The purpose of this study is to assess the role of digital video recorders (DVRs) in the hom e and to exam ine whether and how the DVR has im pacted household m edia consum ption. Research questions covered three broad areas related to DVR use. The first area involved how owners conceptualize the DVR in term s of how they define it, how they com pare it to other m edia technologies, and whether they think it is interactive. The second area involved categorizing DV R hom es based on whether the DVR is continuous or discontinuous in term s of its im pact on household m edia use; use orientation based on variety and rate of use; and perceived innovative characteristics including relative advantage, com patibility, observability, trialability, and com plexity. Third, m edia consum ption issues included the perceived role of the DVR in the hom e, specific m edia consum ption behaviors, and social aspects of m edia use. Interviews and in-hom e observations were conducted with participants in 21 households in which a DVR was present. The key finding of this research is that DVR owners perceive that their m edia use has been transform ed from sim ply viewing television to participating in m edia decisions. The DVR gives users expanded options for selecting, recording, scheduling, and m anipulating content. This allows the user greater freedom to override decisions m ade by m edia organizations.