Washington, D.C. (December 20,
2011) -- It's hard to believe but
next year will be the 15th anniversary of the Digital Video
Recorder. (Well, unofficially, that is. DVR companies TiVo and ReplayTV
were founded in 1997, although they didn't begin trial service
until 1998.)
Over the years, the DVR has changed from a standalone set-top
that required consumers to pay for it separately at retail to
both a retail set-top and a feature that's included in cable,
satellite and telco receivers for a monthly fee.
The DVR has also evolved with the times, going from recording
standard-definition programming exclusively to recording both SD
and HD shows. And some DVRs now also offer Broadband-enabled
features such as multiple-room recording and Video on Demand via
your home network.
However, the basic purpose of the DVR has not changed much at
all. It allows you to record your favorite shows (easier than
your old VCR ever did), skip the commercials during playback if
you prefer and store dozens of hours of content without the need
of a videotape.
The DVR has unquestionably made watching television easier and
more convenient. But...
* Does your DVR do everything
you want?
* Is it reliable? Or does it sometimes not record what you ask
it to record?
* Is it fast? Or do you have to wait several seconds before it
responds to your command?
* Is the picture quality the same as a live program?
Despite loving the concept of the DVR, some DVR owners often
express frustration with the actual product. So we thought we
would ask you to rate your DVR in this TVPredictions.com poll.
After rating your DVR, you can offer comments about what kind of
DVR you have (cable, satellite, telco, TiVo etc.) and how
well it works.
