The Many Benefits of Owning a DVR

Has This Ever Happened To You? OK.. it's Friday night, the kids are asleep, and a movie you've been waiting for is on Pay-Per-View for the first time. You buy the movie, grab a bag of popcorn, get all comfy on the couch, and ten minutes into the movie "RINGGGG" it's the _______ phone!!! (you fill in the blank).

Well, you can either:

1)Let the answering machine get it

2)Answer it yourself and miss the movie

3)Hit pause, answer the phone, talk for 20 minutes, then resume watching the movie exactly where you left off!

If you answered #3 then you must have a DVR in the family. LIFE IS GOOD!

For those unfamiliar with DVR's a short introduction is in order. The initials "DVR" are short for Digital Video Recorder. In a nutshell, a DVR is the modern day equivalent of a VCR with one major difference... it does not use tape. A DVR records audio and video onto a hard drive where they are stored in digital format. DVR's take recording to a whole new level by enabling you to pause, rewind, slo-mo, and instant replay live TV broadcasts, a priceless feature to have when watching sporting events or Pay-Per-View movies.

Can a DVR really change the way you live your life? Well, you'd be surprised about all the benefits adding a Digital Video Recorder to your Home Entertainment system can have. A DVR is one of those rare products that can have such a profound impact on the way we live our lives that we'll find ourselves wondering how we ever lived without it. Following is a list of some of the major benefits a DVR can add to your TV viewing experience, along with a brief explanation.

Take control of a live TV broadcast: One of the features that helped make DVR's famous is their power to control a live TV broadcast. By buffering the satellite signal, your DVR can pause, rewind, and slo-motion a live TV broadcast. When your done you can resume the program without missing a thing.

Never miss your favorite shows again: If your schedule doesn't permit you to be around to watch your favorite shows, just program your DVR to record them for you so you can watch them at your convenience.

Put an end to family squabbles: With a DVR in your life family arguments over who gets to watch their favorite shows on the big screen TV are a thing of the past.

Two of your favorite shows on at the same time? No Problem: If your DVR is equipped with dual tuners, you can have it record one show while you watch the other. If you are not going to be home, you can have your DVR record both shows (even though they are on at the same time) and watch them at your convenience.

More powerful yet Easier to use than a VCR: Most DVR's include a feature rich Program Guide that can extend up to 14 days into the future. The DVR functions are then seamlessly integrated into the guide to make recording your favorite shows a snap.

Skip over annoying commercials: With a DVR there's no need to sit through annoying commercials any more. While watching a recorded show, just hit the fast forward button and they'll fly right by. Some DVR's can fast forward in 30 second segments making it even easier to skip over unwanted commercials.

Play your MP3 music files over your sound system: If you've got an extensive array of MP3 music files on your PC, you can transfer them to your networked DVR and play them through your home entertainment system.

Watch digital photos on your big screen TV: Are you tired of having to huddle around a tiny computer monitor to view your digital photos? With a networked DVR, everyone can get comfortable and enjoy digital photos right on your big screen TV.

Both DirecTV and DISH Network offer Satellite receivers with Digital Video Recorders built right in. In addition, many cable providers are also beginning to offer this technology to their customers. Once you live with a DVR, I can almost guarantee that you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

© Written By: Michael Casamento

Michael Casamento is the founder of SatelliteTVSmarts.com offering comprehensive comparisons, along with the latest News, Deals, and Information on Digital Satellite TV, and Internet Access.

For more information visit: http://www.satellitetvsmarts.com

This article may be freely reproduced so long as the above resource box is included in its entirety.

---

Cisco Certification: Building Your Own Home Lab, Part I

CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: â??Get... Read More

Registry Tools Demystified

Not sure what Windows registry is or how it works?... Read More

Enhanced Web Browsing With Toolbars

As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More

Deleting and Destroying Data Forever

Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it... Read More

Getting Started with HTML

The basic language of the internet is html. If you... Read More

EDTV vs HDTV

Confused by EDTV vs HDTV? We don't blame you. The... Read More

Quick System Restore with ASR Backups

ASR (Automated System Recovery) is a feature available on the... Read More

Printing Multiple Copies of Photos

I do a holiday letter every year and send them... Read More

Choosing a Portable MP3 Player: Part 1

MP3 players are everywhere! It seems that the number of... Read More

Faster Browsing Tips

IF WE say that it was mainly because of the... Read More

Compare MP3 Players for the Coolest Features and Sweetest Deals

How can you compare mp3 players to be sure you're... Read More

Computer Geeks and Garden Gnomes

First and foremost before I begin my ranting it is... Read More

PC Tools Youd Never Think You Need

Do you use Windows standard uninstall feature? How do you... Read More

Maintain Your Computer ? Keep Your Business Running

Maintaining your computer is extremely important ? especially if you... Read More

SmartCar Memory Stick for LapTop Transfer Data

With the new technology used to transfer information to from... Read More

Improve PC Performance - 6 Tips You Must Know

Are you frustrated with your PC?Is it feeling sluggish or... Read More

Connect Your IPAQ to Linux

Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More

Passwords and the Human Factor

Passwords have a strange dual nature. The stronger and safer... Read More

10 Easy Steps to Speed Up Your Computer - Without Upgrading

1. Empty the Temp directory regularly. To do this, make... Read More

5 Ways to Speed Up Your PC

No matter how fast your processor and regardless of how... Read More

Mail-merging: The Principles

About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and... Read More

Bluetooth Headphones For Your PDA

Nothing is worse than having to negotiate all kinds of... Read More

Refurbished Computers on the Internet

What is a Refurbished Computer?Refurbished Computers. Remanufactured Computers. Reconditioned Computers.... Read More

Five Simple Steps to Speed up Your Computer

Most people download and save so much information on their... Read More

Buying A PC Flat Screen Monitor

For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More

Why Build Your Own Gaming Computer?

The best way to get the gaming computer that you... Read More

Keeping the Windows Registry Operational

The registry is where the computer stores information about the... Read More

Cisco Certification: Building Your Home Lab, Part II

In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More

JVCs First Three-Layer Combo-Disc Blu-Ray / DVD

JVC developed and used a high-performance reflective film to produce... Read More

Make Windows XP Run Faster!

A friend told me: "My computer startup seems to be... Read More

Consumer Electronic Information: The Basics of the DLP Projector

Projectors have come a long way in the past few... Read More

Review of Rio MP3 Players

Below you will find some useful information and comments about... Read More

How to Set Up Simple File Sharing WinXP

The first step is: Start > My DocumentsSo you have... Read More