DVR (Digital Video Recorder)

A feature that allows users to record and store streaming content.

What is a DVR?

A DVR, or Digital Video Recorder, is a device or service that lets you record, pause, rewind, and store live TV to watch later. DVRs are commonly used with cable or satellite TV but are also built into many streaming platforms and cloud services.

Types of DVRs (Traditional vs Cloud)

DVR Type How It Works Example Services
Traditional DVR Records shows to a physical hard drive TiVo, cable box DVRs
Cloud DVR Stores recordings in the cloud via a streaming service YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV

Traditional DVRs require in-home equipment, while cloud DVRs are tied to your streaming account and accessible from anywhere.

DVR Features

  • Pause and rewind live TV
  • Schedule recordings of shows and events
  • Record entire series automatically
  • Set storage limits or overwrite old recordings
  • Access recordings remotely (cloud DVR only)

DVR vs On-Demand

Feature DVR Recording On-Demand Streaming
Content Access Only what you record Pre-loaded titles
Availability Time-limited (if not recorded) Always available (licensed)
Fast Forward Ads Often allowed (traditional DVRs) Usually restricted
Offline Playback Sometimes (with downloads) Supported by some platforms

FAQs

Not always. Many streaming services include cloud DVR features, but if you want to record live broadcasts or skip ads, a DVR may still be useful.

Traditional DVRs store shows locally. Cloud DVRs save recordings on your account in the cloud, so you can access them from any device.

Yes — but only if the platform includes DVR functionality. You can’t record Netflix shows, for example, but you can on YouTube TV or Hulu Live.

Yes. Traditional DVRs depend on hard drive size. Cloud DVRs may offer limited or unlimited hours based on your plan.

Often, yes — but providers may charge a monthly fee for the equipment or cloud storage.

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