DVR information

At its heart, a DVR is essentially a dedicated computer whose sole function is to capture and store video. You can also add a tuner card and software to any modern PC and turn it into a very capable DVR. Windows Vista- and XP-compatible PC TV tuners and personal video recorders (PVRs) are available from a number of sources, but perhaps the best known is Hauppauge Computer Works.

There are a number of sources for PVR software. One example is GB-PVR (free), a "donation-ware" application that's supported by a large user and developer community.

One caveat with all of these products is that they don't support either satellite or digital cable TV, though companies are working on CableCard-compatible products for computers running Windows Vista. One example is the ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner.

Enthusiast forums are packed with tons of great information and FAQ lists. They are also the best place to get the latest news on upgrades, problems, fixes and more:

Satellite TV

Satellite Guys

DBSTalk.com

TiVo

TiVo Community

Gizmo Lovers

General (including cable TV)

AVSForum

In addition, providers and manufacturers offer information for current and prospective users:

Comcast

Cox Communications

Time Warner Cable

DirecTV

Dish Network

Motorola

Philips

Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta)

TiVo