Go ahead - buy that PVR

[tampa8]

I'm posting this for those (like I was) on the fence about buying a PVR. Though I am a Dishnetwork subscriber my post is meant for anyone. I finally bought a Dish 508 and it really adds to the enjoyment of watching TV. Oddly, not exactly for the reasons I thought it might.

Certainly recording to a hard drive digitally provides much better playback than a VHS recorder. The 9 day guide is a tremendous advantage. But it is the ability to be watching a program and without doing anything in advance, decide to record it AFTER it starts or to stop and start it as you watch it that really is the key. Interuptions no longer are as annoying because all you do is pause or after the interuption (such as a phone call or your children needing something, etc..) go back to where you were and continue. Most times you can catch up to live because you will probably pass the commercials. Needless to say, for sports this is a must for you. I watch Boxing on HBO and the pause and rewind of live progamming is great to track just how a punch lands, etc.

By the way, if after watching a program you decide to record it, the recording is instantanous. You don't have to wait the length of the show as you would with VHS.

There are other advantages but I didn't want this to be a post specific to the 508. If you are reading posts here you probably are someone who would not regret getting a PVR. And no, I do not work for any company that sells or makes them!

[gcutler]

But there are still plenty of people who don't get it. Even a person who would make a purchase of computer equipment just based on my recommendation would not make a jump to a PVR no matter how much I tried to convince them.

[raj2001]

You think you're having fun now, wait till you get dual tuners!!

[Jacob S]

It will change the way you watch tv and think about tv. If this could be implemented even more then satellite customers would be a LOT more likely to stay. I would implement it more if the receivers would not go bad as much and if the prices were a little cheaper. It is one of the best things that has happened to DBS satellite other than locals getting added for some cities.

[DarrellP]

It's funny, my 6 yr old daughter gets it but my wife still doesn't. Whenever I am watching something that my daughter could be interested in she asks me if it has been recorded. I say no, do you want to see this? Then I back up, hit record and away we go. Too cool.

[Bob Haller]

I hve loaned a PVR and extra dish to friends for a few days. All but one bought a PVR. The one that didnt refused to use it. Yet they are very computer literate. Its very hard to explain what PVRs can do. Right now I have a good buddy who thinks its useless without ever trying it.

Once they become ommon knowledge the market will explode. Its just a matter of time...

[gcutler]

Originally posted by DarrellP
It's funny, my 6 yr old daughter gets it but my wife still doesn't. Whenever I am watching something that my daughter could be interested in she asks me if it has been recorded. I say no, do you want to see this? Then I back up, hit record and away we go. Too cool.

Kids always "Get it" especially the younger they are. I can see you having to say to your daughter "When Daddy was a child he didn't have a PVR. He had to use Video Tape" And the look of shock and sorrow will come over her face. You'll try and say it wasn't so bad, but she'll still be in shock at the brutality of it all. :p

[Jacob S]

They get it because they are not used to having it any other way. Dish should take a look at this. Children are our future. This could be a big profit for them in the future.

[invaliduser88]

Waiting for the 921 before I jump!

[Bardman]

my 4 year old son already knows which buttons on the HDVR2s Peanut remote are Pause and Play.. when he's watching something and has to leave the room for whatever reason, he pauses what is on... resuming play when he returns...

Now all I gotta do is teach him how to read so he can cue up his own shows from the now playing list......

[tampa8]

From gcutler above: "When Daddy was a child he didn't have a PVR. He had to use Video Tape" And the look of shock and sorrow will come over her face. You'll try and say it wasn't so bad, but she'll still be in shock at the brutality of it all. "

I tell my 12 year old how when I was young there were no remote controls. You actually had to get up and turn a dial to get one of maybe five channels. I think she actually gave me hug for what I must have gone thru! :D

[gcutler]

Originally posted by tampa8
I tell my 12 year old how when I was young there were no remote controls. You actually had to get up and turn a dial to get one of maybe five channels. I think she actually gave me hug for what I must have gone thru! :D

Only reason I'm on the planet is probably because my Older brother stopped changing the channel for my father and another child was cheaper than one of those expensive remote controlled TVs. :p

[Chris Freeland]

I guess I must be getting old, when I was growing up we did not even have a vcr, they were not invented yet. I was serving my country in the US Navy when consumer vcr's first started to appear :). I do not have a satellite PVR yet, but one is on my wish list, I just have to be patient I guess :D. Eventually I hope to get a 508 or 522.

[razorbackfan]

If they would lower the price.

[Jacob S]

There was a $50 price drop on the 501 then they came out with the 508. They mark up the price because the PVR functionality is free. Tivo is cheaper but you have to pay the monthly fee. You pay for it one way or another. I believe there is a program that you can get using your computer to do this for a lot cheaper.

[razorbackfan]

What program? I have a spare computer collecting dust I could use for that.

[zztzed]

Showshifter for Windows, MythTV and Freevo for Linux, EyeTV for Mac OS X... but if you don't already have a capture card, you might want to look into a Hauppauge WinTV PVR or an ATI TV Wonder or All-in-Wonder card, since those come with their own PVR software.

[Bogy]

Originally posted by Chris Freeland
I guess I must be getting old, when I was growing up we did not even have a vcr, they were not invented yet. I was serving my country in the US Navy when consumer vcr's first started to appear.
Old? When I was little TV had been invented, but we didn't get one until I was six. VCR's were developed for home use about the time I got out of seminary, when I was about 27 or 28.

[Chris Freeland]

Speaking of the early days of the vcr during my Navy days, one of the guys in my division bought one of those early vcrs, hooked it up to are lounge tv, bought a bunch of dirty movies and charged admission to are lounge to watch the dirty movies while we were at sea. :D