DVD-R/RW - DVD-R/RW allows you to record onto use-once DVDs or rewritable discs - which you can record over as many times as you like. Blank discs are getting cheaper all the time, and you can fit several hours of TV onto one disc. The machine automatically records over any free space on the DVD. One drawback is that the disc can only be used on compatible DVD-R/RW players.

DVD+R/RW - Very similar to the previous type of recorder, DVD+R/RW machines work with rewritable and use-once DVDs. However, DVD+R/RW recorders are more likely to be compatible with other DVD players, and they offer a few extra features.

DVD-RAM - DVD-RAM is unlike the other two forms of DVD recorder mentioned above. Closer to a removable computer hard drive, with DVD-RAM you can pause live TV, watch another program on the disc at the same time as recording, and even start watching your show while it's still being recorded.