The Difference Between VCRs and Digital Video Recorders

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Computers )



Digital video recorders or DVR records are capable of recording digital TV programs. Digital video recorders are somewhat similar to VCR machines, but also differ in some ways. Unlike a VCR machine that uses a video cassette to make recordings, DVR recorders make use of an internal hard drive to record. When a video cassette is used up, a person would either tape over the previously used cassette, or purchase a new tape. With digital video recorders, you are unable to replace the hard drive once the memory becomes full. The only solution to be able to record again is to purchase a new DVR recorder.

Digital video recorders, also known as personal video recorders, allow you to record digital TV shows while watching another show in another channel simultaneously. With some brands of DVR recorders such as Tivo recorders, you can simultaneously record more than one TV show while watching another show. Digital TV recorders including Tivo recorders allow you to set the date and time of shows before it occurs. You can even program your unit to record the entire show season of your favorite TV program.

Digital video recorders allow you to watch the recorded TV programs even before it has finished recording an entire show. This is a great improvement from your VCR machine wherein you have to wait for the recording to finish before watching the entire program.

Digital video recorders are also capable of picking up cable, antenna and satellite TV signals. These signals are converted by a special encoder into digital format, so that it can be viewed and recorded in your DVR recorder. Only high definition TV (HDTV) signals cannot be picked up or recorded by digital video recorders.

Some DVR recorders have a DVD recorder built into the same system, or allow you to connect an external VCR machine. This allows you to make copies of recorded programs from your DVR recorder, and convert it into to VCR or DVD formats.


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