Timeshifting
(Digital
Video Recording, DVRs)
The
term "Digital Video Recorders (DVR)"
on this webpage is
synonymous with the older term "Personal
Video Recorder (PVR)."
Timeshifting - (a.k.a. Time Shifting, File-served Television,
Time Delay Recording, Digital Video Recorder {DVR}, Time-shifted TV, Digital-video-recorder, Personal Video
Recorder {PVR}, Hybrid PVR, Personal TV, PTV,
Personalized TV, Personal TV Service, TV-placeshifting, Personal TV
Receiver, PTR, Personal Video Station, PVS, Hard Disk Recorder,
HDR. (May
also be known as: Individualized TV,
though more often in Europe}. Other hardware that can be
associated with timeshifting include
VCR, the
Digital VCR, Digital Videocassette
Recorder, Personalized TV Playback Devices, Digital Disk Recorder, Home
Media Server, Virtual VCR, IP Media Appliance, Digital Network
Recorder, Digital Videotape Recorder, Digital Storage Unit, PC-based DVR).
(Loosely associated would be Videodisc
Recorders and Players.) Personal TV as a term gets used
more often in Europe now-a-days than the States. In
the States the terms Time shifting, ("Time Shifting"), "DVR" and "Media Center" are now more
prevalent than "Personal TV." In-Stat reported that
19 million PVR units shipped in 2005, a 60 percent increase over 2004. (Reference.)
(1) You timeshift video or audio
programming when
you record it and later view it or hear it locally.
(If you record programming and later view it somewhere else via a network,
then it's both timeshifted
and "placeshifted".)
Timeshifting allows you to watch
video programming
when you want to and thus not be limited to having to watch it
when your network
operator schedules it, (a.k.a. Appointment
TV.) Typically video timeshifting devices come with DVD-like
features
such as slow
motion, fast forward, rewind and pause. The device can continue to
record a program while you watch another program. It might come with
enhanced features such as high definition recording, interactive
advertising, interactive
program guide, Internet connection, home
networking and related security features (CCTV).
The digital video recorder (DVR) set-top box typically is a standalone
device that digitally records video to a disk drive or other medium.
While set-top boxes and gaming consoles can offer digital
video recorder functions,
DVRs can also come in the form of software for PCs. With the later,
viewers can watch TV on their PCs and possibly send PC-based, or gaming
console based DVR recordings to their TV via a media
extender.
While TV timeshifting is a term most often used in regard
to digital video recorders (DVRs), but can be relevant to any video
recording and viewing device that has access to an adequate-size hard
drive, such as a video iPod or PC. With a PC-based DVR, typically
software is downloaded to the computer and the computer's hard drive is
utilized. (A TV tuner card or equivalent will most likely be
necessary.) A DVR "card" may be used.
Timeshifted
TV is the viewing of live television
programming in a manner that gives the viewer options such as:
• The ability to playback recorded programming without commercials, or
skip
blocks of commercials.
• Send programs from one room to another between networked units.
• One-touch recording with on-screen channel guide (a type of
Electronic Program Guide)
• Often recording programming is easier with a DVR compared to
recording on a VCR.
• Pause, rewind, instant replay, slow-motion and frame advance,
depending on the motel, at a variety of different speeds.
• Depending on the DVR's capacity, record up to hundreds of hours of
television before having to erase any previously recorded shows.
• Store and view your digital photos on TV.
• You can send shows to others who own like units. (a.k.a. Box
to Box Networking. Most often a broadband connection is needed for
this.)
• If it has this feature, your DVR unit can automatically search for
and record shows by keyword or theme (i.e. programming you prefer.) If
you want your unit to search for and record all the programming that
has a particular actor/actress in it, the DVR can automatically do that
for you,
whether you knew those shows had him/her in it or not.
• You can use your remote to jump past the show's boring parts.
• You can use a broadband connection or your standard phone line for
access.
• You can program your unit while away from home using the Internet.
• You can use your unit as an online gaming console.
• Watch HDTV through it
• Provide picture-in-picture capabilities on any TV.
•
Record as many as two programs at the same time while watching a third
pre-recorded program.
• Record programming on your DVR unit
and send it to a portable media
device for viewing while away from the actual DVR unit.
Because the incoming signal is digitized and the DVR is an advanced
digital set-top
box, it's possible that the use of a DVR will enhance the picture
quality.
Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) are used both to digitally record, and
play back programming. Your network operator (cable company,
telco, satellite company, etc.) sends the content (TV shows,
news, etc.) and you plug your line (feed) from your network operator
into the DVR "unit" using a compression scheme such as MPEG.
The unit saves the incoming live TV signal on its hard drive. Generally
put, the viewer's DVR unit compresses the signal of the live
TV show, saves it on it's hard drive and then with a very short delay,
the DVR plays it for the viewer. Literally the viewer is watching it
off of their hard drive, not straight from the antenna, satellite,
telco or cable connection as they're used to.
Traditional TV content suppliers (such as cable networks, TV studios
and broadcast networks (NBC, CBS, ABC etc.) are offering legal
challenges as people can alter the TV programs that they receive, in
particular skip commercials and other parts of
the programming they find aggravating.
Time shifted digital video recording can be software-based (but
generally still needs access to a hard-drive, such as in your computer.)
(2) Timeshifting may also refer
to the availability of network affiliates from different time zones and
places, (something there's an incresing number of thanks to Internet
TV.) These stations make television programming available at additional
times throughout the day.
(3) Video on Demand is a
type of Timeshifting.
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"Personal TV" is a
term unrelated to timeshifting that some companies use for their
service that lists customer's favorite programs as well as scheduling
and information about those programs.
"Personal
TV" is also a
term sometimes used
(primarily in the past) interchangeably for Enhanced TV
or Interactive TV.
Churn
Placeshifting - The viewing
Network
DVRs -
(Remote-storage Digital Video
Recorder, Remote-storage
DVR.)
- Timeshifting can also occur via network DVRs. These contain the
equivalent of a DVR at the network operator's location (headend),
not the
customer's location (client-side
DVRs), yet the DVR functionality is much the
same. Due
to cable TV providers larger bandwidth capacity than satellite TV
providers, this service would have given cable TV
providers a
tremendous advantage over
satellite TV providers.
However in March
of 2007, in a landmark case, Cablevision lost it’s
right to offer network
DVRs after a federal court ruled in favor of major TV networks and
Hollywood
studios who had argued that the cable provider’s network DVR would
violate
copyright laws. The judge declared that the network DVR was a service
versus an
appliance, as was a home DVR, and therefore it was a resale of
programming
versus the private use of programming. Because it was resale of
programming,
cablevision would have to pay extra. At the time of this writing, Cablevision has appealed this
ruling.
Telco
TV providers are very interested in this as they too can provide Remote-storage DVR service due to their
larger bandwidth capacity than satellite TV.
Online Demonstrations of Personal
Television:
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More Definitions of Personal TV:
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