Elaine

TiVo and other digital video recorders or DVRs have been around since 1999. But Digital Radio Recorders, or DRRs?

When compared to what was involved in putting the first TiVo devices together, developing a digital radio recorder would seem to be a fairly simple process. Perhaps what was missing is any economic impetus to interest electronics manufacturers because there was certainly no rush to get a digital radio recorder into the hands of the listening public.

Griffin Technology and radio SHARK

But in 2004, Griffin Technology introduced their Radio SHARK, a digital radio recorder which not only turned any Mac of PC into an AM/FM receiver; it enabled the listener to record the radio broadcasts in real time.

Like TiVo, the Radio SHARK digital radio recorder had a time-shift recording feature which would let the user pause during a live broadcast to return to an earlier segment and catch up if they had been interrupted, and it also let people schedule recording for a later time.

But the Radio SHARK digital recorder did not merely record; it had a station preset function which could lock in the users favorite stations with a mouse click; and it allowed easy scanning and tuning of new stations.

The radio SHARK digital radio recorder connected to the PC through its USB port, from which it was powered, and looked like the sharks dorsal fin for which it was named. The fin was the digital radio recorders antenna and could simply be moved around to provide the best reception. And any broadcast saved on the radio Shark digital radio recorder could be transferred to an iPod or audio interchange file compatible MP for later listening.

Radio SHARK 2

The radio SHARK digital radio recorder developed a following, so Griffin Technology continued to develop the concept, and discontinued it in late 2006 in favor of the radio SHARK 2 digital radio recorder. The radio SHARK 2s improvements include a USB extension cable, allowing the receiver to be placed up to eight feet from the PC; an more powerful radio receiver chip; an on-screen tuner which closely mirrors a traditional radio dial; and the addition of Internet radio to the AM/FM menu. Internet radio opens up your digital radio recorder possibilities to international broadcasting.

The radio Shark2 digital radio recorder also has software which provides users with all the instructions they need to master time-shift recording, station selection and tuning, and optional antenna extension for those who live in poor reception areas. And, at 49.95, sown from the $69.95 of the original radio SHARK digital radio receiver, it is very attractively priced!

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