Digital Cable DVR

HorridJohn

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Mar 3, 2011
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I have had ALL DIGITAL CABLE force on me (Cox with the minibox). What I am looking for is a DVR that I OWN with its own internal "decoder". As it is, my choices are: Rent a DVR (23.99 a month) or be forced back into the early 80's where I have to keep the cable ON and TUNED to the channel I want to record. CAN ANYONE HELP ME?
 

HorridJohn

Distinguished
Mar 3, 2011
15
0
18,510
After a lot of searching; there appears to be only 3 "viable" options:
1. Conform: Fork over the cash to your cable provider overlords.
2. Build: Get a cable CABLECARD (aka MCARD), a Digital Cable PCI Card, a large HDD, some off the shelf ("Mystic") software, and ... and, and, and a lot of tinkering and construct your OWN Digital Cable Ready DVR/Media System (Then call me with a sales price) [But good luck with this option].
3. Rebel: Cut the cord, buy a Roku, Slingbox, etc. and stream it from the Internet.... that is probably provided by the same Cable overlords.

The cable companies WILL sell (rent) you a CABLECARD (MCARD) and an adapter (FCC Says that they have to). However, this is not "actually" a viable option.
NO ONE sells a consumer ready product to plug them into. <ta da>
[You "might" be able to get a hold of a second hand Set top Cable Ready DVR. But be careful on the terms of sale and who you buy from.]
<sigm>
Seriously. If Magnavox, Sony or whoever would announce a digital cable ready 2TB DVR, with Internet streaming, and a Blue Ray player; there would be a 6 month waiting list to stand in line for them.
But i digress.
Apologies for the unnecessary editorializing.