I'm looking for something that will find episodes from educational series on PBS and other OTA channels for use in our home school. It would be helpful if it would save to a video file type I can move to a thumb drive. I'm open to any of the Tivo alternatives which would allow me to do this.

Tivo seems great, but IIRC the files cannot be used outside of the TIVO software.

Sure - by essentially building your own Tivo (DVR/HTPC), then it'll record anything you feed it, in a myriad of file formats that aren't proprietary or locked down with DRM.

There are probably pre-built/off the shelf solutions, but that's not my forte.

And if you have existing desktop or similar PCs that will let you add things like a TV Tuner card, then you can probably add onto a machine you have already vs building a new one.

RCA has a digital converter box, which allows recording to a thumb drive.

You can play back from the unit or insert the thumb drive into the computer and transfer the files for playback on the computer.

Channel Master makes a DVR that requires no monthly fees. My father in law has one and likes it.

Windows 7 Media Center - I use the SiliconDust tuner.

SiliconDust is also marketing a DVR program now - they recommend using a NAS for storage.

I’m using a Silicon Dust HD Homerun as my tuner, and their software running on a Beebox HTPC as a DVR/player. I’m pretty certain the files are a standard format. I’ll try to remember to check on that.

Note that you may have on-demand access to the PBS shows you want via the PBS app on a Roku or similar device, or via the PBS website.

quote:

Originally posted by james_1234:
Channel Master makes a DVR that requires no monthly fees. My father in law has one and likes it.

And there's a guy on Audio/Visual Science Forum that makes a nice MS-Win GUI app that will easily convert its recorded content to something playable by other media players.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
SiliconDust is also marketing a DVR program now - they recommend using a NAS for storage.

And the HD HomeRun Quatro does four (4) channels. "Who needs to view/record four channels at once?" you might ask. Well, it turns out, we do. It's rare, but it has happened that we wanted to record three that overlapped. The CM DVR+ can record only two (2), simultaneously.

We've been using a CM DVR+ for several years. It's nice enough, but I'm looking to the SD HD HomeRun as an upgrade.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
SiliconDust is also marketing a DVR program now - they recommend using a NAS for storage.

And the HD HomeRun Quatro does four (4) channels. "Who needs to view/record four channels at once?" you might ask. Well, it turns out, we do. It's rare, but it has happened that we wanted to record three that overlapped. The CM DVR+ can record only two (2), simultaneously.

We've been using a CM DVR+ for several years. It's nice enough, but I'm looking to the SD HD HomeRun as an upgrade.

Does the HD HomeRun Quatro have a guide like Tivo? Is there a cost for it? Does the guide include local over the air channels?

quote:

Originally posted by deepocean:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
SiliconDust is also marketing a DVR program now - they recommend using a NAS for storage.

And the HD HomeRun Quatro does four (4) channels. "Who needs to view/record four channels at once?" you might ask. Well, it turns out, we do. It's rare, but it has happened that we wanted to record three that overlapped. The CM DVR+ can record only two (2), simultaneously.

We've been using a CM DVR+ for several years. It's nice enough, but I'm looking to the SD HD HomeRun as an upgrade.

Does the HD HomeRun Quatro have a guide like Tivo? Is there a cost for it? Does the guide include local over the air channels?

It's been a few weeks since I looked into it, but ISTR there is a guide available and ISTR there's a nominal fee for it.

Here ya go: Silicon Dust DVR Service.

TL;DR: $35/year. You provide the storage.

Hmph. Apps for numerous devices, but not Roku.

The ChannelMaster DVR+ gets a free guide. (N.B.: Apparently a prior CM DVR lost its free channel guide after a time.)