Page 1 of Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
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Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Hi
I need to exchange my Panny E55 for a hard disk recorder and I only have a week or so to hit Richer Sounds` return time limit. The Toshiba RD-XS30 looks good but, suspiciously, there`s hardly any information about it on the web or even this forum.
Can anyone fill in the gaps - picture quality, features etc.
Thanks in advance
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
HI trentculp I was looking at some mags today,and one had a part about 100 top dogs and the toshiba rd-xs30 come out as a all round good recorder/it also said it made good recordings in low modes. In two mags the E55 got 5stars as good as it gets for the money i was off to get one when i read your message ,but you put me off.Now i don`t know which way to go.I was going to ask you to send me a copy of 3hr recording from the e55 to see what it looked like at this end on a dvd-r disk (which i would pay you for +p/p)etc Its a job to kown what to do. :( :( :(
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Hi goblinspell
Yeah, I understand. It can be seriously exasperating. Actually I`m only considering replacing the E55 because, after using it for a day, I suddenly understood the advantages of HDD. Sometimes you have get up close to see the bleedin` obvious!! ;)
The E55 is fine really. However, there are compression artifacts at lower bitrates that I personally find to be unacceptable. XP mode is broadcast quality and superb. FR (Flexible Recording mode) at 90 mins is the lowest I`d dare go for important recordings. It`s about as good as XP. But the artifacts creep in the lower you go until you hit EP 8hr then yuck! I wouldn`t use this to record anything except programmes that I really hate. There`s a myth that LP and EP modes are equal to VHS, and it`s just that, a myth - IMHO of course.
These compression artifacts are probably common to all domestic DVD recorders and not a shortcoming of the E55. I doubt that the Toshiba is any better in this regard. The technology is still very young, so it`s fair enough I guess. But recording everything on XP is an expensive and impractical proposition, so I`m slightly disappointed.
I`m also having second thoughts about risking an extra 200 quid just for the Toshiba`s HDD especially if the picture isn`t any better. I might as well stick with the Panny until the technology improves overall. I`ll give it a year. By then the machines will probably be twice as good for half the price. Afterall, that`s what happened with DVD players.
Sorry if I put you off. The Panny is probably as good as any other non HDD unit right now, so you might as well get it. At least it has RGB in/out and plays multi-region disks and mp3s - none of which the Toshiba can do.
Oh boy, have I just talked myself out of getting the Tosh or what?! :)
Cheers and luck
Trentculp
This item was edited on Friday, 7th May 2004, 05:14
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Hi Trentculp thanks for your reply .So to sum up LP mode which is up to 4hrs surely its not that bad.By the way is there any chance of a dvd-r disk with 5/10 mins of recording in LP/mode so I can view it at this end.I will of course pay you .If not i will just have to go buy and try.
thanks.
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
I love my Toshiba
I record everything on hd then if i need to stick it onto dvd, ask any questions and i will try and answer them for you..
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Miss the Tosh,its been around a while now.With no RGB input,no ability to record directly to dvd-r(only from HDD) and questionable NTSC recording ability there are better options out there.
If RGB input is not necessary and you can make do with s-video,go for the Pioneer 5100.If RGB is required go for the Panasonic E85.If you could hold off for a couple of months,Toshiba,Pioneer and others are releasing new models with improvements
This item was edited on Sunday, 30th May 2004, 21:50
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Just another option for you.
I have SKY+ - very easy to program recordings, very flexible (eg. record two channels).
I also have a Panny E50, which I then use to make permanent recordings onto DVD-R.
Works fine for me, but I know one thing for sure, you are right to be looking for a hard disk solution... I couldn`t live without it.
Good Luck !
If only everything was half price at Woolies !
RE: Urgent - need advice on Toshiba RD-XS30 DVD recorder
Although Sky+ is excellent,you really need another HDD to go with it for editing.With a dvd only deck you would either be on the pause button a lot or messing about with PC editing