Best Buy What We Say

I have to admit, I have been coveting my friends' TiVos (TiVoes? TiVi?) for a while now. As someone who enjoys very selective tv viewing, I like the idea that you can filter out all the noise and stockpile things you'd like to watch for when you have time to watch them. Pausing live tv? Um, can anyone say miracle? Can I get a witness?

Yet, there were some reasons not to do it. First, before I had cable, there was no point. I could pretty much only get reception on two channels so there wasn't a lot to be stocking up on. Once we had (barebones) cable, I couldn't really see the monthly fee plus rental plus whatever other surcharges when my VCR pretty much had it covered. Additionally, I was a little frightened by an incident which occurred when speaking to my dad on the phone. There was a click and a dialing noise on the line, to which he nonchalantly replied, "oh, that's just TiVO checking something." Finding movies for me which I might like? Cool. Using my phone to communicate with central TiVo Big Brother? Maybe not.

Then, sometime last year, someone at work was talking about their DVR. As in, VCR, but digital (=pause live tv, etc.). The TiVo without the spyware. This sounded like the solution for me.

Last week, in a fit of excitement over fall tv season (yes, it's sad, but it is my consolation prize for heading back to work, rain, and darkness before dinner), I decided that I was ready. DVR, I welcome thee. I looked online to get a sense of my choices, and was somewhat confused by what was out there. As is often the case, the reviews and customer comments were much more helpful than the information provided by the manufacturers of the products. So I learned about some pitfalls to avoid, and some aspects of the technology of which I was unaware. Still, I decided that a trip to an electronics store to look at the actual models side by side and speak to a salesperson would be a smart move. So, I headed to a store specializing in such products which shall remain unnamed (insert cough "Best Buy" cough). I was not thrilled to be heading there, as I had a bad experience in a previous television related purchase (no actual items in stock and no clear idea as to a timeline for their availabilty). But, as I said, side by side, salesperson . . . I was going for research, mainly.

It turned out to be a very enlightening trip. Best Buy's (oops, I mean unnamed store) DVR section consisted of TiVo, TiVo, and TiVo. Oh, and something else for Direct TV and Satellite customers (might have been TiVo, not sure since I was in the archaic "cable" and "antenna" section). Side by side, not a lot to be learned besides Monopoly is more than just a game. So, I tried the salesperson. He showed me to . . . the TiVo wall of fame. I clarified, no, a DVR, stand-alone, no TiVo. He admitted that he had one of those, but his was eight years old, pre-TiVo domination. He claimed they aren't made anymore, aren't sold. I clarified that they were indeed still made and sold, just not here. Then he clarified they were not available without some digging, not to be found and just bought in a store. So I asked where people were digging for them. He leaned in and muttered "the internet," then glanced over his shoulder to see if a pink slip was on its way to him. Or the TiVo police.

Well, I was not buying it (pun accidental). One of the manufacturers' websites had listed Target as a retailer of their product, and while I had called my nearest Target and found that they did not have it in stock or have a place where it would eventually be stocked, I thought there might be some other options there. Happily for me, Target was just an escalator ride away. And, lo and behold: DVRs. For Sale. In a Store.

I am pleased with my new set-up, and anticipate some added benefits of recording my home video more quickly and easily to DVD format, among other features. But I suppose I had best not gloat on the web, because, we all know, Big Brother TiVo is watching.