Re:they also lack the ability to (Score 3, Informative)

The reason some people with the TW DVR (aka Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000) can schedule first-run-only recordings and others can't is because there are two types of software for this box: Passport (from Pioneer) and SARA (from Scientific Atlanta). Which kind you get depends on whether your cable system runs Pioneer or SA equipment. Passport is widely believed to be the better of the two. Passport, for one thing, does allow you to choose "All Episodes" or "Record First Run Only".