Good low cost provider ? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Heynow999 · 2012-06-21, 06:57 PM

I was with Bell Expressvu, left them and I have been trying OTA and Boxee Box. Unfortunately my wife misses the convenience of the PVR and is not really interested in learning to use the Boxee Box. I need to subscribe to a provider where I can get some specialty channels like hgtv and food network. A pvr would be nice as well Dont really care about HD, i feel we should be watching less tv, not more. We are in Rogers area for cable.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

cm3020prob · 2012-06-21, 07:27 PM

Have you take a look at the Channel Master CM-7400 PVR ?

Anyways, hop in the OTA forum section for more alternatives.

travisc · 2012-06-22, 12:16 AM

He certainly won't get HGTV or Food OTA. Your best bet might be Shaw Direct, I think they have some sort of Ontario package (assuming you're in Ontario) that is apparently decent value. Have a look through their forum.

rosenqui · 2012-06-26, 01:01 PM

If you're moderately PC savvy, a Windows 7 media center machine with an over-the-air tuner like the HDHomeRun makes a very nice PVR. Multi-room capabilities are included by putting 1-5 XBox 360 consoles in other rooms and using them as media center extenders. There's also TiVo which is arguably the best PVR going and sells units with OTA tuners, but you have to subscribe to their service for the hardware to be useful.

If you can wait a few months, keep an eye on what's going on at Acanac's Zazeen subsidiary. They applied to be a broadcast distributor and are awaiting approval, hoping to start service sometime in July. Base service is rumoured to be around $20 with a la carte channels. The only catch is that you must subscribe to their Internet service since CRTC regulations require a "closed network" and won't permit them to do their IPTV over the Internet.

There's some teaser info on their support forum.

We cancelled Bell Satellite a little while ago and are getting by so far with OTA, Netflix, and Internet streaming of shows. What I'm hoping Zazeen will have is a package where I can get the basic channels (mandated by CRTC) and just add on TSN, Sportsnet, and the 2 or 3 other channels we actually watch.

2012-06-21, 06:57 PM	#1
Heynow999 Rookie Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 3	Good low cost provider ? I was with Bell Expressvu, left them and I have been trying OTA and Boxee Box. Unfortunately my wife misses the convenience of the PVR and is not really interested in learning to use the Boxee Box. I need to subscribe to a provider where I can get some specialty channels like hgtv and food network. A pvr would be nice as well Dont really care about HD, i feel we should be watching less tv, not more. We are in Rogers area for cable. Any suggestions? Thanks

2012-06-21, 07:27 PM	#2
cm3020prob Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 277	Have you take a look at the Channel Master CM-7400 PVR ? Anyways, hop in the OTA forum section for more alternatives. __________________ CM-3020 with CM-7777

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2012-06-22, 12:16 AM	#3
travisc Veteran Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Uxbridge, ON Posts: 3,588	He certainly won't get HGTV or Food OTA. Your best bet might be Shaw Direct, I think they have some sort of Ontario package (assuming you're in Ontario) that is apparently decent value. Have a look through their forum.

2012-06-26, 01:01 PM	#4
rosenqui Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Kanata, Ontario. Posts: 385	If you're moderately PC savvy, a Windows 7 media center machine with an over-the-air tuner like the HDHomeRun makes a very nice PVR. Multi-room capabilities are included by putting 1-5 XBox 360 consoles in other rooms and using them as media center extenders. There's also TiVo which is arguably the best PVR going and sells units with OTA tuners, but you have to subscribe to their service for the hardware to be useful. If you can wait a few months, keep an eye on what's going on at Acanac's Zazeen subsidiary. They applied to be a broadcast distributor and are awaiting approval, hoping to start service sometime in July. Base service is rumoured to be around $20 with a la carte channels. The only catch is that you must subscribe to their Internet service since CRTC regulations require a "closed network" and won't permit them to do their IPTV over the Internet. There's some teaser info on their support forum. We cancelled Bell Satellite a little while ago and are getting by so far with OTA, Netflix, and Internet streaming of shows. What I'm hoping Zazeen will have is a package where I can get the basic channels (mandated by CRTC) and just add on TSN, Sportsnet, and the 2 or 3 other channels we actually watch.