We’re all used to the experience of watching live TV, and most of us have spent a fair amount of time scrolling through a list of shows and movies on demand. The DVR feature combines the two. Using a service’s DVR allows you to record their favorite shows to store and watch later, to be sure you never miss an episode. Below, we’re looking at the DVR feature of a few favorite content streaming services.
Hulu
While Hulu has a great selection of TV episodes to choose from, some of your favorites may not be available. If you have Hulu Live, that won’t be a problem. Hulu Live includes a Cloud DVR for recording live TV, with the following features.
- 50 hours of content storage with the basic plan
- 200 hours of content storage with the Enhanced Cloud DVR upgrade
- Oldest content is removed automatically when full, to make room for new content
- Pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV
- Space for 6 profiles to keep content and preferences separate
There are some limits to the content that you can record and watch later with Hulu Live TV. Extra channels, including HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime, cannot be recorded.
Sling TV
Sling TV wants to make it easy for users to easily find, record, and watch their favorite shows with DVR. If you want that convenience, it’ll cost you. Sling TV charges an extra $5/month if you want the DVR feature. Here’s what you’ll get.
- 50 hours of content storage
- Oldest content is removed automatically when full, to make room for new content
- Able to record multiple shows simultaneously
- Set DVR to record all episodes of a show, or all new episodes
Several channels cannot be recorded with Sling TV. The list includes on demand only channels and everything owned by Disney and ESPN.
The feature is still relatively new to Sling TV, so there have been some hiccups with outages and support. As the company polishes the DVR feature, some of those problems should be resolved.
PlayStation Vue
Recently, PlayStation Vue has been making small updates to its DVR that could make a big impact on the user experience. Those updates, combined with the unlimited storage space available, make the DVR one of the major draws to choosing PlayStation Vue over other streaming services. The following are some of the features that set this service apart.
- Unlimited content storage space
- Content can be saved for 28 days after it airs
- Auto record for programming added to My Shows
- 50 additional minutes of time recorded after sporting events, in case a game runs long
As with all streaming services, the PlayStation Vue DVR can record most programming, but not all. Extra channels, including HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime are excluded, along with most CBS channels and ESPN channels.
FuboTV
FuboTV was designed to be the content streaming service that caters to sports fans, so it’s no surprise that the DVR feature was set up with the intention of recording sporting events. The DVR feature was originally set up with 10 recording slots that could be filled with sporting events, TV shows, or movies.
Recently, FuboTV changed the set up and followed the style of other services, storing content by the hour instead of the set number of slots. Another major update gave users the option of upgrading to increase storage. This is what you’ll get with FuboTV DVR.
- 30 hours of storage space with the basic package
- 500 hours of storage with the upgraded package for $9.99/month
- Content stored indefinitely, until deleted
- Recording won’t be stopped mid-event
- Look Back feature to catch sporting events up to 72 hours after airing
The recent update and option for much more storage has made FuboTV more competitive with other services when it comes to their DVR.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is often overlooked when compared to other big names in TV streaming, but its DVR service is worth taking a look at. YouTube was made to work well with mobile devices, and the YouTube TV service is no different. This is the DVR option that will most likely be easiest to use on the go, if you want to see your content on a smartphone or tablet. This is what you’ll get with YouTube TV.
- Unlimited content storage space
- Content can be saved for up to 9 months after airing
- Separate DVR for each profile, with up to 6 user profiles allowed
As with other services, YouTube TV will replace recorded content with on demand content when available. You’ll still have to sit through ads for many of your favorite shows.
DIRECTV NOW
DIRECTV NOW has been working on a beta version of a DVR feature. With only a limited number of customers testing the DVR, there isn’t much information about what DIRECTV NOW will be offering when the feature officially launches. As of now, it looks like users will have space for 100 hours of content and potentially the option of choosing between a light and dark background. However, anything could change before all DIRECTV NOW customers get to use the new feature.
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