository of firmware and a way to install via usb. You are WAY more helpful than sling support concerning airtv. Thank you.
@@garrygrabow831 Glad this was helpful. My unit must have updated overnight, since the firmware is now on 1.12.31. Last night's recording worked. We'll see about tonight's. - Brian
@@disablemycable thanks again. After further diagnosis, I determined that 1 of the 2 tuners is on the fritz (half green and pixelated image). I started 2 instances on 2 Apple TVs and then 1 appletv and 1 iphone and only 1 of the 2 channels rendered a good picture. I believe this has something to do with the dvr not working even though I can manage to format it with a very specific sequence. The mystifying part is that I purchased a new AIRTV 2 on Amazon a couple weeks ago and I got the same half green and pixelated screen on playback after I installed and attempted a recording. It is possible I just got a bad unit and both tuners need to be good (or associated circuitry) for the dvr function to work. I really like the AirTv when it works, but I think they may tend to fail after a couple of years. Thanks again.
DVRS Review Major Question:
I didn't hear any specific mention of how these DVRs successfully record, when faced with DRM-enabled broadcasts in the currently rolling-out ATSC-3 standard? You mentioned how the first that you reviewed (and the cheapest) created files that were readable on any PC. Was this a DRM-enabled broadcast?
The law was interpreted by the Supreme Court, from the days of VCRs, to allow for recordings received as home broadcasts to remain legal and protected for archival purposes by the home user. This is where I fear ATSC-3 is attempting to restrict this legally established right with DRM implementation!
Could you please address this very critical issue, in your past, or at least your future broadcast DVR reviews?
Thank-you,
Paul Martin
Atlanta, GA
Hi Paul,
Of these units, only the Silicon Dust HD Homerun products support ATSC-3.0, and even those don't support the latest DRM standard according to my understanding. Needless to say, none of my testing was with DRM-enabled broadcasts or ATSC 3.0.
From what I've read, ATSC1.0 broadcasts are expected to continue until at least 2026 or perhaps even 2028. But I share your concern about DRM on broadcast TV.
More information on ATSC 3 DRM from Lon.TV, with some ways to contact the FCC to complain about DRM: ua-cam.com/video/0NhV5BdEWqo/v-deo.html
Another good one from the Antenna Man: ua-cam.com/video/uxnW3ed9yR4/v-deo.html
Best,
Brian
TiVo!
I have a TiVo Edge and an Amazon Recast. Love the TiVo Edge with Lifetime subscription and have had few issues, on the other hand , Amazon Recast has been very buggy. I believe Amazon will be supporting Recast only thru 2025, after that not sure. But between the two it’s not much of a contest for me…Edge by a mile.
O ok kkpipo ugh o😊😊
Maybe I missed this but I'm not clear on which products that use WIFI will still work if your internet connection is lost, but WIFI still up. It's clunky but I can watch Fire TV Recast recordings over my WIFI even when I've lost internet connectivity. Sounds like with some that use WIFI and possibly internet as well can play recordings without an internet connection?
AirTV and Tablo Gen 4 require Internet to work, unfortunately. HD Homerun might depend on which software you use with it. - Brian
@@disablemycable Thanks
he not was on cordcutters channel?
Haha, no I'm not the same guy who used to host the cordcutters channel. But, I do like that channel! - Brian
@@disablemycable you know :)
can a tablo dvr record roku channel 720(antique roadshow)?is channel 720 considered to be an OTA channel or a streaming channel
That sounds like a streaming channel on your TV, not a broadcast TV channel. The Tablo can record from broadcast PBS, which sometimes does show Antiques Roadshow I believe, if you can get broadcast PBS in your area. - Brian
The big question is which one besides the Tablo that will allow remote access to watch recorded shows on the DVR from a remote location?
The latest Tablo no longer has remote viewing. So that leaves you with AirTV basically. HD HomeRun can do it with third-party software, I've heard, but I haven't tested that. - Brian
Cox just cut the cord for me. They discontinued cable service in my area and forced me on to fiber. Their new Contour "DVR" is not a DVR, it's a streamer with some magic "Cloud DVR" functionality. You can get 2, 6, or 24 "tuners" but the whole thing is 100% dependent on having a solid Internet connection; there are no locally-stored recordings. I went looking for a TiVo OTA DVR but it looks like they are all discontinued and existing stocks are sold out. I've had several TiVo DVRs over the years and they are way better than anything else I've seen, but, . . . I guess it's the end of an era.
The cheap boxes are still on Amazon. They are good enough for most folks
Saludos, Brian y A quien me quiera ayudar. Compré una barra( stick) streamers marca ONN. Y al tratar de codificar un control remoto para mí t.v. la barra,= streamers estaba encendido y parece que el control remoto cambio el código de la barra( stick) y ahora la barra muestra los canales en la pantalla del t.v.pero el control remoto no responde, Por favor alguien que me ayude a lograr poner a funcionar este control remoto, la barra es gris y el control remoto es blanco y muy sencillo. El sistema de voz tampoco funciona....Bendiciones a todos... Santiago, P.R..
My dads biggest complaint with his first Iview was it didnt record /playback programs in close caption.. I pick him up the iview 3 which he said did cc for a month then it stopped so he returned it...Do all of these play back recordings with CC available . He does not own a smart tv just a reg lcd. Thanks
I have not tried CC myself (something to add when I update these articles), but apparently Tablo Gen 4 and AirTV do support closed captions: support.tablotv.com/hc/en-us/articles/18136635263636-How-to-Enable-Closed-Captions-CC-on-the-4th-Generation-Tablo#:~:text=On%20Tablo%20apps%20except%20for,see%20a%20toggle%20for%20captions. www.airtv.net/help-how-to/articles/how-to-enable-closed-captions-airtv-player.aspx
Having said this, I don't know if either player will actually RECORD closed captions... will have to try it out some time.
HDHomeRun does not have an HDMI port. For my AV setup, that's a showstopper.
How much is the channel guide. Im tird of all the fees period
Yeah, agreed. The channel guide on the Air TV and Tablo Gen 4 are free! - Brian
How do you remove commercials on the recordings
You just have to fast forward past them. The Tablo Gen 4 is really good at that. AirTV2, not so much because there is so much delay when you try to fast forward.
The new release Tablo won't let you access the recorded shows from a remote location.
Yes, that is correct. That's probably the biggest bummer of the new Tablo. See my latest review here: ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html - Brian
Can an of these solutions capture a streaming media box via hDMI?
No, these are for recording from an antenna only.
Any that works in Europe? Hevc
Sorry, I don’t think these work in Europe
Airtv 2 was horrible. The Dvr interface faced constantly. It would recognize the hard drive, format it successfully and minutes later the screen would say no hard drive connected. In addition, the channels had an intermittent picture that froze every few seconds. That flaw included the online channels. No amount of resetting worked. The box is useless!! Don’t waste your money!
The new tablo was equally horrible. My tv scansoved twenty great, clear channels. The new (white, round) tablo only scanned seven. And the pictures were horrible. Tablo used to be a good brand. Too bad they’ve gone to the dogs. Once again, don’t waste your money!
I do not suggest you put any of these solid state devices in your attic as the summer heat will fry the electronics. Unless you live on either pole! Good Luck to you.
10/23/2023 - Why don't you say the date when you say "As of this video?"
Put in your Attic, really
Yup!
I need a remote for my TV. Using my phone is not an advantage for me. I need to stay away from my phone and rest my brain from it and watch entertainment...
All of these DVRs can be used without a phone (at least, after setup). TiVo and Mediasonic have come with a remote. You can control Tablo, AirTV, and HDHomerun through a Roku app using the Roku remote.
Tablo is the cheapest plastic piece of crap . TIVO is the highest quality and easiest to use
I disliked this video which left a lot of questions in my mind. Lots of things were left off and did not show much on channel guide which is super important. I use the Table quad which has a pricey monthly charge for 14 day channel guide.
Check out the more detailed reviews on my blog: www.disablemycable.com/dvrs/. If you want to get rid of the channel guide fee, you can check out the new Tablo, though it only has 2 tuners: ua-cam.com/video/PMs_y-ghiOc/v-deo.html
F tivo...had one when they first came out...spent 250$ for 'lifetime' subscription...then they got bought out by Phillips and they wouldn't honor my paid subscription.....they suck.
Excellent, excellent EXCELLENT review.
YTube agorithm sent me here. For once it wasn't liberal, woke, crap.
Sub'd.
Glad you found my video helpful! Many thanks for the comment! - Brian