How to Record TV Shows
Posted on April 15th, 2009 by Carmelia
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Got a TV show you’re so addicted to but it’s one of those nights you can’t be there to watch it? Recording TV shows and the technology that does it have greatly improved over the years. Here are the different ways to record TV shows and be updated on the latest episodes.
Set Top Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)
Set top DVRs are probably the closest to VCRs in concept. The most popular of all DVRs is the TiVo DVR and ReplayTV, but there are other brands as well. Cable companies and satellite vendors have them too. All you have to do is call your cable operator and request for one. It comes with a price, though, but if you love TV that much, it will be all worth it.
What a DVR does is to record TV shows at the time and date that you have programmed them and transfer them into a hard drive, similar to the one that you have in your computer. Some DVRs can even record from two cable channels at the same time. DVRs offer a unique feature of showing a live show which you can pause and fast forward if you wish to do so.
One big problem with DVRs is their hard drive memory, or how much episodes they can keep in their memory. Some sites can offer you tips on how to crack them open and fix this problem, but that can render your DVR’s warranty null and void. So choose your DVRs wisely!
How to Use TiVo
Since TiVo is the most popular DVR, let’s run down how to use it and start recording:
- Season Pass. Selecting the TiVo button and then activating the Season Pass option. This option is for your TiVo to record the whole season of your favorite TV show as it happens. You have an option to designate a preference to record only new episodes, or include repeats.
- Wish List. The Wish List is a TiVo option that lets you sift through TV shows using your criteria like show preferences, actors, directors or sports teams. Think of it as Googling through TV lineups from every channel available.
- Online Scheduling. You can schedule your TiVo to record even when you’re away from home. Simply log on to TiVo’s official website and select online scheduling and choose shows by date or title.
- Transfer. You can transfer recorded programs from your Tivo to your computer. Simply follow the instructions your TiVo provides for the option to transfer using the TiVoGo software.
Set Top DVD Recorder
Like DVRs, DVD recorders are programmed to record your favorite TV shows according to your specifications and preferences. However, instead of recording them into a hard disk, they record the TV programs direct to DVDs, but there are units that offer you the best of both worlds by offering a hard drive storage as well as DVD recording. If you wish to save the episodes recording, a set top DVD recorder is for you. Brands that offer set top DVD recorders include Panasonic, JVC, Sony and Toshiba among others.
PC TVs
Another way of recording your favorite TV shows is by having them record directly to your laptop or personal computers. This is achieved because of modern technology’s capacity to stream and record huge amounts of data in a shorter amount of time. You can record using your computer using an internal video card or a Break Out Box (BOB).
For an internal video card, you’ll have to crack your PC open or purchase one with the card already installed. BOBs, on the other hand, connect using a USB2.0 or an IEEE 1394 input. Both will connect to a video or television signal.
Once the hardware is installed, the necessary software will guide you to get the signal that you require. TV broadcasts can then be burned to DVDs, CDs or saved into your computer’s hard drive.
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