DVR options

I have not yet found a way to DVR streaming programs.  Many would ask why - they are streaming!  But my answer has always been that just because they're available now doesn't mean they will be in 6 months or a year or 5 years.  I've got programs on my DVR that are 8 years old.  Heck, I'm still watching the occasional episode of Leno!

So I'm stuck with Cable.  At least for now.  For "over-the-air" programs you can get a digital TV tuner that can be used by various different types of software, such as Windows Media Center (if you still have a Windows 7 system/license lying around - but be warned - Microsoft is killing Media Center even sooner than 7 - meta data (such as music details and movie details that is typically downloaded so you know who sings/stars in a program won't be available) and guide listings are supposed to disappear this spring).

I have been using Windows Media Center with a Cable Card tuner (two actually) for nearly 8 years now.  I've got thousands of recorded programs from over the years and I've switched cable providers several times (Time Warner, Verizon FiOS, Cablevision, RCN) and I've never lost a single program because I switched providers (I did have a disk fail and had to rebuild the media center once which meant any copy once flagged programs were lost).

Due to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) there's not much out there that supports CableCard - Windows Media center does.  As does TiVo (if you don't mind paying for the guide listings on top of your cable bill; you can use a third party guide with Windows Media Center that costs about $25/yr vs. TiVo at $15/mo or $150/yr so the upcoming loss of the Microsoft provided guide isn't THAT big a deal to me).  And a company called Silicon Dust has a solution that I believe supports CableCard (I use their tuners with Media Center but I don't know what they do / how well it works on its own. https://www.silicondust.com/

There are also third party systems that just require TV Tuners such as those from Silicon Dust or Hauppauge (there are others, but those are probably the best known).  Systems like Plex https://www.plex.tv/ and those listed here: https://alternative.me/plex can be explored (I haven't)

the goal of modern systems imo is that you cannot copy anything over  from the recorder, or export it
if that is what you want - you have to keep the old stuff

I am not wanting to copy anything from my current DVR to a new one. I just want to do away with cable but still be able to record shows for viewing at my leisure.

I am not wanting to copy anything from my current DVR to a new one. I just want to do away with cable but still be able to record shows for viewing at my leisure.

Where exactly would you be recording from without cable? Shows that are over the air via antenna? Sling TV offers a cloud DVR if you're open to getting that service (assuming you didn't want to get an antenna). TiVo should be usable as well.

I have a smart TV connected to the Internet along with a Netflix and Amazon Prime account.

The Smart TV addresses being able to watch without a cable subscription. A smart DVD player or a device like Roku, Apple TV, etc. would've accomplished the same thing if you didn't want to replace the TV.

You had also asked about recording. The answer depends on what you want to record. If you're looking to record live TV and you have an antenna, then you're covered with a device like a TiVo, which also had apps for Amazon and Netflix loaded on it.

can you post the model Robert?