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Introduction
DVR Buying Guide to what you need to know when you're choosing a DVR - the main kinds of DVR, plus all the features which you might find beneficial.
Video Cassette Recorders
The VCR was the first-generation video recorder. The quality of recordings were often disappointing, especially after the tape was reused several times. The Videocassette was quite large, so a videocassette library took up a lot of space. Videocassettes were expensive, so it was common to record several programmes onto the same tape, making it time-consuming to find a programme on the tape. The VCR is being superseded by newer digital technology - just as audio tapes were replaced by CDs.
DVD Recorders
The DVD Recorder is the second-generation video recorder. Playback quality is much better than the VCR, and a DVD case is much smaller than a Videocassette - so a DVD video library doesn't take up as much room.
On a DVD Recorder you can select the Recording Mode, which controls the quality level of the recording. Be aware though that a higher quality recording will require a larger disk space and give you a shorter recording time. On a standard DVD you will get a high-quality one-hour programme, or a two-hour acceptable quality programme. See the DVR Disk Capacities page for further details.
To confuse matters , there are three competing standards for the recordable DVD: DVD-R and DVD-RAM, both supported by the DVD Forum; and DVD+R supported by the DVD+RW Alliance. Which means that if you record on one format, a friend may not be able to playback the same DVD.
The biggest problem with the DVD Recorder is the relatively short programme time which can be stored on a single DVD. This can be stretched to 3½ hours (at acceptable quality) if you use an expensive Dual Layer DVD-R or DVD+R disk.
Because of this problem, DVD Recorders are being superseded by the Digital Video Recorder.
Digital Video Recorders
These third-generation video recorders are like DVD Recorders, but have an internal hard disk drive (HDD). Even the smaller model HDDs store around 30 hours of programmes. You use the DVR (also known as a PVR) by recording a programme on the HDD, playing it back when convenient, and then deleting it. This is very simple and convenient, as you don't need to fiddle around with any disks or tapes.
However, using a DVR does require discipline. The HDD will fill up eventually unless you regularly delete programmes.
To reduce this problem you can now get DVRs which have both an HDD and a DVD drive. When the HDD is nearly full, you copy programmes you want to keep to DVD, before deleting them from the HDD.
See Best Buy DVR.
Freeview DVR
Video recorders need to get their input signals from somewhere. Early VCRs were fed straight from the TV aerial. Later VCRs also had a SCART input connector. This allowed the VCR to take its input from a set-top box such as a satellite or Freeview decoder. DVD Recorders and DVRs also have SCART input connectors, so you can wire them to your set-top boxes too.
To save the expense of a separate set-top box, many DVRs come with a built-in Freeview tuner. This allows the DVR to directly receive digital TV channels, record them, and pass them on (via a SCART cable) to your TV. Freeview comes with a 7-day Electronic Programme Guide
Twin Freeview DVR
A minor problem is that if you only have a single Freeview tuner, then if you are recording one channel, you can't watch a different digital channel at the same time. And you certainly can't record two programmes at once. This can be solved by choosing a model which has two Freeview tuners, but you would have to forego the DVD drive.
DVR features
Apart from the features such as Freeview described above, DVRs also have many features which you might find useful:
- Chasing Playback
- Pausing Live TV
- Electronic Programme Guide
- Copying a Programme
- Editing a Programme
- Building a Playlist
- Recording Mode
DVR limitations
You can opt either for a model with a DVD drive to allow you to move or copy a programme from the HDD to a DVD; or have a model with an extra Freeview tuner, allowing you to record two programmes at once or record one programme and watch another.
DVRs don't yet have the electronics to cope with HDTV, or the HDD capacity to store many HDTV programmes.
Summary
We've explained the three main kinds of DVR, plus all the features like Freeview, which you might find beneficial.
