OTHER TECH

Not too long ago, if you wanted to record an HDTV program, you had to take a quaint step back in time and use a VCR - a digital VCR, but still a VCR. Today, there are a number of hard-disk options for recording HD, but if you want to save the program so it won't be accidentally erased from the hard drive, you have to resort to - you guessed it - a VCR. It's still not possible to use the single most popular format in history - DVD - for high-def recording. But early next year will see the arrival of two formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, that can handle every high-def chore. In the meantime, here's a survey of all currently available options.