What is a "DVR" or digital video recorder?

What is a "DVR" or digital video recorder?

Jeff Colen (President, A Sharper Home, Inc.) gives expert video advice on: Do I still need a VCR?; What types of DVD players are available?; Will Blu-ray and HD DVD players work with my current set-up? and more...

A DVR is a digital video recorder, otherwise known as a Tivo. In the same way that 'Xerox' is used by a lot of folks to refer to a generic copy machine, DVR is known as or referred to as a Tivo by a lot of people. What it allows you to do is to record your programmes directly to a computer disc and play them back later on. Some of the advantages of that, obviously, are that you get to watch your TV programmes when you want to see them, you can record series as opposed to just one show (like you have on your VCR), and you can also time shift. You can fast forward through commercials. There are other advantages to using a DVR.