by all means get a Tivo..
Once you have one there is no turning back. Zip through commercials, watch what you want when you want. Comparing a Tivo (or any other DVR) to a VCR is like comparing a rickshaw to a Lexus. Tivo is probably the best of the lot in terms of ease of use and would be my choice for someone that isn't a technophile. Take a look at ReplayTV as well. Replay is more hackable if you're so inclined. It's a little easier to do things like offload video to a computer from which you can burn dvd's. Connecting to wireless and wired networks is easier. Tivo's are also pretty easy to fix and upgrade as well. You can use a Tivo without the service for timer recording but having the service makes programming painless. For example, it you program a event with the timer only, if it changes time slots or is a repeat broadcast, you'll either miss it or record something you don't want to. There are many other reasons having the service is desireable. If you have DirecTV and have a Tivo/DirecTV combo box, the service is only about 5 bucks per month. In the end, all DVR's do pretty much the same thing. Just about any of them will be a big improvement over a VCR.