Whenever a new DVR option becomes available to OTA'ers, I get excited.

Unfortunately, this DVR has little new to offer from Channel Master's previous DVR, the CM7000Pal.

This new device works with the VUDU movie/show streaming service. According to VUDU's Terms of Service, this service is only accessible in the US. Hopefully access to more services will become available in the future. But as it stands, Canadian and international customers are out of luck.

The storage capacity isn't much greater than the CM7000Pal. In fact, it might be the same. 35 hours of HD? I get that or about that now.

And while the manual isn't yet available to confirm, I wouldn't be surprised if this device only supports TVGOS in the US. If you're a Canadian customer, I would definitely wait to confirm that you can add a Canadian postal code to the device. Especially now that TVGOS is available from many more Canadian stations.

I have been reading through a lot of this thread and was wondering if there is much difference in the quality of digital tuner in the Channel Master 7000PAL compared to say the Magnavox MDR515H 500GB or any other dvr?
I have a 2009 Samsung PN58BN550 which seems to have a decent digital tuner in it (no signal strength meter though).
However, I have hooked up a Tivax digital tuner and found that the Tivax will pick up signals (only in SD, no hdmi output only a/v) that my Samsung won't even register.
I was hoping to buy a dvr with a great digital tuner as I am on the deep fringe in Arthur, Ontario will all but 3 of my potential channels in - db ratings.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d14f342477efd77

The channelmaster tv looks promising. I think i'll try my luck and wait for Sony to release the PlayTV over here in North America. Although I not going to hold my breath for too long on that one.

For me, it has come down to 1 of 2 choices... The new Channel Master CM 7400 or the TVIX M6620N. I will probably get the one with the better tuner, if I can get that information.

Same here distox. I have been looking at the same TVIX for some time but when you read how buggy it can be I put off getting one till they sort them out. Now that CM has a dual tuner/media player it peaked my interest. I just wish it had more info on it like what type of media formats it can play.

According to the web site this is what it can play...

MKV, AVI, VOB
ASF, WMV
MPEG1/2/4 Elementary (M1V, M2V, M4V)
MPEG1/2 PS, M2P, MPG
MPEG2 Transport Stream TS, TP, TRP, M2TS, MTS, MOD, TOD
ISO, IFO
MOV (H.264), MP4

Also, I read many of the bugs have been ironed out. Maybe only getting one will tell. I have bought many lousy devices before, what's one more?

I wouldn't characterize the current Channel Master DVR as "lousy". And I'm sure this new product they're launching is decent as well. My only concern with Channel Master has been their poor product support. And this is particularly true for Canadian and other non-US customers.

I wouldn't characterize the current Channel Master DVR as "lousy"...

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Channel Master's DVR is lousy, I meant it as a general statement that I have bought much stuff throughout my life that some of it did not live up it it's hype. I will only judge Channel Master's DVR if I get it and it doesn't measure up.

Sounds very interesting! I may have to open up the wallet and get one but I am not a gambler. I don't like being a guinea pig and I would not be getting one for me but for my wife. She still uses a VCR/DVD recorder and if she misses recording a tv show she gets me to download it then convert it to dvd. So if this thing can be networked then she can just pull the video from my computer no conversion need (VCR/dvd recorder won't play AVI). If this thing doesn't work the way it's suppose to I'll be in deep dodo.

distox: I caught your meaning. I was just reassuring you that an investment in CM DVR product is probably a safe bet. ;-)

audiohead: You should check out the HTPC (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=31) (Home Theatre PC) forum. You can install ATSC digital tuners and use a HTPC as a DVR. The current DVR from Channel Master cannot be networked (other than to accept non-existent software updates). It's doubtful the new DVR can be networked as well.

Well, after weighing out all the information I could get, I decided to order the TViX M6620n. I will write a review when I get it and try to answer questions anyone may have.

Is it here yet, is it here yet, is it here yet...

The Tvix is a single tuner, right?

EDIT: Disregard, I checked the specs--dual tuner. Looks like a very decent PVR. Looking forward to a review of it. Though one thing jumped out at me: "HDD not included"? Not a big deal I suppose. I just hope they make it easy to access the box to install a HDD.

You can get a model with a drive, but it is more expensive that getting your own. Real easy to install. Screw a small guide onto the drive. Open the drive door and snap it in. No wires. Also, a cool thing is that it has an Ethernet port and is NAS aware, so it will play stuff from other hard drives or PCs. It has a USB port to connect memory sticks and a USB target port so that other PCs can see the internal drive via USB. That is probably the fastest way to pull programs off the player and into your PC and then to burn on a DVD or Blu-ray drive.

Definitely looks like a great DVR. I'd much rather buy and install my own HDD anyways.

Does the TVix have any EPG capability?

A snip from the TVIX site...

M6620N provides Electronic Program Guide (EPG) that helps users easily select what they watch or record. And for weekly programs, just set the “Time” and “Cycle” to record your favorite program periodically. TVIX will automatically turns on by itself and starts to record periodically.

While it has an EPG, my question is how it gets this info? Is it PSIP only, or TVGOS, or both?! And if it's TVGOS, can you set a Canadian postal code? Distox, these are the questions I'd like you to investigate when yours arrives! ;-)

Is TVGOS not a NTSC (analog) thing. Is it still being transmitted OTA in digital? I know that the M6620n supports PSIP OTA. I have not seen anything about TVGOS.

TVGOS works in both analog and digital. Now post-transition, it's entirely digital in Canada and the US for over-the-air TV.

I must say that I far prefer the system WMC uses for it's EPG to the PSIP data my old Sonicview box received. The sonicview would sometimes get a couple hours or days worth of data, sometimes a week. Windows Media Centre usually goes for weeks...