Want to record lots of TV shows and archive your home movies? No problem — there are plenty of models with handy features for both TV and home video recording.

DVD recorders combine the crystal-clear picture, great sound, and long-lasting durability of DVDs with recording conveniences that make them easier to use than your VCR. You can record TV shows and home movies to DVD, as well as play rented or store-bought commercial DVDs. Today's models offer user-friendly features that make DVD recording easier than ever. Below, we've broken down some key features so you can zero in on which ones to look for.

Do you want to record TV shows?

If you want to record lots of TV shows, here are some features that can be really helpful:

• Electronic Program Guide — An interactive, on-screen program guide that gives you intuitive and simple ways to set your recordings, such as TiVo® or TV Guide On Screen®. Many program guides let you sort the listings or use keyword searches to find what you're looking for. Plus, they offer quick, intuitive ways to schedule your recordings.
• Cable box control — Some DVD recorders have the ability to change the channel on your cable box using a small attachment called an "IR blaster." It uses the same signals that your remote uses to control your cable box. This is a particularly useful feature for making unattended recordings, since you never have to worry about leaving your cable box on the right channel. All you have to do is set your recording, and the DVD recorder can take care of the rest.

Note: By FCC mandate, any DVD recorder with a TV tuner manufactured after March 1, 2007, must include a built-in digital tuner (as well as an analog tuner). This is in preparation for the FCC's plan to terminate all analog broadcasts by the end of 2009. As a result, many manufacturers are now releasing some models that include no built-in TV tuner whatsoever. Recording TV shows to these models generally requires a connection to a cable box or satellite receiver. On the positive side, any model with a tuner will include a digital one. This will allow the recorder to receive and record unscrambled digital cable channels as well as over-the-air digital broadcasts (antenna required).

Do you want to record home movies?

If you want an easy way to dub your home movies to DVD, look for DVD recorders with these features:

• Built-in VCR — DVD recorders with a built-in VCR offer quick and simple internal dubbing of your home-recorded VHS tapes. There are no extra components to hook up, and many have handy one-touch dubbing capabilities.
• Camcorder inputs — Many recorders have easy-access front-panel inputs for digital and analog camcorders or a separate VCR.
  • For a Mini DV camcorder, look for a model with digital camcorder inputs (IEEE 1394, also known as DV or i.LINK®).
  • DVD recorders for camcorders are a great option if you have a DVD or hard drive camcorder. These models include a USB port for quick and easy archiving of your home movies.
  • To hook up an external VCR, or an 8mm or Hi8 camcorder, check out a recorder with front-panel audio/video inputs.
• Digital Video Recorder (DVR) — While DVRs are typically used to record TV shows, they can be useful in the home movie arena as well. They make it easy to burn multiple copies of your home videos to share with family and friends — just dub your footage to the hard drive, and make as many DVD copies as you want. Some models also let you edit or rearrange your footage. Though you won't have as much editing flexibility as you would if you were using a computer, a DVR might make a more user-friendly option.
  • For more information, see our article on DVRs.