Review of the New Comcast HDTV/ DVR

Before I go into my own opinions, let me explain all the features in the Comcast HDTV/ DVR. You can also record two things at once, or just watch something else while you are recording, upstaging Tivo. Tivo would not allow you to record more than one program in a time period and if you changed channels, the recording would stop. With the Comcast set up, it is almost impossible to miss any of your favorite shows. If a TV special conflicts with 'Heroes', no problem. You can choose to record one show and watch the other. Or record them both and go do something else. No worrying about commercials that way.

In addition to the large recording opportunities, you will also have the ability to rewind back several hours before you have switched on your television. For example, you turn on the TV and Everybody Loves Raymond gets to the point in the show when not everybody loves him. You can rewind to the point where everybody does love him and see the episode in its entirety. You can even rewind beyond that point and see the shows prior to the one currently airing.

However, I do have some gripes as well. These begin when you watch a recorded program. While there are the obvious rewind and fast forward buttons, you also have the option of skipping back 15 seconds, preventing you from rewinding too far. However, no such option exists for going forward. The only way is to hit the fast forward button. If you are not careful, you might go too forward, revealing far more information than you want. Hey, I thought that guy was dead!

I don't know if my model is defective, but I came across a most unheard of problem. In the middle of one of my recordings, the channel changed. I was watching tennis and all of a sudden, a Bollywood dance number appears on screen. How does that happen!

And if you go over the recording limit, rather than warn you, the DVR deletes the most recent contents. It's a drag. So unless you are prepared to keep track of the contents of your DVR on your own efforts, you should really consider looking at other Tivo-like products.

These are my personal thoughts on the Comcast HDTV. Some of them are quite nitpicky. Despite these shortcomings, it still provides the general features that people look for in Tivo; commercial free television at your disposal. I wonder how I lived life before this. In hindsight, it was quite hard. Thumbs up for Comcast HDTV. Recommeneded if you are ok with the shortcomings mentioned above. Go get one today!