CUT-THE-CABLE.COM

March 23, 2010

Enjoy the Convenience of a DVR WITHOUT Cable

Quit throwing away your hard earned money on Comcast cable.  You don’t need any cable service at all to get all of the benefits of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR).  For all of you that have CUT-THE-CABLE or are considering it so that you can watch FREE DIGITAL TV over the airwaves (which has better [...]

Quit throwing away your hard earned money on Comcast cable.  You don’t need any cable service at all to get all of the benefits of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR).  For all of you that have CUT-THE-CABLE or are considering it so that you can watch FREE DIGITAL TV over the airwaves (which has better quality than anything that Comcast offers), then here is the MUST HAVE device for every household.

Channel Master CM-7000PAL-DVR


The Channel Master CM-7000PAL has no subscriptions, no fees, and no advertisements.

It is the LEAST EXPENSIVE  Over-The-Air DVR with no monthly fees on the market…and I LOVE IT!  The DTVPal DVR used to hold the title, but it has been discontinued.  Guess what?  This is the EXACT SAME PRODUCT with a different brand name on it.

The Channel Master CM-7000PAL can record TWO channels at the same time while you watch a 3rd pre-recorded program.

This dual-tuner HDTV DVR supports both HD and SD channels from your antenna signal. Satellite and cable are not supported. You can use pause, instant replay, and rewind on live programming. This no subscription DVR has a recording capacity of about 30 HD hours and 150 SD hours on its 250GB hard drive. These are pretty good estimates but can not be exact because the signal can change within a recording due to commercials and stuff. HD signals are stored on the hard drive in HighDef format and cannot be converted to SD to save space. The remote control that comes with the box includes buttons for 30 sec skip, 10 second replay, and supports four speeds of fast forward and reverse, slow motion, and frame-by-frame advance. It can also be programmed to operate your other devices like your TV, DVD player, and sound system.

One of the coolest features is the FREE electronic program guide (EPG) with up to 8-days of program information when TVGuide On Screen (TVGOS) is available. TVGOS is distributed by many CBS affiliates across the country, but is not available in all markets. You can check at www.rabbitears.info to determine whether TVGuide service is currently available in your area.  If TVGuide service is not available, the Channel Master CM-7000PAL EPG will display the more limited program information — typically 8-24 hours worth — offered by your local broadcasters via PSIP. If TVGuide service is available, but does not have information for a particular channel, then the PSIP information (i.e. 8-24 hours) from that broadcaster is shown instead.

All recording are performed with timers that are created manually or set through a program guide selection. When you select a show in the program guide, you can create a reminder or  schedule a recording in that time slot: once, daily, weekly, or M-F. You have the same options when selecting a show with keyword search within the titles of the programs in the EPG.

The Channel Master CM-7000PAL lacks some features found on subscription-based TiVo, DirecTV, and Dish Network satellite DVRs. Features absent from the product include comprehensive program information on all channels, advanced search functions, external storage expansion, multi-room viewing, guide filters / favorites, and the ability to transfer/offload recordings. Most notably, it relies on time-based recording rather than name-based recording; it does not know when a scheduled program has changed its day, time, or duration. It lacks the ability to record only new episodes and ignore repeats.

The Channel Master CM-7000PAL has RF, composite (RCA), component, and HDMI video outputs; it has analog stereo and optical (TOSLINK) audio outputs. Output via component and HDMI is selectable 480p/720p/1080i through a menu. All outputs are active simultaneously and the box will downconvert HD channels to SD through composite and coax for older televisions. There is no Firewire output, and no way to directly download recordings from the DVR.

The Channel Master CM-7000PAL comes standard with a 90-day warranty.  I don’t usually buy extended warranties, but I made an exception when I bought my DTVPal DVR knowing that I’m dealing with a 250GB hard drive that is not user serviceable.  The $30 for a 2-year warranty seemed like not such a bad deal.

I love mine to death and don’t want to live without it.  I got mine in January and it took less than 30 minutes to have it up and running.  Smooth like butta baby!

Click >>> HERE <<< to get yours

July 22, 2009

Comcast Charges Extra for Tivo HD

Filed under: Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:19 am
On the TiVo Community Forum there is an entire thread that is growing by leaps and bounds on bogus charges by Comcast and how to read a Comcast bill.  It’s highly entertaining (and educational).  Here are a few gems from the thread: Here is the new gem they are charging me on my cable bill. [...]

On the TiVo Community Forum there is an entire thread that is growing by leaps and bounds on bogus charges by Comcast and how to read a Comcast bill.  It’s highly entertaining (and educational).  Here are a few gems from the thread:

Here is the new gem they are charging me on my cable bill.
- Digital Preferred with 1 Premium – $82.99
- DVR/HDTV Service – $15.95  (Price went up last month)
- Personal DVR Cablecard Pkg – $1.70 (relatively new charge)
- Digital Service Additional Outlet – $6.95 (he’s not sure what this is for)
- HD Monthly – Additional – $13.90 (This is the one that made me called them. Last month they told me it was a mistake, and this month they say that is the normal fee for having my own TIVO if I want to see HD channels.)
- Cutting the Cable…PRICELESS !!!!

It looks to me as though you’re getting off lightly here – you have three digital outlets (one for your Comcast DVR, one for your TiVo HD, and one for your additional TV). You should be paying two “additional outlet” fees.

In all their advertising, Comcast says no extra fees for HD. I don’t think this is a legitimate charge if OP is already paying for a digital tier of service.  But then again, Comcast billing is WILDLY variable from place to place. And finding a fee schedule online is practically impossible, which to me is criminal.

As you’ll quickly find out, Comcast charges differently in different areas.

Since I already pay for the HD channels on my primary HD/DVR from Comcast, I thought I didn’t have to pay for the HD service again.

No HD Monthly fee out here. I have heard of something similar in the past for rental of an HD capable set top box box (over and above a regular one). Distinguishing the two seems such an obsolete notion these days. But that fee definitely should not apply to your TiVo in any way.

I pay the additional outlet fee and the cable card fee. I don’t have an additional HD charge on my bill though and I receive all available HD channels (which isn’t much with Comcast here) because I have the digital starter package.

I have been on and off the phone with them all day.  Still they claim that the HD Monthly – Additional – $13.90 is accurate with some variations.  One custumer service agent told me that it should be $1.70 (for the card) + $6.95 ( for Digital Service Additional Outlet) + $6.95 (for HD Service) = $15.60 per month (by the way the monthly charge from Comcast for their HD/DVR is $15.95.  Another custumer service agent told me, after I pointed out to him the following quote from their own website “How does HD pricing work?  Comcast doesn’t charge additional programming fees for HD channels and content like satellite. If you receive the channel currently and the channel is available in HD all you need is an HD box.” …that it was correct that they are not charging me for the HD channel, just for the “service” of me being able to see the HD channels. He also explained to me that I would be charge this fee for each TiVo that I wanted to receive this HD Service.

I have a Tivo Series 3 with 2 cable cards. Comcast charges me an additional outlet fee, but no fee for HD.

In the three or so years I have been using cable cards in my TiVo, Comcast has charged me several different prices for a number of different “services”.  Every six to twelve months I would call back and ask them to explain the charges and each time it would result in a lower total bill. The last time I called the told me they had been over billing me and would give me a refund but they would only go back six months.

Reading through Comcast’s bills is like trying to deconstruct a hospital bill.

LOL, who needs the Comedy Channel?  We have Comcast to keep us all entertained!

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