Next Generation OTA DVRs

[Haywood]

I plan to cut the cord later this year with the help of one of these next generation DVR boxes. What makes these different is that they have no video output at all. They are networked devices that allow you to control and watch TV on Roku, Apple TV, iOS, Android and a variety of other devices. I am leaning toward the four tuner Tablo for $400 (including lifetime guide subscription).

http://www.tablotv.com/

https://www.simple.tv/

 

[Deleted member 133]

I plan to cut the cord later this year with the help of one of these next generation DVR boxes. What makes these different is that they have no video output at all. They are networked devices that allow you to control and watch TV on Roku, Apple TV, iOS, Android and a variety of other devices. I am leaning toward the four tuner Tablo for $400 (including lifetime guide subscription).

http://www.tablotv.com/

https://www.simple.tv/

Which probably means 2-3 years max - given the life expectancy of most such companies.

Jeff

ps. Support my local (Ottawa, Canada) economy, go with the Tablo! (Which explains why they used the CTV and CBC logos on their web pages.)

 

[Towen7]

If these were around a couple of years ago I may not have un-cut the cord. The complication of using a tuner card in my PC and access it from a Windows Media Center extender was just too much of a PITA for the family. It's too bad I took the antenna down otherwise I'd be tempted to give it another shot. I live too far from the OTA transmitters to get away with putting an antenna in the attic.

 

[Haywood]

I have good reason to be optimistic about the life expectancy of these products. Simple.TV in particular has solid partnerships and funding. I also think they are tapping into a potentially huge market of potential cord cutters who don't want to deal with the hassles of HTPC and have higher expectations around place shifting. I myself am interested because Windows Media Center make accessing content from other rooms and locations a huge hassle and my wife doesn't know when to do when a PC problem arises. It is a clunky pain in the ass and I will be quite happy to be shod of it.

 

[Botch]

I also think they are tapping into a potentially huge market of potential cord cutters who don't want to deal with the hassles of HTPC and have higher expectations around place shifting.

I highly resemble that remark. :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Haywood]

I'm holding out until I know where I'm going to be living, as that will impact my choice of antenna. Hopefully, I'll be able to adopt this technology sometime this summer.

 

[Flint]

There is one big issue we are avoiding... the broadcasters will eventually lose their spectrum licenses. The question is one of when, not one of if.

We have limited spectrum available to us to utilize for communications, and the FCC has to ensure it all being used to benefit the country as best they can. Once access to local channels over cable or satellite or internet reached a point where at least 90% of America has easy access to it without antennas, the FCC will take that spectrum away from the broadcasters and use it for other things, like mobile data services, cell phones, emergency, military/defense, and other more important activities.

I doubt we will lose our broadcasters in the next two or three years, but I am pretty sure we will see them all go away in the next 6 to 15 years.

Of course, these things are heavily influenced by politics and investors, so there is no telling when it might happen.

 

[Haywood]

Six to fifteen years is a long time and I am hoping that the same time period will also see the demise of cable TV as we currently know it. I have hopes that Congress will step in and smash any attempts by cable operators to put toll booths on our internet access and that content providers cannot shut out internet companies forever. I know most people are really sick of $200 cable/internet bills.

In the meantime, I'm going to lay out about $500 up front and save at least $30/mo for the foreseeable future. That investment breaks even in less than two years, so I don't see how I can lose.