The Best DVR Option

You'll want to know what you're committing to as far as cost is concerned before you make any decisions about DVR service. At the time of publication, if you choose to lease a DVR from your television provider, you'll end up paying about $15 per month in addition to the cost of your television programming itself. Verizon, for example, leases its DVR for $16 per month. Or for four dollars more you can upgrade to a unit that allows playback in any room of the house. Selecting a TiVo requires you to purchase the TiVo unit, which sells for $100 and you'll also have to pay for a monthly TiVo subscription. This will set you back $20 per month.

Many DVR companies, such as Comcast, offer a standard DVR model as well as a high-definition model. You do not have to have the HD DVR to record HD content, but it eliminates the need for an HD receiver and stores more hours of programming than the standard DVR model. TiVo also offers two models, with the higher-end model offering a larger storage capacity.

Each television programming provider offers their own DVR system, which is available to all users of that service. TiVo is compatible with most, but not all providers. Some of the services TiVo does not support includes DISH Network, AT&T; Uverse and Qwest. If you get your television programming from an antenna, there are several compatible DVR models you can purchase, including TiVo and the Channel Master.

Each DVR box offers a variety of features, although not all boxes offer the same features. Tivo, for example, allows users to schedule recordings through the Internet or a cell phone as well as supporting playback in any room. TiVo users can also view YouTube videos through their televisions or play music or view pictures. With the TiVO subscription, you have access to Blockbuster On Demand, Netflix and Amazon Instant Video for a wide variety of movies. AT&T; Uverse's DVR also allows users to adjust schedules remotely and users can record up to four programs at the same time.