How was the $80/yr price arrived at, and what does it go to?
Seems like a lot considering I'm providing all the hardware and bandwidth. It's almost as much as a Netflix subscription, and about the same as Usenet access, both of which need to maintain a huge infrastructure.
I also use the Infuse app, which is fantastic and only $10/yr.
Product support and sustainability. This product is way more than a video player.
Channels is providing Guide data for as many markets as you can receive. A Schedules Direct subscription for a single market is $25 a year.
For me, it's the only software DVR I tried that actually performed well enough to make hard-core timeshifting of sports possible. (RIP Windows Media Center)
When I say "hard-core", I mean constant rewinding, pausing watching certain plays over and over while the game is still being recorded in the background. I guess I get a kick outta being an armchair referee.
Plex couldn't even do basic recording and timeshifting last I checked a couple of years ago. Emby would work for one-off recordings here and there, but timeshifting is out of the question. I love it for my movies and other videos interface.
Must be years since you tried Plex or Emby they both do timeshifting with no problems.
A business does not have to justify or explain their price to you or anyone else. In general, a business charges what they need to in order to provide the product and make a profit over the long term.
The free market system determines if the price is correct. Over time, the company either makes money or goes out of business. If the price is too high compared to other options, people will stop paying the price. Channels provides an outstanding level of support and an ever increasing level of functionality. If they stopped supporting the product, and stopped development, it would cost them very little to sell the product, but this is not the case.
Channels is not a game or a hobby. It is a livelihood for the developers and their families.
What Netflix subscription is more than 6.66 per month (wich is what 80/year is)? If you mean the new ad tier, then it's close but you have ads.
There are lots of benefits with Channels, like control over your content, commercial skipping, etc. Once you record something it's not going away unless you delete it.
The Devs do have to pay for the guide data, maintenance and such. Who can you quickly and easily reach out to if Netflix goes down?
If you can find a better value for $80/year in any product or service in any economy of the world, go for it. How the devs spend your $80 has no bearing on the value to Channels’ customers. Did you ask your grocer where the money went for that $5.89 bag of apples?
Didn't mean to start an argument here, just trying to understand the value I'm paying for. Seems like some folks here are pretty emotionally invested.
The Channels for HDHomeRun app also provides guides for a one-time $25 fee, which seems very reasonable... that can't be much of the $80 price.
Plex provides a similar service for a one-time lifetime fee or $60/yr.
Locast, when it existed, did all the OTA streaming as a service for $5.50/mo (though no DVR and of course they got sued out of existence).
I don't mind supporting a good product -- and Channels certainly seems to be one, I got everything up and running in no time -- but the pricing was just surprising.
None of the ones you mentioned offer TVE support or custom channels support. Or even advanced pass support ... I can go on but no need to.
HDHomeRun app does not offer remote support.
In relation to the HDHomerun app, keep in mind that they make most of their money from the sales of the HDHomerun devices, not the software. They haven't been in the software game as long as they have hardware.
Yes, a lot of Channels users are pretty passionate about the product. It is another indicator of how good the software and support it.
It really comes down to what you're looking for. If you want to record your own content and keep it and you have content that you already have on a hard drive and want to watch it through the Channels app, then this product is the best in my opinion.
So, welcome to the community and I hope you find the value you're looking for.
You get 24h of guide data in that app. The DVR comes with 14 days of guide data.
2 years since I bailed on Plex. I tried Emby again 3-4 months ago. Took forever to change channels and navigate the grid. I was so fed up I didn't even get to testing the timeshifting that time around.
I mean, why even ask? I could mention how Apple charges $1K for a device that cost them $200 to make. Or how Netflix used to be $5 or something very low cost, now is like $20 for the same thing....
If you want more arguments over cost, spend a week reading the many other threads on here about "Lifetime license".
Comparing apples to oranges. Small business with just a couple "employees" is not the same as a big company with several large teams and plenty of investors etc.
I use Channels and Plex, and Emby....they each have their features that are better for certain things.
I came to ChannelsDVR from using TiVos. From the first time I tried it out, Channels has been the best whole-home DVR I’ve used. New features come out often, and the support is usually incredible, and way better than the support from TiVo or Plex. I have tried out the Plex DVR multiple times (and I do have a lifetime Plex pass) but as a DVR it falls far short of what ChannelsDVR provides, so I continue to pay the annual Channels subscription fee.
Having enjoyed the overall Channels DVR experience for a couple of years now, and how it's streamlined our overall media consumption workflow, I'll confess that I'm surprised it's only $80/year. Shhh, don't tell the developers but if they were to decide to charge double that, I'd still happily pay, without blinking an eye. 
I like Channels but not for double the price.
Why does anything cost what it does? If you like Channels and the price seems reasonable, you buy it and Channels continues on, hopefully. If people don’t find it to be a good value, Channels goes away and we all find something else to do. I don’t see any benefit in questioning the price. But while we’re at it, it really pisses me off that I can’t afford a Ferrari. I think those Italians are just greedy.
So I will lead with I am a Channels DVR (CDVR) fanboy. I think inquiring about what you get for your payment is a valid question.
What $8/mo ($80/yr) gets you is software. Thats it. Your paying $80/yr for software. Nothing more. It is very niche software that requires a substantial (compared to betflix) financial investment.
The is the last great linear tv App.
*Local DVR
*Comskip
***Can comskip in progress recordings
*Local content management (imports)
*Virtual channels (the single coolest feature)
*EPG service
*TVE service
*Ability to combine multiple tv sources into 1 tv guide (OTA, hdhr TVE, pluto, ss, stirr, plex, espn+)
*Active updates
This software requires constant updates to keep TVE working. Just keeping up with this is a large task.
The more niche a product is. The smaller the potential user base is. The smaller the userbase the more $ you need from each user. Cdvr does not have the economics of scale like some of the competitors.
I personally think its time to raise the price. Its been $8 for a long time. Inflation is getting bad. I want CDVR to be profitable enough that the 3 devs can afford a mildly luxurous life style with vacations every year.
I fear linear TV and TVE tech had a limated shelf life. I went the 3 devs to make bank while they can. I am a proud supprter of cdvr.
Sounds like a good list of things to consider while you deliberate whether Channels is worth the price or not.