I've been running an interesting experiment. OK, it's not really an experiment, it's the way I've been forced to live for the past week while waiting for my new TiVo. Here it is: Suddenly, I know when TV shows are on, and my butt is on the couch at certain times. I know what the current "hot" commercials are (if there are such a thing).
How do I feel about it? Well, for one, I hate not having a TiVo right now. Aside from missing its lovable little UI, icon, and bloop bloops, I'm highly inconvenienced. I actually have to be home at the right time so that I don't miss Lost. I can only go to the bathroom and get snacks on commercial breaks. I am a slave to network programming.
To see why I kind of like not having a TiVo, just read more.
On the other hand, I kind of like that I know when shows are on — in the past week I've been able to tell people what time or what channel a show they've asked about is on (so it makes me smarter). And when someone asks me if I've seen that hideously annoying new Comcast commercial, I can say, why yes, I have, about five times too many (see, smarter still). And I confess that I like having established breaks to get up at.
Still, I wouldn't trade it for having a TiVo and being able to watch TV on my schedule. That just feels like the normal, modern way to live for me. But in any case, it's been interesting knowing about schedules, channels, and all that jazz a DVR shields you from. I do feel more in touch.
So what about you — does having a DVR make you feel out of touch sometimes?
Nocollection
Ally Capellino
Designers Guild
I don't have DVR, but I don't watch a lot of TV either. I guess I don't really feel out of touch because I don't talk about television that often with my friends.
1I guess not having DVR does force you to remember channels and stuff. I cancelled my DVR a few weeks ago because I haven't had a job in awhile and am mostly at home so it doesn't make sense to have the DVR. But I really miss being able to rewind a program if I didn't catch something. I've also missed some of a show because I'd forget that it came on. As much as I wish I had DVR, it's a luxury that I really do not need at least until I start making money. The fact that new episodes can be found on the internet by the next day has been very helpful to me in my DVR-less state.
2Exactly what theresar said!
3teegaall, that's a good point. i never remember what time the shows come on!
i've gotten into the habit of watching things only when i'm bored and it's on. or just hoping that my favorite thing is running at that time! lol. i've been known to turn on the tv and go "oohh. i hope x is on right now." i just don't watch enough to remember the times and things.
4Maybe however I have a DVR and still watch some live t.v. so I happen to catch new commercials and I know the time so-so programs begin. I can remember that however none of the answers on Jeopardy.
I use my DVR for mainly for movies and a few shows. I cannot stay awake until the wee-hours just to catch a History Channel program so thank you DVR!
5If everyone gets Tivo, how will networks know how many people are really watching their shows? Or is there a way to tell if Tivo-ing folk are Tivo-ing your show?
6i have a toddler. Enough said right?.
Although i dont watch as much tv anymore, my husband and i are on different schedules but, we like to sit down and watch our fav's together. Its our time.. but i swear it takes about 2 hrs to finish a 1 hr program when my son is awake. so we record and watch after hes down.
7So I LIVE for my DVR!
karen zoo, networks can track dvr recordings. Because the channel is still being tuned into. But they do know the difference between live and recorded viewers.
8I wouldn't really call knowing when shows are on or what the "latest" commercials on "smart."
9I think someone's confusing knowledgeable with smart. But anyway, it's not very common where I live, I'm not sure if I know anyone with one of those things. So in fact I can't answer your question and this post was rather pointless.
10I use a TiVo for a couple years already and now I cannot live without it.
11TiVo does not make me out of touch but just the opposite. Now that I have all my favorite show on TiVo, I do not need to worry about when the "actual program" is on air. I can meet with friends, go out for dining .... and then catch the program later. As a matter of fact, I have not watched live TV for a while - I can finish a 30 min program in 20 min with TiVo now.
Watch out if you have kids at home though - they occupied most of the disk space with their program!
Tivo makes me a better mom, I live in an area where shows start at 7 instead of 8, so some of my shows start before bedtime. With Tivo I'm not shushing them or ignoring them. I can read bedtime stories and get them to bed without stress of missing my favorite show because it will still be there after I get them to bed. As for out of touch, I still watch other shows so I get to see commercials and I need to know what time shows start so I can start watching 20 minutes after they start and miss all the commercials.
12My husband and I watch three shows: Lost, Scrubs and The Office. You can see all three online (Lost and Scrubs on abc.com, The Office on nbc.com)
13I had to live without my DVR for about a week last month and it sucked. I'm addicted to that thing.
14I watch tv shows online (one way or another) so I don't watch commercials and have no idea what time or network most shows are on. The only time I feel "out of touch" is when me and a co-worker were both watching Battlestar Galactica. He would come into work on Monday and say "What did you think of the episode?" and sometimes I hadn't gotten a chance to watch it yet. But thankfully he never spoiled it for me!
Personally, I don't think that having a conversation about commercials makes you smart. It just makes you an advertiser's dream.
15Like others, I feel more in touch now that I have a DVR. Previously I watched TV like theresar, turning on the tv whenever I was bored, hoping to catch a good program. But now that I subscribe to shows, I actually know what's going on with them, what the drama is, what the latest twist was, etc. and can converse with people about them. I typically know what day they come on already since I watch them either the next morning or next afternoon.
16Yes, I generally miss all of the commercials so I never know what people are talking about when they ask if I've seen the latest funny beer commercial etc. Still, I wouldn't want to live without my Tivo.
17Actually I could live without TV all together. So many other things I'd rather spend time on (learning piano, exercising with friends, etc). I like peace and quiet sometimes, no talking, nothing in the background, but that's me!
18I'd go nuts without a DVR cause commercials are way too annoying. I haven't watched a commercial in over 3 years since getting a DVR. Even if I'm watching a show live...I"ll pause it just long enough to allow me to skip through the commercials
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