How TV is Changing Our Lives

Filed in archive PVR on May 1, 2005

With the advent of DVRs, TV has changed quite a bit. The Chicago Tribune has a rather large and interesting article that hits on 6 ways TV has changed our lives, starting with:

1. Running your own network -- wherever you are.

"Timeshifting" was the hip term among media executives for the past couple of years. It referred to consumers' ability to watch TV and consume other media at their own pace, thanks to DVRs, which let viewers pause live TV, fast forward through commercials and record dozens of shows for later viewing. The rise of DVR technology, which is now available to many cable subscribers, means TV watchers can tune into the nightly news at 1 a.m. or turn on a cooking show at the dinner hour, not when it aired in midafternoon.

There's no doubt that the aggressive rollout of DVR technology by cable firms -- DVRs are also available as stand-alone devices and through satellite TV providers -- has helped ignite the timeshifting revolution. DVRs will be in 25 million homes by 2007, according to the research firm the Yankee Group; Forrester Research estimates that 41 percent of homes will have DVRs by 2010

#1 is definitely the way I use my DVR. How about you?

Read 6 ways TV is changing your life