Recordable CD/DVDs are vanishing too

 I don’t know if this the appropriate forum but the Home Theater tab is not very active so I will post here asking for advice.

  Last week we had a power surge.  I have 3 systems in my home and many components across them were effected but with one exception after a few hours I was able to restore everything.

  The exception is a DVR, made by the now defunct Channel Master company, in my basement system.  15 years ago I ditched cable and went with AppleTV units in my main floor and basement 5.1 systems and two Channel Master DVRs for OTA TV.  The antenna is in the attic.  These DVRs have functioned well, with a great picture and recorded flawlessly.  
  I use the basement system to watch football, but the rest of the year not at all.  My wife was recording hours of PBS content but now has switched to accessing the same content via apps on the ATV.  So it’s just me and during football season only.

  The basement DVR will still play content from a hard drive but sends a message that the signal is to weak for live TV.  The identical unit in the living room continues to work.

  My AV guy thinks that these DVRs have small amplifiers for the OTA signal and that the one in the basement was knocked out by the surge.  I Googled the Channel Master manual, doesn’t help.

  I don’t want to spend a lot here.  One option is to record using the living room unit and then plugging the HD into the basement unit for replay, and using the ATV for live football.  The new companies with DVR in the $100 range are unimpressive.  Used Channel Master units are going for about $170 on ebay.  These units have worked well for 15 years.

  Any comments would be appreciated 

mahler123

... the now defunct Channel Master company ...

Channel Master is very much still in business.

tomcy6

I did not know Amazon was a reliable source for current manufacturing.  Maxell's website (obviously less reliable or harder for you to type) does not offer any info in Cassettes.

Cassettes are still being produced. There are whole bunch of modern artists predominately ambient and dub release their albums on cassettes.

Probably the bigger issue with CDRs is that you won't have as many brands to choose from as in the past, but the product will still be available.  Just checked the Microcenter web site and they are down to one brand - Verbatim.  Amazon still has several other brands available but I suspect their options will also fade a bit as time goes by.