The Cord-Cutter’s Guide to Over-the-Air DVRs (2025 Edition)

For those who’ve bravely cut the cord from cable, an over-the-air (OTA) antenna is just the first step. To truly replicate and even enhance the cable DVR experience, an OTA DVR is an indispensable tool. These devices allow you to record shows from your antenna, pause and rewind live broadcasts, and, crucially, fast-forward through those pesky commercials. Some advanced models even offer the ability to stream your recorded content to multiple TVs within your home or let you enjoy your favorite shows on your phone, tablet, or laptop while you’re on the go.

The market for OTA DVRs isn’t as crowded as it once was, but a dedicated group of smaller hardware and software developers are keeping the dream alive. They offer levels of control and customization that are simply unavailable through streaming services alone.

As TechHive’s resident cord-cutting expert, I’ve been immersed in the world of OTA DVRs since 2017. I understand the complexities of these products and strive to evaluate them with the needs of former cable subscribers in mind. Beyond individual product reviews, I also write a weekly column about streaming and OTA TV for TechHive, and I curate a weekly cord-cutting newsletter for over 30,000 subscribers.

Let’s dive into some of the top OTA DVR options available as of February 2025:

OTA DVR Options for 2025

Here’s a rundown of some of the leading contenders in the OTA DVR market, along with their strengths and weaknesses:

ZapperBox M1

• Pros: Supports encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels, simple plug-and-play setup, dependable performance.
• Cons: Requires a paid subscription, limited advanced features, relatively expensive.

The ZapperBox M1 is a straightforward OTA DVR that boasts a constantly expanding list of features. It connects directly to your TV via HDMI and uses either a microSD card or an external USB drive for storage. The required $30-per-year subscription unlocks a 14-day grid guide and series-based recording capabilities.

Its standout feature, as of February 2025, is its ability to record encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels, a format increasingly adopted by broadcasters. It also supports other ATSC 3.0 advancements, including Dolby dialog boost, HDR video, and additional broadband-delivered channels.

The ZapperBox M1 is a solid choice for those seeking future-proofing with ATSC 3.0 support and who prefer a dedicated device over relying on in-home streaming solutions. However, its $275 price tag for a dual-tuner model (plus the subscription fee) is a significant investment. If you desire features like out-of-home streaming or automatic ad-skipping, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Channels DVR

• Pros: Deeply customizable, automatic ad-skipping, out-of-home viewing, supports multiple video sources.
• Cons: Requires technical setup, hardware requirements (HDHomeRun tuner, server), subscription fee.

Channels DVR is a software-based solution that transforms a desktop computer, NAS box, or even a Raspberry Pi into a powerful DVR. To capture OTA channels, you’ll also need an HDHomeRun tuner. While the setup process can be involved, the result is a highly rewarding media center experience.

Channels DVR offers features like automatic ad-skipping, out-of-home viewing, custom channel categories, and the ability to integrate video from various sources, such as DVD rips and online M3U streams. This allows you to consolidate all your video content into a single, unified app.

However, the hardware requirements and the subscription price of $8 per month or $80 per year make Channels DVR unsuitable for everyone. But for those who value customization, extensibility, and a user-friendly interface, Channels DVR stands out as one of the best OTA DVR solutions available.

Plex DVR

• Pros: Ad-skipping, out-of-home viewing, affordable subscription with lifetime option, granular recording options.
• Cons: Requires technical setup, hardware requirements (TV tuner, antenna, server), doesn’t record streaming content, occasional glitches.

Plex’s OTA DVR solution provides a compelling combination of features and affordability. It offers ad-skipping, out-of-home viewing, and a subscription model that includes a lifetime option. The software provides detailed options for selecting what to record, and recordings can be played on virtually any streaming device with broadband access.

However, it’s not an out-of-the-box solution. You’ll need a TV tuner, a TV antenna, and a device to act as a home server, such as a Raspberry Pi, a NAS box, or an older computer. This server needs to be powered on 24/7, and you’ll also need sufficient storage for your recordings.

While Channels DVR offers a slightly smoother overall experience, Plex is more budget-friendly and provides more hardware flexibility. It’s a great choice for DIYers who are comfortable setting up the necessary hardware, don’t need to record streaming content, and can tolerate occasional glitches in the live TV menu. With its robust recording features, ad-skipping, and out-of-home viewing, Plex offers a powerful DVR system. You can eliminate ongoing fees by opting for a $120 lifetime Plex Pass.

Important Note: Plex subscription prices are scheduled to increase on April 29, 2025, to $6.99 per month, $69.99 per year, or $249.99 for a lifetime subscription.

Tablo (4th Generation)

• Pros: No subscription fees, streams to multiple TVs, records free streaming channels.
• Cons: Buggy performance, unreliable recordings, Roku app issues.

The 4th-generation Tablo looks promising on paper. For $99 with no subscription fees, a single Tablo DVR can stream video to multiple TVs using companion apps for various smart TV and streaming platforms. It can even record from a selection of free streaming channels, offering more content than many other OTA DVRs.

Unfortunately, in testing, the newest Tablo has been plagued with issues, including frequent dropouts, failed recordings, and other bugs. It’s included here only because of the limited number of viable alternatives.

If you’re highly tolerant of bugs and are determined to avoid subscription fees, the Tablo might be worth a try. Keep an eye out for future software updates that may address its reliability problems.

Update, April 15, 2025: A recent update has rendered the Roku app nearly unusable with the Tablo 4th-gen DVR.

Key Considerations for OTA DVRs

Channel Availability

The number and type of channels you can receive depend on factors like your antenna type, the proximity of broadcast stations, and the strength of your signal. Typically, you can access major networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW, and PBS, as well as digital subnetworks like MeTV and ION. Remember, an antenna won’t receive cable channels like ESPN, TNT, or HGTV, regardless of misleading marketing claims. Use a tool like Antennaweb’s lookup to get an idea of what channels are available in your area.

While the fourth-generation Tablo can record from some free streaming channels, most OTA DVRs are limited to channels received through an antenna. For recording cable channels, consider a live TV streaming service with a cloud-based DVR. Recording from services like Netflix or Hulu is generally not possible without complex workarounds.

Tuner Capacity

Most OTA DVRs offer either two or four tuners. Two tuners allow you to record or watch two channels simultaneously, while four tuners double that capacity. More tuners reduce the likelihood of recording conflicts, but the hardware is more expensive. Splitting the signal from a single antenna across multiple tuners can also degrade signal quality, which is problematic in areas with weak reception.

Antenna Placement

Splitting an antenna signal can lead to signal loss. Networked tuners, like those found in Tablo devices, allow for more flexible antenna placement. You can position your antenna in an area with better reception, such as an upper floor near a window facing broadcast towers. Experimentation is key to optimizing OTA reception, and DVRs are no different.

ATSC 3.0

Broadcasters are required to support the older ATSC 1.0 standard until at least February 2027. However, since ATSC 3.0 is not backward-compatible, a complete transition within that timeframe seems unlikely. With many new TVs still shipping with ATSC 1.0 tuners and no federal mandate for adopting the new standard, ATSC 1.0 DVRs should remain viable for years to come.

Other OTA DVR Options

Here are a few other options that didn’t make the top list but are worth mentioning:

• AirTV Anywhere: An OTA DVR from Dish Network subsidiary, designed to integrate with Sling TV. Offers free viewing and recording but limited capabilities and hasn’t been updated since 2020.
• Jellyfin: Open-source software that runs on a computer and uses an HDHomeRun tuner. Free but complex to set up, with unintuitive apps and requires a paid TV-guide data subscription.
• SiliconDust HDHomeRun DVR: Requires a separate computer for recording storage, less refined than Plex or Channels DVR.
• Mediasonic Homeworx: Affordable, subscription-free DVRs but with a very basic user experience.

Conclusion

Choosing the right OTA DVR requires careful consideration of your needs, technical skills, and budget. Whether you prioritize future-proofing with ATSC 3.0, customization and advanced features, or a simple and affordable solution, there’s an OTA DVR out there to enhance your cord-cutting experience.

About the Author

Jared has been a freelance technology journalist for more than 15 years and is a regular contributor to PCWorld, Fast Company, and TechHive, where he’s written a weekly cord-cutting column since 2014. His Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter has more than 30,000 subscribers, and his Advisorator tech advice newsletter is read by nearly 10,000 people each week. Jared has a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and specializes in making complex tech topics easy to understand, from streaming and cord-cutting to neat apps and useful tech tricks. He is based in Cincinnati, OH.