If you're like me, you are probably getting tired of rising costs on everything, and look for ways to save money whenever you can.
In my informal poll of friends and family, I've found that most of us are paying $80 ~ $100/mo for cable or satellite TV, and can't imagine parting with it because the DVR is such an important part of how we live... it lets us watch what we want, when we want.
If there were a way to easily watch OTA (over the air) television using a DVR, we might be more willing to ditch cable/satellite.
The ChannelMaster CM-7000PAL looks promising enough and is getting pretty good reviews from customers. It offers an electronic program guide that allows you to preset recording schedules so you never miss your favorite shows. Users can record up to 130 hours of SD (standard definition) content or up to 30 hours of HD content. The CM-7000PAL easily hooks up to just about any TV as it includes HDMI, component and composite connectors. One of its best features is the dual tuner that lets you record two shows at once!
Overall, the CM-7000PAL is a lot like a cable or satellite DVR, but there is one major difference:
Unlike most other DVR set top boxes, there are NO monthly subscription fees.
I haven't pulled the trigger on this idea yet (mostly because there are family members I have to convince), but I may try it soon.
Check out this cool video review by a knowledgeable Crutchfield staffer:
BONUS INFO: While doing more research, one reviewer explains that the DTVpal DVR that sells for $250 at Kmart is pretty much the same thing as the ChannelMaster 7000PAL... I've not tried either unit out yet, so I don't know for sure if you lose any features with this lesser-expensive model. I've also found a forum thread with a tremendous amount of info that compares DTVpal/7000pal features to that of TiVo... you can find that at http://j.mp/dtvpal
Have any of you tried this solution? Please feel free to post your comments about your experience with it!
