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# The Best DVRs for Cable TV and OTA 2022
We donât like wasting time, so we compared the best DVRs from TV providers and third parties for the most efficient use ofpossible
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You're probably looking for the best DVR so you can record all of your Kansas Citygames or cooking and baking shows on Food Network
We found a few DVRs that could satisfy your DVR storage needs, including smooth features that make it easy to access your recordings. Of course, thereâs pricing and the fact that not every DVR is perfect, but weâve focused on DVRs that are worth your time
Letâs get into the details of our five favorite DVRs
- : Best cable TV DVR
- : Best TV provider DVR
- : Best DVR for sports
- : Runner-up cable TV DVR
- : Best budget DVR
## The best DVR for cable TV is the TiVo Bolt VOX
What we like about the TiVo Bolt VOX
The Bolt VOX is a cable DVR and streaming device in one, and itâs no shock the original DVR champion reigns supreme
This DVR lets you record up to 150 HD hours of TV shows and movies. That means you can record 30 episodes of
*The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air*, 10 episodes of *PAW Patrol*, and about 60 movies. *And* with 4K Ultra resolution, you can stream your Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube. If you're like me, you like your marathon-watching weeknights after work
A cool feature the TiVo Bolt has is SkipMode. Who doesn't love skippingabout cat litter or the next cool car that's supposed to get you "the girl"?
Other DVRs may have fast-forwarding, but you end up missing the beginning of the scene, rewinding, then fast-forwardingyeah, it gets tedious
QuickMode is great because you can breeze through a show 30% faster with audio at regular pitch. If you spaced out during dialogue or a plot explanation, you can quickly back up and catch it without re-watching the whole thing at regular speed. Plus, no helium voices!
And lastly, the fluid interface uses OneSearch. So, if you want to watch
*Deadpool* or *Star Wars: Rogue One* but arenât sure which service itâs available from, you wonât have to jump between apps
What we can't like about the TiVo Bolt VOX
About a year ago, we didn't like the TiVo Bolt's extra fees for the DVR service
*But now*, they include the DVR service with the DVR itself
So when you pay that $330 for the TiVo Bolt VOX (or six payments of $55), you have DVR service for life
No need to pay monthly or yearly fees! So honestly, we don't have
Who should get the TiVo Bolt VOX?
The TiVo Bolt VOX is for those who want a DVR with lots of storage space without paying for a cable or satellite TV bill
*or* your cable provider's set-top box and DVR fees
If you donât want to fuss with your equipment, and if you want something that works and will hold its value, this is definitely the way to go
## The best TV provider's DVR is the DISH Hopper 3
What we like about the DISH Hopper 3
The Hopper Duo is only $5 per month, but paying $10 per month for the Hopper 3 might be worth it for you if you'd rather have 3x the storage space
The Hopper Duo can record 125 hours of programming and record two shows at once,
*but* the Hopper 3 boasts 500 hours of storage, records up to 16 streams, and can connect all of your TVs from the main unit. That's the biggest storage space of among all cable and satellite TV services
It's aamount perfect for binge-watching shows like
*Saturday Night Live*, *The Kitchen, *and * Fix My Flip.*
If youâre looking for Over-the-Air recording (free broadcast signals that can be picked up by antennas), you will need a separate USB antenna. But other than that, the Hopper 3 is good to go. It will even send signals to your Joey units (additional receivers), so the whole home is hooked up
What really makes the Hopper jump out is its special features: AutoHop, voice control, and remote finder. AutoHop skipswith a single button, no guesswork needed. The voice control remote means you donât have to select and type individual letters into your search, while the remote finder is a lifesaver for anyone who has spent more time looking for the remote than watching their show
The Hopper 3 is Bluetooth compatible with headphones and other devices, which is nice if you want to watch TV privately. That way, if others are asleep or studying, you can still catch up on your shows
What we can't like about the DISH Hopper 3
Itâs hard to say anything negative about the Hopper 3, since it has just about everything that we need from a DVR. Perhaps because itâs the current gold standard, we donât have much to complain aboutâexcept that we wish it was absolutely free
Who should get the DISH Hopper 3?
If youâre looking for a new service with a great DVR, the DISH Hopper 3 can be a great option
If you already have DISH, you might as well stick with or upgrade to the Hopper 3 instead of getting the TiVo Bolt VOX. If you'd like extra storage space, just add an external hard drive
## The best DVR for sports is the DIRECTV Genie
What we like about the DIRECTV Genie
Sports fans love DVRs. Who is
*always* sitting on their couch the exact second of tip-off?
We like to pause the game to grab snacks or use the bathroom, but DVRs are also great when life interrupts your flow and you need to help someone in with the groceries or drop the kids off at practice
If youâre coming home late from work or just want to avoid ads, you can start recording, give yourself 5â10 minutes of prep-time, hit play, and watch the game âliveâ with all the conveniences of playback control
Most DVRs lets you set a DVR recording from your mobile app, and DIRECTV isn't any different. With the DIRECTV Genie, you can also pause and rewind live HDTV for up to 90 minutes. So even if you forgot to set the recording before you went to work, you can still catch up. Instant replay goes six seconds back, so you donât have to wait for the highlight reel, either. Youâve got a 30-second fast-forward button that cuts past ads, boring halftime shows, and scoreless runs
You can record up to five programs at once with the Genie, so you can record an NBA game, MLB game, a movie, and two TV shows all at once
What we can't like about the DIRECTV Genie
The Genie doesnât have as much storage as the Hopper 3, but it still beats out most other DVRs. More importantly, itâs enough for the vast majority of us
Another minor complaint is the included remote control isnât equipped for voice recognition. While you can use a device like your phone or tablet, weâd prefer the dedicated unit to have this feature. That way, we can use our spare device to look up other things, like player or game statsâor pizza delivery services near us
*But* DIRECTV's remote does have convenient buttons. Press "R" to record a show, fast forward and backward 30 seconds with the advance buttons, and skip back six seconds if you didn't *catch* that great Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes connection
Who should get the DIRECTV Genie?
Any of the DVRs on our list could work for sports, sure, but if youâre a football fan, DIRECTV is the only provider of NFL SUNDAY TICKET
On top of that, the Genie gives you real-time scores of major games with the press of a single button. We recommend the Genie for a lot of uses, but it excels at sports
## The runner-up cable DVR is the Xfinity X1 Cloud DVR
What we like about the Xfinity X1
A few things we like about the X1: we can pull up NBA games easily, we can find more movies from actors we like, and we can stream from our favorite services
With your voice remote, you can say commands like "Turn on NBA TV" and the X1 will grant you your wish. Plus, the X1 guide gives you player and team stats, so your sports experience is even more fluid
To find more movies from Margot Robbie, just hover over a Margot Robbie movie in the guide, then click info. Here youâll find Series and Movie Info to find more information about the actors. Then you can even set up recordings based on your favorite actors or directors!
But of course, the DVR is what we're interested in. The X1 lets you record 60 HD or 300 SD hours. That's not a lot compared to the Hopper 3 or Genie, but if you don't want satellite TV, then Xfinity is the best cable TV option
Xfinity's X1 is actually a cloud DVR, which essentially means you can watch your recordings on any device. You and your family can also record six shows at once
You can stream from Peacock, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and YouTube, as well as enjoy music from Pandora, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio
What we can't like about the Xfinity X1 Cloud DVR
Unfortunately, Xfinity's X1 DVR comes with a few fees
Each TV box is $7.50 per month, and DVR storage service starts at $10.00 a month for 150 hours and $20 a month for 300 hours
So, on top of your monthly Xfinity package bill, you could be looking at at least a $17.50 bill for the X1 experience. This isn't too bad, but your pricing can rack up if your kids wants a set-top box in their bedrooms and if you'd rather have 300 DVR storage hours instead of 150
Who should get the X1 Cloud DVR?
If youâre subscribed to Xfinity, we donât see any major reason to switch to a different DVR
If you're not subscribed, then we must say Xfinity is our top cable TV option
While more storage and special features would be nice, the X1âs ease of use and mobile abilities have been beneficial. However, if youâre not looking to sign up for internet too, weâd advise looking at another DVR because the functionality is severely reduced when youâre not connected to the internet
If you want more details, check out our X1 DVR Review
## The best OTA DVR is the Mediasonic Homeworx
What we like about the Mediasonic Homeworx
The Mediasonic Homeworx is a converter box that acts as an OTA DVR when you attach your external antenna and a USB hard drive to watch your recorded live TV channels in 1080p definition. Consumers have said the OTA signal can net you about 100â120 channels when they connected their HD antenna to the Homeworx device
With the Homeworx, you can store as many hours as your USB hard drive allows you (yes, you'll have to connect one to this DVR). Then you can record
*Modern Family,* NFL games, and *Mickey Mouse Funhouse*. **What can I watch over the air
In our area, we found OTA networks like CW, PBS, PBS Kids, and then a handful of movie and shopping channels. A lot of people will find value in being able to tap into news networks and local sports. Couple that with the big four (NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX), and you'll have a decent library of channels
What we can't like about the Mediasonic Homeworx
You get what you pay for with this $27 OTA DVR device
If you're looking to record movies to store in your DVR for months, you're going to need a USB hard drive. If you'd like to record more than one show at once, you'd be better off with the TiVo Bolt VOX. You'll also need a reliable internet connection, so make sure to check our list of fastest internet providers
Who should get the Mediasonic Homeworx?
While we prefer better DVR features, the Homeworx is a great solution for people who arenât sure they want to shell out the cash for a TiVo Bolt VOX or DISH Hopper 3, but want more than just a Netflix or Hulu subscription
## What makes a good DVR?
Everyone wants decent storage space
Capacity is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB)âand more is always better. 500 GB seems to be a good starting point for storage, but remember that the ratio of storage compared to recording hours isnât the same across brands. If you run into storage issues, most DVRs have an eSATA port for an external hard drive
Always go off of specified hours, even though those are only estimates by the company and will vary based on programming
A DVR with convenient recording features makes life easier
Recording is pretty universal across DVRs: either choose a single episode or select an entire series to record. This means you wonât have to set up your DVR every single week to keep up with
*Pardon the Interruption* or *The Voice*âjust once
Some DVRs even automatically record recommendations based on your viewing. The DISH Hopper 3 automatically records primetime television. While this may appear helpful, it may take up a good chunk of storage without you realizing it
Some DVRs expand your storage with cloud storage or an external hard drive, so keep that in mind as well when making your decision
The number of shows you can record at once matters with big families
Make sure the number of recordings and watching streams covers your needs because if you have five people in your house and only four streams, someone is going to have to compromise
With the DISH Hopper 3, you can get up to 16 recordings going at once (which is. When you use additional units like the Joey, Genie Mini, or TiVo Mini, youâre increasing the number of individual streams to TVs, but rarely (if ever) do these devices add storage
We want to be able to pause, fast-forward, and skip
While pausing and rewinding are standard, fast-forwarding is a little less common because of licensing agreements. Companies make money from ad revenue, and advertisers pay only if they see results. Thus, TV service providers agree to disable certain content from fast-forwarding
That being said, we absolutely love when fast-forwarding is available. Better yet, we love when we can skip immediately to the end of a commercial. TiVo has SkipMode and DISH has AutoHop, both of which automatically go to the end of a commercial and remove the guesswork on your end, preventing possible spoilersâor at least some frustration
## Recap: Which DVR is the best for you?
Some people might not want to fuss with a DVR, but they donât know the power it holds. You can become the curator of a vast library of TV, control time with a remote (or even your voice), and instantly pull-up sport stats with a single button. Keep in mind, you can do all this on your couch. Futureâs here, folksâitâs time to get a DVR
TiVo Bolt VOX: The Bolt gives you 150 hours of DVR storage, and although it looks pricey at $330, you'll neverhave to worry about paying monthly for a set-top box or DVR service. You'll be able to record TV shows and movies for the rest of your life with no strings attached. DISH Hopper 3: If you want the most storage a TV service DVR can give you, get the Hopper 3. It's going to be hard to fill 500 hours of DVR storage, and it can also be a blessing in disguise because your family will never have to fight over who can record what. DIRECTV Genie: Perfect for sports fans because of DIRECTV's NFL SUNDAY TICKET, the Genie comes in second for satellite TV. You can record all of your Dallas Cowboys games for the season and you'd still never fill the 200-hour DVR storage. Xfinity X1: The X1 has some pretty cool features, like finding movies with actors we like, but the X1 comes with a few fees. Xfinity is the best cable TV provider, but you'll just have to budget for the DVR service. Mediasonic Homeworx: The Mediasonic Homeworx is an inexpensive one-time purchase, but don't forget you'll need to provide your own antenna and external hard drive to receive as many channels as you possibly can and record your favorite TV series
## FAQs
A Cloud DVRâs storage is based on a companyâs server, but it is accessible by users just about everywhere. Think of it as âoff-siteâ storage for your DVR, which means you can switch devices and keep your library
Most DVRs can expand their storage. Make sure it has a SATA port if youâre planning on adding an external hard drive
OTA is short for Over the Air. In many locations, you can receive free (HD) programmingâall you need is an antenna. Itâs a great way to save money and still keep up on the big networks, as well as a few movie channels and family favorites like PBS
While Over the Air isnât perfect for everybody, fans of network TV and sports can find a lot to watch. The following DVRs on our list are OTA compatible: TiVo Bolt VOX, DISH Hopper 3, DIRECTV Genie, and Mediasonic Homeworx
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