Digital Journal — Yup, it’s another acronym to confuse you. But this digital answer to the VCR will make TV worth watching again.
PVR stands for “personal video recorder,” a device that records TV shows on a built-in hard drive, much like the one inside your PC. Sometimes this unit is referred to as
a DVR (digital video recorder), an HDD (hard disk drive) or in the U.S., a “TiVo”, named after the popular subscription service that helped pioneer the PVR revolution.
The obvious advantage to a PVR over a VCR is you no longer need bulky VHS tapes to record TV shows and movies. A PVR’s hard drive can hold hundreds of hours of television programming, all easily recalled with the push of a button. And that’s just the beginning.
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Imagine Donald Trump is addressing the boardroom: He suddenly gets that probing look in his eyes signalling he’s about to point and fire. At the same time, your phone rings and you’re expecting a call from your brother in Europe. Simply press the “pause” button on the PVR remote and Trump’s mouth freezes onscreen. When you return, press “play” to continue the firing process — it’ll look live, but it’s not. Pausing programming simply makes the unit record on the hard drive until the user presses “stop.”
2. Rewind live TV
Say you missed some key dialogue during an episode of Law & Order. Simply press the “rewind” button on the PVR remote to reach the desired spot in the show. This works because the PVR is always recording about an hour ahead.
3. Skip forward, guilt-free
Though manufacturers don’t promote this feature, most PVR remotes have a one-touch “advance” button that zaps forward a couple of seconds or minutes when watching pre-recorded footage. It’s similar to fast-forwarding a DVD. Quite usefully, you can program the PVR to skip past a block of commercials or the opening credits of a film.
4. Easily program upcoming shows
By working with an electronic program guide, it’s a cinch to set a timer to record your favourite TV series, movies and sporting events. Simply use the buttons on the remote to navigate through the onscreen guide; when you land on a show you want to record press “enter,” and then choose how often it should be recorded (once, daily, weekly). No more fumbling with timers or choosing the right station. You can also do a keyword search, such as typing in “desperate” to find when Desperate Housewives airs next.
5. Tape to VCR if need be
Because the content is stored on a hard drive, the obvious downside to PVR technology is that it’s a stationary unit — you can’t bring that episode of The Daily Show over to a friend’s house. But most PVRs feature video and audio output jacks that can be connected to a VCR or DVD recorder. Simply press “play” on the recorded show and “record” on the VCR or DVD recorder to make a dub. Keep in mind some PVRs include a built-in DVD burner.
Our (pricey) PVR pick
The top-of-the-line Panasonic DMR-E500 (panasonic.ca) has the best of both worlds: a massive 400GB hard drive to record, store and recall more than 700 hours of programming and a high-speed DVD recorder that reads and writes to multiple disc formats. At $2,300, you’ll have to pay through the nose for this device, but for home theatre enthusiasts with deep pockets, it’s the ideal centrepiece.
Where can I buy a PVR, and how much will it cost?
There are many different PVRs on the market but you’ll likely buy yours from your satellite or cable TV provider. Starting at about $300 ($250 US), PVR prices vary according to the size of the hard drive, HDTV capability and other features.
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