"Appointment" TV? No Such Thing.

So today I finally called my cable company and asked them about the only cool thing they’ve done in recent memory: making DVRs available.
I had filled out some form online requesting information, after which someone was supposed to contact me. No one did, however, so I opted to call today.
Turns out that all I had to do was just bring my existing digital cable box and remote in and swap them out for the new version which includes the DVR.
So I did that, and now I’m no longer subject to the tyranny of network scheduling: I can watch what I want whenever I want!
Well, at least I can after the box finishes downloading the programming guide, which can take a while.
And, you know, as long as “whenever I want” occurs during or after when the network decides to air the show in question…
Still, it is pretty cool.
Yes, I know that the capability to do many of the things that a DVR can do has been around for decades in the form of the humble VCR, but hey, this is just cooler. Also, there are a lot of advanced features that VCRs just don’t have.
The ability to actually pause live TV will come in very handy. Who needs to wait for commercial breaks to pee? Being able to pause what you’re watching is the next best thing to wearing a diaper.
Strictly speaking, I already had a DVR in the form of my computer, which has a TV tuner card and software that provides all of the functionality of a DVR.
However, there have been various obstacles to making easy use of the computer in that fashion, mostly in the form of physical connections.
Somewhat ironically, the new digital receiver overcomes one of those obstacles by having an S-Video output that I could use to connect to my computer without disconnecting from the TV, but now that I have the DVR I don’t really need to connect it to my computer.
Still, as I don’t see any easy way to network the DVR, I’ll have to make use of the actual connection to the computer in order to copy over any shows that I’d like to archive permanently.
One cool feature the DVR provides that my computer can’t (without a costly investment, at least) is allow me to watch one thing while recording another, as the receiver includes dual tuners.
Yes, I know; that’s an existing feature on VCRs. However, in addition to watching one show while recording another, I could actually record two shows at the same time. Let’s see a VCR do that.
Also, though it really doesn’t do me any good, the new receiver also lets me receive HD programming. There’s no benefit to me because I don’t have an HDTV.
(I was looking at some yesterday, though, and was sorely tempted. Now the temptation will only get stronger. They’re still a little too pricey, though.)
Strictly speaking, I probably could hook up the receiver directly to my monitor, which would be able to display the HD content. I may do that from time to time, but I wouldn’t make a habit of it, given that my monitor, while big, is still smaller than my TV.
Anyway, that’s what’s new so far today. I’m sure I’ll be back with another entry later.