1 - Introduction
A DVR is generally made up of three elements, the hard disk drive, the power supply, bus/cables and the software that provides programming information which is in the form of a subscription device.
There are three leading DVR brands or subscriptions in the market for a DVR; TiVo, ReplayTV and UltimateTV. TiVo is wide used for digital recorders. It can also be said that TiVo is a service that allows you to digitally record television shows in a hard disk within a DVR box. This buying guide would essentially help you and give you useful tips for buying a TiVo DVR.
The hard drives inside most DVRs have a built-in tuner, a recording space and a buffer for live broadcast. The television signal comes into the DVR’s built-in tuner through an antenna or a cable. The signal coming from an antenna or cable is directed to an MPEG-2 converter, which converts the data from analog to digital form. From the converter the signal goes to two different places. First, to the hard drive where it is stored, and second to an MPEG-2 decoder, that converts the signal back to analog which is then sent to the television for viewing.
The DVR is driven by an operating system which resides in the hard drive, and in the case of TiVo, the device runs on a highly revised Linux installation.
So why buy a DVR over a VCR?
The storage of digital television signals opens up a whole new dimension for playback and viewing programs. In a VCR the device or the box is the recording tool and the blank cassette is the media. Therefore, there is always the hassle of keeping track of video cassettes and finding a blank video cassette when you need to record something. However, in a DVR, the tool and the media are the same, since it does not need a tape. One of the biggest advantages of a DVR is that you can have extraordinary control over playback. In the case of a VCR, you have to wait for the program to finish recording before you can start watching it. A DVR allows you to watch the program while you record it.
List all Tivo & DVR's
Back to Top
2 - Features
Here are some features that you might come across while buying a DVR or a TiVo DVR.
- Pause Live television : This feature is the most hyped about feature in the DVR technology. This
is how it works. Basically, DVRs allocate a certain fraction of the hard drive to a live TV buffer (or memory). This
buffer constantly keeps recording and retains the program that has been viewed for the past hour and the buffer is
emptied each time you change the channel. With the change in the channel the DVR starts with a new recording all over
again. So in plain words, when you hit the pause button on the DVR remote, the buffer in the box instantly begins
recording the program. It freezes the frame of the current image, giving the appearance of a paused videotape. When
you hit play (or when you un-pause the program), the recorded program begins to play.
- Quality and Capacity : Most DVRs have a capacity of recording 30 to 320- hours of programs. It
should be noted that a DVR can record a program at varying levels of quality, that is, the advertised capacity usually
refers to the number of hours it can clasp at the lowest quality setting. A TiVo can record programs at four varied quality
levels: basic, medium, high, or best. A 30-hour TiVo unit has the capacity to hold 30 hours of program at a basic quality
level, and 9-hours of a program at the best quality setting. The TiVo system comprises of a non-removable hard drive and
its software allows you to easily program and record your selected shows. Based on your viewing habits, the TiVo can also
be set to record shows, that it thinks you might be interested in watching. This is done by a rating system that TiVo offers, where you can rate the televion show you watch on a scale which ranges from three “thumbs up” or three “thumbs down”. TiVo also gives you a guarantee that the digital images recorded can be received, played and stored without waning the quality of the image.
- Search Tools : All DVRs offer, search tools for your convenience. This is so, you can search the
programs that you have recorded according to the genre, actors, director’s etc. It also allows you to indicate
which programs to record with respect to time, program title etc.
- Season Pass : Using this feature you can record the entire season of a show from a particular
channel, including First-Runs, Repeats, and All Episodes. Typically TiVo keeps a cache of each program it records for a
period of 28 days and this way avoids duplication.
- Wish-List : TiVo comes with the WishList feature, which refer to stored searches. These stored
searches are categorized into five types based upon the actor, director, keyword, title and category. The first four can
be further narrowed down by restricting the search to a specific category or sub-category. WishLists can also be set to
automatically record programs, referred to as Auto-Record WishList (ARWL) by TiVo users. This feature is akin to a season
pass; however, unlike a season pass it is not restricted to any particular channel.
- Connection : Connecting the TiVo DVR to your television would not be an issue. You can connect it
with/to a traditional cable, a digital cable, satellite TV, or even combinations of these. TiVo can also be connected to
your home theatre systems, and you can get a surround sound experience for the movie you recorded.
List all Tivo & DVR's
Back to Top
3 - Conclusion
TiVo will regularly keep you updated with the daily programs. The classy technology pooled with a user-friendly navigation in a TiVo, would allow you to search for recorded programs at the touch of a button. However, the only shortcoming of the TiVo system is that it requires a land-based phone line to guarantee successful activation and full functionality of the DVR device. So you might face a problem if you rely solely on cellular phones.
TiVo is now considered a revolution in Digital Video Recording. Hence make the most of this uprising, so that you may not have to schedule and reschedule your plans around your favorite television programs, and can skip annoying TV commercials too. Watch television programs whenever you want, however you want –That’s what a TiVo DVR does for you!
List all Tivo & DVR's
Back to Top |
Report errors and make suggestions
