DVR discussion

[sweeps]

This topic is not for the ultra-frugal, so if you're the kind who doesn't own a TV or is fine with pulling in local stations from your antenna, this isn't for you.

Anyway, I have digital cable and I've become accustomed to watching everything through DVR. I started with Tivo and have been toying around with Comcast's HD and SD DVRs. All of these options are getting hard to justify in terms of price. The Comcast SD DVR is $7/month, but it's a piece of junk. Tivo is nice and Comcast's HD DVR isn't bad but they're $12-$13/month. That's a lot of money just to record shows.

Any advice on how to save some money or are there other alternatives out there? Thanks

[Elgin526]

I can't help with getting a DVR for less (I have a Comcast HD DVR) but the way I justify the cost is that it's our main source of entertainment. We never go out to movies or shows. So it's just the cable and our $14.99 Netflix subcription. If you're happy with your DVR, maybe look at cutting something else out of your entertainment budget to balance out the cost.

[frugalmomof1]

I use the Comcast HD dual DVR. It only costs me $9.99/month. Since I work nights, I use it a lot!

The only cheaper alternative that I know of is a VCR.

[Ima saver]

I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. But tv is not my "thing"

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Ha-ha-ha, Ima, I have to stay out of this, too, because frugal or not, I don't even know what DVR is. In some respects I'm content to let much of this stuff just flow right on by me. It is as though it were a part of some distant culture-- interesting to hear about, but not what is in my world....

[sweeps]

A DVR is a digital video recorder. It's like a VCR but with no tapes and a lot more features. It keeps track of all the TV shows out there and when they come on. So you can tell it, for example, you want to record all new episodes of American Idol. It records them for you automatically and you can watch them whenever you want, while skipping past the commercials.

[threebeansalad]

We received the Tivo lifetime subscription as a gift before Tivo discontinued the offer (I believe it cost ~$200). I've read that you can purchase other people's unwanted lifetime subscriptions to Tivo on eBay. I don't know anything about the legal issues regarding this-- just passing on what I've heard!

We love Tivo!

[poundwise]

Sweeps, you can get a stand-alone DVD recorder instead. Many of these units have hard drives in various sizes as well as the ability to record to a DVD-R/W, etc.

In this, you get the ability to record, like a VCR, only digitally. All the one's I've ever seen have commercial skip and some, the cool ones, even let you snip out commercials (from the hard drive recording) and burn the show (sans commercials) to a DVD.

This is more costly to start with, obviously, but there is no monthly service charge. The only negative for some is that it doesn't tie-in directly with your digital cable/satellite service.

Alternatively, and the way I prefer, is to get a DVR/PVR card for your PC. If you get a good one, you can record, edit, cut, splice, etc. anything. You can save it as a video file, convert to DivX, or burn to DVD. Most of these cards have outputs to playback to your TV, instead of the computer screen, if preferred, and most of them also have their own Tivo-like TV guide service.

Anyway, that's a couple of ideas. I'd rather pay a price up front than to perpetually pay $12 a month myself.

[jIM_Ohio]

A DVR is a digital video recorder. It's like a VCR but with no tapes and a lot more features. It keeps track of all the TV shows out there and when they come on. So you can tell it, for example, you want to record all new episodes of American Idol. It records them for you automatically and you can watch them whenever you want, while skipping past the commercials.

It is GREAT. ESPN shows soccer matches during the day, they are all recorded, and I watch them when I get time.

We use Direct TV and have our DVR's through them.

We pay $5 extra per month for the one DVR we have. The overall Satellite bill is around $70-80/month, I believe. Covers 3 receivers, 1 DVR and basic service to get my ESPN and wife her channels, plus local channels. We also get every NFL game in the fall for an additional $110. Got to see my Buffalo Bills play.

The biggest "gotcha" when we moved into our current house is that direct TV needs two lines for each DVR. We only had house pre-wired for one line to each of 4 rooms. Conveniently, one of rooms is on first floor and it was easy for the cable guy to run the second line for the dish. We wanted a second DVR, but were not willing to drill more holes in a new house to make it happen.

[sweeps]

Sweeps, you can get a stand-alone DVD recorder instead. Many of these units have hard drives in various sizes as well as the ability to record to a DVD-R/W, etc.

Good suggestion. But a stand-alone unit wouldn't "know" about shows/series, right? You still would have to set recordings based on time (similar to a VCR)?

[MonkeyMama]

Oooh - I need tips. We got a stand-alone TIVO back in 1999 for free and paid $100 or something for lifetime subscription. Now whenever the unit has the slightest malfunction we FREAK out. We have come very accustomed to free TIVO and hope it lasts 10 more years at the least.

We have a stand alone unit and it works the same as the cable/satellite ones you rent. It downloads the TV guide data through your phone line every few days - it is not any more hassle to program or anything.

NOTHING like a VCR - blasphame!

Poundwise has wise advice too. (Though a DVD recorder is a PITA I think). My dh is a total video phile and has a card in his computer. His computer is in essence a DVR as well with HD Quality. He spent $1500 on a very upscale projector and we have a 10 foot wide screen. $1500 may be big bucks but it sure beats a big screen TV - cost and quality. IT was our compromise back in the day when HDTVs were $10k. I told him he could get a projector instead and he now can watch HDTV on a movie-size screen. Just got the computer card thing in the last year or 2.

But if you are happy to burn DVDs or watch it on your computer. I second the video card - the card was inexpensive. With it we have 2 DVRs in essence. PErhaps you can stream it from the computer to your tv - though I wouldn't know.

[sweeps]

NOTHING like a VCR - blasphame!

Haha, I agree a DVR is way better than a VCR. But if you're explaining it to technophobes, you have to start somewhere.

To add another twist to this discussion, I've read in several places that Comcast and Tivo are working together to come up with a Comcast Tivo DVR. How cool would that be.

[zetta]

If you love fiddling with computer stuff there is a program out there that will turn a Linux PC into a DVR. A coworker of mine had it, but I can't remember the name -- something similar to mystery or mystier. It may even be freeware under the gnu license -- I'm sure you could ask around on one of the Linux forums. I couldn't be bothered with it myself so I didn't ask about the details.

[shengmei]

I actually had someone told me it is immoral for me to not get a DVR if I kept staying up to watch late-night TV.


LOL. When is it ever immoral to not get stuff?

[Ima saver]

Joan, I guess we are in the wrong decade now. However, the only thing we ever watch on tv is the old shows on tv land, so who needs all that other stuff?