CCS Blog

DVR A NO-SHOW?

02-11-2010

Recently I reviewed an article entitled “25 Technologies that Changed the Decade” in eWeek Magazine. While I read this in good ol’ fashioned print form (which I found ironic to not be reading on a computer or smartphone), I agreed that they noted some great technological advancements including Windows XP, the iPod/iPhone, Social Networks, Blackberry, Bluetooth, and virtualization.

Some items didn’t make the list, I assume due to a technicality of being released in the very late ‘90s, but certainly shaped our decade and surely didn’t start doing so until the 2000s.

First and foremost of these is the Digital Video Recorder. When I think of a revolutionary technological advancement, items come to mind that I find myself describing as “How did I ever live without this?” Watching DVR’d TV is certainly towards the top of my list.

The DVR: Since Tivo officially released their first units in 1999, the Digital Video Recorder has completely revolutionized the average person’s TV viewing experience. While this capability was present prior to this time period on computers, it wasn’t released in a standalone electronic device until the very end of the 90’s. Many features have been added since its release, including dual-tuner technology, followed recently by AT&T U-verse’s “Total Home DVR”. This technology allows a centralized DVR to be accessed by any TV in the home (or, if you really want to get cutting edge, a Google “sling box”).

The DVR has completely changed how TV is watched, especially among younger generations. As more homes add DVRs, time-shifting becomes more prominent. Time-shifting is starting to watch a show late, deliberately buffering the content to allow for fast forwarding though commercials. While the Nielsen Company confirms that some classes of shows (reality TV, talk shows) get "zapped"more than others (sporting events, news), time-shifting is growing and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

What does time-shifting mean for the future of TV? Two words: product placement. For me, product placement makes a horrible idea like reality TV even worse. It will likely continue to rise in frequency, exposing TV viewers to more revenue generating advertisements during programs. Reality shows like NBC’s The Biggest Loser, ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Fox’s American Idol consequently are at the top of the list of shows with the most product placements, totaling a combined 14,255 individual product placements in 2008. That’s right….over 14,000!!!!

While I do some time-shifting, I primarily use DVR to watch shows when it is convenient. Eventually the DVR will undoubtedly give way to more on-demand streaming of shows, especially as streaming technology is natively incorporated into TV sets. Websites like hulu.com organize this into a convenient on-demand experience, but who wants to watch things on their computer compared to their TV? Regardless, DVR has certainly shaped millions of people’s lives over the last decade. While it may not have made eWeek's list, it is definitely in my top 25.