"Robert Neville" wrote in message
...
"Tomsic" wrote:

The question is how should we set up the system so my friend can record TV
shows when he wants. He likes to record shows late at night and when he's
not around and then play them back when he has time. The VCR worked
great;
but it doesn't make sense to use tape any more. What black box should he
get to connect to the TV to do the recording that can be programmed to
just
record and play back -- no cable, no subscriptions or extra monthly
services
although I might convince him to get DSL internet service (he still uses
dial up).

TV recording/playback is the essential thing though.

Tivo is the most expensive, but probably the simplest option. Tivo really
wants
you to pay them a monthly fee, purportedly for the use of the online
guide, but
it's really just a revenue stream. You can pay a "lifetime" fee up front
in lieu
of the monthly fee, but that's for the life of the recorder, not the user,
and
the breakeven point is out around 3 years.

There are DVRs annouced, although I'm not sure they are available.
Definitely
not as many as there used to be when analog was used. One example:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20103986-1/new-channel-master-dvr-records-ota-streams-vudu-but-not-netflix/

I use a Dell Zino HD 410 media computer. It's about the size of a tissue
box,
has a OTA TV card and hardrive for recording, and a DVD burner for saving
shows.
Unfortunately Dell no longer makes this, although there's nothing to
prevent you
from building something similar.

The Linux equivalent is called MythTV
Google that for how to build one from an old PC