| Why you need a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) | | | | Make your own digital TV channel |
| with your satellite TV | | | | You can set your PVR to record many programs |
| The analog satellite TV, cable TV and terrestrial | | | | from many different channels and then watch |
| TV signals that we have watched and loved for | | | | these recordings back to back as if it were your |
| the last few decades will soon be switched off | | | | own personal digital TV channel. You can even |
| and if you want to continue watching TV when | | | | start watching your new channel while your PVR |
| that happens then you will need to upgrade your | | | | is still recording. |
| system to digital. Your old VCR will still give you | | | | Record a whole series of one program |
| limited service but if you want to take advantage | | | | Capturing a whole series of your favourite |
| of all the features offered by the new digital TV | | | | program and then watching the whole lot in a |
| services then you will want to upgrade to a digital | | | | mammoth session is so simple for a PVR. You |
| video recorder (DVR) or a Personal Video | | | | can also then burn the whole lot to a DVD if your |
| Recorder (PVR) | | | | PVR has a DVD recorder, and keep it on your |
| Right now you might be watching digital TV from | | | | shelf. |
| satellite or cable and also have a tried and trusted | | | | Archive your recordings to DVD |
| analog terrestrial TV system to allow you to | | | | If your DVR or PVR has a built in DVD recorder |
| watch more than one channel at a time. | | | | then you can make permanent copies of the |
| Unfortunately you won't be able to do this when | | | | programs that you've captured on the hard drive. |
| the analog transmissions are turned off. | | | | You can also save programs to your old VCR |
| What will a PVR or DVR do for you? | | | | using the analogue AV sockets on your PVR. |
| Here are just some of the amazing things that | | | | Don't throw away your old VCR just yet. |
| can be done with a PVR and your old VCR could | | | | Viewing the highlights |
| have performed only one of them. Use them with | | | | DVRs are much better at fast forward and |
| your digital satellite TV systems and they can be | | | | rewind than your old VCR ever was which makes |
| awesome features. | | | | it easy to compress long sporting events into a |
| Time Shift viewing | | | | shorter time. This can be very useful if you're in a |
| Shifting the time at which you watch your | | | | hurry or you don't want to sit through all the |
| favourite programs by recording a digital TV | | | | boring parts. |
| program and replaying it later. This is one of the | | | | Action replay of live transmissions |
| few things that an analog VCR does well. | | | | This is very useful for sporting events and films |
| Tagging a series of digital programs | | | | with complex plots. You can pause and rewind |
| Some PVR services like the Sky+ digital satellite | | | | your PVR and then watch an action replay before |
| TV in the UK offer a feature to mark a series of | | | | you return to pick up the live program. This will |
| programs and record them when they are | | | | extend the viewing time of course. |
| transmitted rather than have to enter the | | | | Pausing live TV as if it were a recording |
| information into the recorder for each episode. No | | | | You are interrupted by someone at the door or |
| longer do you need to remember when they are | | | | the phone while you're in the middle of watching |
| broadcast any more, just let your faithful PVR do | | | | your favourite program. This is no longer a |
| all the work for you. For this feature to be | | | | problem, simply pause your personal video |
| available there must be an electronic program | | | | recorder and what's left of the program will be |
| guide available, which means that not all services | | | | saved for you to watch later. You just press |
| will support it. | | | | 'Play' and it picks up from where you paused it. |