Philips HDR312 TiVo 30-Hour Digital Video Recorder
nobody ever talks about the best features!
This is a must have especially with young kids or if you are not around often..<br />First and formost, Kids:  Have a small child that knows you can pause a video tape but doesn't understand how you can't pause the tv?  now  you can.<br />You can rate shows (good and bad in 3 steps either way) and this  unit not only recommends other shows, it'll automatically record programs  it think you might like!  You can quicky see in 1 screen the stuff you  asked for and the stuff it got for you.<br />You can start watching a program  before its done recording.  No more missing the first 20 minutes or waiting  until its finished to watch!<br />Not only does it have a default record  quality, but you can select it for every recorded show.  Theres no reason  to record a talk show at best quality and you would never record an action  movie at the worst.  you don't need to compromise any recording.<br />And you  can tell it how long save the recorded items!  It helps you manage the  storage very well without even trying.  I would say I get a good 20 hours  without compromising the quality.<br />I thought I had a great onscreen tv  guide with my cable company.  Since this unit nightly transfers the guide,  EVERY show has a rating and a description.  You know what te rating is the  second you change channels, you know the program name, the channel name and  the time the show is on (not to mention the current time).  I didn't like  the monthly fee but now that I see how its better than your cable company,  its no big deal.<br />Oh and you can search by name to record stuff.  Great  for finding those shows you know exist but never home to catch when they  are.<br />If you never know when you are going to be home next, you need this  product.  If you have friends over for sports shows.. you need this.  If  you keep getting phone calls and never get to watch your favorite program,  you need this.  Oh and have to take the dog out?  pause the show and return  where you leftoff later!