The Electronic Programming Guide

An Electronic Programming Guide or EPG, is your reference to all the programming available to you whether you have a cable subscription, satellite TV subscription, or a newer model television. Search for show titles, do a specified search based on a show theme, or read summaries on programming with your electronic programming guide. If you're a satellite TV subscriber with DVR capability, you would use your EPG to record shows ahead of time. Think of it as your personal guide to television in an electronic format.

Selecting the Right Digital Video Recorder

So your best buddy has the latest digital video recorder (DVR) and you're thinking it might be a good idea to get one for yourself. How do you choose what's right for you? Before you spend money to match what someone else has got, do a little assessment on your viewing needs.

• Assess your budget. You can spend as little as $100 on a model and a low monthly subscription fee or over $1000 on a high end DVR.

• Zone in on your goals. If you're a pack rat and you want to record and keep your shows on a DVD, get a DVR that lets you do that with a built-in DVD recorder. If you just want to watch a show you've missed and then move on, a DVR along the lines of TiVo or ReplayTV would work for you.

• Match your Digital Video Recorder with your subscription service. Whether you've got cable or satellite TV will help determine the DVR you get. In fact, most services will provide you with their own DVR options to choose from with a nominal additional monthly subscription fee.

A Few Tips Interactive TV Offers with DVRs

Looking for a few tips interactive TV has to offer? DIRECTV offers DVRs with an Electronic Programming Guide allowing you to program and record your favorite shows several days in advance. You'll be able to pause and re-watch a scene from live programming or record your favorite reality show while you're away. Here's a list of a few tips interactive TV from DIRECTV offers:

• DVRs have up to 100 hours of recording time capability.
• Use your DVR to record two of your favorite shows at the same time.
• Record the entire season of your favorite show, even if it moves to a new show time.
• Tell your DVR who your favorite actor, actress, or director is, and it will find and record the shows for you.