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Need help choosing a DVR for Charter Cable...

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
I'll be in a park the next 6 months+ which has free Charter cable. Today they brought me a cable box with a really basic remote and all I could do was move the channels up one at a time, which is fine for a few days but I don't even have a guide and that would get old fast. I have Dish with a Winegard Carryout Dish but I'd like to go with the cable since it's free.

I called Charter/Spectrum and they're sending me two free Spectrum universal remotes for my tvs. They said that might allow me to pull up the guide. They also said that I could add a Roku or Tivo to record programs. What's the easiest option that would act like a Dish DVR...allow me to:

- record two programs at once
- watch them from either room
- possibly pause live tv?

I just want to watch these back on tv, no other devices. I don't need to be able to watch different shows in different rooms. It's just me.

Is there any other kind of unit that would accomplish this? I see there are 75 hour Tivos. I don't need more than that. The Tivo mini is looking like a good option. Or the Tivo Premier. Do you just use the Tivo remote for everything? (sync it with your tv?) and what if you have 2 tvs?

There's a monthly fee with Tivo, yes? Is there with Roku?

I'm totally out of the loop where the new gadgets are concerned. I've had the Dish DVR for 10 years but since this is free (190 channels) I'd like to take advantage of it.

Also...does it matter if I run the cable through the cable in/out of the Dish receiver? I didn't know if that would interfere with the guide or any other functions.

Thanks much...
19 REPLIES 19

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
The home Worx PVR or iview can be programmed for 8pm next week
But you do it manually from the remote and the program menu, similar to old vhs recorders
The program guide only runs hours ahead, and only shows the channel your viewing at the moment


But if you know ch4 has a movie at ,9pm thurs night
You can program it in

I use mine too record Lucifer and Lethal Weapon on Fox, just in case i forget to watch them
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

shastagary
Explorer
Explorer
for the original post roku is not a option that is a streaming from the internet media player only no recording no cable reception. tivo would work but you would have to get one that accepts a cable card and pay the cable company for the cable card use. if you can find the cable company office it may be better to go there than talking to them on the phone and see what the options are but it will cost you to use there dvr. if the park gave you a cable box the cable is more than likely scrambled and any cable dvr would have to be activated by the cable company to use it. for the over the air recording dvrs talked about above read the reviews on them most of them seem to have some quirks to them but they are reasonably priced. i use a tivo premier for over the air recording only. it does cost me $15.00 a month but it works flawlessly and has one of the best guides for recording available. and you can skip through the commercials and pause live tv.

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks Tom, that looks good too.

I now understand that programming for recording is not as slick as a cable or dish DVR, but it sounds good enough for our purpose.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

Tom_M1
Explorer
Explorer
I have a similar box called an iView. Keep in mind that these units will not record analog. The Homeworx will only work for over the air digital TV. The iView claims that it will also work with unencrypted digital (Clear-QAM) cable. I've only used mine for OTA TV.

These boxes will display a program guide, but it depends on what each TV station broadcasts. They usually go out one day at the most. You can choose to record a reoccurring program. If a show comes on every Tuesday, you only have to program it one time.

Here's a link to download the manual for the iView model:
http://www.iviewus.com/download/manual/3500STBIImanual.pdf
Tom
2005 Born Free 24RB
170ah Renogy LiFePo4 drop-in battery 400 watts solar
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
Minneapolis, MN

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
MrWizard wrote:
I have a homeWorx PVR, IT RECORDS OTA broadcasts in HD
At what ever resolution is being broadcast 1080, 730, 480 etc.
It's digital receiver, and records to USB either stick or external hard drive
that has its own power supply
You can record or watch and record even pause, but only one channel
It only has one tuner
It has hdmi and AV output for the TV
You can record one channel with pvr
And watch another channel using the TV tuner
For $39 i have gotten a lot of use out of mine
It does not do cable


That sounds good, and simple. Thanks.

I just went looking at it on Amazon. Can you tell me if there is a way to program it to record something a few days in the future? It's not clear that it uses a guide or something like that so you can select a future show.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
I have a homeWorx PVR, IT RECORDS OTA broadcasts in HD
At what ever resolution is being broadcast 1080, 730, 480 etc.
It's digital receiver, and records to USB either stick or external hard drive
that has its own power supply
You can record or watch and record even pause, but only one channel
It only has one tuner
It has hdmi and AV output for the TV
You can record one channel with pvr
And watch another channel using the TV tuner
For $39 i have gotten a lot of use out of mine
It does not do cable
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
I have a question related to this thread...

We are going to be staying at two parks for extended periods. One has their own in house cable system, analog. Yes, in house, not Charter or anyone else. It's a huge park the size of a small town. There is no hardware at the RV end, just connect the cable.

The second one uses a bulk DISH Network system, so I presume it is digital. It also has no hardware at the RV end, just connect the cable.

Because each of these do not have a box, is there a generic DVR I can use or make? My DW is gonna be unhappy if we can't find a way to record some things. ๐Ÿ™‚

Another thought: In each case we will be able to receive good OTA signals, which will have most of what DW wants.

So what is the best DVR solution for us? I'd like to be somewhat budget friendly, this is a one-winter problem for now.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

wowens79
Explorer III
Explorer III
I work for a small cable company, so here is a little info. With a bulk account they probably look at it like a hotel, and won't offer you any equipment such as a DVR.

A Tivo will not work as Charter encrypts their channels, you have to rent a CableCard from them to put in the Tivo to decrypt the channels.

Also the Motorola boxes are configured to work with certain systems, and typically will not work in other systems. Most of the ones you see on ebay are "stolen" when people move and don't return the equipment. By blocking them on other systems this makes them less desirable for theft as you can't sell them easily.

As much as you don't want to, turning Dish back on may be your best option.
2022 Ford F-350 7.3l
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD 6.0l 268k miles (retired)
2016 Heritage Glen 29BH
2003 Flagstaff 228D Pop Up

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
see later post.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

Chris_Bryant
Explorer
Explorer
I do not believe you can use any DVR but Spectrum. Around here at least the cable is largely switched digital video- many of the channels are not on the cable until my DVR/cable box asks for it.
-- Chris Bryant

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
KODI

You need a PC with big disk, WinTV USB or PCI, USB Infrared Blaster

It won't be HD, it will record one show at a time OR pause TV but not both.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

cannesdo
Explorer
Explorer
Sam Spade wrote:
cannesdo wrote:

- record two programs at once
- watch them from either room
- possibly pause live tv?



IF you really want those features, you should activate your sat service and be done with it.

I think you will do a LOT of screwing around only to ultimately fail with the "free" cable service.


I may be here a year or more. It's worth it to me to experiment as it could save me upwards of $1500 over the course of my stay. I'm getting a lot of contradictory information so I'll figure it out and post the results.

Sam_Spade
Explorer
Explorer
cannesdo wrote:

- record two programs at once
- watch them from either room
- possibly pause live tv?



IF you really want those features, you should activate your sat service and be done with it.

I think you will do a LOT of screwing around only to ultimately fail with the "free" cable service.
'07 Damon Outlaw 3611
CanAm Spyder in the "trunk"

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
I've never had a bulk account, can't help you there.

You won't be able to make your dish DVR record cable TV broadcasts.

DVR is a paid option these days, if the park isn't paying for it, you won't find an automatic solution.

TiVo is closest but requires a fee. A gray market TiVo from eBay might work, you roll the dice on reconfiguring it for your locale. Since you're on a hospitality account your lineup is likely different too.

Ceton InfiniTV is an option, it's what I used when I had Spectrum. Hook it to an old Windows 7 or 8 computer and you're set. You'll need a CableCard from Charter.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed