I've had Rogers digital cable and a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) since I moved into my new place last December. Overall I'm impressed with the service but the cost is far to high to justify having it.

A PVR is like a VCR: it records TV shows. However, a PVR has a hard drive in it instead of recording to tape. You record shows straight from the integrated digital TV guide with the remote. You can set the PVR to record your favourite shows every time they air, which is awesome. I never miss an episode of The Daily Show.

After a few months of using the PVR I found I was watching less and less live television and more of the taped shows that were recorded automatically and stored. When I watch a taped show I skip commercials. For an hour-long program, this shaves off about 10-15 minutes in viewing time.

I personally did not watch that much TV before the PVR. Now I watch a few hours a day but those hours are spent watching shows I actually want to see, which to me makes TV more valuable.

But I'm going to get rid of Roger's digital cable and the PVR. It's just too expensive. I pay over $75 CAN a month. That's $2.50 a day! It's an insane cost for entertainment. I don't need TV that much, especially over the summer. So adios PVR! I might see you again in October.

Why not just go back to the cheap regular cable, you ask? I don't think you understand. Once you start using a PVR you can't ever go back to regular TV -- you'll find it to be truly useless and inconvenient. I'd rather go without TV than have a TV without a PVR.

Shows I Recorded

Star Trek: TNG reruns on Space
Law and Order reruns on Bravo
The Daily Show
Nova
The Passionate Eye
Extreme Engineering
Opening Soon
Inside the Actor's Studio
Trailer Park Boys
Rick Mercer's Monday Report
Show Me Yours
Godiva's
The Iron Chef
Movies (I still have five Dirty Harry movies to watch)
...and other documentaries