When you set this to record a program, how "invasive" is it to regular television watching?
Basically, what I'm asking is if you set this DVR up on a TV, would another person be able to watch other channels as it is recording?
Let's say this person is watching basic cable. But, as another example, if he is watching digital cable or satellite, where you commonly have to have the box on the channel you wish to record, could the DVR record a different channel than the one you are viewing?
It depends on what kind of DVR you have. If it has 2 tuners, you can watch off of one tuner while it is recording on another.
The DircTV DVR has this. It requires 2 DirecTV cables to be connected to the DVR. So the room has to have 2 cables dropped into it. If you also have an off air antenna, you can connect it to the DVR and it will record off of it as well.
Whenever I am watching a program, and the DVR wants to use the tuner to switch to a program it wants to record, I get a message box that allows me to let it switch the channel or cancel the recording.