Now, I've got a single 4-channel DVR sitting where I used to have a stack of VCRs. Sure, it'd be more cost effective to just go buy ATSC-ready recording devices to replace my old NTSC VCRs, but the selection is crap right now, and everyone wants to charge over $200 for what used to sell for $50-100 without the ATSC tuner. I found _one_ DVD recorder that I liked for $100 (it had a built-in 60GB HDD that would let you use it like a DVR if you didn't want to record to DVD).

I don't like watching TV on the internet (it ties up my computer, some shows aren't legally available for free viewing, many shows don't get posted until the day after they premiere in broadcast, and depending on how badly the viewing software was written it can be like pulling teeth to watch even a sub-par version of what looks great OTA...a problem which is only made worse when loading up the viewer window causes performance-killing spyware to be dumped on your computer). I don't mind a set-top box that actually serves a legitimate purpose (if I'm going to have recording devices hooked up anyways...), but anyone who expects me to pay money to _rent_ a channel-changer box just so I can pay them for TV service probably already knows where they can go and what they can stick where.

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If I set mine on fire, I'll bet I can open up the Ocularis Infernum.

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