Toshiba RDX-S34 Reviews

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Good Points: Recorded Picture quality looks the same as the original (in standard mode). I was quite pleased with this (not High Definition, though).
A fair number of user features. For example, the editing features are rather generous, the on screen TV Guide is another. Picture zoom, instant skip settings (forward or reverse), a host of different recording rates. I've had it almost a year using all the different features frequently, and it has held up quite well.
The 160 GB internal memory (hard disc drive) is a pleasure and using it to edit recorded shows is even that much nicer.

Bad Points: Like the other reviewer, the fan motor is a bit of an issue for me. Not when the TV is on, but when it's off. It's always on 24/7, and can be something I would prefer being off or much quieter. This is true even when the Hard Disc Drive (HDD) is set up to go off after 5 minutes of non-use. The fan stays on.

General comments: The very basic features on the Toshiba RD-SX34 aren't way too difficult to grasp for a person who feels fairly comfortable around consumer electronics. The extra features require more time (using the manual) and "playing with", like the editing. To me, with something that has, as much as it has, that's understandable. If you like having options, and don't mind putting in more time reading and playing around with them, it can be a lot of fun. I found the basic stuff reasonably intuitive, user friendly. Don't forget the bottom section of the remote opens up for more controls.
The on screen TV Guide is nice. It can get fouled up with a power outage (even a brief one). I have cable TV, but the TV Guide may not work with all satellite companies as I understand it.
Overall, I like it well, and have enjoyed using it to it's fullest. It seems to burn good quality DVDs without any problems, and it basically works as well today as it did 11 months ago when I bought it, with a fair amount to quite a bit of usage.
Keep in mind it only burns DVD -R, -RW, and DVD RAM discs. That's OK with me, but lacking the other formats may bother some.

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Toshiba RD-SX34 - This is my first DVD recorder and I am very impressed. Setting it up was easy, but getting to grips with the menus and remote took quite some time. The hard disk fan is a bit noisy, but can't be heard over most television progs and films. The massive hard disk can store over 200 hours in low quality mode (which in my opinion is only slightly worse than VHS) and 40 hours in high quality mode - which is excellent. For £300 or so (at Costco) this has got to be a good buy.