Study: DVRs in half pay-TV homes

NEW YORK — A new survey finds that digital video recorders are now in more than half of all U.S. homes that subscribe to cable or satellite TV services.

Leichtman Research Group’s survey of 1,300 households found that 52 percent of the ones that have pay-TV service also have a DVR. That translates to about 45 percent of all households and is up from 13.5 percent of all households surveyed five years ago by another firm, Nielsen.

The first DVRs came out in 1999, from TiVo Inc. and ReplayTV. Later, they were built into cable set-top boxes. The latest trend is “whole-home” DVRs that can distribute recorded shows to several sets. Even with the spread of DVRs, live TV rules. Nielsen found last year that DVRs accounted for 8 percent of TV watching.

Owners face health care dilemma

NEW YORK — Many small business owners will be required to provide health insurance for their staffers under a provision of the health care law that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Companies must decide before the start of 2014 what they’ll do to comply with the law. Right now, no one knows how much the insurance will cost, and owners aren’t sure if they’d be better off not buying it and paying a government a penalty of $2,000 per worker. Some owners are threatening to defy the law. A challenge for most small businesses is insufficient information to make concrete plans.

Honda do-over revamps Civic

DETROIT — Honda has made a quick U-turn. Just 19 months after its Civic compact hit showrooms and was slammed by critics, the company has revamped the car, giving it a sportier look and upgrading the interior. It’s an unusual and costly do-over. But Honda — among the auto industry’s most highly-regarded brands — was worried the car’s flaws would hurt sales and market share, analysts say.