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Channel Master DVRs For OTA

362K views 982 replies 152 participants last post by  Gibsons 
#1 ·
This should work in Canada too. My TV guide on my old DVD recorder displayed Canadian TV station content, so this machine should too.

From C-Net:

EchoStar TR-50: An HD DVR for those without cable or satellite
(Credit: EchoStar)

If you think everybody has cable or satellite, you couldn't be more wrong. In fact, if you live in an area that's well-served by digital broadcasters, now's a better time than ever to get your TV over the air (or "OTA," as the cool kids say): yeah, you get only a handful of channels, but they're in crystal-clear digital quality--DVD quality at "worst," uncompressed high-definition at best. The problem--as we're reminded by many an e-mailer--is that there just isn't a good DVR solution for the rabbit-ears crowd, especially if you prefer high-def. (You can opt for a TiVo HD, but you'd still have to pay a monthly fee for their programming guide.) But that may finally be changing, thanks to the EchoStar TR-50. For all intents and purposes, the TR-50 takes many of the features found on Dish Networks' excellent satellite DVRs (such as the ViP622 and 722) and brings them to antenna-based TV viewers.

The unit offers ATSC and NTSC tuners, so it can view and record over-the-air HD digital, standard digital, and analog channels. Dual tuner action means you can watch (and record) one live channel while simultaneously recording a second--or record two channels while playing back a previously recorded show. There's also full control over live TV, including rewind, pause, slow motion, 10-second "instant replay," and--for recordings--30-second skip. The TR-50 also sports a 7-day electronic program guide (using over-the-air metadata on the digital band), which should eliminate the pesky VCR-style manual "timer recordings" (you remember: "8:00-9:00 p.m. / Thursdays / channel 4"). The box also has a full range of outputs, including component and HDMI (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i resolutions supported), as well as standard-def composite and RF outputs for older TVs. Dish hasn't yet specified the internal hard drive size, but the USB 2.0 connector will ensure expandable storage. Perhaps most interestingly, the TR-50 includes an Ethernet port and the ability to decode MPEG-4 video, and EchoStar touts its ability to "access premium Internet-based TV programming via broadband Internet," as well as "DVR management and timer creation via Internet"--though the timeframe for such features wasn't disclosed. Likewise, the exact release date and pricing information remain a mystery. But if it's affordable--and lacks TiVo's monthly fee--the TR-50 may be the perfect fit for TV viewers without satellite or cable who still want to enjoy HD programming on their own schedule.

Separately, EchoStar also announced the TR-40. That model is merely a digital set-top box (no DVR). It will let analog TV owners (or those with HD monitors that lack a tuner) receive digital and high-def signals over the air--a necessity after the scheduled February 2009 analog TV shutdown.
 
#748 ·
@Bev Fan -- Not necessarily two weeks. For exampe, CityTV only provides a 24 hour guide, which is a pain. CBC has substancial guide.

To be honest, I haven't really compared the non-Internet guide provided directly to the TV without the OTA DVR with the guide when I use the OTA DVR connected to the Internet. I will go back and check out a couple of examples and do a comparison. Will post when I look at a few.
 
#749 ·
If you're only getting 24 hours on CITY TV, I suspect that your DVR is only receiving PSIP guide data. This may be an indication that some or all Canadian stations aren't included in the Channel Master guide.

During setup, did the CM 7500 request a postal code or ZIP? And if so, what did you enter?
 
#751 ·
BTW Record All Instances with this "Name" is restricted to one channel. I tried selecting that for a show that was on more than one channel in the guide. It only selected all the ones for the channel I was initially on when I selected the record option.

Can't decide if that's good or bad. Good in that you will get less instances of the same program. Bad if there is a recording conflict with something else and it's available on another channel at another time. You would have to manually select to record the program on the other channel.
 
#752 ·
^^^ Just to clarify: Your CM7500 is connected to the internet, correct? How is the guide data for Canadian stations other than CITY or CBC?
 
#755 ·
As promised Guide info for the channels that it found during the scan, excluding channels I deleted (French, SD):

4.1 CBOT-DT (CBC) 2 weeks
11.1 CHCH-JD (CHCH) 2 weeks
13.1 CJOH (CTV) 2 weeks
18.1 WNPI-DT (PBS) 2 weeks
18.2 WNPI-DT (PBS) 2 weeks
18.3 WNPI-HD (PBS) 2 weeks
28.1 WWYF-SD 2 weeks
6.1 CII-HD (Global) 10 hours
14.1 OMNI2 6 hours
24.1 TVO 2.5 days
28.2 WWNY-HD None
42.1 CTS-HD 9 hours
43.1 CHRO 9 hours
60.1 OMNI1 22 hours
65.1 CityTV 22 hours

Although it found both WNPI and WWNY when scanned, the channels have gone black as the signal is too weak. The guide info doesn't seem to be impacted if the signal is gone.

The remote lets you skip through the guide 1 day forward or back, or 2.5 hours back by using a single button, which is quite handy.

The User Guide can be found at:
http://support.channelmaster.com/hc/en-us/articles/200117849-CM-7500-Documents
 
#756 ·
Probably the same drawback as the ROVI guide on the 7000PAL - they decide what stations are in your market, presumably based on the postal code submitted. Any station not on their "list" will depend on PSIP for data.

At least this time they've set it up to accept Canadian locations, so you could try a variety of postal codes hoping for a better mix of channels.

Steve
 
#757 ·
Spoke too soon about the Mon-Fri and Weekly recording options. If you choose "Manual Recording" you can specify "Mon-Fri", or "Weekly", or "Daily".

The downside is, it doesn't retain the name, but calls it "Manual Recording" and you have to use the keyboard to rename the program, otherwise you end up with a recording schedule full of "Manual Recording". Not sure why they can't capture the name and keep it.

Also the downside is if the broadcaster changes the broadcast time, it won't automatically record the show. It will record whatever is on at that time. That's why the "record every instance of the name" comes in handy. Some shows are often pre-empted or changed with Olympics and Superbowl, etc., so using the Manual Recording is not the best option.

BTW, I ONLY found this out by reading reviews by others on the Channel Master site. I can't find anything about this in the user guide, or at least I searched and couldn't find anything.

BTW, their alphanumeric (non-QWERTY) keyboard entry is not great. There do not appear to be any shortcuts, such as clear existing name (so you have to delete each character of "manual recording"), there is no automatic shift to uppercase after a space, so you have to invoke it, but it remains in uppercase until you change it back. To type in "The Big Band Theory", took several minutes and lots of patience. Keyboard short-cuts would be greatly appreciated.
 
#758 ·
Questions about the CM7500 and the Rovi Channel Guide:

1. When you do a Manual Recording on the CM7500, can you change the name from "Manual Recording" at the time you are setting it up, or only afterwards?

2. Any news as to when the CM7500 might be available in Canada?

3. When you enter your Canadian Postal Code into the Rovi guide for locations near the US border do you get channel information for both Canadian and US stations, or just the Canadian ones? Can you get both PSIP and Rovi guide information at the same time if not all your channels are supported by Rovi?

I've read the Total TV guide at http://guide.totaltv.com/ is using Rovi, but when I enter my Delta, BC postal code there, not only do I not get the US stations in my area, I seem to get every station in BC. When I do the same thing with the Zap2it guide at http://www.zap2it.com/ I get both US and Canadian channels in my reception area.
 
#759 ·
Hey Sandman905, you can have the item shipped to Canada. It's not US or Canadian specific.

I can change the name at the time I create the manual recording, but as I said, it won't capture the name in that current time period, but makes you remove the words "Manual Recording" 1 character at a time, and then using their keyboard, type in the new name.

I get whatever the broadcaster sends over the air, so yes, I get what's on the US stations.

I found a new and interesting thing I dislike. Some of the channels don't update their guides automatically, you have to actually change to that channel for the guide to get updated. Not sure if that's because it can't download the information from the broadcaster if you have not actually selected that channel. I thought the guide came from the Internet, and yes I am connected. There is no setup to say where to get the guide from, so I would assume if you are connected to the Internet, it would get the guide from there.

I am not very familiar with the ROVI guide. I will have to assume that it contains local stations to your postal code with schedule which is used to update your guide, and if their is nothing for a channel it would revert to whatever the broadcaster sends OTA. That might explain why whenever I power up the CM7500, some of my channels always seem to have items in the guide, and others have nothing, until I select that channel, and then it updates the guide. Maybe someone else can provide some insight.

I also noticed that for "recording by name instance" it has missed instances where I had not gone to the channel and selected it and the guide was updated. I am confused as to why that is happening and will post a question on the Channel Master support site. Otherwise, for those channels, like CityTV, that don't automatically update the guide after you power on the CM7500, any recording you might have scheduled based on "name" for that channel fails to work.
 
#760 ·
I wonder if it is possible that when guide data isn't available from the internet yet, it resorts to the PSIP guide data in the broadcast stream?
If that were the case, PSIP guide data may get wiped clean whenever ya power cycle the device?
 
#761 ·
On the fritz again

I got my CM7000 PAL up and running last year by putting in a new hard drive.
Yeah me!
I had also bought a PHD VRX which I wasn't thrilled with, so I kept using the 7000.
It seems to have packed in again. It doesn't respond to the controls and the picture is stuck on a single image.
I'm back to using the less sensitve tuner on the TV.
I'm going to use the PHD VRX for now.

Should I spend the money for another hard drive to see if it fixes the problem yet again (the hard drive runs 24 hrs a day so it doesn't really stop spinning). The symtoms are not quite the same as last time. It just got noisy and quit.

Or should I get the new CM7500. I have the external HD for the PHD VRX.

Addicted to free TV in Ladner, BC.
DB8e on the roof (lent out my CM 4228), rotator, PVR, and a new FTA dish in the yard
laurie
 
#762 ·
CM 75000

Lauriencol,

I can't advise you on your current units but I purchased the Channel Master CM 7500 DVR+, the Channel Master wifi adapter , and a Seagate 1 TB external hardrive as a xmas gift for my wife and so far it works great. The program guide provided by Rovi, which is based on your postal code, gives 2 weeks of programming info and is updated often through the wifi connection. Recording shows is as easy as highlighting them in the guide and choosing to record it once or every time it's on. It has 2 tuners ( which are sensitive and hold a weak signal well)) so you can record 2 shows on different channels at the same time My only small complaint would be that the unit seems slow to respond when pressing the remote buttons. Can't wait for them to add additional viewing chooses, other then VUDU which is not available in Canada.
 
#763 ·
Metrodand, Can you confirm that you're able to receive two weeks of program guide data on Canadian stations?! A previous poster indicated that he wasn't able to.
 
#764 ·
CM 7500

Jase 88

Living near the American border I get CBS,ABC,FOX,CW,PBS all from Watertown. These stations all have 2 weeks worth of program info on the DVR+ guide. The only Canadian station I receive is CKWS (11.1) out of Kingston which has no programming info. One odd thing is that using my current postal code the DVR+ lists channel 11.1 as CHCH with program info, but if I use a postal code from nearby Gananoque (15 mins. west of me) the DVR+ will list it as CKWS with no program info.
 
#766 ·
laurienicol,

The new 7500 is still too new to provide feedback--and thus a recommendation--in my opinion.

I've seen no confirmation that the new 7500 actually provides two weeks of guide data via the internet from ROVI for Canadian stations. Though it appears that PSIP guide data is presented when internet data is not available...which would provide a comparable experience to your current unit (when it's working).

Channel Master told me via Twitter that the 7500 supports Canadian stations with internet guide data from ROVI. The cost of the ROVI guide service is rolled into the cost of the device. Therefore, if it doesn't actually work for Canadian stations, this would be a concern for me.

Some are reporting that responses are slow on the 7500. That could be a concern, as the my CM7000 is fine in that regard.

The external HDD is obviously a benefit. As is the claimed energy consumption of the 7500 compared to current DVR's. And the tuners may be improved over the CM7000....which could benefit you if some stations are borderline.
 
#767 ·
I going to try and fix my CM7000. I sent the hard drive back to the place that sold it to me 6 months ago for replacement.
In the meantime I have the PHD VRX. It's a little buggie, and way too slow to respond to commands. The remote sometimes works and sometimes doesn't even with new batteries.
If the CM7500 is just a version of the PHD VRX with an external hard drive, and as reported , slow to respond, I'll give it a pass for now.
What I like about the CM7000, is that the remote controls the TV's volume and power, unlike the PHD VRX remote. One remote makes life easier.
PS: I'm leery of ROVI. I'm stuck with TVGOS on my TV that is now useless.
 
#768 ·
My 7000PAL has been driving me nuts lately.

The clock runs ~2 minutes slow, enough to make the delayed start of all recordings annoying.

I keep setting it ahead two minutes manually, and within a day or so it sets it back 2 minutes. This has been going on for weeks...

Anyone have this problem?
 
#769 ·
7000Pal Clock

I've had some minor issues lately with the clock on my 7000Pal. A few weeks ago, it was off by an hour. I too manually adjusted the clock, but it still left the guide an hour off. The issue resolved itself the following day, when presumably the station staff corrected the issue.

Why the device even permits manual adjustments to the clock is beyond me. As the DVR clearly ignores manual changes in favour of whatever time it receives from whatever local station it chooses.

And without any sort of log or description of where it's receiving the data that it does, you have no way of knowing which station is sending out the incorrect time.

In your case, I would adjust the buffer recording times on either end of your set recordings. This can be done globally to impact all future recordings. This way you won't lose a few minutes of your programming.
 
#770 ·
Schmerpy:

Known problem. If you use manual time it will drift.

The solution is to acquire the time automatically, then soft-reboot (hold down power button on remote) twice in a row to make it stick.

This may not be a permanent fix, but it will hold the correct time longer than any other method.

This is for the CM7000PAL only. Won't help with a drifting clock on the 7400.

The one hour discrepancy re-occurs every 6 months, exactly 30 days prior to the Spring/Fall time change. Some incompatibility between the CM7000 and the PSIP generators at the stations, apparently. Fixes itself 24 hours later.

If you're ambitious the Diagnostic screens will tell you which channels are the furthest off, time-wise. However, even deleting those channels won't stop the problem - you'd have to prevent them from ever being scanned in, which is no easy task.
 
#771 ·
I put a new hard drive in my CM7000 ( 2nd replacement) and it's functioning as good as new. The VRX PHD is back in the box.
I noticed that the CM7000 runs a little warm. Slightly warm on one side but quiet enough that I donèt even hear the HD.
Do you think that I should replace that little induction fan inside.
The fan did turn on when I plugged the PVR in without the cover on, but did shut itself off at the same time as the red and green lights shut off.

laurie in Ladner BC with the DB8e on the roof and a 90 cm dish in the back yard.
 
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