DVR -- a great invention

At precisely 10:09 a.m., Thursday, Nevada's calendar passed from summer to fall. The autumnal equinox is the exact term for this event. We notice the changes in our lives in a variety of ways, such as the changes in weather. My favorite anticipated variation each September, is to look forward to a new television season.

My life, and that of most people my age, is forever linked to television. Most of us baby boomers can remember when our families purchased our first television.

During the 50-plus years since that time, we have witnessed many remarkable innovations in this beloved media. My current favorite is the DVR, which stands for digital video recorder.

I won't try to even explain what kind of device a DVR is. I only know, that this wonderful invention, allows me to save many programs for viewing later. I don't have to put anything in the machine. There are no tapes or discs.

This device has made my viewing much broader. I can now digitally record two programs at once, I am no longer limited in my selections. This is especially welcome, when there are two shows I like, that are on at the same time.

I have the choice to watch one show, while at the same time recording another for viewing later. That function alone would make the DVR a great invention, but there are even more wonderful options.

It goes like this. You are watching your favorite show, and the phone rings. It is a call that you cannot avoid, but you are concerned, because you will miss the end of the show.

Fear not, the DVR, comes again to the rescue. While you are watching the show, the DVR system is automatically recording the show in the same digital format. Once your phone call is completed, you simply push the back up buttons, until you come to the part of the show, when the call interrupted you. You can now finish your show, as if the call never happened.

I should mention that my lack of knowledge about this system is also limited only to the satellite that I currently use. The DVR is built into the satellite receiver, and I don't know if you can buy them separately or not.

Yes, we have come a long way since that first small television, that my family acquired in the mid-50s. It makes me wonder what remarkable new inventions will follow in the next few decades.

The history of television systems shows a lot about us Americans. That first television was usually a small black and white model. It was connected to an outside antenna that stood several feet above the house.

There were only a few local stations in Pittsburg, Joplin, and sometimes if we were lucky, Kansas City and Springfield, that our antennas could reach. Each time the antenna had to be turned towards the station of choice before you could get even a semblance of a picture.

The entire family watched the same shows together. Once a show had been aired, that was the end of that episode. If you missed any part of it, you were out of luck, unless you were fortunate enough to see it on a rerun in the summer.

The next two major improvements to our televisions were color and cable. During the early and mid-'60s, cable television towers were built in most towns. You now had a larger number of stations, and the clarity for these channels was much better.

NBC and the NBC Peacock, brought color into our homes about the same time. One of the first shows to air in full color was "Bonanza," on Sunday nights.

In the '80s, the next new gadget, the VCR, became popular. Families could now record shows, and they could also rent tapes of movies. I still have several of those tapes, but I don't have any way to play them anymore. Technology changes too fast sometimes, and things get left behind.

I probably spend too much time these days watching television, but at my age, I am not that worried. I really like the fact, that I can watch so many different shows, and have the ability to save them if needed.

All my favorite series are returning in the next week or two. Most of them left me with a "cliff hanger" story line that was unresolved. "Who shot J.R." is still the standard for how to build an audience.

It makes me wonder what the future holds. Last winter, I discovered that I could actually watch a previous episode of a show that I had failed to record, on my computer.

It is even possible for you to now watch video of many types on your cell phone. I recently heard that today's kids are not very interested in home televisions and computers. Most of them spend much of their entertainment time using their cell phones for multiple functions.

The next generation of technology is likely to be so different that it will seem foreign to you and me. Instead of programming, it is likely, that you will be able to select what you want for entertainment instantaneously.

Instead of my waiting for a show to air, you will be able to just select which show you want to watch, and when you want to watch it. The same will be true for music and movies. Like the Internet, just about any form of entertainment will be available for your pleasure.

So here goes another new season. Me, my recliner, my big screen television, and my DVR, are all set to go. Don't lecture me about watching too much television. I have grown up with it, and it will accompany me on the rest of my journey. Huh! I wonder if I can DVR the "END."