How has DVR use changed the way you watch TV?

Question

TV used to be something we had to schedule our lives around, but with increasing DVR use programming is now available whenever we want it. How has this changed the way you watch TV?

Answer 1

I do have concerns when it comes to DVR.  There was a time when good shows were place head to head to compete for veiwers and advertising dollars.  The most watched kept the slot and more often than not, coming in second got you cut.  Now you can watch both, but is that taken into consideration when cutting the second place winner?  I think it has added an extra level of complexity by producers to know the actual popularity of their series while giving the audience more opportunity to see good shows that are getting the axe.

Answer 2

It has changed everything!  I've had TIVO since 2002-ish. Love it, can barely remember life in the pre-tivo days!

The good - no longer tied to the network schedule, you don't need to make sure you're home to watch Lost, etc  That was always the worst in the pre-dvr days... OMG, I missed the season finale of <fill in blank>!     Also nice not having to wait until the commercials to get a snack, throw the laundry in the dryer, etc.

The bad - I think I watch more tv now.  Maybe watch more in less time, but still.  I also think my attention span is worse.   Fast forwarding through commercials has led to fast forwarding through annoying song montages on shows like CSI.. then fast forwarding through boring parts of shows, etc.

Answer 3

It's interesting to see how it has changed different people's watching habits.

For example, my father would always choose sports over documentaries, but not he's watching more documentaries than ever because he can preprogram and watch them when the game's not on!

I, on the other hand, find it wonderful for cooking shows, because you can get right to the recipe you want, skip backwards, forwards, etc. I don't have a DVR, but when I visit my parents I am sure to stock up on reruns of my favourite Food Network shows.

On the other hand, the emergence of online viewing and renting programs has also made it easier for viewers to get their favourite programs years after they went off the air: I no longer find great shows in their first season, but rather in their second or third (like 30 Rock) after people have recommended them to me.

Do I watch more TV now? Probably. But does TV engage me less as a result of my ability to flip back and forth, and record? Definitely.

Answer 4

Verizon DVR has changed whether or not I even have a cable service. I was never big on having cable TV because I would have to set aside specific times that may not be convenient to watch the shows I found interesting or entertaining. A lot of times, the program I desired to watch were daytime or prime time shows. Since I work days and am active in the evenings, I never saw a point in paying for a service that didn't prove useful. Now, I can record shows and watch them whenever I have time. I also have a short attention span when it comes to sitting and watching television, so DVR allows me to get up and do other things and come back to my programming later. There are plenty of instances where DVR is a great 'invention' but I think it's probably brought others, like me, back to watching television that actually means something to them or even watching television at all.

Answer 5

Yes, it definitely has. I have a Verizon FiOS DVR, and it has completely changed the way that I watch TV. I used to miss shows constantly, because I could never keep up with when they were on, and I didn't want my life to revolve around TV. Now, I have my list of shows, and can watch them when I want to (without commercials, which is a big plus!). So now, I never miss an episode, and I don't have to stop something important to spend an hour in front of the TV!

I've also loved watching the olympics on it, because I was able to slow down even the slow motion clips of the close races (anyone who watched Phelps race on Friday knows what I'm talking about!).

I'm really going to miss that little box when I go off to college!!

Answer 6

In my opinion, the biggest change would be that commercials are no longer obligatory to watch if you want to see the entire program. Commercials, even if they are necessary to the network, are really a nuisance to the viewer. Most are boring and VERY repetitive. Some, however, are clever and original, but after a few days, they become quite mundane.

As a child, TV used to be something that I had to schedule my life around. I had to come home from school very quickly to watch that cartoon that just had to start at 3:30 or to stay up at night, against my parents will, to watch that movie's ending. But, now, as adolescent, the internet is my main television and movie viewer. It is quick -no more commercials which take up precious viewing time- , reliable -no more canceled shows-, and affordable -no more paying more expensive networks-. However, the main problem of online viewing would have to the resolution of videos -some are way too low- and bandwith.

So, in a nutshell, I'd have to say that the invention of DVR hasn't really changed my life. If the price of DVR would lower, I would give it a second thought. But, now, the internet has surpassed the DVR both in price and in reliability.

Answer 7

I have had a DVR for several years now and I really like it. I can record two programs at one time,one in my bedroom and one in the living room, I have a telephone line hooked up to mine so when the phone rings during a good program, it shows up on the TV screen and we can tell who is calling,thus letting us decide if we want to answer it or not .Also I like how you can skip forward a week to record a program in the future. This is a great invention !

Answer 8

I now watch TV completely at my own leisure, with no anxiety regarding interruptions and especially regarding show times.  The ability to fast-forward through commercials or other unwanted content has resulted in a much more enjoyable (and child-safe reliable) entertainment activity.

The ability to schedule (up to two simultaneous) recordings up to two-weeks in advance also ensures I watch virtually all desired content.

Pre-DVR era, I was forced to conform my life activites around desired TV content or miss it; now the content is forced to conform around my life activities.

Answer 9

I love my DVR. I don't worry about missing stuff I want to see. If I am watching something and have to leave I DVR the end. I tape stuff for my hubby that I think he may be interested in. I can cut out commercials. I may start watching something 1/2 into the program and go back and catch the beginning (if you turn the DVR on sometimes it will go back to the start of the program - that's great). I can program an entire season of a show and not have to think about it, and it will go each year so I never have to think about it. I don't miss premieres or finales. I also like the fact that I can tape 2 show at the same time, and then watch one already on DVR.

It has definitely revolutionized my TV watching.  

Answer 10

DVR has changed my life in so many ways. i love being able to record a show and go out and hang with friends, or go and do something else and know that I'm not  missing my show, also the commercials, there way to long and so now i don't have to wait till the commercials are all over, all i got to do is fast forward through them which is amazing, also i can pause it if i want to get a snack or something. it is amazing and i don't think i could live without it.!!!!! DVR has changed my life and i don't want to go back to not having my DVR.  

Answer 11

DVR allows me to watch programs on MY time.  It also allows viewing in an easier way to access than video tapes.  By far the best thing DVR does is it creates family harmony.  

I am a Dodger fan.  I was able to watch the Dodgers win in walk-off fashion yesterday against the Brewers.  If my wife wanted to talk to me, I could have paused the game in the bottom of the 9th and given her 100% attention.  If this was October 1988 and she wanted to talk while Kirk Gibson was at the plate I could either 1) listen to my wife and miss history or 2) watch history and have an upset wife.  DVR has changed all of that.

Here are some of the other great things about DVR in no particular order:

Get home 10 minutes after the news starts and still watch it all.

Watch a commercial-filled show like Saturday Night Live or Oprah in 2/3 the time of watching it live.

Pause live TV to make a snack, answer the phone, go to the bathroom or attend to the family.

Rewind to catch something I missed or want to hear again.

Use the two buffers to watch two games or two late night monologs on delay and skip through commercials to catch up.

Record every episode of a show even when the network switches days or times.

I'm not gone enough to need to use Slingbox, but I hear that's cool too.

Answer 12

I think I watch more tv now. Before, if you missed a show or program - tough luck, wait until it's on in reruns (or even worse - try taping it with a vcr ::shudder::). Now, if I miss a show the first time it's on, I can watch it later, at my convenience. And, without having to watch commercials in their entirety, I find that there is more time to watch another show. Shows I would otherwise miss - due to time constraints, my work/school schedule or shows being on at the same time as other one - I can now watch and catch up on.

Additionally, it has also allowed me to explore new shows that I would otherwise not watch, because I don't have to take time out of my schedule to watch it. Also, if a new show and one I've watched is on at the same time, I would obviously choose my favorite show.

Also, I think that with the absence of commercials (obviously chosen for the intended audience of the show), I find myself paying more attention to the products - clothes, accessories, etc - in the show as opposed to outside of it.

Answer 13

I am 47 years old, have always lived in the US, so the way I watch TV has changed a couple of times over the years.  I grew up watching TV all the time, there were few choices and we watched what our parents watched, and after school we watched cartoons and reruns of old sitcoms.  In young adulthood I watched very little TV.  For many years I mostly watched Jeopardy, which I did schedule my life around, and movies on pay cable channels, and not much TV show programming.  That has changed drastically with DVR.  I have 6 to 10 programs that I always record whenever they are on, and that is about all I ever watch on TV.  I don't watch movies, and I don't pay for any extra channels.  I barely have time to watch the shows I record, and I enjoy all of them.  I sometimes watch commercials but not often.  Also, when I see a commercial or article in the newspaper about a new show, I automatically program the DVR to record the pilot episode, so that I can decide if I want to add it to the list of shows I record.  

Answer 14

I read all the responses.  In addition to the usual suspects, recording off hour programming and fast forwarding through commercials, I find the automatic recording of certain shows, first run, etc. to be useful.  For instance, I have it set to record 24, which it remembers a year later when it is on next.

Also, I enjoy being able to rewind a few moments if I missed a crucial bit of dialog.  It is somewhat frustrating when I am watching TV without DVR and cannot rewind when I miss something.

FWIW, I don't watch a lot of TV, so the DVR makes the time spent more enjoyable.

Kudos to the fellow who questioned why such an obvious market research question appears here on Yahoo!ANSWERS.

Answer 15

Yes!  I think the DVR is one of the best inventions since TV came out. I LOVE it!  Now we can watch our favorite shows without having to rush home from somewhere, or come in when the weather is beautiful outside, and watch it when we want to. I never miss episodes of our favorite shows, and it has increased the quality of our TV time.

It used to be nearly impossible, even with 500 channels, to find something decent to watch in the middle of the night if you have insomnia or in the middle of the afternoon if you have a cold, but aren't into soaps or talk shows. Now we watch more of the prime time shows, the unique series on the premium channels like Showtime, HBO, and AMC. We rewatch old series that we enjoyed before, and there is always something good on. I hate watching TV on vacation now, because you are stuck with scheduled programming and limited channels.

I also love the pause and rewind feature for watching something funny, rewatching a great line, or being able to answer the phone without losing the storyline. We both love it, and sometimes have two DVRs recording seperate shows, while we watch a third one. (Sunday nights have more good prime time programming than the rest of the nights combined, and we can now see it all!)  

Answer 16

The most obvious answer is that I don't have to watch commercials anymore.  This usually cuts a 1-hour show down to about 45 minutes, so it saves a lot of time.

I also tend to skip straight to the "good parts" of certain shows.  For example, the "results episodes" of certain reality shows can run over an hour... but cutting through all the fluff, you can cut it down to about 15 minutes!

I've also found that, while my DVR gives me access to MUCH more television than ever before, I'm actually watching LESS.  That's because (aside from the time-saving capabilities mentioned before) I get to "triage" and choose only the best shows to fill my time.  I no longer watch repeats or mediocre material just because "it's on."

I also love how I can watch TV on MY schedule.  I never have to think about being in front of the TV at a certain time.  This leaves me free to spend time with my family and friends, and take care of my obligations, knowing that I won't miss a minute of my favorite shows.

Answer 17

I use the DVR to record specific shows that I want to watch even though they are on during the work day or late at night. Whatever time they originate becomes irrelevant. Then during prime time when nothing worth watching is on I just go through my backlog of recorded movies, recorded series, and specials. I can always find something that is better to watch than what is on live TV.

The end result is that I rarely watch live TV (except maybe a newscast or something I never noticed before).  Since the DVR does HD as well as standard definition there is no reason to be a slave of network programming. If I start watching a show and it gets to be too late at night I just hit the DVR RECORD button and I can see the rest of it the next day. And of course I can fast forward through commercials or go back to a key phrase some actor mumbled so I can be sure I got it.

So it has completely changed my interaction with the TV and I would never get TV service without a DVR.

Answer 18

I used to be a big VCR user too, but with HDTV, you need a DVR now.  So it really hasn't changed the way I watch TV.  The DVR is a little easier to program, and even programming that isn't in the paper, you can scroll around and find something that you'll love to record.

I pay a little extra for the privilege so I try to get all of my money's worth by recording as much as I can.

--Rick

Answer 19

I cry at the thought that I might not have the use of my DVR someday.

This is by far the greatest invention ever, except for maybe the DVR that can record two programs at once.  OK, maybe I'm getting a little carried away.

I never watch commercials, except during the Super Bowl.

I DVR a football game and start watching it two hours into the game.  I finish when the game's over and I have only invested 1 hour, giving me two additional hours to do as I please.  Oh heck, who am I kidding, I get to watch two more hours of TV.

And don't even get me started on the Olympics.  I am continuously taping two stations, that adds up to more than 40 hours and since my cable company recently upgraded my DVR to 4 fast forwards instead the slow 3, I can zoom right by women's doubles badminton and enjoy the women's beach volleyball.  Is it me, or does everyone think their suits are way too big?

And the biggest advantage is more s*x.  My wife has always thought that I watched too much TV, but now I am watching twice as much in half the time.  Leaving time for that one thing in a man's life that is more important than TV.

Answer 20

It has changed my life in many ways, for example I can spend more time with my family, instead of watching TV on the exact time, i could just watch at a later time.

I could also watch my favorite television shows, when ever I want without worrying about interruptions.( kids in the house, lol )

I can now go on family vacations without worrying if my favorite television show will be re-aired. And with DVR, that problem is fixed.

Oh I almost forgot about my local NEWS at 10. With DVR i could actually watch the news in the morning, without worrying about staying up late.

Another reason I love DVR is for the reason that I can now spend Sunday Afternoons with my family, without worrying about the NFL games. I could just reschedule the games I'm interested in, without worrying about it interfering with my family.

Bottom line is this, " It has made my life a lot easier "

Answer 21

Not at all.  Before DVR, I used AVR - analog video recording - on my VCR - video cassette recorder.  Today's DVR units work almost the same as VCR's in terms of the practicalities - you can record in real time and pause during the commercials to omit them, and you can set the timer to record at an ungodly hour at night.  When you watch, you can pause the recorder (in play mode) the same as you could with a VCR.  The one big advantage - other than the compact size of the recording medium - is that you can pause the DVR's for as long as you like.  VCR pause mode was usually limited to 5 minutes to avoid damaging the tape or the tape head of the machine.

Answer 22

1. Q&A is supposed to be a non commercial board. The members are held to strict rules regarding using this board for commercial enterprises. This question, which is an obvious market research question coming from the verizon company, does not conform to this policy. If any of the people who watch these featured threads for Q&A could tell me why a survey of this sort is permitted I would be delighted.

2. TV is one of the main horrors of modern America. The whorification of teenage girls, the stupification of people in general, the stamp of consumerist conformity... in short all that we know as the evil of tv... does not really change with these minor changes of format. TV is a nasty thing and remains so. Watch at peril to your soul.

I sincerely wish to be reported for this answer, so that the entirety of what I am saying can be made crystal clear.

Answer 23

I used to always watch tv and everything live but ever since i got my dvr i hardly watch live tv now! sometimes a friend will ask me "did you see that funny geico commercial?" and of course my answer usually is no because i DVR all my favorite shows and fast forward the commercials now, i used to be update with all the commercials and all the movies that are going to come out within a month or so now i have no idea, of course i will occasionally watch live tv of course, but i always pause it (bathroom break,cellphone rings) and then I'm watching it live no more. I LOVE DVR, sometimes i need to work late or i need to run errands and i no longer stress over fact I'm going to miss my favorite shows, sometimes i purposely wait 20 Min's to watch a show even if I'm home so i can just fast forward the commercials lol i also can look at the channel guide and see what shows/movies i want to watch and record it no matter what time its going to come on! i love the DVR and verizon i even have the Envy phone which i love also! i really do hear everyone everywhere i go! lol, one thing im concern is that im scared DVR  doesnt help my fav shows with its rating and it could be canceled =( and i wish we could record more then 2 things a once occasionally i want to record 4 things at once!

Answer 24

Absolutely correct about Television and scheduling "real life" around favorite programs back in the dark ages! I still remember being "addicted" to a daytime show, which precluded my making appointments during the hour the show was scheduled, and having upsets with friends since I did not want to miss an episode.

The DVR has made a total change not only in the way I watch TV now, but has liberated me to other real life participation. While a bit annoying to have to fast forward  incessant and duplicated advertising, at least we have a choice now as to whether we want to watch them or pass them by.

I love the pause feature for interruptions of any kind, not to miss a part of a show. So I would have to say that the DVR has changed the way I watch TV 100% .

Great invention!

Troublesniffer

Who was addicted to PASSIONS!

Answer 25

It has slightly. I don't watch too much network shows because of their mediocre quality so I don't have too many commercials to forward through. It is great that if a show like Star Trek:Enterprise comes along at 2:00 AM I can enjoy it, even while it gets poor ratings due to its time slot and gets canceled after 4 seasons. However, if needed I can pause a show that's currently recording , go cook something, and then forward through commercials when I'm ready to view it. It gives the viewer more control over their life instead of having to schedule around a show that, in the grand scheme of things, isn't THAT important.

Although, all of this technology still can't correct the idiot roommate factor when they delete a program right as I'm about to watch it.

Answer 26

Now I am able to watch the shows I want whenever I want. Like for example, in the mornings on Disney it's shows for younger kids on, and I don't watch those so I got to my DVR and I watch the show I want. It has also changed the way I watch TV is because I can set it to record new episodes of the shows I like so I be out about and not miss when a new episode comes on because it will automatically record it.

Answer 27

I have a DVR and I enjoy it immensely. The two main functions for me are to 1) let me watch programs when I want to watch them, and 2) to skip over the wasted time of commercials.

I realize advertising pays for programming, but lets be real, commercials have taken over the airwaves. As an example, I watch LOST but refuse to watch it love since there are sooooo many commercials. I checked once and found that a two hour special episode of LOST is actually less than on hour of the program, with the remainder being made up of advertising.

Answer 28

I used to have to give up watching a lot of shows I wanted to see because either something else was on at that time that I wanted to see more or it was on when I couldn't watch tv, like when I was at work. Now I never have to miss anything because I can watch it on my own schedule. Sometimes it'll take a week or so to get caught up with some of the shows but it's so much more convenient. And the best part about watching something that's been previously recorded is that I can skip all the commercials.  

Answer 29

DVR allows for an easier way to watch TV since I watch TV on my time, and without the inconvenience of a VCR.  I also love the ability to pause a program I am watching and even rewind to parts I want to see again.  Not all DVR's have this, but being able to view what is on a channel before watching it is amazing also.  I never find myself flipping through channels to find something, I look for what I want, not just for now, but what I might want to record for later.

Answer 30

I just got my first DVR a week ago and am in love with it!  We used to watch boring, lousy TV just because it was the only thing on at the time we wanted to watch.  Now, I program in every show we want to see, let it do its thing, and we can watch better stuff (not to mention pause for pee and snack breaks and then zap through commercials!) when we want to watch it.  If there's a movie on that I want to see, but it's on too late, I can record it and watch it later.  (This sounds like your typical use for a VCR, but ours was on the way out and unless a show or movie was something really worthwhile, it wasn't worth the fight with the VCR to record, rewind, and play it.)

I love that when we get back to the fall lineup, we won't have to think about "setting a tape" or watching carefully for the season premieres: almost all the shows we want to watch are syndicated through the summer, so we've already got them programmed into the DVR.