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Pioneer DVR-810H
DVD Recorder
As low as  
Fresh for the holiday season, the newest generation of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) are out, and there's great news for gift-givers and TV lovers alike - the new generation are the ultimate TV-recording devices. These brilliant electronic devices let you record your favorite shows, skip commercials, replay any moment you want and more. And now some of the new generations of products first called TiVos or ReplayTVs do even more - they include DVD-R capability that lets you record TV and movies directly to a DVD.

But which to buy? Here's how to find out.

When deciding which DVR to buy, you essentially have choices of two technologies: a TiVo, such as the Pioneer DVR-810H DVD Recorder with TiVo service, or a ReplayTV, such as the Go Video ReplayTV Hard Disc Recorder - RTV5040. Arguing whether TiVo is superior to ReplayTV is a bit like arguing religion - you have faith in either one or the other. But generally, TiVo is easier to use, and has a slicker-looking interface, while ReplayTV has a few extra bells and whistles, such as a progressive-scan output that can deliver high-quality video to HDTVs. So consider which is more important to you. And keep in mind that bells and whistles are nice, but if you never use them, you shouldn't pay extra for them.

The big dividing line in DVRs today is between those that include the ability to record to DVD from your TV and those that don't. As you would expect, recording capability costs extra. For example, the Pioneer DVR-810H DVD Recorder with TiVo service, which includes the ability to record to DVD, sells for as low as $701, while the Tivo 24008 Series 2 Digital Video Recorder, which doesn't include that ability, sells for as low as $345.

Once you've decided whether to go with a DVR that includes a DVD recorder, consider recording time and hard drive size. The bigger the hard drive, the more shows you can record to the unit. No great surprise: Bigger and more is better. And you'll usually pay for it. So the Elite DVR-57H DVD Recorder w/HDD and Tivo, which includes a 120 GB hard drive for 120 hours of recording, sells for as low as $1065, while the Pioneer DVR-810H DVD Recorder with TiVo service, with an 80 GB hard drive, sells for as low as $701.

Most important of all is matching the DVR to your specific home setup and interests. So if you're a DIRECTV satellite subscriber, make sure to buy a combo system that includes a satellite receiver and DVR, and that lets you record from satellite, such as the Hughes DIRECTV Satellite Receiver With TiVo Series 2 for as little as $367. It has up to 100 hours of recording time; if you don't need that much time, consider the less-expensive version ($182) with 35 hours of recording time: Hughes DIRECTV Satellite Receiver With TiVo Series 2- HDVR2.

Both TiVo and ReplayTV both require monthly fees in addition to what you'll pay for the device itself, so factor in monthly fees as well when you buy. But TiVo has recently come out with a free Basic service when you buy certain TiVo devices. So if you buy the Toshiba DVD DVR Digital Media Server - SDH400 you won't have to pay for TiVo Basic service, although you can pay extra for more advanced services. In addition, it can function as a home media server, and by buying the TiVo Home Media Option, you can network it with other entertainment devices at home, so that you can stream entertainment from it through devices throughout your house.