The HDHomeRun Scribe Duo wasn’t the only announcement from SiliconDust at CES today. In addition to that combination tuner and DVR, they showed us the HDHomeRun Servio. It is a box that will serve as an HDHomeRun DVR server and storage device.
The HDHomeRun Servio is targeted squarely at users who already have an HDHomeRun tuner and want to add a DVR solution. While there are plenty of ways to use SiliconDust’s DVR service, they are all some-what complicated to set up. Most people don’t have an always-on computer at home anymore, and the idea of setting up a network-attached storage (NAS) device seems too daunting. With the Servio, you simply plug the small box into your network via an Ethernet cable and complete the installation at my.hdhomerun.com.
Storage is one of the most important aspects to any DVR, and in this area the HDHomeRun Servio doesn’t disappoint. It includes 2 TB of on-board storage. That’s good for about 300 hours of OTA recording or 2000 hours of HDHomeRun Premium TV recording. It can accommodate four simultaneous streams for recording, and four more for playback.
If you already have an existing HDHomeRun DVR installation at home, the HDHomeRun Servio could take the place of whatever device you’re currently using to run the server software. So if you’ve been thinking of replacing an aging home theater PC (HTPC), or your NAS just doesn’t cut it, the Servio could be a good replacement for you.
If you decide to replace an existing HDHomeRun DVR setup, you’ll unfortunately need to handle file migration yourself. While SiliconDust is considering building a file transfer experience into the software, it won’t be available when the Servio launches. Fortunately, all of your existing recordings are just stored as simple TS files, and if you want to move them manually yourself, that will be an option. Adding this device as secondary storage hasn’t been fully fleshed out yet. They envision supporting a “master” recording location with the ability to specify secondary locations, but that isn’t ready yet.
Like the Scribe Duo that we posted about earlier, production is already underway for the HDHomeRun Servio. SiliconDust plans to start accepting pre-orders in late March and delivering units to customers in April. The new device will only set you back about $150. You’ll also get a free year of their HDHomeRun DVR service (typically $35/year) to get you started. If you’re already a subscriber, then the free year will stack on top of your existing subscription.
With today’s announcements of HDHomeRun Scribe Duo and the HDHomeRun Servio, SiliconDust has made it easier than ever for customers to get a great DVR that can record from an antenna, cable, and even their premium streaming TV service.
Look for more details from SiliconDust, including the status of the much-requested HDHomeRun Prime 6, right here on the DMZ later. And of course, keep an eye out for all of our CES 2019 coverage!
