The DVR has to be the greatest add-on to my television. Ever since I got hooked up with the Direct TV Russian package and their top of the line digital video recorder, my television viewing habits have been altered.

Let me give you an example.

If you haven’t ever watched television with a digital video recorder, or a TiVo, you don’t know what you are missing. You have complete control over everything you decide to watch. If you are watching a program, and all of the sudden you realize that you are hungry, you can just hit the pause button. Go make your food, and come back when you’re ready, even if it takes 15 minutes!

Then when you begin viewing your show again, you will have the added bonus of skipping through any advertisements that come up. Pass right through them every time they come up! I don’t think I’ve seen a full commercial in three months.

Now here is how I recommend getting the most out of a DVR setup. I don’t even bother channel surfing anymore. I simply set up my DVR to save the programs I like. Even when watching football, I set the digital video recorder, then I sit down about an hour after the game actually starts. This way, I can fast forward through all the commercials, and watch a football game in about half the time.

Finally, I can always see new episodes of my favorite series. For example, new episodes are coming out soon of Friday Night Lights on Direct TV. On my DVR, all I need to do is select the record series option, and each time the show comes on, my Direct TV DVR finds it day or night, and saves it for me. I can set it to record all of the episodes, or just the first-run editions. All of this in crystal clear HD too!

Then, when I have time to watch TV, all of my shows are waiting there for me to watch, minus the commercials of course. No need to rearrange my schedule around the networks, not with my new DirecTV DVR.

While other companies like AT&T U-verse and Verizion Fios have also begun to offer DVR service, satellite TV companies like DIRECTV pioneered the product.