 | Digital recording from cable or Satellite. Most AV hard drives have several recording
modes similar to the speeds of a VCR. The range from a quality about the same as a VCR
but offering as much as 50 hours of recording, to DVD quality. |
| Interaction with TV schedules. Most units have a phone line connector. This allows the
unit to call up a service with up to date TV schedules. Have you ever missed part of a
program because of a political speech of a sports event running overtime? Some models can
get this information so your recording starts and stops on time. |
| Season Tickets. Every time a pre-selected program comes on the unit will record it.
Never forget to set the recorder for that episode of the Sopranos again. |
| Menu drive recording. A graphical interface is presented and you just have to highlight
the program you want and hit a button. No more start and stop times to enter. |
| Let the unit decide what you want to watch. Many models can monitor what you watch and
automatically record programs you might enjoy. This feature can get in the way and can be
overridden. |
| Transfer the program to another source. You can video tape a program to permanently keep
it in your collection. Of course, recording in DVD mode will not help much when you move
it to your VCR. With the growing incentive for DVD burners you may soon be able to make
your own DVD to add to your collection. |
