First, check your home's reception by entering your address at
TVFool.com.
On the results page, look for the
bolded link to share your results. Copy & paste the results link back here for antenna suggestions. Your address will not show on the results page.
You can buy a
DVR that works for over the air antenna TV, much like a cable or satellite
DVR. You can setup event recordings and pause live TV with it. It's available
here. There is up front cost of course, but once you've bought the
DVR, there are no monthly fees to deal with.