DirecTV Genie DVR

With 1 terrabyte of storage and the ability to record 5 programs at once, the DirecTV Genie has quickly become a top pick among many review sites since its release in October, 2012.

The DirecTV Genie DVR is a whole-home DVR, which allows users of the device to share recorded programs amongst other TVs in a house connected with a Genie Mini set-top box. DirecTV is currently giving new subcribers one DirecTV Genie DVR and up to four mini Genie DVR devices for no upfront cost. To get the devices, a subscriber must commit to a 2 year contract and pay $20/month in “advanced receiver fees” along with their choice of channel package.

Important specs and info about the DirecTV Genie DVR:

The Genie DVR can hold approximately 200 hours of high definition programming.
5 HD tuners can record 5 shows at once, can only play 4 shows at once on all receivers within a house
Built-in picture-in-a-picture (PIP) allows viewers to watch 2 shows at the same time on a split screen
Existing customers are being quoted at $199 to upgrade to the Genie DVR, and $99 for each Genie Mini
Comes with built-in “Genie Recommends” software which will recommend shows based on viewing history