There was a time when TV viewers had one chance to watch their favorite programs. Episodes aired a single time, perhaps with a summer rerun. That was it.

For decades, this created "appointment viewing," with millions of fans scheduling time to catch their favorites, from Milton Berle in the 1950s to Bill Cosby in the 1980s. For the most part, they had no choice.

Today, viewers have more choices than Cosby had one-liners. It's nearly impossible to miss the shows you love. Or the ones you're moderately interested in. Or those you've just read about on some blog.

Enjoying TV shows is about more than just content—it's about creating your own customized schedule. Appointment viewing still exists, but now you set the appointment time. 

Of course, the 1980s VCR boom was a popular precursor to this "time-shifting." But even as viewers joked about lacking VCR skills—like getting rid of the blinking "12:00"—other options were on the way …

A DVR stores your TV or cable box programming on a hard drive rather than a disc or tape.

Recording capacity: Basic models provide about 40 hours; more complex DVRs can offer multiple options—DVD, hard drive, VCR—in one unit, with maximum storage over 400 hours.

General price range: $300 – $1500

People think of this as "TiVo," referring to the line of TiVo brand digital recorders, the most recognized name in the category. These DVRs automatically search out and record programming based on related favorites and preferences. The most advanced units can handle three shows at one time (recording two, playing one), skip commercials during playback, play HD video and support wireless networking.

Recording capacity: Between 80 and 300 hours, depending on the model. A subscription is required, along with a connection (phone or internet) for regular data updates.

General price range: $70 – $800 (unit only)

Many cable or satellite providers enhance their one-stop shopping status by offering DVR service as a monthly option for those who prefer not to purchase a separate DVR system. In this instance, DVR functions are built into the digital set-top cable box.

Recording capacity: Between 40 and 100 hours, depending on the level of service and the type of programming. High-definition content takes up more space—40 hours of standard storage capacity is generally equivalent to about 10 hours of HD material.

General price range: $6 – $15 per month

On-demand services let you select and start a program anytime, 24/7, via your cable box. Offerings include movies, cable series, special events and local-interest content. Even network prime-time programming has become available (for a buck or two, you can watch some episodes without commercials). And a large selection of on-demand programming is free.

General price range: Most television programming is free; recent movies, $4 – $5; older titles, $3. A small selection of first-run features, released simultaneously in theaters, $6 – $7.

Pay-per-view may not have the immediacy of on-demand content, but it still offers a level of flexibility. Available from a cable or satellite provider, PPV selections begin at a scheduled time but repeat often. Due to the breadth of available on-demand content, PPV providers now emphasize special-interest programming such as comedy specials, live concerts and pro wrestling.

General price range: $7 – $50 per event, depending on the content; movies are about $4 each.

If your computer has a speedy broadband connection, you may just find your favorite programs online. The major television networks offer recently aired prime-time episodes—you can even catch up on storylines with short summary videos. Most programming is free. And you can take it with you.

Apple iTunes® offers a programming selection from 10 networks, ranging from the show you missed last week to that forgotten classic from decades ago. Prices begin at $1.99.

If you have a stack of tapes you just can't part with, there's still a healthy range of options. Select from standard VHS tape machines, a model that accepts S-VHS format, or a portable do-it-all unit that records onto a variety of digital tape media and stores over 13 hours of content.

Price range: $25 – $700 … but most units are available for under $200.

Considering home theater sound for your viewing experience? See our home theater selections on Bose.com.