NewTeeVee Pans The Channel Master TV

Posted on Monday, November 21, 2011 by MegaZone

Channel Master CM7400 front with remote NewTeeVee, part of the GigaOM network, has done a video review of the Channel Master TV, aka CM-7400, and they pretty much panned it for the same issues I pointed out in my two previous posts. Basically the high price ($400) for a unit with few features, and the additional $50 annual fee for guide data. For the price it needs more features, or it needs a lower price for what it is.

As I’ve said before, TiVo is a better value for cord cutters. A TiVo Premiere with lifetime is $600, which is what the Channel Master TV will cost for four years of use – and TiVo has way more features. Or you can go monthly for just $10/month if you use TiVo with antenna only. Break it down; let’s call the $50/year fee $4.17/month. So $400 + $4.17x = $100 + $10x, or $300 = $5.83x or x = 51.45. That’s 51.45 months, or 4.29 years, before TiVo catches up to the cost of Channel Master TV and starts to cost more with the monthly option. Edit: Oops, Dave Zatz pointed out in a comment that the $10/month deal ended last week.

About MegaZone

MegaZone is the Editor of Gizmo Lovers and the chief contributor. He's been online since 1989 and active in several generations of 'social media' - mailing lists, USENet groups, web forums, and since 2003, blogging.    MegaZone has a presence on several social platforms: Google+ / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / LiveJournal / Web.    You can also follow Gizmo Lovers on other sites: Blog / Google+ / Facebook / Twitter.
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  • http://twitter.com/davezatz Dave Zatz

    I’ve got one here… and pricing aside it’s light years better than the Echostar unit and will be similarly targeting the Walmart crowd – where TiVo isn’t sold. 

    Also, the OTA TiVo Subscription expired last week and there is no imminent plan to re-institute it.

    • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

      No question it is better than the old CM-7000/DTVPal DVR.  Of course, so is a sharp stick in the eye. ;-)

      I’m sure they’ll sell them to the People of Walmart who don’t know any better.  But I don’t think they’re a good value or the best choice.

      I saw the page for the deal was still up but didn’t notice the 11/15 date when I did my quick check last night.  Thanks for catching that.  I think TiVo should keep that deal going, it really helps make the box competitive for cord cutters.

  • John Bullock

    Agree with Dave, TiVo antenna-only deal expired 11/15 and is now back to $20/month, making the breakeven point 19 months.  Plus, as far as I read, the $10 deal was only for a year anyway.

    I’m bummed I missed out on it, just installed my antenna last week and was looking for DVR options.  Lack of standard wi-fi apps like hulu plus is more of an issue with me for the Channel Master.  Any other antenna-only DVR options out there…?

    • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

      I’d still say TiVo – just go with the Lifetime option.  Most people keep their boxes four or more years, and it’d cost you the same as the Channel Master TV for four years of use while giving you many more features.  And if you use it longer than four years – as an example I have a TiVo Series3 I’ve used more than five, and a Series2 I’ve used for more than six – you’ll be saving money over the ongoing fee from the Channel Master.

      And if you know anyone with TiVo have them buy the Premiere with lifetime and then transfer it to you and save $100 – breaking even with the Channel Master in just two years.

      • John Bullock

        Yeah, I’m definitely leaning towards TiVo, thanks for the tips.

        I did notice that the current version of the TiVo Premiere was about a year and a half old.  How often do they refresh their DVR’s?  i.e. should I worry about a hardware update in the next couple of months?  Apple always gets me with those…

        • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

          TiVo tends to make the same model for a couple of years or more.  Sometimes they do minor revisions within the model without external changes, it wouldn’t surprise me if today’s TiVo Premiere had some slight internal differences compared to the first shipping units.  They did just launched the TiVo Premiere Elite, but that’s a digital-cable-only four tuner model – no OTA support.  And it is still part of the Series4 family and shares software with the Premiere and Premiere XL.

          I think you’re safe with the Premiere.  If you’re really worried, CES is about six weeks away now.  You could wait and see if they show off any new HW then.

        • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

          TiVo tends to make the same model for a couple of years or more.  Sometimes they do minor revisions within the model without external changes, it wouldn’t surprise me if today’s TiVo Premiere had some slight internal differences compared to the first shipping units.  They did just launched the TiVo Premiere Elite, but that’s a digital-cable-only four tuner model – no OTA support.  And it is still part of the Series4 family and shares software with the Premiere and Premiere XL.

          I think you’re safe with the Premiere.  If you’re really worried, CES is about six weeks away now.  You could wait and see if they show off any new HW then.

  • Eric Keenan

    I had a DTV pal that appears to have died after about 2.5 years service.  I am wondering when the CM7400 will launch.  It had some quirks but overall happy.  I looked over TiVo and I don’t like their fine print at all.  Their lifetime subscription makes it very clear it is only for the life of the device and is not transferable.  Translation:  if your device dies after three years you will not have recouped your cost and you are SOL.  Also, the TiVo DVR says it records OTA but doesn’t seem to state if it has dual OTA tuners.   I used the dual tuners a lot on my DTV pal and simply won’t go back to one. 
    Anyone know when this will be available?

    • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

      The TiVo Premiere is dual-tuner for *all* sources – OTA, analog cable, and digital cable.  TiVo also gives you more guide data, 10-14 days, and content from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Blockbuster OnDemand, YouTube, Music Choice, web videos, etc.  And music from Rhapsody, Pandora, Live365, and more – it sounds like Spotify is coming too.  And you have local music and photo access, and can stream video from a PC with 3rd party apps like Streambaby.

      And it is just a better DVR with more options for the core features – Season Passes and WishLists especially.

      Yes, systems can fail.  But they do offer an extended warranty if that’s a concern.  Personally I don’t bother, the money saved by not buying those on every device I get is more than the cost of replacing any given device that does.  But when a TiVo does fail it is almost always the hard drive and those are easy to replace, even upgrade.

      You’d have to buy the CM-7400 plus a Roku or some other box to have all the content, and it still wouldn’t be as good a DVR.  While the Channel Master TV might be less expensive up front than a TiVo with lifetime service, I don’t think it is close to being the same value.