Channel Master has added Pandora Internet Radio to DVR+, its subscription-less DVR product line that is targeted to so-called "cord-cutters."

DVR+ supports over-the-air digital TV antennas and delivers a small-but-growing batch of over-the-top apps via the product’s broadband connection. DVR+ also supports the Walmart-owned Vudu service, and Channel Master expects to add a couple more apps to the mix by mid-November, a spokeswoman said, noting that the company has been making attempts to get Netflix on board because customers are screaming for it, but no deal has been reached.

Channel Master also announced that purchases from the company’s online store that include DVR+ will now ship for free in the U.S.

Channel Master expanded its DVR product line in July with a $399 model that includes 1 terabyte of storage, complementing an original $249.99 model that holds 16 gigabytes but is expandable using an external USB-connected hard drive. Both contain two tuners and support a 14-day channel guide.

TiVo recently introduced a “limited edition” OTA model for cord-cutters that costs $49.99 and requires a subscription that runs $14.99 per month (with a one-year commitment). 

Simple.TV is also competing in this part of the market with a two-tuner DVR/video server that costs $199.99 and an optional subscription service. It recently added a feature that lets users share recordings with up to five friends.

Simple.TV, maker of a small line of DVRs that can capture over-the-air TV signals or unencrypted cable TV, has added a feature that is sure to be a hit among so-called cord-cutters – the ability to share recordings with up to five friends.

While Simple.TV users can send invitations to a broader group, only five invitees can access recordings at the same time, explained Simple.TV CEO Mark Ely. Authenticated guests can playback those shared recordings via Simple.TV’s Web platform or through the company’s apps for smartphones, tablets and Roku devices.

The new DVR-sharing feature is supported by Simple.TV’s full product line, including its latest product, which supports two tuners and was developed in partnership with SiliconDust. Simple.TV’s original model, spawned from a successful Kickstarter campaign, is outfitted with one tuner.

The new sharing feature will give Simple.TV users a way to share content with friends and family and give those groups a taste of the company’s product. Simple.TV won’t say how many customers it has, but Ely said Simple.TV’s base tends to skew toward tech enthusiasts, cord-cutters, as well as consumers who are seeking an alternative to cable.

Ely estimates that three-fourths of Simple.TV’s customers use an antenna, while one-quarter have a cable subscription. He said more than 90% of Simple.TV customers are also Netflix subscribers.  

Simple.TV sells its two-tuner DVR/video server for $199.99, but couples that with an optional subscription service ($49 per year, or $149 for a lifetime subscription) that includes access to the device’s  more advanced features, including the ability to schedule series recordings and enabling remote streaming and the new sharing element.

Ely believes that Simple.TV’s new sharing feature is on solid legal ground, as the device doesn’t provide a digital copy of any recorded shows but instead streams that recorded content to authorized users.

Looking ahead, Simple.TV is looking to develop a version of its product for the European market. In the U.S., the company is also starting to check into how it can support encrypted cable formats, but that work is in the early stages, Ely said.