DVR Introduction

Digital Video Recorders (DVR) have been replacing VCRs for the past few years now, making tapes obsolete. DVRs allow you to record multiple shows, watch your shows on your time, and pause/rewind live TV. There are many different kinds of DVRs and many different manufactures. This DVR section lists some examples and what they can do.

TiVo

TiVo was the leading innovator of DVR technology and is one of the first to introduce DVR hardware to consumers. They did such a great job marketing, that their name became a verb. It is common to hear, “Did you TiVo that recording yesterday,” even if the person is not using a TiVo DVR. Their two most popular models are the DirecTV HD TiVo and the Series2 model. The DirecTV HD TiVo is high definition capable while the Series2 model is limited to standard definition. Tivo plans to release a Series3 model sometime in 2006, which will bring HD capable TiVos to non–satellite users. Also, Comcast and TiVo have announced a deal to offer TiVo software for Comcast’s HD DVRs.

TiVo Series3

• Store up to 300 hours of SD video
• Store up to 32 hours of HD video
• Pause/rewind live TV
• Multi–room viewing
• Season pass manager
• Dual recording capability
• HDMI, component, S–Video, and composite video inputs
• Optical digital audio output
• Cable card slots (x2)
• Over-the-air antenna input
• Ethernet input for networking capabilities
• Telephone input
• IR or serial control port
• USB ports (x2)
• External SATA interconnect used for add–on storage
• TiVo online scheduling
• THX certification
• Digital Music
• Digital photos

DirecTV HD TiVo

• Store up to 200 hours of SD video
• Store up to 30 hours of HD video
• Pause/rewind live TV
• Dual satellite tuners allows two shows to be recorded at the same time
• Dual over-the-air tuner
• HDMI output
• Digital audio output
• Video upconversion capabilities
• Season pass manager
• Not compatible with Direct TVs future MPEG4 encoding
• No networking features such as remote programming, video sharing, or digital music

TiVo Series2

• Offers models with up to 40 or 80 hours of storage
• Records only SD video.
• Single tuner
• Pause/rewind live TV
• Season pass manager
• TiVo Online scheduling
• Digital Music
• Digital photos
• Multi-room viewing
• Telephone input
• IR or serial control port
• USB ports (x2)
• No digital audio output
• Need extra hardware for home network Ethernet interface

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