How to record TV programming off the air: Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my...

BebuLamar

Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my JVC D-VHS VCR and its accesories tuner with firewire output I could do the same and record HD programming in 1080i format.
Today what can you use to do that? I mean recording the off the air TV programming and only buy the equipment and not paying anyone for cable/streaming service etc....

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

Dream on.

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

BebuLamar wrote:

Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my JVC D-VHS VCR and its accesories tuner with firewire output I could do the same and record HD programming in 1080i format.
Today what can you use to do that? I mean recording the off the air TV programming and only buy the equipment and not paying anyone for cable/streaming service etc....

I have a TiVo which records up to 4 programs simultaneously or 3 programs while you watch one other,all off the air. My antenna gets me six stations which have anywhere from 3 to six sub channels.
Bud

BebuLamar

BudsOwl wrote:

I have a TiVo which records up to 4 programs simultaneously or 3 programs while you watch one other,all off the air. My antenna gets me six stations which have anywhere from 3 to six sub channels.
Bud

Do you have to pay TiVo a monthly fee?

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

BebuLamar wrote:

Do you have to pay TiVo a monthly fee?

No
Bud

Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

BebuLamar wrote:

Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my JVC D-VHS VCR and its accesories tuner with firewire output I could do the same and record HD programming in 1080i format.
Today what can you use to do that? I mean recording the off the air TV programming and only buy the equipment and not paying anyone for cable/streaming service etc....

Check out your local Good Will store. They often have a lot of older electronics at very reasonable prices. You might a good recorder.

Daryl

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

This might work for you: https://www.channelmaster.com/products/tivo-edge-antenna-dvr-500gb-with-all-in-service-rd6f50ls

Red6

BebuLamar wrote:

Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my JVC D-VHS VCR and its accesories tuner with firewire output I could do the same and record HD programming in 1080i format.
Today what can you use to do that? I mean recording the off the air TV programming and only buy the equipment and not paying anyone for cable/streaming service etc....

I have heard of setting up your computer with the proper tuners, or source of TV programming and recording directly to a designated hard drive on that computer. Today, nearly all TV programming is digital, so you are just copying digital content from one source to another. I do know a lot of people who do not own TVs that watch streaming TV on their computers. I would assume you could copy at least some of these programs.

Google the web and I am sure you will find someone doing this. Check out Youtube also, you can almost always find someone there that is doing what you are trying to do.

BebuLamar

I am interested in recording TV programming off the air. I don't want having internet or cable involved and no subcription fee either.
Look like the TiVo would work but I am not sure. TiVo has a lot of stuff and many requires a subcription fee.

FredCM Loc: Central Illinois

I think you can pay Tivo a one time fee for the life of the product. This is to keep the guide updated, or some such.

BebuLamar

FredCM wrote:

I think you can pay Tivo a one time fee for the life of the product. This is to keep the guide updated, or some such.

I want simple things. I don't need guide not even the timer for automated recording.

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

BebuLamar wrote:

I am interested in recording TV programming off the air. I don't want having internet or cable involved and no subcription fee either.
Look like the TiVo would work but I am not sure. TiVo has a lot of stuff and many requires a subcription fee.

The Tivo unit that Yssirk linked to requires an internet connection.

Old Coot

BebuLamar wrote:

Back in the days you can simply hook up your VCR built in tuner and record the TV programs off the air. A few years back when I still have my JVC D-VHS VCR and its accesories tuner with firewire output I could do the same and record HD programming in 1080i format.
Today what can you use to do that? I mean recording the off the air TV programming and only buy the equipment and not paying anyone for cable/streaming service etc....

Get a "Tablo". I have one. It records any off the air tv. Also able to schedule future recordings.
Available at Best Buy for around $100 depending on model. The one I have uses a regular computer hard drive

aflundi Loc: Albuquerque, NM

I've been using Silicon Dust <https://www.silicondust.com/> HDHomerun tuners for about 13 years now. Attach a TV antenna and an ethernet cable to the tuner unit and control it from your computer to store files on your hard drive. You can then view the files on your computer. I also set my computer up to be a DLNA server which allows me to view the video files on my smart TV.

I currently run two HDHomerun units, each with dual tuners so I can record 4 channels simultaneously.

catgirl Loc: las vegas

BebuLamar wrote:

I am interested in recording TV programming off the air. I don't want having internet or cable involved and no subcription fee either.
Look like the TiVo would work but I am not sure. TiVo has a lot of stuff and many requires a subcription fee.

I pay 14:99 a month for my tivo