How to record antenna TV: OTA DVR options explained

An antenna gets you local channels free, but on its own it can't save anything. To record antenna TV you need one more piece: an over-the-air DVR, or a tuner plus recording software. This guide explains how each setup works, what it costs over time, and which one fits your home, including the NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) catch that trips up many buyers.

Last checked: November 3, 2026. Prices are rounded, before taxes, and change often, so check the maker's store before you buy. We describe what makers and reviewers document. We haven't tested these devices ourselves.

The short answer

Easiest: a Tablo box records from your antenna and streams to your TVs through an app, with no subscription. It requires regular internet access; offline mode can preserve some viewing during an outage.

Most flexible: an HDHomeRun network tuner plus recording software (its own DVR service, Channels or Plex). You supply the storage.

For encrypted NextGen TV channels: ZapperBox says its boxes support copy-protected ATSC 3.0 channels.

Can your TV do it? Usually not. Roku TVs can only pause live antenna TV, not save recordings.

How recording antenna TV works

Every setup has the same basic parts:

1. An antenna, connected by coax cable.
2. A tuner, which turns the antenna signal into channels. Your TV has one built in, but most TVs can't record with it.
3. Storage, built into the box, a USB drive you add, or a computer on your network.
4. A way to set recordings, such as an on-screen menu and remote, a program guide or an app.

The difference between products is where those parts live, and whether you pay for guide data and extra recording features.

Your options at a glance

Cost and storage

Internet and NextGen TV

The main options, one by one

Tablo: the simplest whole-home box

Tablo connects to your antenna and your router, then streams live and recorded TV to Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and phones through its app. The 4th-gen model comes with 2 or 4 tuners and 50+ hours of built-in storage. Tablo says there are no subscriptions.

• Price: about $100 for 2 tuners and about $140 for 4, often on sale for less.
• Internet: Tablo requires regular internet access, for guide updates and its free streaming channels. Offline mode can preserve some viewing during an outage: supported apps keep showing live antenna TV and finished recordings.
• Offline limits: in offline mode you can't browse the guide screens or schedule new recordings, except recording a live broadcast. If Tablo reboots while the internet is down, for example after a power cut, its apps may stay unavailable until the connection returns.
• Built-in storage limit: with only the built-in storage, Tablo limits recording to about 8 hours in a 24-hour period. Adding a USB drive removes that limit, which matters for long sports days. Tablo supports portable USB drives of 1 to 8TB.
• Pick 4 tuners if you record overlapping games or shows. Each tuner records one channel at a time.
• ATSC 3.0: the 4th-gen Tablo doesn't support it.
• Home only: Tablo says the 4th-gen model doesn't support out-of-home streaming, so you watch live TV and recordings on your home network.
• Amplifier setting: if channels go missing, Tablo recommends turning off its Antenna Amplification setting, then running and saving a fresh channel scan.

HDHomeRun: the flexible network tuner

HDHomeRun is a tuner that sits on your home network, wired to your router. It shows live TV on your devices, and it records when you add storage.

• Price: about $110 (Duo, 2 tuners), $150 (Quatro, 4 tuners) or $200 (Flex 4K, 4 tuners, 2 of them ATSC 3.0).
• Recording: SiliconDust's own DVR lets you make one-off recordings for free, scheduled up to three days ahead. Its Full Guide plan, about $35 a year, adds automatic series recording and scheduling up to 14 days ahead. Many users pair HDHomeRun with Channels DVR (about $8 a month or $80 a year) or Plex (which needs a Plex Pass) instead.
• Storage: your own USB drive, computer or network drive.
• ATSC 3.0: the Flex 4K receives NextGen TV, but SiliconDust says copy-protected channels won't work.

ZapperBox: for encrypted NextGen TV

ZapperBox is built for ATSC 3.0. It says it supports copy-protected (DRM) channels, which most other DVRs can't play.

• Models: single-tuner, dual-tuner and quad-tuner boxes. The dual-tuner M1 is about $250 on its maker's store.
• Guide plans: on the single- and dual-tuner models, the 14-day guide subscription is optional. On the quad tuner, ZapperBox says the whole-home subscription is required to use its DVR features. ZapperBox lists one-time lifetime plans at about $150 (single tuner), $300 (dual tuner) and $500 (whole home).
• Internet: the box works without internet, but the 14-day guide needs it, and for now so does unlocking encrypted channels the first time they're tuned after start-up. ZapperBox says an update will remove that requirement, and it doesn't currently recommend running the box offline.
• More TVs: other rooms can use a Zapper Mini, a tuner-free extender that plays live TV and recordings from your main box.

AirTV: if you already use Sling

AirTV boxes add your antenna channels to the Sling app, next to Sling's streaming channels. AirTV 2 has 2 tuners and records to an external drive. AirTV Anywhere has 4 tuners and a built-in 1TB DVR. AirTV says local channels need no subscription and recommends broadband of about 25Mbps. AirTV doesn't list hardware prices on its site, so check current availability before you buy.

TiVo Edge for Antenna

Channel Master lists the TiVo Edge for Antenna at about $400 with service included. It has 2 tuners and 500GB of storage. Some review sites list it as discontinued, so check that it's still in stock before you plan around it.

A simple converter box with USB recording

The cheapest route is a basic converter box that records to a USB drive, like those from Mediasonic, at around $40. You set recordings by channel and time with the remote and an on-screen menu, like an old VCR. There's no internet and no fee, but also no app for other TVs.

Problems readers often run into

Owners in cord-cutting forums and Facebook groups describe a few recurring issues. These are their reports, not our tests:

• Missing channels after setup. If the DVR finds fewer channels than your TV, check its connections, channel scan and amplifier settings before replacing your antenna. A DVR can only record what your antenna receives, so if you're far from the towers, start with our local channels guide for antenna setup.
• Wi-Fi drops. Network boxes stream to your TVs over your home network. Several owners say a wired connection to the router was more reliable than Wi-Fi.
• No HDMI cable to the TV. Tablo and HDHomeRun don't plug into the TV. They stream to an app on a streaming device or smart TV. If you want a box that connects by HDMI, look at a converter box or ZapperBox.
• Watching away from home. Readers who wanted this chose AirTV or HDHomeRun with Plex or Channels, since the 4th-gen Tablo is home-only.

What can an antenna DVR record, and how good do recordings look?

An antenna DVR records the channels its tuners pick up from your antenna. It doesn't record Netflix, other subscription apps or whatever a streaming stick sends over HDMI. Tablo is a partial exception: the 4th-gen model adds free ad-supported streaming channels, and its support list marks which of them can be recorded. Not all of them can.

Recordings run on the box at the scheduled time, so you don't need to be home or have a TV on, provided the DVR, any storage it needs and your network stay powered and available. Setting new recordings while you're away is another matter. Tablo's support page says its 4th-gen model doesn't offer out-of-home streaming. The same page, last updated in November 2024, describes remote recording management as planned, without an ETA, so check the current app before you rely on it.

Recording quality depends on the device and where it stores the files. On its built-in storage, the 4th-gen Tablo converts MPEG-2 antenna recordings to MPEG-4 after they finish to save space (the few antenna channels already broadcast in MPEG-4 aren't converted), and Tablo says the result isn't quite as crisp as the original. With an external hard drive attached, Tablo keeps those recordings in their original format. Other makers don't spell this out as clearly, so if you plan to keep or edit files, check the maker's documentation first.

Can your TV record antenna TV by itself?

Usually not, and the details vary by brand:

• Roku TVs can pause live antenna TV for up to 90 minutes with a USB drive of 16GB or more. Roku says you can't save recordings.
• LG has a Time Machine recording feature on some models, but LG's help page doesn't say which US models include it.
• Other brands may offer USB recording on certain models or regions only. Check your TV's manual for "USB recording" or "PVR" before you count on it.

If your TV can't record, one of the boxes above usually can. Which one works for a given channel depends on how that channel broadcasts, whether it's encrypted, and the model you choose.

The NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) catch

Many stations now also broadcast in ATSC 3.0, and some of those channels are encrypted. Encryption decides which devices can play or record them, and broadcasters can limit or expire recordings.

• Most DVRs, including Tablo and HDHomeRun, can't record encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels.
• Your regular channels usually still work. In most markets, stations keep a standard (ATSC 1.0) version of their channel too, and these DVRs record that version.
• If a station you love is only clear in ATSC 3.0 where you live, a box with DRM support such as ZapperBox is the one to look at.

How much storage do you need?

It depends on the device and the channel. A high-definition sports broadcast takes more space than a standard-definition rerun, and each device records in its own format. Use the maker's own figures:

• Tablo: 50+ hours built in. Add a portable USB drive of 1 to 8TB for more, and to remove the built-in storage's daily recording limit.
• HDHomeRun, Channels and Plex: storage is your own drive or computer, so it's as large as the drive you choose.
• ZapperBox: a USB drive or microSD card. ZapperBox's FAQ explains how to check whether a drive will work.

Check the maker's drive requirements before you buy one.

Which setup fits you?

Common questions

Can I record antenna TV without internet?

Yes, with a simple converter box that records to USB. Tablo requires regular internet access; its offline mode can keep live TV and finished recordings available during an outage, with limits. ZapperBox works without internet but doesn't recommend it for now, because guide data and encrypted channels rely on it.

Do I need a subscription to record antenna TV?

Not always. Tablo, AirTV for local channels and basic converter boxes have no fee. HDHomeRun lets you make one-off recordings free, with a plan of about $35 a year for series recording. ZapperBox's guide plan is optional on its single- and dual-tuner models but required for recording on its quad tuner. Channels and Plex cost extra.

How many shows can I record at once?

One per tuner. A 2-tuner box can record two channels at the same time, or record one while you watch another.

Can I watch my recordings away from home?

It depends on the device. The 4th-gen Tablo doesn't support it. AirTV, and HDHomeRun with Plex or Channels, are the setups readers mention for watching away from home. Encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels can restrict it too, so check the maker's page before you buy.

Is the Amazon Fire TV Recast still available?

No. Amazon discontinued it in 2022, though some older guides still recommend it.