ReplayTV RTV5040 40-Hour Digital Video Recorder
I love this device!
This product has radically changed the way we watch TV in our house. It puts broadcasting to work for you, instead of the other way around. No more channel surfing - what I like to see on TV is already waiting for me when I sit down for some viewing.<br />Note that, while you can't watch another live show through ReplayTV while it is recording, during that time you can 1) watch another show the device has already recorded, or 2) set up your TV with a signal independent of ReplayTV, and watch any channel you wish through that separate feed. I usually choose the former. Since I don't like my time wasted by commercials, it looks like I might be watching very little live TV from now on, just prerecorded shows.<br />Also note that you don't have to wait for a show to finish recording before you start watching it. You could, for example, set the unit to record a football game, wait a half hour or more, then start watching the game from the beginning and jump all the commercials.<br />I have not tried to use SonicBlue customer service yet, and it does not sound promising from other reviews. Our unit works great, thus far. In retrospect, were I to do it again I would go ahead and invest in the 80 or 160 hour unit. 40 hours should be enough, but a little more room would allow us to archive favorite shows for an extended period of time.<br />If you are ready to make TV cater directly to your tastes, take the plunge!