But to record live channels, you’ll also need a NAS box, an always-on computer (such as a desktop Windows PC or Mac), or an Nvidia Shield TV. With the tuner alone, you can watch live TV through HDHomeRun’s free apps on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Xbox One. SiliconDustĪn HDHomeRun tuner is required to use the new Premium TV streaming service. (If you’re planning to set up DVR service, your PC or a good-quality NAS box can likely handle transcoding without the pricier Extend hardware.) The tuner then connects via ethernet cable to your router, which in turn streams video to other devices over ethernet or Wi-Fi. The $180 Extend has two tuners plus a built-in transcoder, so it consumes less bandwidth for live TV and less storage for recordings.

The Connect costs $100 for two tuners (which can watch or record two channels at a time) or $150 for four tuners (for four simultaneous channels). For both, you need either an HDHomeRun Connect or HDHomeRun Extend tuner to watch live TV. HDHomeRun treats its Premium TV channels the same way as over-the-air broadcasts.

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