"Tempest in a teapot"--a new variant

[Carol]

> > Carol, who needs to know, apropos of nothing in this post, whether
it's possible to record on a VHS tape or DVD from DirecTV

Alexis responded: 
> Yes, this is possible.  Google "record from directtv" or call
DirectTV.  Unlike my stupid cable company (Comcast), you'll be able to
good some assistance from either method.
<snip> 
>
Carol responds:

Thanks. I don't have DirecTV myself (or even a working VCR at the
moment) but I'm hoping that my sister has DirecTV (rather than TIVO)
and can record the "Wonderland" episodes for me when they start airing
on DirecTV January 14. I'm sure that my sister will know how to do it;
I just wanted to be sure that the episodes weren't just stored
somewhere for later playback on the same TV (as I think they are on
TIVO). Technology is changing too fast for me, both my aptitude and my
budget!

Carol, who has the same stupid cable company (Comcast)