• You must have the right equipment, setup and services to use a DirecTV DVR.Illustration of a satellite image by Nicemonkey from Fotolia.com
  
  DirecTV is one of America's leading satellite providers offering television programming to homes and businesses across the country. A DVR, or digital video recorder, gives you the ability to stop, pause, rewind, fast-forward and record live television shows, movies or special events. DirecTV DVRs permit you to record up to two different programs and watch another recorded program at the same time. You need three things to accomplish this.
  
  

DirecTV DVR Services

• An active DirecTV account is required to view any of the available satellite broadcasts, and you must have DirecTV's DVR service included to use the DVR functions on your receiver. You can choose any of the various programming packages offered to use with the DVR service, which adds a monthly fee to your regular DirecTV bill. As of August 2010, the monthly fee for DirecTV DVR services runs $7 per month. Only one fee per household is charged, no matter how many DVR receivers you use throughout.
  
  

DVR Installation

• DVR viewing requires the installation of two separate coaxial cables for each DVR receiver location. For the DVR receiver to offer the capability of recording two different channels/programs at the same time, it must have two satellite feeds. Installers add a second line automatically with your initial installation, if you ordered DVR services at that time. If you did not, and you do not know how to add an additional line, contact DirecTV or a satellite professional in your area.
  
  

DVR Receiver

• A special DVR receiver is required for you to have the options of pausing, rewinding, fast-forwarding or recording DirecTV's satellite programming. A regular DirecTV receiver does not include these types of features. Each room where you would like to use a DVR will need a separate DVR receiver. These receivers come in both standard and HD models.
  
  DirecTV offers a special "Whole-Home DVR service" package that allows you to use one HD DVR in up to 15 rooms. This requires a specific setup, and incurs another fee for Whole-Home DVR service as well as the monthly fee to view HD programming.