Xbox One’s media center capabilities continue to shift away from the original, but perhaps misguided, promise of HDMI pass-thru and IR control. After recently adding over-the-air HDTV tuning, and as foretold, Xbone will receive DVR capabilities in 2016.
Microsoft has been doing DVR longer than just about everyone, so I assume it’ll perform well — including functional requisites like season passes and premium like streaming or offloading features to feed Windows 10 and Android devices. Sadly, as this is something of a retrofit, both the OTA tuner and hard drive for recording will be USB appendages hanging off already bulky hardware. And there’s no talk (yet?) regarding the potential of CableCARD integration or other set-top endpoints like Roku. However, unlike the very fine Tablo OTA DVR, Xbox One will receive these capabilities fee-free and bring it to hardware many of us already own. With Sling TV and Netflix apps, the addition of OTA DVR may dramatically shift the dynamics for potential and existing cord cutters. TiVo Aereo, who?