• But what was wrong with the VCR?
• Surely there are some negatives too?
• Types of Hard Disk Video Recorder
• A Closer Look: Personal Video Recorders (PVRs)
• A Closer Look: DVD/HDD recorders
• The Future of HDD/DVD in Australia

A Closer Look: Personal Video Recorders (PVRs)

Primary Features

Every PVR will have the following features:

Hard Drive. This is where you'll be storing all those recordings. The main discernible difference between the hard drives in competing models will be their size. Given that PVRs lack DVD recorders, and you may be limited to keeping recordings on the hard disk, it's a good idea to buy a model with a big hard disk. A 250GB model will typically offer 70 hours of recording at Standard Definition and approximately half that for High Definition.

Digital tuner. Every PVR will have a digital tuner, which is the bit that decodes television signals, and there are some important points to consider here. Firstly, does the PVR have one or two tuners? The inclusion of a second tuner allows for some useful features, such as recording two channels simultaneously or watching one channel while recording another. We'd definitely recommend purchasing a system with dual tuners if you have the option. Secondly, does the unit include a High Definition tuner? With the advent of HD channels on Australian television you may wish to make the most of the higher quality content now available. Bear in mind that this inclusion may substantially increase the cost.

Timeshift. All PVRs should offer the ability to "pause" live television, though some are better at it than others. A basic implementation will simply allow a programme to be paused and then continued at a later time. Better implementations also allow the user to save a programme they have just watched, sometimes hours after it has finished. This is great if you forget to set the recorder going.