The steady forward march of television services has been underway since the middle of the twentieth century: first came color TV, then came cable, then came satellite TV, then came VCRs, and today, behold the HD DVR.  What in the name of all that is holy does that stand for?  The acronym HD DVR stands for high definition digital video recorder.  In short, it is a nifty little box that will revolutionize the way anybody watches the TV with the many cool features and functions it has.

An HD DVR allows the customer to record video inputs, generally routed through their cable or satellite TV service, in high definition format (and, of course, standard definition too).  That is the most basic function of an HD DVR.  But the magic comes in exactly how you can do so, and how much you can record!  Having been around on the market for a few years already (previously in the simpler, non-HD capacity), this little box of miracles permits several great features that have completely changed how and when people watch the tube.

First of all, you can set up a calendar of recording events.  Though all of the following details mentioned throughout the article vary from model to model, the better models should contain almost all of these features.  A good model HD DVR ought to permit you to schedule up to an entire week of recording events, and sometimes even more.  Today it is common to find boxes with capacity to store 20 hours of HD video, and around 180 hours of standard definition video.  Of course, you can improve your video capacity with a DVR expander, and some folks have boxes that can record over 50 hours of HD video.  Another great feature is the ability to record two video inputs at the same time: that means that you don’t have to choose between what would otherwise be competing broadcasts…pure bliss!  This is thanks to the presence of dual tuners in the DVR.  And there are even more benefits to having dual tuners: you can watch a show you already recorded while recording two shows now being broadcast, or you can watch one show and record it and another at the same time!  Really, the dual tuner has created some serious changes in TV-viewing habits.  Who knows if multiple tuners won’t form part of the HD DVRs of the future?

The next great benefit of the HD DVR, like any DVR, is the ability to pause live TV.  This is the most popular feature of the box, hands down.  It doesn’t matter if you programmed a recording of the live TV you’re watching in the moment, since the DVR itself records whatever channel is on the screen, no matter what.  How many great sports moments have been lost in the past because somebody walked in front of the screen, or you had to get up and use the restroom or check on the food in the kitchen?  With an HD DVR, you can pause it, and forget about your worries!  And what happens if you paused it a second too late?  You can rewind live TV, too, of course; if it’s being recorded, you can clearly go back and see what came before.  And once the toggle advances further to the right, you can fast forward as well.

The fast forwarding function  has also created a groundswell of change.  Whatever a person has recorded with their HD DVR, they can watch without commercials…that’s right, no annoying advertisements!  With the fast forward button, all your favorite shows and movies will be able to be watched without the bothersome interruption of commercials.  Some people can’t believe that it’s true, since we have all been preconditioned to believe that the whole TV experience revolves around and relies on commercials.  Not so, thanks to this brilliant little box.

The recording options get a little more complicated, and understanding the details can help maximize your use of an HD DVR.  A major tool that comes with virtually all DVRs is the on-screen program guide, which enables the viewer to find out weeks ahead of time what will be on, and assist them in choosing what shows to record.  Then, there are some really cool search options available for identifying what to record.  You can enter your favorite actor’s name, and record all the upcoming movies and shows the he or she will be in.  Or you can search by keyword and find all the results that it’s included in, and narrow your search from there.  You can put in the name of your sports icon, and get all the games that athlete will compete in.  Search by director, producer, title, or just about anything you want.  You can even go ahead and select an entire season of any given show and your HD DVR will automatically record every episode right through the end of the season.  Think of the convenience that means for most people, who leave the home early and get home late and simply don’t have the time to watch their favorite shows when they’re broadcast—and may not even have the time to remember to program the recordings, one by one.  It’s a whole different story when it’s all stored away in a little box on top of your TV, intelligently recording all the favorites you specify.

Really, the HD DVR, like it’s ordinary DVR ancestor, is all about breaking with useless, obsolete TV traditions, in favor of a more flexible and comfortable TV experience.  It’s about following your own rhythm and choosing according to your own interests.  Why, if you can get all of your favorite programming stowed away and ready for you at any time, commercial free, would you ever want to go back to being a slave of the regular TV experience?  Most people today seem to be pretty keen on getting a DVR if they don’t already have one, and the whole marketing strategy behind the TV industry seems set for some pretty serious changes.  And if you can have it all in HD, why not?  

Please visit our TV stands page to see the products we offer that compliment HD-DVR technology.