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G4 Tech TV Reviews Three New HDTV DVRs
Thomas Hawk writes "G4techTV does a review of three of the new HDTV recorders. Noticeably absent is Microsoft's Media Center 2005. The Hughes HD 10-250 gets the highest marks and is the 'G4tech TV Lab Pick.' Although I haven't used the other two HDTV recorders I have to say I would concur on their opinion of TiVo's DirecTV box."
As far as I knew, Media Center Edition doesn't have HD support. Not therefore surprising that they wouldn't include it in their roundup.
(perhaps the author meant that MCE was noticeably absent as an HD-DVR?)
No, really! I'm one of the *good* lawyers!
...and dump all the HD goodness I can record right into my PC...
The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
I don't know. Think about this. PVR's piss off hollywood because you FF through commercials. But, even though you WILL FF through commercials on this also, the commercials will be permantntly burned into a DVD. What sales company wouldn't like the idea of permanent commercials on a DVD?
Call for Help with Leo (now broadcast out of Toronto) and Screen Savers (AKA what happened on slashdot today) and maybe that Martin guy is all I watch on the channel.
It's fairly good but the billions of videogame-related shows are essentially useless.
MCE doesn't yet have HD support. This wasn't a "roundup" of all DVR systems.
No, really! I'm one of the *good* lawyers!
Next week on /. we will see the story: "Major HDTV broadcasters sue HD DVR manufacturers"
My sig would have been a lot cooler if
The folks over at pchdtv.com are now taking orders for the new HD-3000 *linux only* HDTV video capture card.
And yes, they are working on QAM digital cable support for this new card. Here is a nice FAQ about what is new in this card.
MCE doesn't do HD yet, as someone previously stated.
The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
In my neck of the woods there are few HDTV providers - Cogeco (a cable system), and Bell Canada ExpressVu (a satellite system). Both of them use entirely different hardware, and thus my choice of PVR box is dictated by my choice of provider (in my case it would have to be a Motorola DCT6208 or a Bell 6120..whatever manufacturer that is), and if I ponied up the $800CDN or so with one and became disatisfied with the service, I'd have to toss the box in the garbage.
Which is why I chose to rent the box for $20 a month - when the two-tuner version comes out (within the year) I'll do a swap. The point of all of this? I guess that ultimately I am choosing provider and the PVR comes along for the ride.
I've owned one of these for the past two months, and I have to say that I love the box. Video from the HDMI port is impeccable. The Tivo friendliness factor is high as usual. I've not blinked over the high cost of the unit since I fired it up.
Only complaint? The usual slow Guide rendering.
Is it just me, or does the article not even MENTION the Hughes HD 10-250? What is the submitter talking about?
This account has been posting karma whoring and troll posts all day, and in fact has been doing so for the last several months. "Pan T Hose, PhD" (Mr. Pantyhose to you) uses a large sig with the PhD acronym in it in an attempt to garner mod points. This technique has been used by several other fake "PhD" troll posters in the past. This fellow is slightly more subtle sometimes, but if you look at the posts overall, most of them only make a nominal amount of sense and are intended as trolls, flamebait or karma whoring, and do not actually contribute meaningfully to the discussion (as this post, which is based on factually incorrect information mixed with some flamebaiting).
Please mod Mr. Pantyhose accordingly.
I can say the hughes box is very nice. Two tuners, standard direct tv interface, and everything you'd expect from a TiVo. My only complaint is the lack of caller id that some direct tv boxes carry now.
oh... and yeah... $1000
Wow... people still watch Tech TV since the G4 buyout? I never seen the flagship show for a network (TSS) get mutilated like that before, not to mention I could literally feel my brain cells being killed with each promo they showed... felt like I was watching Nickelodeon or something.
Speaking of screen savers WTF is that retarded virtual sports show that screen savers start out with now? What brain dead audience is that aimed at? That show is quickly losing appeal. I find it diffucult to take anything the do seriously anymore...
MCE doesn't yet have HD support.
Actually, it does.
Microsoft pays me $100 per message to post this information, so it must be true.
For more information, click here.
The reviewer mentioned the $10.99 fee for DirecTV's HD package but didn't mention that this box is also fully capable of recording OTA HD programs with no monthly charge. I've had this box since the week it was released and only carried the HD package for about a week but still have plenty of HD recordings each week via OTA channels that I don't pay a dime for.
One of the cons for the Echostar unit is that it can only record 25 hrs of HD content, but that problem isnt mentioned anywhere on the HD DirecTV/Tivo box, even though its got the same sized hard drive. The only difference is that you can go to weaknees and upgrade your HD DirecTV/Tivo and get 70+ hours of HD recording.
The Doormat
If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
I'd say it has more to do with the fact that the Media Center is a piece of software that's being implemented on hardware that ranges from $1000 to $6000 depending on what brand you get... meanwhile this review was limited to settop boxes that are one-size-fits-all kits.
Ostensibly? Really, you might at least check what the words mean before you post them. I realize that you're just trolling/karma whoring, but surely you might take some pride in at least making semantic sense. :b
Bít, zabít, jen proto, ze su liska!
I think equally important in the discussion is the number of channels that will realisticly be offered in the near future.
... especially when you're talking about $1000 for the PVR!
While I'm not OTA, cable, or dish network expert (neither am I a DirecTV expert!), I do know that the launch of DirecTV 7S earlier this year represented a monumental leap forward in bandwidth capability. It's my understanding that the purpose of 7S is to relieve the other birds from their coast-to-coast broacasts (using it's spot-beam technology), thereby freeing up the frequencies for HD content.
From what I read (sorry I can't provide links), the amount of bandwidth 7S brings to the skies above us is enormous, and the intended purpose of the bandwidth is the carrying of HD content.
DirecTV knows that Cable is ramping up HD offerings. Not wanting to fall behind, I'm sure DirecTV will offer more HD channels in the future.
Personally, I'll hold off until 7S starts broadcasting, and wait for DirecTV to offer ESPN, CNN, FOX, etc in HD before I actually sink my credits into a HDTV. Hopefully by that time, prices of HD-TiVO's will have come down (hopefully to $500).
But, I think that contemplating what future offerings will be provided is certainly relevant when discussing which company to go with.
Hope this info helps.
Do it for da shorties
The reviewer is wrong. The Hughes HR10-250 most certainly can output to non-HDCP-compliant sets. In fact, it even comes with a HDMI-to-DVI cable in the box. Just last night I was watching HD stuff on my 20" Dell LCD, using the (non-HDCP) DVI input.
However, if the broadcast flag is ever flipped on (no one's done it yet), then those people using non-HDCP sets will get downres output on DVI.
Perhaps I'll be a little more open to listening to what G4 has to say when their channel ups its contrast. I mean, I've got a couple hundred channels on my digital cable and G4TechTV is the ONLY ONE whose contrast is low.
... you already have a series 2 Tivo, in which case you drop several features, including the home media option.
Every HD PVR out there at the moment has one or more major compromise factors. The first manufacturer to bring a fully featured machine to market really will corner the HTPC market very quickly.
For now I'm sticking with my series 2 until Tivo/DirectTV bring out a series 2 HTDV box OR a tuner card exists for the Microsoft MCE machine. I don't care which comes first...
It works well too... although the only supported cards at the moment are "over the air" HD. Nothing for cable or satellite.
Hah, that will be the day. Now, would someone please explain how they would sue when Time Warner offers the HD DVR service to it's customers? Here in Austin, we provide both the Scientific Atlanta 8000 and 8300 HiDef DVR units.
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Broadcasters WANT ratings. And pissing off Time Warner and Cox cable is not a wise move.
Life is not for the lazy.
Actually, I'm glad the slashdot crowd is modding based on the "PhD" tag. It just goes to show how stupid the mods are in the first place.
I only hope that over time, people will actually READ the post rather then casting their mod points aside so freely based on trust.
This truely is a blessing in disguise.
Note: I'm not in favor of dishonesty, but someone needs to get the message out and make the point be known that fair criticism be applied to all on Slashdot.
Life is not for the lazy.
The DirecTV service fees listed in the article are a bit misleading..
The $10.99/month is for a package of HDTV channels (ESPN-HD, Discovery-HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, Bravo-HD.) You are not required to purchase this package.
For no additional charge, you can record all of your local off-the-air channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, etc.). And, if you have HBO or Showtime, those you automatically get their HD channels as part of your existing package.
What about Scientific America's HD cable dvr? Or Motorola's 6208, or Sony's new DHG-HDD500 and 250?
One option that is important to the Slashdot crowd, but is not listed in the article is creating your own DVR. There are several HDTV PCI cards available that can be used to build your own HD recorder. I have used one for the last two years to record all kinds of OTA HD material for free.
Some of the options:
- pchdtv.com HD-2000 / HD-3000 cards + MythTV, on Linux. This option has a ton of potential. But, from what I hear, there are still some fairly major kinks to be worked out. I am hoping this improves, as I would love to switch to a Linux solution.
- MyHD MDP-120. HD tuner card with hardware MPEG2 decoder (so, system requirements are very low). Probably the best of the group of similar cards with hardware tuner. Software is reliable for basic recording and playback. Can't do full PVR functionality, like pausing live TV or playing a saved file while recording another. (Some of the similar cards are: AccessHDTV, HiPix, OnAir DTV Pro, etc)
- Dvico FusionHDTV. HD Tuner card, MPEG decoding done in software.. simpler hardware means it's cheaper. Software has been unstable in the past, but seems to be improving. Reportedly making BDA drivers for use with Windows Media Center 2005.
- ATI HDTV Wonder. Fairly new. Software based MPEG decoding. Is supposed to have good MS Media Center 2005 integration.
- ElGato EyeTV 500. MacOS X HDTV solution. Firewire based device, uses software MPEG decoding.
- Sasem OnAir USB HDTV. supported on Windows only, connects via USB 2.0 port.
A tear comes to my eye when I think about what they did to that network. In my mind, TechTV was a very fine balance of tech shows. You had Call For Help, TSS, Fresh Gear, XPlay (love it or hate it,) etc etc. Now there's games, games, games, games, games, Screen Savers, games, games, games, games, Unscrewed with Martin Sargent, games games, ad infinitum. Those two girls on G4 Live are seriously the dumbest women alive.
(Mr. Pantyhose to you)
I think I've actually gotten emails promising this sort of thing.
Noticeably absent is Microsoft's Media Center 2005.
Because it doesn't yet support HDTV.
Per CNET: "With Media Center Edition 2005, Microsoft is dipping its toe into the world of digital television. For systems in the United States, Microsoft is supporting recording high-definition TV, but only for free, antenna-based signals. Poole said the reason is that cable and satellite providers have not yet provided access to their high-definition signals." Although only OTA, Microsoft has been very vocal about the new MCE 2005 supporting HDTV. Similar to one of the recorders in the review that only supports OTA HDTV, so does MCE 2005. You might be confused with MCE 2004, which did not.
I realize that christmas is coming and so the marketing machines are getting into some high RPMs at this point, but really!
People are still watching TV? I'm not even sure why I pay for my cable anymore..
--
https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
I see the future of a HDTV / PVR combination as being the first good reason to use a PC to record television.
PC's are already capable of recording in HD. Cheap storage and easy upgrading allow people to record more shows. There are up-to-the second accurate guides avalaible on the internet that could easily be transformed into "guide" content. It's easier to hack a PC to do exactly what you want then it is to modify a HD-PVR to do what you want.
rejected (19) accepted (0)
Is there a psychological term related to getting your stories rejected on slashdot?
Didja mean Scientific Atlanta?
/. had a story-about-a-story on one of these a bit ago:
0 25 9
;-)
To the point. FWIW,
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/11/135
The person wasn't all that happy with their hddvr. I think that there will be more and better options coming for those of us who don't wanna shell out the Early Adopters Premium$..
Mark
I can't see the point of this review. The first DVR is for Dish Network's service. The second DVR is for DirecTV's service and the third one is for OTA (over the air) recordings. It can't even record satellite or cable broadcast HD. How can you compare products that aren't designed to be used in the same arena? The only thing the article will tell you is which service provider to choose (if any) based on the features of the DVR.
Quite frankly I'm not surprised by the lack of third party HD recorders in this "review". It's a problem that is plaguing the HD industry right now.
While they mentioned the $4.99 a month DVR fee from DirecTV, they failed to mention the $4.98 fee from DishNetwork/EchoStar. If you have a DVR with any hard drive > 80GB you get hit with their Video On Demand service fee for $4.98 a month (I get tagged with that on my 522 for its 120GB hd). You can however get this fee waived if you signup for the America's Everything Package which is 180 channels + locals (if your market is supported) + all the premium content channels for $77.99 a month. If you are the AT60,120, or 180 you have to pay the $4.98 though.
:)
Just offering that heads up
Unstable Apps: Our Android Apps Don't Suck
I've been looking around for a good review of the HDTVs themselves...something unbiased that will compare rear, lcd rear, dlp, plasma, etc and perhaps recommend a few.
Sloppy and Incomplete reporting. The "Lab" uses no test equipment when evaluating video equipment and no test patterns"The 921's high-def 1080i output via DVI and component output looked the best to my eye with great contrast and smooth clarity" Who cares about your eye? I have an eye, I have two, I want actual facts from you. They use no standard methodologies or even common criteria when they evaluate gear so no apples to apples comparison is ever possible. In this case they mistakenly report that the TIVO's HDMI output is incompatible with DVI, it is not, and it even comes with an adapter cable, but they make no mention of what will happen to the DVI if the Broadcast Flag is ever enabled on the content. On the fly down conversion? Blacked out picture? What about the Component output? How do they look to your eye? Lots of older HD monitors only have analog component inputs if the DVRs have cheap and awful D to A converters that would be good to know. blah blah. This channel sucks now.
I've had an HDTiVo since about two weeks after its release. I do not purchase the HDTV package from DTV because it is such a poor value. DTV has added Bravo HD since then, and Discovery HD has started to air real programs. Most of the channels air HD loops or cheaply produced nature programs most of the time. That $10.99 in essence gets you ESPN HD and Monster Garage and Trading Spaces in HD. That's far too much for me.
The only HD channels I get from DirecTV are HBO HD and Showtime HD. And I don't even watch them much, because HBO HD airs movies in pan and scan. They do air their original content (Sopranos, etc.) in HD, but I don't like any of their shows. I do TiVo "Dead Like Me" in HD on Showtime HD.
I get the vast majority of my HD content from the networks. I receive FOX,CBS,ABC,NBC,PBS,WB and UPN in HD. I watch sports and several dramas in HD each week.
I think really the big story for me about HD isn't DTV, it isn't cable, it isn't even the HDTiVo. The big story to me is the utility of OTA (over the air) HDTV. For $52, I got an antenna that I aim at a tower 50 miles away and I pick up all these channels for free. Even though we didn't have cable when I was young, I find this amazing. I heard so many stories about how 8VSB (the encoding for OTA ATSC digital TV) is terrible, especially in areas with multipath problems. Well, I live in a mountainous area and my ATSC transmitters are a long way away, but I get flawless reception.
The only issue left is that TiVo (and probably the other recorders) cannot run an antenna rotator. This makes their pre-programmed (and especially speculative) recording useless. There should be a standard for interfacing to an antenna rotator. Do this, and OTA will give DTV and cable a huge run for their money.
I don't think the Dish one does, but the HDTiVo records OTA.
So there is some way to make a direct comparison, at least between two of the units.
that's not their only goal. They want you to hear about it over, and over, and over again, until you associate the type of product with their company alone.
Not to mention, he can't spell.
The key to me is being to able to get HD content on and off the box. DVR makers so far have been very sensitive's to Hollywood's concerns, so that right now there is no easy or cheap way to do that with any mainstream DVR's.
That's why I recommend getting a DVHS player and an STB by 169time.com. This will allow you to copy your HD content via FW so you don't have to worry about losing it when your box goes bad. The 169time boxes are pretty expensive, but I think they're worth it, considering how DRM-crazy Hollywood and their minions in the electronics industry have become.
(-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
From the MCE2005 FAQ:
Q.Does Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 support HDTV? What do I need?
A. Yes, Media Center Edition 2005 is the first PC operating system to support playback, pause, and recording of free, over-the-air High Definition Television (HDTV) right out of the box. New PCs with the High Definition option will begin shipping shortly after Media Center 2005 launches, delivering up to 6 times the image quality of standard TV.
"For U.S. versions of Windows XP Media Center Edition, this update also provides HDTV support for Media Center Edition 2005 computers equipped with an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner card"