I'd really like to have a DVR but I refuse to pay my cable company $15/mo for the priviledge to have one from them and even the TiVo one looks great it seems outrageous that you can't use the equipment you've bought without also buying a monthly service.

Doesn't anyone sell a simple DVR that works like an old VCR so I can record programs and watch them later? All I want to be able to do is to record channel X at 2pm to 3pm every Monday through Friday. I don't need a pay-for-it service to do that.

Do you have digital cable? If so hook a hard drive up to your tv and do a google search. Your hard drive can record any digital show you want and lots of them as well. No need to buy special equipment or pay a monthly service fee if you don't want to.

Jeff

I have a VCR/DVD-R combo that works like a DVR. If you record to disc, it buffers it until you "close" the disc. At that point, it burns it. There must be a HD in there somewhere. I would think you should be able to find what you are looking for.

Rich-My DVD-R is limited to 8hrs but works extremely well. I switched to Direct and pay the $10 an month for the DVR and it holds @ 100 hours I think. Kind of a rip off, but works so easy it makes you lazy! Haven't used my DVD-R since I changed in March.

sony makes one that is hd compatible. heres a link

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-video-recorders-dvrs/sony-dhg-hdd250/4505-6474_7-31155637.html

I have one put havn't really used it so I cant give any insight

These are the gurus. And they answer your emails....

http://www.weaknees.com/

Tivo HD here and I wouldn't have any thing else. Super easy interface. Ive been hooked on Tivo for 5 years. Watch what you want when you want. Never have deadlines anymore to watch something. I sold my digital box after getting HD, but the digital box is great also.

https://www3.tivo.com/store/boxes.do?type=renewed

This is a good deal.

$15 a month from the cable company. If it craps out next year they replace it for free and they deliver and install it. Most record at least 2 channels at a time and record in both regular and HD format. They also work quite well because they're designed to work with the system they're plugged in to. Only want to record new episodes and not reruns, no problem. They shift the time on your favorite show because of a late running football game or some other reason, no problem. Only one box to mess with, your cable box is also your DVR.

How much to buy a Tivo or other brand outright? How long before you recovered your $15 a month, if it lasts that long? I know people that bought DVRs, not Tivo brand, and all I heard was complaints about it not recording when it should and doing this and that. $15 a month may sound like a ripoff but you really have to weigh the pros and cons.