Channel Master CM7400 1080p Internet Compatible. Letter From Channel Master Regarding Channel Master TV. 2012 we released a software update that corrected this.
Diamond selector 2 instruction manual. Here are a few rules to follow when using the ultraviolet light: Never look directly into the ultraviolet light.
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View and Download Channel Master CM-7400 user manual online. And manage software. On the Channel Master TV device, select “Update From USB”. Support; Antenna Selection Guide; About Us. Channel Master. Shop Channel Master. Sign Up For Updates. Join Newsletter; Instagram; YouTube. Channel Master TV CM-7400 Over-The. Channel Master gets points for its. Or perhaps a glitch that occurred following a firmware update I performed that. Dec 31, 2015 Channel Master was acquired by Andrew Corporation in July 2003, then the Channel Master division was acquired by PCT international in October 2006. My employment with PCT continued thru July 2010 when all Smithfield operations were consolidated to other PCT locations.
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Quote:Originally Posted by pcnetwrxThis is the response that I got back from ChannelMaster tech support about the discontinuation of the premium guide:Quote:
I apologize however it wasn't our decision to discontinue the premium guide. We did not supply the guide, we only sold it to customers. I apologize for the confusion. Thank you and have a great day.
Sounds like they had somebody from Sony write their response.
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
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I wonder who did supply the CM-7400 paid guide? Probably Tribune or Rovi. (Either way I'm betting they cut the CM-7400 off because of the free DVR+ guide.) If it was Tribune, CM should have gone the Schedules Direct route when they ordered the CM-7400 from Entone. S.D. would've been cheaper for the consumer and would still exist.
Edit: I've since learned that S.D. was never an option; their TOS allows its use with 'non-commercial software' only.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pcnetwrx that's right; CM must be honest company and settle the EPG issue by itself as a merchant of the CM-7400. See? It's named as CM product!
This is the response that I got back from ChannelMaster tech support about the discontinuation of the premium guide: Maybe not directly under their control, but still their product was designed for it so some provision should have been made up front for a minimum commitment of service beyond just two years. The end result is the same--I still end up with not much more than a door stop in just two years. If nothing else, then a firmware upgrade could be released that would use the same extended guide as the new DVR+ unit. I think I am heading toward a WMC PC for a replacement based on the info I have so far.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P Smith I could not agree more. I would be super pi$$ed if I paid $400 for a DVR, knowing it only had full functionality if i paid for the guide, only to find that the guide came from some anonymous company that decided to pull the plug in less than two yrs. This is a real black mark on CM.that's right; CM must be honest company and settle the EPG issue by itself as a merchant of the CM-7400. See? It's named as CM product! People have to ask themselves what will happen to the Rovi guide in the CM-7500 if the box doesn't make it in the market and is dropped in year like the others were.
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
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there is second black mark on CM - they're allowed slip out of agreement with ROVI and left CM-7000PAL DVR without 2 weeks EPG .
Now we see same pair on a market: CM-7500 and ROVI's 14 days EPG (via Inet) ! What we should expect in two years ?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelson I suspect Rovi's Internet guide will still exist since it's also used by several TVs, but I have a nagging suspicion that in about a year it'll get a lot shorter. Maybe Rovi will let you pay to keep the 2-week guide, if they can talk CM into putting out an update to let you enter your subscription info. Maybe I'm being too cynical, but a free 2-week DVR guide has always seemed too good to be true, even though WMC has one.
People have to ask themselves what will happen to the Rovi guide in the CM-7500 if the box doesn't make it in the market and is dropped in year like the others were.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JHBrandt Yes the guide will exist, but that doesn't mean they will keep supplying it free to CM-7500 users if CM abandons the units like they did the others. As far as a firmware update for a pay option -- heck, isn't that what the CM-7400 had? And that's now dead. You know the guide data had to be coming from one of the majors but who is the distributer who actually runs the server that the DVR's are hard coded to contact. Apparently CM-7400 business wasn't worth their trouble to keep the site going.
I suspect Rovi's Internet guide will still exist since it's also used by several TVs,
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
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Originally Posted by pcnetwrx I still end up with not much more than a door stop in just two years. That's quite an exaggeration. You can still set the clock, you can still set timers to record your shows, and you can still use the PSIP guide to have some idea of what's airing soon. The DHG is 'not much more than a doorstop' without its guide, but the CM 7400 still has significant functionality, even if using it is less convenient now than it was in the past.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aleron Ives That's quite an exaggeration. You can still set the clock, you can still set timers to record your shows, and you can still use the PSIP guide to have some idea of what's airing soon. The DHG is 'not much more than a doorstop' without its guide, but the CM 7400 still has significant functionality, even if using it is less convenient now than it was in the past. I don't think it's much of an exaggeration at all! The PSIP data is nearly useless unless I personally turn on the unit and run the channels each day just before any recording starts. And if I just use timers, then I have a bunch of shows with no names to sort through to find what I might want to watch! If I am gone on a trip, which I am 4 or 5 times a year, then pretty much forget about anything identifiable being recorded. In any case, it's not what I signed up for. And it's my opinion that counts as far as whether I got value for what I paid for, and I didn't get enough value for my investment. You're welcome to make me an offer for the dregs of this thing once I have my replacement built and in place, which will be in March sometime after the guide expires. Or maybe you don't think it's worth much at this point either?
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Whether it has a guide is irrelevant to me; the CM 7400's lack of an open filesystem and networking to facilitate the transfer of recordings automatically disqualified it from being useful in my eyes.
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I went through a similar transition with the CM-7000 Pal when Rovi discontinued TVGoS. I even set up this PC in case I found the Pal unusable without TVGoS.
Certainly it's not as easy to schedule recordings on the Pal now as it was a year ago when TVGoS was still working, and I do use WMC on this PC to record shows now. But I also found I could, and do, still use the Pal. (I didn't lose a DVR - I gained a hobby.) Of course it's not exactly the same - the Pal's feature of scanning channels in the background and keeping its guide updated makes PSIP about as good as PSIP can be. The CM-7400 doesn't do that, so it'll be more of a hassle. Also, the CM-7400 has name-based recording, which depends much more on good guide info. But the Pal never had that to begin with and it was still useful, so I'd bet the CM-7400 will remain useful to some as well. For a while, someone sold Entone's 'generic' versions of the CM-7400 without the guide. (To be fair, they did add one nice improvement: a fan to keep the darn thing cool.) So some may not find the CM-7400 useful any more, but others will. That's why God created eBay
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JHBrandt I went through a similar transition with the CM-7000 Pal when Rovi discontinued TVGoS. I even set up this PC in case I found the Pal unusable without TVGoS. Certainly it's not as easy to schedule recordings on the Pal now as it was a year ago when TVGoS was still working, and I do use WMC on this PC to record shows now. But I also found I could, and do, still use the Pal. (I didn't lose a DVR - I gained a hobby.) Of course it's not exactly the same - the Pal's feature of scanning channels in the background and keeping its guide updated makes PSIP about as good as PSIP can be. The CM-7400 doesn't do that, so it'll be more of a hassle. Also, the CM-7400 has name-based recording, which depends much more on good guide info. But the Pal never had that to begin with and it was still useful, so I'd bet the CM-7400 will remain useful to some as well. For a while, someone sold Entone's 'generic' versions of the CM-7400 without the guide. (To be fair, they did add one nice improvement: a fan to keep the darn thing cool.) So some may not find the CM-7400 useful any more, but others will. That's why God created eBay I found out quite a while back as long as you are using firmware version 1.0.97 and don't put the 7400 in standby mode that it keeps the PSIP guide up to date on all the channels without having to change thru the channels to catch the guide. So it must be using the second tuner to keep the data up to date with this firmware version. This makes it a lot better with named based recordings. However it will not do this if it is in standby mode.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Satmann I found out quite a while back as long as you are using firmware version 1.0.97 and don't put the 7400 in standby mode that it keeps the PSIP guide up to date on all the channels without having to change thru the channels to catch the guide. So it must be using the second tuner to keep the data up to date with this firmware version. This makes it a lot better with named based recordings. However it will not do this if it is in standby mode. I can't use 1.0.97 because it wrecks the tuner sensitivity for fringe areas, like where I am. I end up losing half my channels and the clock goes crazy because it can't get a good sync signal. But when my guide expires in March, I will try the same technique to see if it also works for 1.0.81. As a side note, I use a MediaCenter PC on another TV in the house and I just discovered how to access the recorded TV shows on that PC from any computer in the house that also has MediaCenter on it. Nice!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pcnetwrx I wish I could afford one of every box on the market, but I can't, so I never bought a CM-7400; mostly because of the reported tuner issues but also due to the PSIP guide not staying up-to-date. I'm surprised a DVR with Internet connectivity doesn't offer the ability to sync to an Internet time sourceI can't use 1.0.97 because it wrecks the tuner sensitivity for fringe areas, like where I am. I end up losing half my channels and the clock goes crazy because it can't get a good sync signal. Sounds like firmware version 1.0.81 fixes one issue while 1.0.97 fixes the other - but there's no firmware to fix both
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JHBrandt I wish I could afford one of every box on the market, but I can't, so I never bought a CM-7400; mostly because of the reported tuner issues but also due to the PSIP guide not staying up-to-date, I'm surprised a DVR with Internet connectivity doesn't offer the ability to sync to an Internet time source Sounds like firmware version 1.0.81 fixes one issue while 1.0.97 fixes the other - but there's no firmware to fix both I have three CM-7400s connected to the internet and they sync the time daily. One still has the premium guide which expires in august and the other two use PSIP data. When the one with the premium guide expires I will miss the record new episodes only option. I'll just have to deal with it by setting it not to record certain episodes when I know they are repeats or by deleting the episode if I forget. That's what I do on the other two. As for the tuner sensitivity I have one channel out of 46 that is problematic with either firmware. But the same channel has issues on my three tv's and multiple other tuners also.
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I realize this is an old thread but I'm curious.
Has the subscription guide for the CM-7400 been canceled this past summer as was predicted?
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
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Likewise jumping on the zombie thread…
Looks like with the guide issues, this product might not be recommended now. Anyone still stand by this product? I spotted it a couple of days ago and was thinking about giving it a go. Now I'm not too sure. If not, is there another one you all could recommend for OTA channels without having to pay Tivo's ransom?
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CM has a newer DVR+ model that they're selling instead of this one. Check out the DVR+ thread for more information.
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Originally Posted by deckard_b26354
is there another one you all could recommend for OTA channels without having to pay Tivo's ransom?
There are multiple choices, but the old saying comes to mind -- 'pay me now or pay me later'.Depends on whether you want a DVR that you don't have to think about and that just works year after year -- or one which requires you to make a career out of maintaining it. 'Ransoms' are not always monetary -- your choice.
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
Sep 15, 2011 According to AT&T Research UWIN is compatible with almost all versions of Windows. Check the 'for more information' link for UWIN on middle of the page. It has a good UWIN Overview. Windows 7 64-bit torrent. Subcontracted to Wipro, India. Technically, it is an X/Open library for the UWIN is a computer software package created by David Korn which allows windows vista ultimate 64 bit iso download.Handcraft more than ever is a strong direction for the future.
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I was using the CM-7400 until last week, dealing with the poor PSIP data after the EPG expired this summer. I started losing channels about a month ago, first NBC then PBS then ABC, and adjusting the antenna did nothing to fix that. The CM-7400 finally died on me last week, when it went into an endless loop of rebooting. I owned the CM-7400 for just under 3 years, having purchased it in January 2012.
I took the plunge and ordered the DVR+. I received it today and upon setting it up (not changing the positioning of anything), I have all of my network channels back. Channel Master Software Update
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Originally Posted by sbuntyn
I was using the CM-7400 until last week, dealing with the poor PSIP data after the EPG expired this summer.
Thanks. That was the information I was looking for.Channel Master is now 2 out of 3 for selling DVR's that eventually lose their guide data. Good luck with the DVR+.
- kelson h
The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten . . . life is too short to drink bad wine
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The eventual fate of the DVR+ guide is a legit concern, but in CM's defense, I don't think they can be blamed for the loss of the CM-7000Pal guide, any more than Sony can be blamed for their well-regarded DVRs being essentially bricked. It was a unilateral decision by Rovi to end TVGoS. CM can hardly be blamed for not ordering a major firmware upgrade for a product they were no longer selling.
The CM-7400 is another matter. If the subscription guide was becoming unprofitable, CM should have raised the fee instead of just pulling the plug. In the long run, raising the fee might have had the same result, as more CM-7400 owners would opt to go PSIP-only instead of paying the higher fee, causing CM to raise the fee even more in a 'death spiral.' But at least folks would've been gradually priced out, instead of just being curtly informed that they would be PSIP-only within a year even if they might have been willing to pay more.
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I don't really see the big deal. If you buy any device that uses a subscription service, you know going in that it won't last forever and chose to take the risk that the service wouldn't end before you got your money's worth out of the device.
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Originally Posted by sbuntyn
I was using the CM-7400 until last week, dealing with the poor PSIP data after the EPG expired this summer. I started losing channels about a month ago, first NBC then PBS then ABC, and adjusting the antenna did nothing to fix that. The CM-7400 finally died on me last week, when it went into an endless loop of rebooting. I owned the CM-7400 for just under 3 years, having purchased it in January 2012. I took the plunge and ordered the DVR+. I received it today and upon setting it up (not changing the positioning of anything), I have all of my network channels back. If you don't mind me asking, what did you do with the CM 7400 ?
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So, suffice to to say that none of you have been able to get a solution to take advantage of all the functionality of the CM-7400? Sadly, I have been scouring the web for years trying to snag a CM-7000PAL DVR, DTVPAL DVR, or CM-7400 for under $200. I finally snagged one 2 weeks ago on eBay that was all original, great condition, original box, remote, even remote batteries! I'm a tech pro vocationally, like many of you, so setup wasn't an issue. However, the update to their last s/w release did involve the machine powering off mysteriously & not rebounding until unplugged & cooled off for a while (yes, sadly, I know re: the 7400's overheating issues..when is Ben Brust from YouTube going to let us know if his aftermarket fan field surgery worked!).
However, it's back up & all is great, no powering off now, etc. However, I landed here because I was trying to find a solution to getting the Premium Program Guide..but looks like the service was toast 2 years ago & there's no recourse there. Anyone pursued CM to see if they'll comp you or give you a one-time 'trade-in' deal for a new CM-7500 DVR+. Actually won't burn my beans to set a show to record the day it airs, but just thought I'd ask. I actually now have both the DTVPAL DVR & CM-7400, so will be interesting to test drive both. Even w/out the PPG, either is certainly a great option for elderly parents who have been paying TWC to watch network TV! Saving your aged parents $60 a month is always an excellent thing
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Originally Posted by freegentile
So, suffice to to say that none of you have been able to get a solution to take advantage of all the functionality of the CM-7400? Sadly, I have been scouring the web for years trying to snag a CM-7000PAL DVR, DTVPAL DVR, or CM-7400 for under $200. I finally snagged one 2 weeks ago on eBay that was all original, great condition, original box, remote, even remote batteries! I'm a tech pro vocationally, like many of you, so setup wasn't an issue. However, the update to their last s/w release did involve the machine powering off mysteriously & not rebounding until unplugged & cooled off for a while (yes, sadly, I know re: the 7400's overheating issues..when is Ben Brust from YouTube going to let us know if his aftermarket fan field surgery worked!). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXElLBZMdxc However, it's back up & all is great, no powering off now, etc. However, I landed here because I was trying to find a solution to getting the Premium Program Guide..but looks like the service was toast 2 years ago & there's no recourse there. Anyone pursued CM to see if they'll comp you or give you a one-time 'trade-in' deal for a new CM-7500 DVR+. Actually won't burn my beans to set a show to record the day it airs, but just thought I'd ask. I actually now have both the DTVPAL DVR & CM-7400, so will be interesting to test drive both. Even w/out the PPG, either is certainly a great option for elderly parents who have been paying TWC to watch network TV! Saving your aged parents $60 a month is always an excellent thing I have three working CM7400s, all bought used on Ebay for way less than $200 total ( not bragging ). Solved the overheating problem by using a typical laptop cooler with two fans underneath, and, during hot weather I keep a common household box fan on a stand next to my recording equipment, continuously blowing air toward the side of the CM7400, DTV Pal, and other units. I would not even consider buying a CM7500 DVR+, since it's quite obvious that Channel Master does not keep up support for the products they sell. If your scour through various AVS Forums on these machines, you'll find that several years ago a company named Entone released it's own version of the CM7400 with a built-in internal fan. They were very expensive, somewhere around $400, and were not that popluar because of the price. The Entone Amulet, as it was called, has been discontinued as was the CM7400. Theoretically.. if one is sufficiently electronically and mechanically talented, I would think you can drill some holes in the back of the CM7400 chassis, use some sort of SATA splitter or 12v power connector that's attached to the hard drive, and mount a small, older-style computer CPU fan to provide a constant of flow of outside air. It would be a lot of work, but it would essentially solve the overheating problem. I personally prefer the CM7400 over the previous CM7000 clone of the DTV Pal. If you read enough user complaints, it seems the CM7000 had more failures than its DTV Pal predecessor. I don't have many problems with my CM7400 units, just an ocassional unplugging maybe once a month. As far as the Guide goes, the trick is to leave it tuned to a station you get the strongest OTA signal from, that will quicken the population of guide data.
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If you read enough user complaints, it seems the CM7000 had more failures than its DTV Pal predecessor.
Knowing it's THE SAME MODEL, your statement is incorrect. No need to cover your personal preference by such false statement.
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Originally Posted by P Smith
Knowing it's THE SAME MODEL, your statement is incorrect. No need to cover your personal preference by such false statement.
It's NOT a personal preference.. it's my OPINION, based on the number of CM7000s I've seen on Ebay and Antenna Logic that were IN NEED OF REPAIR, plus the members here who've had numerous problems with the 7000.. even though it's the SAME MODEL. Unless you were present at the FACTORY when Channel Master took over from Echo Star, the manufacturing process may have been slightly different, as was the CM software over the original DTV Pal. Yes, I'm aware that you in particular are the self-anointed EXPERT on these machines, but that doesn't give you the right to voice your CONDESCENDING opinions on ALL related posts that you do not agree with. The original poster is mainly interested in a swap for a CM7500+, and ALREADYOWNS a DTV Pal and a CM7400. So.. if either of these units happen to break down... we will REFER him to YOU to FIX them.
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well ..
- welcome to bring your own expertise here - the factory was the same; just look at marks/labels of all components the TR-50 aka dvtpaldvr aka cm7000pal dvr include plastic parts - I've seen on eBay sells of non-working both models - by my count I did fix many of both models - what is your beef in differences of SW/FW in case of all HW problems with the device ? Bring your expertise, not guesses or opinions. As to patronizing you .. you did write 'I personally prefer the CM7400 over the previous CM7000 clone of the DTV Pal.' and right after wrote 100% truth facts supporting your first phrase: 'If you read enough user complaints, it seems the CM7000 had more failures than its DTV Pal predecessor.' which does show support of your personal preference. It was your choice to present the flawed Entone Amulet DVR aka CM7400 as better box, throw in mad a better device, TR-50. Adding to the pile, I'm not posting in all related posts - that's your personal misrepresentation. Last thing is - yes I could fix many of TR-50, can you do that ?
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Originally Posted by P Smith
well .. - welcome to bring your own expertise here - the factory was the same; just look at marks/labels of all components the TR-50 aka dvtpaldvr aka cm7000pal dvr include plastic parts - I've seen on eBay sells of non-working both models - by my count I did fix many of both models - what is your beef in differences of SW/FW in case of all HW problems with the device ? Bring your expertise, not guesses or opinions. As to patronizing you .. you did write 'I personally prefer the CM7400 over the previous CM7000 clone of the DTV Pal.' and right after wrote 100% truth facts supporting your first phrase: 'If you read enough user complaints, it seems the CM7000 had more failures than its DTV Pal predecessor.' which does show support of your personal preference. It was your choice to present the flawed Entone Amulet DVR aka CM7400 as better box, throw in mad a better device, TR-50. Adding to the pile, I'm not posting in all related posts - that's your personal misrepresentation. Last thing is - yes I could fix many of TR-50, can you do that ? I have no such 'expertise' on anything... I've been reading your posts here since the original TR50 was released. AND.. I acknowledge the fact that you're some kind of electronic/computer genius that's been able to repair the DTV Pals, whom everyone turns to when it comes to advice regarding them. What I do object to is your attitude, in that this is a forum for sharing ideas,knowledge and opinions. To write such things as 'false statements' is quite unnecessary. You should be more concerned about giving advice to newbies, which you've been reluctant to do. You didn't emphasize that I wrote 'it seems', which clearly states my opinion Channel Master 7400 Review, not as 'fact'. I personallyprefer the DTV Pal over all my other recorders, but I'm sure as hell not going to buy or recommend a CM7000, when broken units have been all over Ebay for years.. not to mention how many CM7000s Antenna Logic was selling that they couldn't repair soon after they had been sellingrefurbished Channel Master clones. There had to be some minutedifference between the two, as I don't recall Antenna Logic selling broken DTV Pals after they were discontinued. And, NO, I cannot repair broken units as you do, and never presented myself as an 'expert'. I have the right to post my opinions and observations just like anyone else Channel Master 7400 Remoteon this forum. Just as it's your right to disagree with what I wrote.. but you post your comments in such an obnoxious manner, I have to object to this adolescent behavior. Grow up already !
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For many cord-cutters, the holy grail has long been a reliable over-the-air (OTA) DVR that isn't saddled with subscription fees. And as you'd expect from a holy grail, it hasn't been easy to find short of building one yourself.
The new Channel Master DVR+ ($250) hits most of the major points cord-cutters have been looking for. There are absolutely no subscription fees and the DVR+ comes with free premium program guide data from Rovi, which is a big step-up from the guide data that's embedded in OTA signals. It has dual-tuner functionality and support for Vudu, plus its image quality is excellent, unlike some of the other OTA solutions that use compression. Best of all, I found it to be reliable over my testing period -- something I couldn't say about Channel Master's last attempt at an over-the-air DVR.
Still, it's not perfect. The DVR+'s upfront cost is reasonable, but you need to add a lot of your own accessories (antenna, hard drive, Wi-Fi adapter), which can drive up the price. Its software and user interface is decent, but rough around the edges, lacking basic options like the ability to only record new episodes of your favorite shows. And while the DVR+'s image quality is typically great, I experienced a few glitches during playback.
None of that is enough to sully what the DVR+ has accomplished: it's the 'good enough' DVR without subscription fees that many have been looking for. Yes, TiVo is still better and other options offer cool features, but if your primary goal is to save money, and you don't mind its imperfections, it's hard to beat the Channel Master DVR+
Design: Flat, wide, and discreet
The DVR+ doesn't look like any other living room box. It has the large footprint (13.38 inches wide by 11.25 inches deep) of a traditional device like a cable box, but it's remarkably thin, coming in at just 1.5 inches tall.
That's just thick enough to accommodate its ports on the back, namely an antenna input, HDMI output, Ethernet port, two USB ports, and an IR-extender port. That IR-extender port means you can hide the box itself, by placing an IR extender cable (not included) in a place that can receive remote codes. But even if you need to stash the DVR+ in plain sight, its matte-gray finish lets the box blend in with your other living room electronics.
The included remote is decent, although it could be a lot better. On the upside, it's a full-size clicker with all the buttons you're used to seeing on a DVR remote, like a directional pad, Guide, DVR, and playback controls, including commercial skip and jump back buttons. And it's nice that a remote is included at all; many new over-the-air DVR solutions like Tablo and Simple.TV rely on your tablet or phone to act as the remote, which isn't ideal in a living room environment.
On the other hand, the DVR+ remote's button layout doesn't make a whole lot of sense. As a frequent commercial-skipper, I found myself using the playback controls the most, but they're awkwardly scrunched at the bottom of the remote and the buttons themselves are tiny. All of the buttons also tend to feel flat and similarly-sized, which makes it difficult to navigate by feel. You may want to consider investing in a universal remote if you end up going with the DVR+.
Setup: Bring your own (required) accessories
Like any over-the-air TV product, the Channel Master DVR+ requires more setup than a typical gadget. To start, you'll need to connect an antenna (not included) and find a place for it where it gets good reception. The initial channel scan takes about 4 minutes.
The DVR+ also requires a USB hard drive (not included) for DVR functionality. There's 16GB of flash storage built-in, but that's mainly used for buffering and pausing live TV. I had a spare 320GB hard drive lying around that I used, but if you need to buy one, it's about $55 for a 500GB drive, which should be plenty for most people.
Finally, you'll need to get the DVR+ online. While Internet connectivity isn't absolutely necessary to use the DVR+, I'd highly recommended it. The DVR+ can use the program guide data that's included with over-the-air broadcasts, but getting it online means you get access to up to two weeks of data from Rovi -- all without a monthly fee. Rovi's guide data is significantly more extensive and accurate than what you'll get otherwise, so it's worth the hassle of getting the DVR+ online.
It's a hassle mainly because there's no built-in Wi-Fi, so you'll need to either connect it via Ethernet, use a USB Wi-Fi adapter ($40 from Channel Master), or use another workaround. It's certainly frustrating that the $250 device charges extra for wireless connectivity, when even the $35 Chromecast includes built-in Wi-Fi. Dvd shrink 4 3 keygen idm.
After you've rounded up all the accessories, setup itself is straightforward and takes less than 10 minutes.
What can you watch? Major networks and Vudu
The DVR+ is primarily designed around recording free, over-the-air TV signals that it can receive using an antenna. In a perfect world, you should be able to get all of the major networks (CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC) as well as PBS and a handful of other stations. In the real world, your reception might vary considerably, depending on your location, antenna and a host of other factors, such as the weather.
In addition to over-the-air TV, the DVR+ also has support for one streaming video service: Vudu. It's a good choice, as Vudu offers a large library of movies and TV shows that you typically can't get with over-the-air TV. And Vudu has been in the streaming video game longer than most, offering up top tier image quality on its streaming content, and serving as one of the few Ultraviolet lockers. The main downside is that it's entirely pay-per-view, with no Netflix-style all-you-can-stream subscription model.
Channel Master says it's working on adding more services, but the reality is in the meantime you'll probably need a second box dedicated to streaming video if you want to use services like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Instant. (Roku's boxes start at $50.)
User interface: Familiar guide, rough around the edges
The DVR+'s channel grid won't win any design awards, but it does have a familiar layout that should be easy to navigate for anyone coming from a traditional cable box. That may not seem like a big deal, but one of the biggest drawbacks to many over-the-air DVR solutions (including Tablo and Aereo) is the lack of a good onscreen interface. The DVR+ feels like the TV experience you're already comfortable with.
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There are some quirks, however. If you select a program from that grid that's currently on, you don't go right to the live feed; instead, there's a prompt asking whether you want to watch it now, record it, or set a manual recording. It's a minor nuisance, but it's a recurring feeling on the Channel Master, where everything takes a few more clicks and searches than you'd expect.
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