Home > Consumer Reviews > SiliconDust HDHomeRun HDHR-US Dual Networked High Definition Digital Television (White)

I've owned the HDHomerun for two years now and it has been excellent. For maybe three months I used the QAM (High Def cable) capabilities until I decided to go strictly with 8-VSB (ATSC - High Def Over-the-air). This tuner does not capture analog signal, but I don't need this as HDTV is most certainly preferable. I don't know why the other reviews have had issues, apart from the Mac user, but I've used this tuner in Windows XP well enough. However, I made a linux box running Mythdora, essentially utilized as a DVR. This set up works great. I highly recommend the HDHomerun. I am considering purchasing another unit so I might be able to record four shows at once. Currently I can record two High Def shows.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
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Would give more stars, if I could, for customer service!

We had oddball hesitation problems -- which turned out to be PC hardware (a network card setting). SiliconDust support, via email, was quick, and they know their stuff. There is a software option to allow their support to examine your log, which was key to solving our problem (it turns itself off after 10 days).

PERFORMANCE
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The product does what it says, and performs well. Software drivers to access the tuner signal are available for PC, Mac and Linux (I only use PCs). Also, ARCSOFT "TotalMedia" DVR software is included. IMPORTANT NOTE: The current version of the software must be downloaded from the website; it will automatically update the hardware's firmware, too, if needed -- very slick.

CURRENT AND PROPOSED USE OF THIS PRODUCT
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We only use the broadcast signal functions, known as "ATSC". I got this after the Analog-to-Digital broadcast switchover. Since we now get 2-4 sub-channels for each primary channel, our selection is far greater than before. We are in a rural area with a tower antenna; digital reception from surrounding areas works well. As long as we can get PBS Kids for the little ones, we're good.

Our plan is to use a PC as a TIVO/DVR, plus Veoh and Hulu via DSL internet, with movies on DVD from Netflix, which also has SOME instant internet access.

Dumping satellite service (DirecTV, at $[...]+/month -- cable is not available here) ought to pay for a big screen, a new PC as a DVR and basic NetFlix.

PROBLEMS WITH MICROSOFT MEDIA CENTER
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"Media Center" doesn't work right. Not even "XP Media Center Edition." Nor the Vista versions. All sources I've checked say that Microsoft does NOT intend to fix problems with either version.

The first failure is that you CANNOT set it up for digital only; you will have to get an analog tuner, just to get into SETUP mode. I bought one on [...] (this part may be XP only).

The MAIN FAILURE is that the EPG (Program Guide) does not display sub-channel data -- and there are more subchannels than primary channels! The Guide -- and therefore, the DVR functions -- are USELESS for sub-channels. This DEFECT is inexcusable, in an age where analog broadcast is obsolete. FWIW, my two main computers are less than 1 1/2 years old!

I'm told Vista has the same sub-channel problem, and further, that this will NOT be fixed for either Vista or XP. The words "piss-poor design and engineering" do come to mind...as do "lack of quality control".

That said, my experience is that Windows Media Center has better DVR features. On the plus side, the included ARCSOFT "TotalMedia" actually works, although the DVR options are not that sophisticated. The only problem I've had with the "TotalMedia" software is that it cannot be dragged to a 2nd monitor (Media Center can be).

Bottom line: We will wait 'til October 09, for Windows 7, as I'm told the Media Center problems are definitely fixed.

The concept behind HD HomeRun has the potential to take over the entire TV-PC watching market. Imagine: Cable or TV in, and Ethernet out. Wow! What incredible flexibility!!! Hi Def TV on any computer in your home. DirecTV, Dish and Comcast should take note and buy this company, becuase this is really what I most want in my own home.

If all you want is digital, off air or cable, and want to watch it on different PC's, this thing is really amazing. I have 5 computers and would like to be able to watch TV in a window or maybe just sit back in bed and watch basic cable.

However if you only want 1 PC hooked up to your basic cable OR you MUST have analog cable channels I suggest you try the Happauge WinTV-HVR 1950 instead. It integrates more easily with Media Center and has analog, which HD HomeRun does not.

The Details:
The hardware is top notch. Really, it works great, it's wickedly fast (if you've ever gotten impatient waiting for your router to reboot you know what I'm talking about)and gives the best TV on your PC I've ever seen. Not to mention you can get 5.1 Dolby Digital out of it if you have the right audio set up. Fabulous!

It integrates OK with Microsoft Media Center which I personally love compared to say DirecTV or others. However, what it doesn't do great is tell MC that you are using basic cable, instead of an antenna, which makes installing it confusing.

Installation:
If everything is well it installs in 5 minutes, however if anything is wrong it can take you an hour or longer to figure it out becuase the ONLY way to get started is to run a full channel scan, which is at least 5 minutes, plus another 5 minutes to get MS Media Center to do it's thing. UGH! However their e-mail support was really responsive. My suggestion is to set the debug mode on and if your first scan doesn't pick up all your channels e-mail tech support.

Reasons not to get it:
First it has NO analog at all. ON my basic cable there are a bunch of analog only signals I want to watch. Sci-Fi, Comedy Central, Spike, etc. Can't get any of them. Which kind of brings me to the second big bad minus. Comcast is on the march to moving all of it's analog signals to digital/encrypted formats in some markets. This means that this device is useless if you are in one of those areas.

It works great. Previous to this purchase I was using a pair of HVR-1600 tuners to get clear QAM channels off cable, but the HVR-1600 could not tune in consistently. Some channels not at all, and those that it could, at random times Sage reported "no signal." I added a signal amplifier, and rewired all the way to the pole, thinking that might help. The cable man said my signal was great, but the problem persisted. So I got another tuner, or rather, pair of tuners (the other great thing about this product.) The HomeRun gets every (in the clear, not scrambled) channel, every time, and some that the HVR-1600 could never find. A much better tuner than the HVR-1600. Set up is some work, not unbearable, but I wouldn't call it plug and play. Well, physically, yes, plug in the power, coax and network wires, but then you have to scan the channels and figure out what is what. There is help at the Silicon Dust website, but the channel listing that users have submitted are not completely accurate, though helpful nonetheless. After a little effort (well worth it, a few hours one night), everything is ready and all one must do is add the tuners in SageTV. It's been working since (two months now) without a hitch, or having to tweak anything. It just works. I have since connected my HVR-1600s to an OTA antenna to get channels cable doesn't have, and for more tuners covering everything that overlaps (HD network channels, for example). For anyone using SageTV, either OTA or QAM cable, this product is a definite must have. You will love it. Another benefit is that many SageTV users have this product, so the support on their forums is extensive. Lots of help out there, for other users of Sage (best PVR product on the planet).

I love this thing, but I must admit that it takes a lot more expertise than I had to set it up. I am using it with Beyond TV and creating the channel layouts is very challenging the first time around. Make sure you are willing to read through a lot of material if you are not familiar with this device and software. The results are excellent. Great pictures from free digital signals on my cable service! What could be better.