Channel Master CM-7000pal Digital Video Recorder Review

UPDATE: Channel Master CM7400 has been released as a “new improved OTA DVR with no subscription necessary”. We have reveiwed it here- Channel Master CM7400

The Following Review is for the Channel Master CM-7000pal Digital Video Recorder. For those who have chosen to Cut the Cord and utilize free over the air High Definition television (OTA) the need for a good digital video recorder (DVR) is paramount. The ability to schedule and record programs so they can be viewed later will change an often frustrating experience into an enjoyable one. This is especially true when viewing free OTA broadcasts. The choices for a quality OTA DVR are few. Of those choices the Channel Master CM-7000PAL DVR is the best choice, and the current leader, of the very limited free TV recorder market place. Here is why.

EDIT- 11-17-2011 It looks like the beloved channel master cm-7000Pal is on the endangered species list. The Best alternative I can Find is The Tivo Premiere although it has the monthly Tivo fee, which kind of sucks.. but anyone who has a Tivo Premiere LOVES it so.. Get one HERE if you are interested!

The Channel Master CM-7000pal Digital Video Recorder includes these features.

No subscription fees for the easy to use program guide. This is a great TiVo alternative; most OTA tuners only have guide info for the channel that is currently tuned. The Channel Master DVR has eight full days of guide information. It combines free TV Guide supported by most major television stations with the more limited PSIP data. The result is the best free program guide available on a standalone free TV recorder.
Fast & easy setup! Simply follow to prompts.
Excellent picture quality on both (HD) High Definition and (SD) Standard Definition channels. It is even better than the highly rated Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box!
Superior time shifting ability: Pause, rewind, fast forward, and slow live TV. If you are into the program and decide you want to record it simply rewind to the beginning and hit record.
Dual Tuner DVR: includes two ATSC digital tuners. You can record two shows at once, watch one while another is recorded, or view a recording while recording another program at the same! This is a big advantage over other free TV recorders like the Magnavox MDR515H 500GB HDD and DVD-R with Digital Tuner.
Good selection of outputs: HDMI (1080i resolution), Component HD (Y/Pb/Pr), analog RCA type L-audio-R-audio-V-video.
Full 5.1 channel discrete Dolby Digital sound via HDMI and Optical outputs. HDMI cable is not provided. I use the DVI Gear HDMI Cable 2M (6 Feet) as it is inexpensive and well shielded.
Built-in hard 250GB drive (HDD) capable of storing 30 hours of HD content or 150 hours of SD content. Increasing the storage capacity is fairly east once you open the case which is a little tricky. Simply swap out the hard drive. The maximum capacity is 1 terabyte. This is not supported by manufacturer.
Intuitive programmable remote control with large color coded buttons can control up to three additional devices.
Ethernet and USB 2.0 ports for firmware upgrades.
Low (22 watts) power consumption and low heat generation.
One year warranty, most ATSC DVR’s only have a three month warranty.
Perfectly complements the Roku 2100X XDS Streaming Player 1080p. Used together you won’t miss cable or satellite at all. In fact you will now have higher quality and greater quantity of content at your finger tips.
Compare to the Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box Review