My family's VCR seems to be on its last legs... it's losing quality in the recordings that it makes, playback is getting fuzzy, and it's just generally being cranky. Right now, we just hook up either my Dad's PowerBook or my own iBook to the TV when we want to play DVDs -- which annoys me because it basically precludes me using my computer if I want to watch a DVD.
My mom wants to just get another VCR and screw the new-fangled technology. My dad wants to get a combo VCR/DVD player. I'm trying to convince them that it's time to join the digital age, but they're just glaring at me whenever I mention that.
Cost is admittedly an issue, and they're not eager for an extra monthly charge for some service just to record our TV shows. The TiVo website seems bent on selling its monthly service with every box. Comcast apparently wants us to upgrade to digital cable before we can get one of their own DVRs.
What kind of options are there (that you've had experience with), that will let us record new TV shows, record and play back DVDs, and (maybe) let us play our legacy VHS tapes until they finally rot away are become unwatchable? How much could we expect to pay for such a setup, and are there options for going without a monthly service plan (i.e. just refer to your newspaper's TV guide or something)?
Any assistance would be useful in helping to convince my parents that we don't have to keep living in the stone age of VHS recording... Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Depending on whether or not your parents are wanting to stick with cable, you could look into satellite TV. Most providers offer a DVR integrated into a receiver. You need only pay your monthly programming fee, which should include a guide.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
We'll be almost certainly sticking with cable, because we also get our broadband Internet service through Comcast. I doubt that my parents want to shake things up that much. (Comcast also gives a bit of a discount when you're subscribed to both their TV service and to broadband, if that's worth anything...)
Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :
You build a cheap computer with a DVD drive, a decent sized hard drive and a nice TV tuner card. Buy a cheap VCR. Probably cost around $300.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Hahaha! Omega made a funny. You can't build a computer for $300. Not a real computer, anyway. Not one that I would trust with recording my favorite television programs. You need a Mac for that!
(Okay, sorry; I know I asked for advice. Actually, I did consider going the computer route, but that probably would cost as much or more than a TiVo DVR/DVD-R plus monthly service. And I have zero experience with building/running/admin-ing a Windows machine, nor do I want such experience.)
But I checked around on Amazon.com, and see that we can get a cheap-ass VCR for about $40 or so, so that's an easy way out for that particular issue, anyway...
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
There are plenty of instructions out there on how to roll your own Tivo, as the kids put it.
I've heard about that Linu-Xbox too while researching making a MythTV box. I was never clear about how you got the RF signal into your Xbox. Fry's offers a Lindows box (40GB HD) for $199. Then you need a compatible TV card w/ Linux drivers (not ATI-AIW). Then you just need to know Linux and, oh yeah, you'd have to want to record things on cable. I suspect that MinutiaeMan is right. It'd wind up costing as much as TiVo with service and be MUCH more work.
The thing with a lot of the DVR-R component devices is they are single layer. And slowly but surely dual layer burners are making their way into computers (not Macs yet, grr). Which means they'll be in components soon too.
Honestly, your folks are probably better off buying a $99 DVD player/VCR doodad and getting TiVo later if they feel like they need/want it. You can buy a lifetime subscription to TiVo but I understand it's expensive.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Dude, fight the power!
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
I don't really know (or understand) the lay of US TV-land, though I get the impression that it is littered with landmines, but surely you could just buy a standalone DVD/HD recorder, hook it up, and, erh, record stuff?
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Oh sure, we could certainly just keep manually programming and recording the shows we want to watch -- and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. Nothing aside from the fact that there's services out there that make the whole thing a whole lot more convenient.
- TiVo Series2 DVR ($100 to $250 after $100 mail-in rebate) -- 40, 80, or 140 hours of recorded video - Humax DRT-800 DVD Recorder with TiVo ($400 after mail-in rebate) -- 80 hours of recorded video, integrated DVD-R/RW burner (and playback) - TiVo monthly service ($13/month, or $300 lifetime of machine) -- 300 � 13 = 23 months = 2 years - Mac mini ($873 - 15% = $742) -- 1.42 GHz G4/80GB hard drive/512 MB RAM/SuperDrive/AirPort/Bluetooth - Mac mini ($773 - 15% = $657) -- 1.25 GHz G4/40GB hard drive/512 MB RAM/SuperDrive/AirPort/Bluetooth - Mac mini ($599 - 15% = $530) -- 1.25 GHz G4/40GB hard drive/256 MB RAM/SuperDrive - Elgato EyeTV Wonder ($150, no monthly fees) -- TV tuner, programmable recording, searchable TV listings, etc.
The most basic TiVo recorder out there costs $200 on its own, or $100 after a rebate when you buy the service plan with it. So basically, the options range from $200 all the way up to $900. A TiVo + DVD recorder would come out to either $500 or $700. And a Mac mini plus an EyeTV would come out to between $700 and $900, depending on the configuration of the Mac.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
$0: Or given that you're already paying for cable, you don't have to feel the least bit guilty by letting someone *else* record it for you
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