Digital Home Thoughts: SnapStream Media's Beyond TV 4

Product Category: Digital Video Recorder
Manufacturer: SnapStream Media
Where to Buy: Amazon.com [Affiliate]
Price: $69.95 USD (base price)
System Requirements: Microsoft Windows XP Home, XP Professional or 2000, DirectX 9.0 or greater, Processor:Using a TV tuner card with Hardware encoding (recommended) (1): Pentium, Celeron or AMD Athlon at 700 Mhz and above OR Using a TV tuner card without Hardware encoding:Pentium 4, Celeron or AMD Athlon at 1.5 Ghz and above, 256 MB RAM, Video Card:nVidia GeForce 2 and above, ATI Graphics Radeon 7500 and above, Others with 16 MB RAM, 3D Acceleration, DirectX 9.0 compatibility, 15 GB Hard Drive, Supported TV tuner card(s), Television Source: Analog Cable, Digital Cable (3), Satellite (3), Antenna, and Internet Access.

Pros:

• Easy to use;
  
• Great functionality;
  
• Excellent support.

Cons:

• Interface isn't as refined as Tivo GUI;
  
• Guide not always accurate;
  
• Slow shutdown/startup times.

Summary: Strangely, I wasn't the first on my block to get a personal (or digital) video recorder (PVR or DVR). I figured the MPAA and their friends would have shut this sort of functionality down a long time ago. A little over two years ago, I got my first taste of PVR goodness with a DirecTV Tivo. And oh how tasty it was. But I didn't have all the deliciousness of a standalone unit (namely in the arena of moving audio and video back and forth). Yes, I could have found software and modded the box, but always balked at the process. Then comes SnapStream's Beyond TV 4. PVR software for your PC that is supposed to be able to hold ground with the other offerings available today. Can it compare to the mighty Tivo? Will it satisfy all my viewing hunger pains?

Read on for the full review!