What's the deal with DVR's?

Question

I've never had DVR but would like to try it. I don't understand how it all works though. Do you just go buy one and hook it up? Do you have to have cable or satelite or something? Do you have to pay monthly fees in order to use it? Does it have any uses with your home computer? Is it expensive or hard to install?

Please help a clueless newbie from the VCR era! :)

Answer 1

They are very easy to use. But you have to get the DVR offered by your cable company or Sat service.

The real 'magic' is how the DVR shows you a program guide and the software that lets you pick shows to record, set up a series recording (all episodes, only new, etc.)  This software guide has to be constantly updated to stay current so the better ones are tied to the service.

It usually means you have to pay $5-8 per month for the box. Sometimes there is a free 2-day program guide or you get a 14 day guide for extra.

Dish for some reason makes you pay an extra fee to let your box record.  My cable gives me a DVR and 'broadcast basic' for about $24/month.  

And the service comes out and installs it for you.

Answer 2

DVR- Digital Video Recorder. These us the hard drive to record shows. Think of it as the hard drive on your computer. It can find the shows like your computer uses files. When you watch TV you must have an input signal. This is normally an antenna, cable, satellite, or video feed, these play on your TV. The input signal goes into your DVR then the output goes to your TV. Now since the signal is going through a hard drive you can pause it for a while then start up again watching your show, think of the file filling up on your computer. Fast forward during commercials and the file is emptying. You can record a show, now think of a file being made called "The Jerry Springer Show."

After recording shows you will have them to watch, now you are accessing the files or reading the files. There are ways to pay for it. You can rent a DVR from your cable/satellite company and use it all you want like it is your own for the monthly rental fee. I bought mine, It is called TiVo. TiVo has a monthly fee or a yearly subscription fee. I own it and the files on it.

As far the computer and DVR go....that depends on the DVR. This has so many options and differences I can not explain them all. My TiVo is hooked up to my home network which is wireless. I can go on my computer and go on-line through my wireless network and the wirreless network goes into my TiVo and shows me the shows or files I have stored on it. This I do on  my laptop any where I take it, or I can use any computer anywhere in the world, go to TiVo.com and get into my hme TiVo and use that computer to watch the shows I have on it.

This is where they go off, I can put my own photo's on my computer then have them go to my TiVo and watch them on my TV. This is the tip of the iceberg. I hope this helps, Good Luck!!

EDIT:  You do not "have to get the DVR offered by your Cable or Sat company. TiVo is not offered by any company and it works with ANY cable and ANY Sat companies it even woks with an OFF THE AIR rabbit ears. The Sling Box is another DVR that works with any provider regardless if it is cable or sat. SO anyone that says you "need to get the one from your cable or sat. provider" has no experience with any other types of DVR's. I do not try and be mean I just want people that answer questions have an idea what they are talking about. Thank You.

Answer 3

DVR = always "something on" since you picked your library of shows and every hour of tv you watch youll get 20 minutes of your life back by allowing you to skip comercials with a simple push of a button. WARNING: once you get a DVR youll NEVER be able to continue watching TV with out one ever again

Answer 4

TIVO has YOUTUBE!!!:):)