Keeping track of your favourite shows has never 
been easier, writes STEPHEN FENECH 

WHEN video cassette recorders were first introduced in the early 1980s, the ability to record and watch a television show when we felt like it was a revelation.

It changed the way the world watched TV and gave viewers more control than they’d ever had before. 

But the downside of the whole experience was that trying to program the video to record a show when you weren’t there to hit the record button was like learning to fly the space shuttle.

Today, the hunger to record favourite programs is as strong as ever but you can now quickly and easily pick out the programs you want to record.

Viewers have already flocked to Foxtel iQ and now the new HD version, the iQ2.

There’s another new player in town and it’s called TiVo, a name you’ve probably already heard.

TiVo is a high-definition digital set-top box and hard disk recorder all rolled into one.

The TiVo PVR (personal video recorder) offers free-to-air standard and high-definition channels.

At the heart of the system is the intuitive electronic program guide.

This display of programs allows viewers to navigate the list and plan recordings at the press of a button.

But an EPG is only as good as the information that created it, and keeping that information up to date is a challenge.

That’s why, apart from the connections you’d expect from a PVR-like component and HDMI, there is also an Ethernet port so the device can be hooked into the home’s broadband connection.

TiVo also has twin HD digital tuners that make it possible to record two programs at the same time while watching a third.

And because the PVR is always recording a buffer of the current channel it also gives users the ability to pause live TV for up to 30 minutes and even rewind.

The feature also comes in handy if you want to record a program that’s already started.

If  the TiVo PVR was tuned to that channel when you hit the record button it will go back into its buffer recording and include that portion in the file.

This means the program can be viewed from the start.

WishList is another search feature of the EPG, which can record programs with your favourite actors, directors or football teams.

And if there is a regular program you never want to miss, the TiVo unit can let you take out a “Season Pass”.

This facility will automatically find and record every episode of that particular show.

It’s also possible  to plan your recording from the other side of the country or the world via the Yahoo7 website.

The actual PVR itself won’t win any beauty contests.

It’s a boring looking black box, which users would be happy to hide in their entertainment unit.

But the device has it where it counts on the inside and it can be integrated into a home theatre system as well as connected to a high-definition display.

Inside, the 160GB hard drive is enough room for 25 hours of high-definition recordings as well as up to 60 hours in standard definition.

The broadband connection, apart from keeping the EPG topped up with the latest information, will also come into play in the future with the ability to access online content.

During testing, we found TiVo to be an absolute breeze to set up and expect it will be a popular choice for viewers who want a simple but intuitive solution so they never miss their favourite programs.

The TiVo PVR sells for $699.

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