Varieties of digital TV recorders: new generation
Digital TV recorders represent a new generation of TV that can be viewed on demand. This innovation accommodates the changes of our everyday lives and fits in with our busier than ever life schedules. With growing popularity of such broadcasters as Foxtel and Sky, it is inevitable that digital TV recorders would become a big next thing. Another name for them is PVRs or personal video recorder. There two major kinds of those classifying either with having a DVD recorder that is built or the one that comes separately from TV. It works similar to having a hard drive for storing information on your PC. Digital TV recorders work more or less the same way, so expect to have hard drive attached regardless of digital recorder type. 150GB hard drive will store for you around 35 hours of any high definition TV recordings and three times more of that if it is standard recording.
Quality is superb regardless of the type of the recorder and the only area to be aware of is variation in colours, which can seem to fluctuate dependent on the RPV. The price ranges from $400 to $2000, but mostly falls into an average price of $700 in Australia. Digital Product Group in Australia offers the BEYONWIZ DP-P2 version that has many add-in in addition to the average RPVs that do only the TV recordings. This one allows connection to PC and streaming all type of files to TV. TIVO offers a simpler version mainly imported from the United States. It is very user friendly and price is around $700. It has a selection of great features, however, is dependent on the TiVo server. It has a ‘thinking’ feature and, dependent on your usual selections, it records something that it ‘thinks’ you may potentially like to watch. Additionally, it has website where you can log in wherever you are and schedule any recording you like that would go directly to your digital TV recorder. In US it is even possible to transfer programmes you have recorded to PC. Unfortunately, the Australian version of TIVO does not offer this service.
It is also possible to have Foxtel HD+/iQ2 as a part of your contract with Foxtel, which automatically includes in your package HD PVR. Since you are paying monthly, this cost would not come as one-off, but rather would be included in your bill monthly as per standard contract.
There are many more great digital TV recorders offered in Australian market and we have provided information on a few that incorporate most of the features.