DVR-810H-S

It was the first DVD recorder with TiVo. This product combines a Digital Video Recorder (also known as Personal Video Recorder), a DVD recorder and a DVD player. The DVR unit features 80 hours of recording capacity.

Pioneer was also the first company to introduce the TiVo basic service. TiVo basic allows you to find and schedule the TV shows you want to see with no additional costs. TiVo basic includes three days in advance TV program information. Plus, you can upgrade at any time to TiVo's full service. This means an additional one-time cost of $299 or $12.99 monthly fee. If you opt for the one-time pay, you have to keep in mind that this means the DVR's life time.

80 GB built in hard drive (the DVR unit)

You can record up to 80 hours of live TV, of the air, via cable or satellite. You can play the recorded shows, pause, reverse and replay in slow motion. The device works identically to a TiVo series 2 box.

You can watch a show while the DVR is recording another. You can watch the beginning of a show from the DVR's hard drive while the unit is still recording it.

The DVD recorder

The built in DVD recorder burns in the DVD-R/RW format. You can use DVD-R media for one-time recording, or DVD-RW media which you can burn over and over again.

The recorder can burn at maximum 18X standard speed, so it will take about 3 minutes to record a 1 hour show in EP mode. This means medium picture quality, that some users just can't settle for.

The DVD recorder and DVR drive can work simultaneously and are easy to schedule. While you're burning DVDs, the drive can still record live shows.

Downsides

• No FireWire output, so you can't record video material directly from your camcorder;
• No ability to edit out commercials before burning on DVD media. If you still want to do this, you have no other choice but to use your computer's DVD drive and additional editing software.
• No ability to record on DVD media from other source than the DVR's hard drive memory. If you want to record from VCR tapes or your camcorder, you have to transfer the material on the hard drive first.

The DVD player

The player works in progressive scan mode, so be sure you have the best picture quality on your screen. Add Dolby Digital and DTS Digital surround sound, CD and MP3 compatibility and you have all basic qualities of a good player.

Upgrading your Pioneer TiVo to full service

You'll benefit of TiVo Plus service, meaning:

• Fourteen Day TV program guide
• Season Pass™
• Wish List™
• Search by title

Connectivity

• Component video outputs
• S-video outputs
• Composite video outputs
• Analog stereo audio
• Optical digital audio
• USB port

Pioneer's DVR 57H

This newer model of Pioneer TiVo combo is practically identical with the DVR-810H, except for the 120 GB hard drive capacity.