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Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder (DVR), sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder (PVR), is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD or other local or networked mass storage device. The term includes set-top boxes (STB) with direct to disk recording facility, portable media players (PMP) with recording, TV gateways with network and local recordings, recorders (PMR) as camcorders that record onto Secure Digital memory cards and software for personal computers which enables video capture and playback to and from a hard disk drive.[1] A television set with built-in digital video-recording facilities was introduced by LG in 2007,[2] followed by other manufacturers.
- 1 History
- 2 Integrated TV-set digital video recorders
- 3 VESA compatible digital video recorders
- 4 PC-based digital video recorders
- 5 Over-the-air digital video recorders
- 7 Source video
- 8 File formats, resolutions and file systems
- 9 Applications
- 10 Privacy concerns
- 11 The future of TV advertisements
- 12 Patent and copyright litigation
- 13 See also
- 14 Notes
- 15 References
- 16 External links
Hard-disk based digital video recorders
Consumer digital video recorders ReplayTV and TiVo were launched at the 1999 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA.[3] Microsoft also demonstrated a unit with DVR capability, but this did not become available until the end of 1999 for full DVR features in Dish Network's DISHplayer receivers. TiVo shipped their first units on March 31, 1999. ReplayTV won the "Best of Show" award in the video category[4] with Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen as an early investor and board member,[5] but TiVo was more successful commercially. While early legal action by media companies forced ReplayTV to remove many features such as automatic commercial skip and the sharing of recordings over the Internet,[6] newer devices have steadily regained these functions while adding complementary abilities, such as recording onto DVDs and programming and remote control facilities using PDAs, networked PCs, and Web browsers.
Hard-disk based digital video recorders make the "time shifting" feature (traditionally done by a VCR) much more convenient, and also allow for "trick modes" such as pausing live TV, instant replay of interesting scenes, chasing playback where a recording can be viewed before it has been completed, and skipping of advertising. Most DVRs use the MPEG format for compressing the digitized video signals.[7] Video recording capabilities have become an essential part of the modern set-top box, as TV viewers have wanted to take control of their viewing experiences. As consumers have been able to converge increasing amounts of video content on their set-tops, delivered by traditional 'broadcast' cable, satellite and terrestrial as well as IP networks, the ability to capture programming and view it whenever they want has become a must-have function for many consumers.
- Digital video recorders tied to a video service
At the 1999 CES, Dish Network demonstrated the hardware that would later have DVR capability with the assistance of Microsoft software.[8] which also included WebTV Networks internet TV.[8] By the end of 1999 the Dishplayer had full DVR capabilities and within a year, over 200,000 units were sold.[9][10]
In the UK, digital video recorders are often referred to as "plus boxes" (such as BSKYB's Sky+ and Virgin Media's V+ which integrates an HD capability, and the subscription free Freesat+ and Freeview+). Freeview+ have been around in the UK since the late 2000s. British Sky Broadcasting markets a popular combined receiver and DVR as Sky+. TiVo launched a UK model in 2000, and is no longer supported, except for third party services, and the continuation of TiVo through Virgin Media in 2010. South African based Africa Satellite TV beamer Multichoice recently launched their DVR which is available on their DStv platform. In addition to ReplayTV and TiVo, there are a number of other suppliers of digital terrestrial (DTT) DVRs, including Thomson, Topfield, Fusion, Pace Micro Technology, Humax, VBox Communications, AC Ryan Playon and Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB).
Many satellite, cable and IPTV companies are incorporating digital video recording functions into their set-top box, such as with DirecTiVo, DISHPlayer/DishDVR, Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8xxx from Time Warner, Total Home DVR from AT&T U-verse, Motorola DCT6412 from Comcast and others, Moxi Media Center by Digeo (available through Charter, Adelphia, Sunflower, Bend Broadband, and soon Comcast and other cable companies), or Sky+. Astro introduced their DVR system, called Astro MAX, which was the first PVR in Malaysia but was phased out two years after its introduction.
In the case of digital television, there is no encoding necessary in the DVR since the signal is already a digitally encoded MPEG stream. The digital video recorder simply stores the digital stream directly to disk. Having the broadcaster involved with, and sometimes subsidizing, the design of the DVR can lead to features such as the ability to use interactive TV on recorded shows, pre-loading of programs, or directly recording encrypted digital streams. It can, however, also force the manufacturer to implement non-skippable advertisements and automatically expiring recordings.
In the United States, the FCC has ruled that starting on July 1, 2007, consumers will be able to purchase a set-top box from a third-party company, rather than being forced to purchase or rent the set-top box from their cable company.[11] This ruling only applies to "navigation devices," otherwise known as a cable television set-top box, and not to the security functions that control the user's access to the content of the cable operator.[12] The overall net effect on digital video recorders and related technology is unlikely to be substantial as standalone DVRs are currently readily available on the open market.
In Europe Free-To-Air[13] and Pay TV[14] TV gateways with multiple tuners have whole house recording capabilities allowing recording of TV programs to Network Attached Storage or attached USB storage, recorded programs are then shared across the home network to tablet, smartphone, PC, Mac, Smart TV.
Introduction of dual tuners
In 2003 many Satellite and Cable providers introduced dual-tuner digital video recorders. In the UK, BSkyB introduced their first PVR Sky+ with dual tuner support in 2001.[15] These machines have two independent tuners within the same receiver. The main use for this feature is the capability to record a live program while watching another live program simultaneously or to record two programs at the same time, possibly while watching a previously recorded one. Kogan.com introduced a dual-tuner PVR in the Australian market allowing free-to-air television to be recorded on a removable hard drive. Some dual-tuner DVRs also have the ability to output to two separate television sets at the same time. The PVR manufactured by UEC (Durban, South Africa) and used by Multichoice and Scientific Atlanta 8300DVB PVR have the ability to view two programs while recording a third using a triple tuner.
Where several digital subchannels are transmitted on a single RF channel, some PVRs can record two channels and view a third, so long as all three subchannels are on two channels (or one).[16]
In the United States, DVRs were used by 32 percent of all TV households in 2009, and 38 percent by 2010, with viewership among 18- to 40-year-olds 40 percent higher in homes that have them.[17]
Integrated TV-set digital video recorders
|File:Intergrated LCD DVR3.JPG
Side view: Even with all the DVR components inside, the LCD monitor is still slim.
|Media type
Digital video recorders are often integrated in the LCD and LED TV-sets. These systems let the user simplify the wiring and installation, because they do not use ports (SCART or HDMI), and they only need to use only one device and power and the same remote control instead of two.
There are examples of security systems integrated into such DVRs, and thus they are capable of recording more input streams in parallel. Some of them include wireless ports such as (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi), so they can play and record files to or from cellular phones and other devices. Such devices can also be used as disguised observation systems, displaying pictures or videos as typical store display.
VESA compatible digital video recorders
The underside of a VESA compatible DVR
|Media type
|Developed by
|Lorex Technology
VESA-compatible DVR are designed small and light enough to mount to the back of an LCD monitor that has clear access to VESA mounting holes (100×100mm). This allows users to use their own personal monitor to save on cost and space.
PC-based digital video recorders
Software and hardware is available which can turn personal computers running Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X into DVRs, and is a popular option for home-theater PC (HTPC) enthusiasts.[citation needed]
Over-the-air digital video recorders
Standalone over-the-air (OTA) digital video recorders are hardware-based set-top-boxes that use an HDTV antenna to record over-the-air broadcast television signals. Several companies have launched over-the-air DVR products for the consumer market over the past few years.[18]
An increasing number of pay-TV operators are offering their subscribers the ability to create their own digital recording platform capable of storing video, audio, photos, etc. These customizable hardware and software platforms enable subscribers to attach their own network-attached storage (NAS) hard drives or solid-state/flash memory to set-tops which do not have their own internal storage. This minimizes an operator's investment, while offering subscribers the flexibility to create a digital recording solution that meets their specific requirements.
There are many free DVR applications available for Linux, each released as free and open source software:
Linux based TV gateway Whole House DVR - These Network Tuner, TV server connect to Satellite, Cable and Terrestrial TV by using multiple DVB tuners and convert the transport stream into IP packets for live viewing over IP networks and for recordings of live broadcast TV.
Mac OS
Elgato makes a series of digital video recording devices called EyeTV. The software supplied with each device is also called EyeTV, and is available separately for use on compatible third-party tuners from manufacturers such as Pinnacle, TerraTec, and Hauppauge.
SageTV provided DVR software for the Mac but no longer sells it.[20] Previously sold devices support the Hauppauge HVR-950, myTV.PVR and HDHomeRun hardware with its DVR software. SageTV software also included the ability to watch YouTube and other online video with a remote control.
MythTV (see above) also runs under Mac OS X, but most recording devices are currently only supported under Linux. Precompiled binaries are available for the MythTV front-end, allowing a Mac to watch video from (and control) a MythTV server running under Linux.
Apple provides applications in the FireWire software developer kit which allow any Mac with a FireWire port to record the MPEG2 transport stream from a FireWire equipped cable box (for example: Motorola DCT62xx, including HD streams). Applications can also change channels on the cable box via the firewire interface. Only broadcast channels can be recorded as the rest of the channels are encrypted. FireRecord (formerly iRecord) is a free scheduled-recording program derived from this SDK.
There are several free digital video recording applications available for Microsoft Windows including GB-PVR, MediaPortal, and Orb (web-based remote interface).
There are also several commercial applications available including CyberLink, SageTV (which is no longer available after Google acquired it in June 2011), Beyond TV (which is considered discontinued despite an official announcement from SnapStream since the last update was October 2010 and they are concentrating on their enterprise search products), DVBViewer, Showshifter, InterVideo WinDVR, the R5000-HD and Meedio (now a dead product - Yahoo! bought most of the company's technology and discontinued the Meedio line, and rebranded the software Yahoo! Go - TV, which is now a free product but only works in the U.S.[21]). Most TV tuner cards come bundled with software which allows the PC to record television to hard disk. See TV tuner card. For example, Leadtek's WinFast DTV1000 digital TV card comes bundled with the WinFast PVR2 software, which can also record analog video from the card's composite video input socket.[22]
Windows Media Center is a DVR software by Microsoft which was bundled with the Media Center edition of Windows XP, the Home Premium / Ultimate editions of Windows Vista, as well as most editions of Windows 7. When Windows 8 was released in 2012, Windows Media Center was not included with Windows 8 OEM or Retail installations, and was only available as a $15 add-on pack (including DVD Playback codecs) to Windows 8 Pro users.[23]
Source video
Television and video are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, but differ in their technical meaning. Video is the visual portion of television, whereas television is the combination of video and audio modulated onto a carrier frequency (i.e., a television channel) for delivery. Most DVRs can record both.
Analog sources overview
The first digital video recorders were designed to record analog television in NTSC, PAL or SECAM formats.
To record an analog signal a few steps are required. TV tuner card tunes into a particular frequency and then functions as a frame grabber, breaking the lines into individual pixels and quantizing them into a format that a computer can comprehend. Then the series of frames along with the audio (also sampled and quantized) are compressed into a manageable format, like MPEG-2, usually in software.
Analog broadcast copy protection
Many mass-produced consumer DVRs implement a copy-protection system called CGMS-A or Copy Generation Management System—Analog. This encodes a pair of bits in the VBI of the analog video signal that specify one of the following settings:
- Copying is freely allowed
- Copying is prohibited
- Only one copy of this material may be made
- This is a copy of material for which only one copy was allowed to be made, so no further copies are allowed.
CGMS-A information may be present in analog broadcast TV signals, and is preserved when the signal is recorded and played back by analog VCRs, which of course do not understand the meanings of the bits. But the restrictions still come into effect when you try to copy the tape onto a PVR.
DVRs such as TiVo also detect and act upon[24] analogue protection systems such as Macrovision and DCS Copy Protection which were originally designed to block copying on analog VCRs.
Digital sources overview
Recording digital signals is generally a straightforward capture of the binary MPEG data being received. No expensive hardware is required to quantize and compress the signal (as the television broadcaster has already done this in the studio).
DVD-based PVRs available on the market as of 2006 are not capable of capturing the full range of the visual signal available with high definition television (HDTV). This is largely because HDTV standards were finalized at a later time than the standards for DVDs. However, DVD-based PVRs can still be used (albeit at reduced visual quality) with HDTV since currently available HDTV sets also have standard A/V connections.
ATSC broadcast
ATSC television broadcasting is primarily used in North America. The ATSC data stream can be directly recorded by a digital video recorder, though many DVRs record only a subset of this information (that can later be transferred to DVD). An ATSC DVR will also act as a set-top box, allowing older televisions or monitors to receive digital television.
Copy protection
The U.S. FCC attempted to limit the abilities of DVRs with its "broadcast flag" regulation. Digital video recorders that had not won prior approval from the FCC for implementing "effective" digital rights management would have been banned from interstate commerce from July 2005, but the regulation was struck down on May 6, 2005.
DVB digital television contains audio/visual signals that are broadcast over the air in a digital rather than analog format. The DVB data stream can be directly recorded by the DVR. Autonomous devices (this is, that can be used without a computer/tablet) that can store in an external hard disk drive are called a telememory.[25]
Digital cable and satellite television
Recording satellite or digital cable signals on a digital video recorder can be more complex than recording analog signals or broadcast digital signals. There are several different transmission schemes, and the video streams may be encrypted to restrict access to subscribers only.
A satellite or cable set-top box both decrypts the signal if encrypted, and decodes the MPEG stream into an analog signal for viewing on the television. In order to record cable or satellite digital signals the signal must be captured after it has been decrypted but before it is decoded; this is how DVRs built into set-top boxes work.
Cable and satellite providers often offer their own digital video recorders along with a service plan. These DVRs have access to the encrypted video stream, and generally enforce the provider's restrictions on copying of material even after recording.
Many DVD-based DVRs have the capability to copy content from a source DVD (ripping).
In the U.S. this is prohibited under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if the disc is encrypted. Most such DVRs will hence not allow recording of video streams from encrypted movie discs.
Digital camcorders
A digital camcorder combines a camera and a digital video recorder.
Some DVD-based DVRs incorporate connectors that can be used to capture digital video from a camcorder. Some editing of the resulting DVD is usually possible, such as adding chapter points.
Some digital video recorders can now record to solid state flash memory cards (called flash camcorders). They generally use Secure Digital cards, can include wireless connections (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi), and can play SWF files. There are some digital video recorders that combine video and graphics in real time to the flash card, called DTE or "direct to edit". These are used to speed-up the editing workflow in video and television production, since linear videotapes do not then need to be transferred to the edit workstation (see Non-linear editing system).
File formats, resolutions and file systems
DVRs can usually record and play H.264, MPEG-4 Part 2, MPEG-2 .mpg, MPEG-2 .TS, VOB and ISO images video, with MP3 and AC3 audio tracks. They can also display images (JPEG and PNG) and play music files (MP3 and Ogg).
Some devices can be updated to play and record in new formats.
Recordings from standard-definition television usually have 480p/i/576p/i while HDTV is usually in 720p/1080i.
DVRs usually record in proprietary file systems for copy protection, although some can use FAT file systems.
TV recording
TV DVRs generally uses the electronic programming guide (EPG).
Digital video recorders configured for physical security applications record video signals from closed-circuit television cameras for detection and documentation purposes. Many are designed to record audio as well. DVRs have evolved into devices that are feature rich and provide services that exceed the simple recording of video images that was previously done through VCRs. A DVR CCTV system provides a multitude of advanced functions over VCR technology including video searches by event, time, date and camera. There is also much more control over quality and frame rate allowing disk space usage to be optimized and the DVR can also be set to overwrite the oldest security footage should the disk become full. In some DVR security systems remote access to security footage using a PC can also be achieved by connecting the DVR to a LAN network or the Internet. Some of the latest professional digital video recorders include video analytics firmware, to enable functionality such as 'virtual tripwire' or even the detection of abandoned objects on the scene.
Security DVRs may be categorized as being either PC-based or embedded. A PC-based DVR's architecture is a classical personal computer with video capture cards designed to capture video images. An embedded type DVR is specifically designed as a digital video recorder with its operating system and application software contained in firmware or read-only memory.
Hardware features
Hardware features of security DVRs vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:
- Designed for rack mounting or desktop configurations.
- Single or multiple video inputs with connector types consistent with the analogue or digital video provided such as coaxial cable, twisted pair or optical fiber cable. The most common number of inputs are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32. Systems may be configured with a very large number of inputs by networking or bussing individual DVRs together.
- Looping video outputs for each input which duplicates the corresponding input video signal and connector type. These output signals are used by other video equipment such as matrix switchers, multiplexers, and video monitors.
- Controlled outputs to external video display monitors.
- Front panel switches and indicators that allow the various features of the machine to be controlled.
- Network connections consistent with the network type and utilized to control features of the recorder and to send and/or receive video signals.
- Connections to external control devices such as keyboards.
- A connection to external pan-tilt-zoom drives that position cameras.
- Internal CD, DVD, VCR devices typically for archiving video.
- Connections to external storage media.
- Alarm event inputs from external security detection devices, usually one per video input.
- Alarm event outputs from internal detection features such as motion detection or loss of video.
Software features
Software features vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:
- User selectable image capture rates either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The capture rate feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the capture rate on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal event
- Selectable image resolution either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The image resolution feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the image resolution on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal e vent.
- Compression methods determine quality of playback. H.264 hardware compression offers fast transfer rates over the Internet with high quality video.
- Motion detection: Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects motion in the total image or a user definable portion of the image and usually provides sensitivity settings. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
- Lack of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the movement of an object into the field of view and remaining still for a user definable time. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or used to trigger changes in other internal features.
- Direction of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the direction of motion in the image that has been determined by the user as an unacceptable occurrence. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
- Routing of input video to video monitors based on user inputs or automatically on alarms or events.
- Input, time and date stamping.
- Alarm and event logging on appropriate video inputs.
- Alarm and event search.
- One or more sound recording channels.
- Archival.
Privacy concerns
Some (very few), but certainly not all digital video recorders which are designed to send information to a service provider over a telephone line, Internet, (or any other way) can gather and send real-time data on users' viewing habits.[26]
The future of TV advertisements
Digital video recorders are also changing the way television programs advertise products. Watching pre-recorded programs allows users to fast-forward through commercials, and some technology allows users to remove commercials entirely. Half of viewers in the United States, for example, use DVRs to skip commercials entirely.[17] This feature has been controversial for the last decade, with major television networks and movie studios claiming it violates copyright and should be banned.
In 1985, an employee of Honeywell's Physical Sciences Center, David Rafner, first described a drive-based DVR designed for home TV recording, time-slipping, and commercial skipping.[27] U.S. Patent 4,972,396 focused on a multi-channel design to allow simultaneous independent recording and playback. Broadly anticipating future DVR developments, it describes possible applications such as streaming compression, editing, captioning, multi-channel security monitoring, military sensor platforms, and remotely piloted vehicles.[citation needed]
The first DVR which had a built-in commercial skipping feature introduced in 1999 by ReplayTV at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In 2002, five owners of the ReplayTV DVR sued the main television networks and movie studios, asking the federal judge to uphold consumers' rights to record TV shows and skip commercials, claiming that features such as commercial skipping help parents protect their kids from excessive consumerism. ReplayTV was purchased by SONICblue in 2001 and on March 2003, SONICblue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after fighting a copyright infringement suit over the ReplayTV's ability to skip commercials. In 2007, DirecTV purchased the remaining assets of ReplayTV. A third-party add-on for Windows Media Center called "DVRMSToolbox" has the ability to skip commercials. There is a command-line program called Comskip that detects commercials in an MPEG-2 file and saves their positions to a text file. This file can then be fed to a program like MEncoder to actually remove the commercials.
Many speculate that television advertisements will be eliminated altogether,[citation needed] replaced by advertising in the TV shows themselves. For example, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition advertises Sears, Kenmore, Kohler, and Home Depot by specifically using products from these companies, and some sports events like the Sprint Cup of NASCAR are named after sponsors.
Another type of advertisement shown more and more, mostly for advertising TV shows on the same channel, is where the ad overlays the bottom of the TV screen, blocking out some of the picture. "Banners", or "Logo Bugs", as they are called, are referred to by media companies as Secondary Events (2E). This is done in much the same way as severe weather warnings are done. Sometimes, these take up only 5–10% of the screen, but in the extreme, can take up as much as 25% of the viewing area. Some even make noise or move across the screen. One example of this is the 2E ads for Three Moons Over Milford in the months before its premiere. A video taking up approximately 25% of the bottom-left portion of the screen would show a comet impacting into the moon with an accompanying explosion, during another television program.
Because of this widely used new technology, advertisers are now looking at a new way to market their products on television. An excerpt from the magazine Advertising Age reads: "As advertisers lose the ability to invade the home, and consumer's minds, they will be forced to wait for an invitation. This means that they have to learn what kinds of advertising content customers will actually be willing to seek out and receive."[28]
With ad skipping and the time-sensitive nature of certain ads, advertisers are wary of buying commercial time on shows that are heavily digitally video-recorded.[29] However, technology today makes it possible for networks to insert ads dynamically on videos being played in DVRs. Advertisers could inject time-relevant ads to recorded programs when the program is viewed. This way the ads could be not just topical but also personalized to viewers interests. DirectTV in March 2011 signed an arrangement with NDS Group to enable the delivery of such addressable advertisement.[30] It is believed that viewers prefer to forward ads, than to switch the channel. By switching channels, viewers will have the probability of skipping the beginning of their program. Users might switch to a channel that is also showing ads. Having the ability to pause, rewind, and forward live TV gives users a chance to change the channel fewer times. Forwarding ads can have a later affect on the viewer. Ads that get the viewers' attention will influence the viewers' to rewind and watch what was missed.[31]
In January 2012, Dish Network announced Hopper service, costing $10 extra per month, which recorded prime-time programming from the four major broadcast networks. With the Auto Hop feature, viewers can watch the programs they choose without commercials, without making the effort to fast-forward. On May 24, 2012, Dish and the networks filed suit in federal court.[32]
Patent and copyright litigation
On July 14, 2005, Forgent Networks filed suit[33] against various companies alleging infringement on U.S. Patent 6,285,746, entitled "Computer controlled video system allowing playback during recording". The listed companies included EchoStar, DirecTV, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Comcast, Time Warner, and Cable One.
Scientific-Atlanta and Motorola, the manufacturers of the equipment sold by the above-mentioned companies, filed a counter-suit against Forgent Networks claiming that their products do not violate the patent, and that the patent is invalid. The two cases were combined into case 6:06-cv-208, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division.
According to court documents, on June 20, 2006, Motorola requested that the United States Patent and Trademarks Office reexamine the patent, which was first filed in 1991, but has been amended several times.[34]
On March 23, 2007 Cablevision Systems Corp lost a legal battle against several Hollywood studios and television networks to introduce a network-based digital video recorder service to its subscribers.[35] However, on August 4, 2008, Cablevision won its appeal. John M. Walker Jr., a Second Circuit judge, declared that the technology "would not directly infringe" on the media companies' rights.[36] An appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected.
In court, the media companies argued that network digital video recorders were tantamount to video-on-demand, and that they should receive license fees for the recording. Cablevision and the appeals court disagreed. The company noted that each user would record programs on his or her own individual server space, making it a DVR that has a "very long cord."[36]
In 2004, TiVo sued EchoStar Corp, a manufacturer of DVR units, for patent infringement. The parties reached a settlement in 2011 wherein EchoStar pays a one-time fee (in 3 structured payments) that grants Echostar full rights for life to the disputed TiVo patents upon first payment(as opposed to indefinite and escalating license fees to be constantly renegotiated), and Echostar granted TiVo full rights for life to certain Echostar patents and dropped their counter-suit against TiVo.
In January 2012, AT&T settled a similar suit brought by TiVo claiming patent infringement (just as with Echostar) in exchange for cash payments to TiVo totaling $215 million through June 2018 plus "incremental recurring per subscriber monthly license fees" to TiVo through July 2018, but grants no full lifetime rights as per the Echostar settlement.
In May 2012, Fox Broadcasting sued Dish Network. Fox argued Dish's settop box with DVR function, which allowed the users to automatically record primetime programs and skip commercials, was copyright infringement and breach of contract. In July 2013, the 9th circuit rejected Fox's claims.
See also
- Set-top box
- Home theater PC (Media PC)
- Digital media player
- Smart TV
- Comparison of PVR software packages
- 10-foot user interface
- Direct-to-disk recording
- DTE (Direct To Edit)
- DTVPal DVR
- Freeview+
- Freesat+
- List of portable software#Recorders
- Media server (Consumer)
- Time shifting
- Space shifting (place shifting)
- Remote storage digital video recorder
- MythTV
- Network video recorder
- SubRip
- Sky+
- TiVo
- TV-Anytime
- Proprietary DVR
- PVR-resistant advertising
- Remote control
- USB hard disk
- USB On-The-Go
- Vu+
- Video server (Broadcast)
- XBMC Media Center
- Xbox One
- ↑ "USER-Digital Video Recorder Or Personal Video Recorder". http://en.usersdt.com. External link in
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- ↑ "LG Freeview Playback TV range (What HiFi Sound and Vision Show 2007)". Uk.cinenow.com. 2007-11-13. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "What is a PVR?". http://www.wisegeek.com. External link in
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- ↑ "ReplayTV Wins CES 1999 'Best of Show' Award". Findarticles.com. 1999. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Markoff, John (1998-11-09). "Netscape Pioneer to Invest in Smart VCR". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Taub, Eric A. (2003-07-21). "ReplayTV's New Owners Drop Features That Riled Hollywood". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Digital Video Recorders What are they and where they are going?". http://info300.net. Retrieved 2 May 2014. External link in
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- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "WebTV Networks and EchoStar Communications Introduce First Internet TV Satellite Product and Service". Microsoft.com. 1999-01-07. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Stephen Manes, 06.11.01, 12:00 AM ET (2001-06-11). "Forbes". "Forbes". Retrieved 2011-11-21. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Judge Stops Countersuit against TiVo". SatelliteGuys.US. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ WIldstrom, W. H.: "An Early Independence Day."
- ↑ "FCC Press Release". Fcc.gov. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Turn iPhone and iPad, PC, tablet and smartphone Android into a PVR TV Wi.TV - TELE System Digital Srl". TELE System.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Super User. "Digitenne and CanalDigitaal live TV across your home". vboxcomm.com.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Sky's second PVR to debut by March 2001". http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk. 12 September 2000. External link in
|journal=(help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Manual of a PVR which can record 2 programs and watch a third if only 2 multiplexes used; see section 3.5.2: watching television while dual recording Retrieved 2014-04-25.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Battaglio, Stephen. "Why the New Shows Aren't Working" TV Guide; October 18, 2010; Pages 6 - 7
- ↑ "Most anticipated tech of 2014 (pictures)". CNET. CBS Interactive.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "The XBMC Live TV and PVR/DVR Setup Guide date=2013-07-03". xbmc Media Centre. Retrieved 9 December 2013. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "What's Next for SageTV Customers Post-Google?". GeekTonic. 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Please note: Yahoo! Go for TV currently is only available inside the U.S., for Windows-based systems. Yahoo! Connected TV. Yahoo! Connected TV. Retrieved 09 December 2013
- ↑ "turn your PC into a powerful DVD video recorder" … "recording and capturing digital video from digital TV", Media Release, October 1st, 2007. Leadtek. Retrieved 09 December 2013
- ↑ Getting Windows Media Center on Windows 8 bought through DreamSpark. Windows. Retrieved 09 December 2013
- ↑ "Questions about copy protection - TiVo". Support.tivo.com. 2009-06-23. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Differo - Telememory". Differo.es. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Martin, David: "TiVo's Data Collection and Privacy Practices." 26 March 2001. Last Viewed 18 September 2007.
- ↑ "Digital Video Recorders". http://www.lauttamus.com. External link in
|journal=(help)<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Jenkins, Henry. "Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Buying Into American Idol". (p. 66–67)
- ↑ Young, Susan (2009-04-28). "Devotees delay 'Lost' passion". Variety. Retrieved 2009-04-29.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Lucas, Amy. "DIRECTV Chooses NDS Dynamic™ to Support Addressable Advertising". Corporate Communications. NDS. Retrieved 3 April 2011.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 47: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- ↑ Jeffrey, Don (June 5, 2012). "Dish's Ad-Skip Tool May Benefit From Cablevision DVR Case". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 5, 2012.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Home | Asure Software". Forgent.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2006. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Home | Asure Software" (PDF). Forgent.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>[dead link]
- ↑ "AOL TV". Pvrwire.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Stelter, Brian (August 5, 2008). "A Ruling May Pave the Way for Broader Use of DVR". The New York Times. Retrieved May 1, 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- Free-to-Air Television and other PVR Challenges in Europe, technical report of the European broadcasting union
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Digital video recorders.
- How DVR works
- Comparison Chart of PVR FLOSS Media Centers
- Commercial skipping to cost $8 billion in TV ads this year?
- Automatic Commercial Skip in Media Center
- Television Remixed: The Controversy over Commercial-Skipping
- NorDig PVR Metadata Whitepaper
- Technical Specification ETSI TS 102 323 V1.5.1 (2012-01)
- CS1 errors: external links
- CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list
- CS1 maint: Missing pipe
- Articles with dead external links from December 2013
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using deprecated image syntax
- Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012
- Articles with unsourced statements from September 2012
- Articles with unsourced statements from July 2010
- Digital video recorders
- Digital media
- Television terminology


text:
The Way of Reverence
Jesus had immense reverence for nature and spent much time in quiet natural settings or on the sea. He constantly showed reverence for the hearth, for the everyday life of the family. While no religious leader had yet bestowed equal status on children, Jesus welcomed them and made them prototypes for those who would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He respected women in ways that were unheard of at the time. He respected the downtrodden, the blind, the lepers. His respect for life was universal.
Prayer: Lord, give us a deep reverence that frees us from the desire to manipulate others.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Why go to Iceland when you can stay in Boston?
mpollock June 24th, 2009
10 hours into our Iceland trip, we've made it all the way to…Boston! We know it's hard to believe, but the weather wasn't on our side and we had "airport trouble." So, we're spending the night at an awesome Holiday Inn Express and we'll try the same flight again tomorrow. Wish us luck!


text:
Using Entity Framework in Silverlight with Visual Basic
If you're looking for ways to get started with Entity Framework 4.0 in Visual Basic then be sure to check out this month's issue of CODE Magazine. In it the Entity Framework team has put together a walkthrough that shows how to use EF4 in Silverlight, and best of all the entire article's in VB! … Read more
- Categories: Uncategorized2
- Tags: Data_Design, Jonathan Aneja, Silverlight, SQL, VB2010, WPF


text:
Nothing good ever comes easy. So here's the good: When a rebuilt I-71/670 interchange opens in the summer of 2014, you'll have an extra lane at your disposal - going both directions on Downtown interstates.
Nothing good ever comes easy.
So here�s the good: When a rebuilt I-71/670 interchange opens in the summer of 2014, you�ll have an extra lane at your disposal � going both directions on Downtown interstates.
Getting from one highway to the other will be less harried because cloverleaf loops will include smoother curves.
The jerks who cut you off � or the jerks who get in your way � will be less of a nuisance because exits and entrances won�t be bunched as tightly.
Hazardous lane changes now prohibited by signs (but often ignored) will be made impossible by design.
But first comes 30-some months of construction, when the morning commute, the dash to the airport, the drive home and the night out on the town all are going to be a big pain in the asphalt.
�It�s going to be a project � more than any other really in the last few decades � that�s going to be transformational for central Ohio,� said Chester Jourdan, director of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Of the ramp closings and other disruptions to come first, Columbus Public Service Director Mark Kelsey said: �This is the price we have to pay.�
The three-year, $200 million interchange project, set to begin in earnest after eight more Downtown ramps close in coming weeks, isn�t the most expensive in central Ohio history. Local interstates cost $270 million to build in the 1950s and 1960s, which is almost $2.1 billion in today�s dollars. An entire series of planned reconstructions � Downtown legs of I-71, I-70 and the two interchanges where they merge and separate will be done after I-71/670 is completed � won�t even come close with an estimated $1.6 billion price tag.
It�s not exaggerating, though, to call these upcoming projects the most disruptive.
As I-70, I-71, I-270 and I-670 went in, people still had their long-established ways of getting around. Interstates, though, are now the primary way into, out of, through and around Downtown.
Speeds through the construction zone will be lowered to 45 mph, and by mid-November, 16 of 38 Downtown ramps on I-71 and I-670 will have been shut down, some for good and some for up to two years.
The Ohio Department of Transportation has set up hot lines, websites and social-media accounts to keep people updated on lane closings. But officials warn up front that getting around won�t always be easy.
�There�s just too much going on in too small a space,� ODOT project manager Brad Jones told Downtown business representatives recently.
Although ramps have been closing since late September, road crews will become much more visible within the next two or three weeks, said Nancy Burton, spokeswoman for the department�s District 6, the central Ohio regional office overseeing design and construction.
CH2M Hill and Kokosing Construction Co. were selected in April as lead contractors for the project.
First up, Burton said, will be the demolition of a section of I-670 north of the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Traffic on eastbound I-670 will be rerouted across the median into westbound lanes just past the Short North cap. It will cross back at 4th Street.
In the spring, construction will hit its peak with 300 workers on the job. By 2014, crews will have rebuilt 1.8 miles of roadway, 22 bridges and 28 retaining walls.
Every day, more than 137,000 cars and trucks drive through the I-71/670 interchange and other Downtown highways, which were designed for about half that number. The volume has created dangers that didn�t exist decades ago, state officials say, and the area averages two crashes every day.
The reconstructed interchange will be designed to handle traffic volumes projected through 2030. It will make driving easier not just for commuters and others who use Downtown highways frequently, Jourdan said. It also will make Columbus a more attractive loca tion for businesses, particularly those with big distribution operations.
�It�s the east-west, north-south connector for our country,� he said.
From its early stages, state and city officials have said they�ve looked at rebuilding the Downtown corridor as more than a transportation project. Planning has spanned the terms of three governors, four ODOT directors, three Columbus Department of Public Service directors and 15 City Council members.
Officials say the reconstruction is a chance to heal scars inflicted 60 years ago when highways cut through neighborhoods of the Near East Side, Olde Towne East, German Village and the Brewery District.
�We probably weren�t as sensitive to communities and neighborhoods as we should have been,� ODOT Director Jerry Wray acknowledged two weeks ago at a ceremony on the bridge that carries Long Street traffic over I-71.
New bridges over the highway will be wider, walkable and more scenic than the utilitarian spans they�ll replace. On Long Street, for example, the bridge will be landscaped and feature a �cultural wall� of notable people who�ve called the Near East Side home.
The bridge will be strong enough and wide enough to support development (think Short North cap) if developers become interested.
�When that freeway cut through, it eliminated histories, stores, residences, little things that had been there for years,� said Annie Ross-Womack, director of the Long Street Business Association. �It separated neighbors.�
The state has conducted more than 300 public-input sessions over the past decade, Burton said. At one session in August, transportation officials asked people to vote on bridge colors and design features.


text:
UW-Oshkosh tallied 24 unanswered points in the second half to earn a 24-20 victory over Central College on Saturday (Sept. 7) in Pella, Iowa.
The Titans, who won their opener for the 30th time in 33 years, trailed by a 17-0 score at halftime. Cole Myhra then ran for two touchdowns and Nick Olla connected on some deep passes to bring the 12th-ranked Titans (1-0) back.
It was just the 15th home loss for Central College in its last 29 regular seasons.
Neither offense could produce early, with UW-Oshkosh turning the ball over on a failed fake punt. Central College (0-1) got things going with 19-yard catches by Brendon Boerm and Grant McArdle. Aaron Eiseler capped the drive with a four-yard fade pass to Blaine Forsythe for the 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Titans reached the Central College 35-yard line late in the period before fumbling the ball away. Boerm followed with a leaping catch for 18 yards. Facing 2nd-and-4 on the eight-yard line, Eiseler rolled out and threw the ball up for grabs. McArdle came down with it for the touchdown and a 14-0 advantage.
UW-Oshkosh appeared to grab some momentum when Austin Blashka made a spectacular interception and returned the ball 35 yards. Zach Kasuboski then picked up 37 on a post pattern. The drive set up a 43-yard field goal, but the Dutch blocked the kick to maintain a shutout.
Central College added a 34-yard field goal by Kevin Sheldon just before halftime to make it 17-0.
On the first play of the second half, UW-Oshkosh made a statement. Cory Wipperfurth hauled in a slant pass and raced for 56 yards. Three snaps later, Myhra plowed his way into the end zone from two yards out.
The Titans slowed Central College's next drive with a pair of sacks. Sheldon still lined up for a 50-yard field goal, but it sailed wide right to keep the score at 17-7.
Olla moved UW-Oshkosh down the field on the next series with throws to Kasuboski for 27 yards and Joe Sommers for 11. Nate Ray then drilled a 27-yard field goal with 6:02 left on the third-quarter clock.
The next two drives showed promise, but Central College missed a field goal and UW-Oshkosh tossed an interception on fourth down.
Down by seven, the Titans took possession at their own 33-yard line with 11:29 to play. Olla then dropped back and launched a rainbow down the middle of the field. Wipperfurth made the grab with a defender on his back and sprinted all the way for a 67-yard game-tying touchdown.
The contest was played with temperatures in the upper 90s.
"Both sides got tired," said receivers coach Craig Smith. "We took advantage of our offensive depth. Nick Olla made the right throws, and his offensive line gave him plenty of time."
Blashka snatched his second pick of the day – this time off a deflected pass – and set up UW-Oshkosh 40 yards from pay dirt. Myhra recorded a 21-yard catch and then walked untouched five yards for the touchdown that put the Titans up, 24-17, with 8:36 left.
Sheldon knocked through a 21-yard field goal with under four minutes remaining. The Dutch got the ball back in the closing seconds, but Manfred Johnson made an interception to seal the contest.
UW-Oshkosh totaled 325 passing yards by Olla, while Myhra led the squad with 57 rushing. Wipperfurth compiled 123 yards on two catches and Kasuboski marked 66 yards on three. The Titans were able to overcome 1-of-12 success on third down.
Beau Steffens led the Titan defense with 11 tackles. Central College received 14 tackles from Mitch Schroeder.
The Dutch racked up 370 yards of offense, including 119 receiving on 10 catches by Boerm. Eiseler threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while Josh Osborn topped Central with 69 yards on 17 carries.
The Titans travel to Indianapolis, Ind., next Saturday (Sept. 14) for a battle against defending National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics champion Marian University.
By Jon Feyen, UW-Oshkosh Sports Information


text:
- Manufacturer: Michelin
Michelin Pilot Activ Front Tire
Click here to see the differences between the various Michelin Road Tires.MICHELIN Road Tires Positioning Chart
Pilot Activ tires set the standard for bias-ply replacement tires. No other tire at this price offers this level of performance and durability. Compared to Macadam 50 tires, Pilot Activ tires deliver an increase of 20% in tread life*, giving Pilot Activ tires an unbeatable price/performance ratio in this market segment.
- 20% greater tread life* than Macadam 50*
- For older bikes, a significant improvement over OEM tires
- Minimal performance deterioration even when worn
- Wide range of sizes to fit popular bikes that use bias-ply tires
- Excellent value
- Significantly improved wet* and dry grip compared to Macadam 50 tires, thanks to Pilot Activ tires* increased rubber contact with the road (5% more than Macadam 50* tires) and a reformulated rubber mix.
- Optimum performance throughout the life of the tire with virtually no difference in wet grip* between a new Michelin Pilot Activ tire and a worn Pilot Activ tire.


text:
997 St. Sebastian WayAugusta, GA 30912706-721-6597
1446 Harper StreetAugusta, GA 30912706-721-5437 (KIDS)
1003 Chafee Ave.Augusta, GA 30912 706-721-2426
1447 Harper StreetAugusta, GA 30912-5536706-721-CARE (2273)
1120 15th StreetAugusta, GA 30912706-721-2273 (CARE)
1411 Laney Walker Blvd.Augusta, GA 30912706-721-6744
821 St. Sebastian WayAugusta, GA 30912706-721-2971
1220 West Wheeler PkwyAugusta, GA 30909
6135 Roosevelt Highway Warm Springs, GA 31830
2011 Westend DriveGreensboro, GA 30642
You are the most important member of your healthcare team, so your participation is encouraged in decisions about your treatment.
Speak up if you have concerns. If you don't understand something, ask again. It is your body, and you have the right to know.
Pay attention to the care you receive. Make sure you get the right treatments and medications from the right health professionals. Do not assume anything.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing and your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to serve as your advocate.
Know what medications you take and why you take them.
Use a facility like Medical Center, which has undergone a rigorous on-site quality and safety evaluation.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment.
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pmMore contact info
Augusta University Medical Center
1120 15th Street Augusta, GA 30912


text:
Do we have political amnesia?
As a boy, our house was not blessed with air conditioning. Most of our neighbors' homes were the same. Our families were mostly refinery working-hand dads and stay-at-home moms. Most of us have long since become immune to the pungent odors produced by the various industries surrounding Port Arthur. Some, however, did not.I recall many nights when smells of the "pogie" plant came drifting through our windows left open to try to stay somewhat cool. These odors were so foul smelling they literally caused people to become so sick they would throw up. It was one of the odors to which we never became accustomed. Strangers and out-of-town visitors would invariably remark on the refinery odors, to which most of our Chamber of Commerce members would simply reply, "That smells like money." Unfortunately, the odors had more dramatic effects and represented more than simply a bad smell. My dad's younger brother, a plant employee, fell victim in his 20s to leukemia, probably contracted while working in the benzene plant at one of the refineries. Two of my cousins would almost die because of some of the discharges of a nearby refinery that was less than five blocks from their homes. They were suffering from asthma. When seeking help from the local medical folks, they were told to live with it or move. Eventually, because of other circumstances, they did move to northern Louisiana and amazingly were never bothered with symptoms of asthma again.
Worker safety was non-existent in too many of the surrounding industries. I recall handling one case where workers were forced to do sandblasting with no protective gear whatsoever. When they began falling ill with an ailment that turned out to be silicosis, it was simply dismissed as tuberculosis and two of the workers were placed in the TB hospital in Beaumont. Another of my uncles was blown up on a unit in one of the largest refineries by being forced to continue working on the unit after the so-called safety man questioned its operational safety. At that time, in the good old fashioned justice system of Texas, it was cheaper to kill a worker than injure him badly.
The justice system then, as it was called, was tilted even more in favor of insurance carriers. When I first began practicing law, plaintiffs' attorneys were saddled with the contributory negligence rule, which barred any recovery whatsoever if a plaintiff turned out to be negligent to any extent. In other words, if a driver was killed at an intersection by a drunk running a red light and the jury determined the victim failed to keep a proper lookout for a car coming the wrong way on a one-way street, the victim lost. Zero recovery. The same people who now claim to be tort reformers, mostly paid by insurance companies, were the same folks who lobbied against changing the contributory negligence rule.
The point of these remembrances is not to prove the old times were bad in early Port Arthur. The point is to remind us all that government can and does quite often serve useful purposes. Because of the EPA ,we are not saddled with disease bearing, obnoxious odors emanating from industry. Because of OSHA, we do have the safety police who, if operating properly, can prevent tragic mishaps in the workplace. Our justice system, although being slowly eroded, still works better now than it did in the 1950s and early '60s. All of this makes me wonder how people can swallow the conservative line that all of these regulations are killing jobs. I'm all for jobs, but at what price? I am not for one willing to sacrifice a healthy environment for my children and grandchildren simply to get a consortium of rich folks to build another plant, and certainly I'm not willing in the name of building a Rick Perry good business environment to sacrifice my constitutional right to a jury of my peers when I have been wronged.Carl Parker has practiced law in Port Arthur since 1958. He is a 1958 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1962 and the Senate in 1976, Parker continued to practice law while writing and sponsoring hundreds of bills that became laws relating to every aspect of life in Texas, including many regarding consumer safety.


text:
Dear divers and snorkelling lovers,
Be welcome on our modest site of the Indian Ocean.
We hope you'll find, along these few pages, all the information which might be helpful to plan your future dives amongst us.
Dive with us for a little moment, to catch a glimpse of the rich beauty of our underwater world, which will undoubtly make you feel like putting on your gear.
Pic of the day
Booby Rock
Great intro to diving
William - 21.12.2012 - 18:12
I had been scuba diving once before, my wife had never been. She was a bit nervous about just "jumping straight in at the deep end" as it were, but luckily the intro dive from White Tip really put her at ease. They take time to practise a lot of the techniques in their pool first which means that you will know how to respond to any scenarios on your dive e.g. steamed up mask, controlling your buoyency, losing your regulator etc. This put my wife at ease and I think this meant that we went in very relaxed and really enjoyed the dive. Simona delivers the course at a good pace and really makes sure that you are comfortable and know all the basic techniques before going out on your first dive. We dived off St Pierre and saw turtles, bat fish and a reef shark amongst others. A professional dive school with a caring and chilled out atmosphere. We'd definitely dive with them again.
Whale Rock
Maria Fernanda Jesus Silva - 24.08.2012 - 16:08
My husband and I made scuba diving with you. We were logded in Berjaya Praslin Resort a few years ago. It was an excellent experience. I am still very thankfull to the very professional team that were with us. I come to you now to ask you the minimum age for practise scuba diving. I have two grand sons that would like to make the experience. They can swimm very well. They have 8 and 6 years old in the next year. Is it possible for them to have the first scuba diving lessons with you and go to Teresa Island? Thanks for your kind answer. Maria
Booby Rock
Mike - 23.10.2011 - 15:10
I have made my Open water diver with Whitetip dive center on Praslin and I would like to thanks the team ( all of them are Padi Instructors). I'am already checking out for my next trip to Praslin.
Sister Rock
lucky - 19.10.2011 - 05:10
Very good dive center; Diving in Praslin is much more better than Mahe; We dive with WHITETIP DIVERS and we could see many many big things in one dive than in 10 dives in Mahe. Thank a lot to the team
Booby Rock
plongée praslin
Marie - 18.10.2011 - 06:10
This is the best organized dive center I have seen; Thank you guys for your professional care to your divers;
Sister Bank
diving immersioni praslin
andrea - 18.10.2011 - 06:10
Immersioni fantastiche con squalo balena. Grazie mille ragazzi per la formidabile esperienza. Ci vediamo in aprile
Whale Rock
Tony - 18.10.2011 - 06:10
Thank you to the Whitetip Divers, the dive center on Praslin, for the beautiful dive and their care to us during our stay in Praslin
Channel Rock
diving praslin
steve - 15.10.2011 - 05:10
We have been to Seychelles 2 weeks ago and we dived with Whitetip Divers at Channal Rock. Very beautiful spot rich of coulor and life. Many thanks to the staff: great team. On the way back we saw a whale shark
White Bank
White Bank
barbara - 08.10.2011 - 05:10
I dived at White Bank last week and I must thanks the staff for the fantastic dive. The first 10 minutes it was like to be in a movie: whitetip sharks, sting rays, eagle rays, turtle and group of fish everywhere. Very nice spot.