# DVR ratings?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-ratings/557201>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 15, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-ratings/557201 "2010-10-15T01:04:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![malthound](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@malthound](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malthound)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-ratings/557201/1 "2010-10-15T01:04:05Z")

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I consider myself one of the masses who bows and genuflects at the altar of He Who Invented the DVR, and restrict most of my television viewing to that which has already been recorded. Since I also find that I am drawn to programs that seem to only last a season or two, I wonder if watching by DVR affects a particular show’s ratings. Asked another way, are ratings still recorded in the traditional “Nielson Box” manner, or is our telephone line connection used to assess our viewing habits?

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-ratings/557201/2 "2010-10-15T15:03:15Z")

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Neilsen started recording DVR use in 2006. Here’s a [long article](http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/21/faq-do-dvr-viewers-matter/36917) on what gets measured.

And here’s an [article](http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/10/11/live7-dvr-ratings-greys-anatomy-90210-hawaii-five-0-top-premiere-week-rankings/67519) on the numbers for this year’s premiere week.