Dish Alternatives: Evaluating Tivo, EyeTV, SageTV, and MythTV
Eric and I have been trying to save money and after Dish let us know that prices would be going up again, I started investigating alternatives. We both have realized that we can live without cable but not without DVR. Watching American Idol live is a painful experience. It’s must skip TV.
It seems like there are two big options. We can go with a bundled system or go with a combo of software and an HD tuner stick. I already have an unused Mac Mini available for DVR duties.
In no particular order, here are the options we’re exploring.
The Bundled Options
Tivo
The cheapest DVR with HD is $299. We’d also have to pay between $10.75 and $12.95 a month for service.
Advantages
- Nice interface
- Netflix integration
- We have used it before and liked it
- Web-integration: we can set programs to record from our computer
Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Locked into a 1-year service contract
Total cost for first 2 years: ~$550
EyeTV
We can buy a HD tuner stick and software bundled together for $150.
Advantages
- Can run on a Mac
- Comes with TV Guide interface
- Award-winning
- Looks relatively easy to set up
Disadvantages
- Not super low-cost
- Lots of problems reported on Twitter
Total cost for first 2 years: ~$150
The Separate Options: Software Only
All of the options below assume that you’ve purchased an HD TV tuner for between $70 and $120.
SageTV
SageTV offers a 21-day trial.
Advantages
- Can run on a Mac
- Looks like an easy-to-use interface
- Supports skipping commercials
- Lots of potential add-ins
- Looks relatively easy to set-up
Disadvantages
- Software is $80
- We would have to buy a HD tuner stick to try it
Total cost for first 2 years: ~$150 (including one-time HD tuner purchase)
MythTV
MythTV is a mature open-source project. We would need to pay $20 a year for a Schedules Direct subscription.
Advantages
- Large group of users
- Supporting an Open Source project
- Excellent documentation
Disadvantages
- Does not natively support OS X. I would have to partition our hard drive.
Total cost for first 2 years: ~$110
Tried it..
I tried VDR (also open source software), EyeTV and I'm stuck with MythTV right now.
My excerpt:
VDR is VERY powerful and has a large user community but is not user freidly and very complicated.
EyeTV is a dream but the lack of USB Sat sticks and the need of even one more mac made me move to
MythTV - which I built a low power pc with 2 SAT cards for. I't running ok. A lot of functionality but to be honest: A lot of Linux tweaking and trying out. If I hadn't bought the SAT PC ... I'd stick with EyeTV (because I discovered that Terratec USB Sat sticks DO work).
You have to decide: Easy and a few bucks or even more powerful and tweak some linux yourself.
Thanks!
Thanks Jan. It sounds like EyeTV is the easiest route since I have a Mac already. I'll be sure to check out VDR too.
Hi!
Hi,
I think EyeTV fits my mac.
thanks for posting.
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