DVR

• Digital video recorders can be purchased independently (as from TiVo) or rented on a monthly basis from the major cable and satellite TV providers. Their primary function involves viewing the available channels with an interactive on-screen guide and selecting current or upcoming programs to record and watch at a later time.
  
  

Features

• Among the features of a DVR is not only the ability to record programs, but to pause, rewind and fast-forward them upon playback and to pause and rewind live TV. Their hard drives can store (depending on the model) 50 hours or more of standard TV or around 20 hours in high definition (HD).
  
  

TiVo

• TiVo was founded in 1997 and is credited with releasing the industry's first DVR in 1999. Customers purchase a TiVo DVR (starting at about $150) and pay a monthly or annual fee to have continued access to TiVo's services.
  
  

TiVo Features

• Along with performing the functions of a standard DVR, TiVo also records programs you may like based on previous selections; can search for programs by title, actor, category or keyword; and (with a broadband connection) gains access to On Demand videos by Amazon, Blockbuster and Netflix, among others.
  
  

Mobility

• TiVo also enables customers to set recordings from any location using a computer or mobile phone with Web browser, can transfer recorded shows to a computer or portable media device such as an iPod and can transfer programs between DVRs when more than one is used in a household. The majority of cable companies cannot match these functions with their DVRs.
  
  

Partnerships

• Though TiVo is generally considered competition by the cable and satellite providers, they have partnered with DirecTV and Comcast (New England area only) to incorporate TiVo services into some of their DVRs as well.