Back in 2015, Microsoft promised that they'd be offering a way to record live TV on the Xbox One. For one reason or another, that feature never arrived . (Hint: It always comes down to lawyers.)
Will Microsoft ever launch DVR for Xbox?
It's looking pretty unlikely that we'll see some sort of native DVR support on the Xbox. Microsoft originally noted that it would indefinitely suspend plans to bring this feature as it shifted to a gaming-first strategy. That doesn't mean it will never happen, with Microsoft suggesting that overwhelming user feedback could possibly, maybe, eventually get them back on the ball . But you shouldn't be holding your breath if this is something you need in your life.
Don't let that stop you from doing exactly what you're here to do, though. There are a couple of viable options for recording live TV on your Xbox — erm, or sort of through your Xbox — as you would on your cable or satellite DVR box.
Recoding over-the-air with Tablo and Xbox
When it comes to recording OTA content, it doesn't really get any easier than Tablo . Plug in the box to your network, plug an external hard drive into the box (or buy the model that has 64GB built in), plug an antenna into the Tablo, and you're on your way.
You'll need the Tablo Xbox app , of course, and that's easily downloaded. And because this is one of those boxes that works across your network, you'll also be able to watch recorded TV across all over your other devices — not just your Xbox.
A basic two-tuner Tablo box runs $199.
Recording TV over-the-air with HDHomeRun Connect
Looking for another (and less expensive) to record TV shows from standard over-the-air digital TV broadcasts? You'll need an HDHomeRun box . You'll need to decide which box is best for you, and how many tuners you'll need it to have. The basic two-tuner model runs about $100, but there are other options as well — and an extra $35 annual subscription for DVR service.
If you can stomach that investment, you're in for a treat. The HDHomeRun Connect allows you to pair your incoming digital TV signal with DVR functionality. It requires a separate hard drive — either the one in your PC or one connected directly to your network — to store everything. (And setup may be a bit of a thing.)
Once you've got DVR service set up, the HDHomeRun app for Xbox will make it easy to not only watch your shows, but also pause, rewind, record, and schedule future recordings. You can also hook the HDHomeRun Connect into Plex's DVR system, provided you have a Plex Pass subscription.
Recording TV shows on Sling TV
Sling TV is a fantastic alternative route. While the primary service offers access to premium live TV for a nominal fee, you can get a Cloud DVR add-on that gets you 50 hours of recorded TV for just $5 extra per month.
With the Sling Xbox app, you'll be able to record and pause live TV, including individual airings and setting up full-season recording schedules.
There's one caveat: you can't use it on all of Sling's channels. ABC- and Disney-owned channels are unsupported, which unfortunately includes ABC, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney JR, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN 3, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Bases Loaded and the SEC Network. You also can't use it for any on-demand-only channels.
Sign up for a free Sling trial
Your Xbox, your shows, your schedule
Hopefully by now you've figured out which route is right for you onward to Xbox DVR glory. Where Microsoft can't, you can take charge and record all the live TV you want.
