CES Report: Channel Master Adds Linear Streamed Channels to DVR+
One year ago, Channel Master, a company known for its broadcast antennas, introduced DVR+, a DVR for over-the-air broadcast channels. At this year's CES, the company announced a software upgrade to DVR+ that lets it receive streamed linear video channels, displaying both online and offline channels in a two-week electronic program guide.
Channel Master calls the advance LinearTV, and it will become available as a software update sometime in early 2015.
While the actual lineup of live channels is a work in progress, Channel Master is demoing the product with a score of options that include Bloomberg, Al Jazeera America, CNN World, WGN, NASA, BBC World News, Vevo TV, and QVC. Owners are free to delete channels they don't want, or add them back in. A variety of apps let owners access other on-demand online content.
The channel lineup isn't the only element that's still up in the air. The people at Channel Master aren't sure if the final release will let DVR+ owners record online content. All they'll say is that they're working on it, and the initial launch might not include online recording.
The DVR+ comes in two versions: a $249 model that offers 16GB of storage and is meant to be used with an external hard drive, and a $399 model with a 1TB hard drive. DVR+ doesn't offer any subscriptions, so it's targeted to viewers who don't want recurring monthly charges.
The Channel Master DVR+ electronic program guide
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