Toshiba RD-XS32 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with 80 GB Hard Drive

Toshiba RD-XS32 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with 80 GB Hard Drive
Manufacturer: Toshiba
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Toshiba RD-XS32 DVD/HDD Recorder with 80 GB Hard Drive
Amazon.com Product Description
Note: Toshiba RD-XS32 Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with 80 GB Hard Drive is no longer being manufactured. You may want to consider purchasing the newer Toshiba RD-XS34 Multi-Drive DVD Recorder with 160GB Hard Drive Recording instead.

The RD-XS32 DVD player/recorder from Toshiba combines a versatile video recorder and a high-end DVD player with a clear, realistic picture and warm, natural sound. The RD-XS32 is the perfect next-generation upgrade from your old VCR and a powerful addition to your home theater.

The multidrive recorders on the RD-XS32 allow you to record onto an internal 80 GB hard disk drive (HDD), a DVD-R disc, or rerecordable DVD-RW and DVD-RAM discs. The HDD holds up to 103 hours of programs, and you can rapidly dub shows from the HDD onto a DVD. A high-speed dub of a recording from the HDD onto a DVD-R disc can be completed 24 times faster than the length of the program. In other words, two hours of recording can move onto a disc in a matter of minutes. DVD-R copies of recordings made by the RD-XS32 will play on almost all DVD players and DVD-compatible computers.

Toshiba's time-slip playback feature allows you to watch a program that is being recorded from the beginning while the rest of the show records. You can also use the time-slip feature to pause a live broadcast that you are recording, and then resume watching it from where you left it, whenever you want.

Setting up a recording is simple. The RD-XS32 uses Gemstar's VCR Plus technology, which lets you select the programs you want to record by name, without worrying about setting the right time and channel. You can schedule up to 32 different shows with this timer recording feature.

The programs that you have recorded are logged into an adjustable menu that displays the date, time, and channel that you recorded. You will also see a still-video image of the show you recorded in the menu. You can rename the listings and create chapters within the recordings that allow you to easily skip to your favorite scenes or to dub a cleaned-up copy of the show you've recorded onto DVD. The easy-to-use menu also features a live action window that lets you monitor the program you are currently recording or playing.

In addition to high-quality recordings, you'll get the most out of your DVD library as well. The RD-XS32 utilizes Toshiba's ColorStream Pro progressive-scan video technology to yield vivid colors, clean resolution, and reduced onscreen distortion. The RD-XS32 uses digital cinema progressive scanning to reproduce your DVDs in theaterlike clarity. While the RD-XS32 is compatible with both analog and digital televisions, you will get the optimum effect by using the player with a high-definition-compatible television.

In addition to playing a full range of DVDs, the RD-XS32 plays CDs and MP3 audio files, so you can enjoy your favorite music. You can also view digital JPEG photos from CDs created in your computer with the RD-XS32.

The RD-XS32 features rear-panel composite audio and video inputs, and RCA inputs on the front panel to connect your camcorder for dubbing onto DVD. An additional digital IEEE1394 Firewire jack is included on the front panel for an instant connection with digital camcorders. The Firewire connection automatically synchs up with your camcorder and creates a customized onscreen menu for dubbing.

What's in the Box
DVD recorder unit, remote control, owner's manual.

Average customer rating: 4.5 Exellent 5 star gadget...Poor batteries make it ONE STAR Some Real Problems Here What about the battery? Nice Little Computer with a Great Operating System Mako Listmania: PDAs & Handhelds with Keyboards Part 2

Diamond Multimedia Mako Mobile Internet Organizer Manufacturer: S3/Diamond Mulitmedia Product Group: CE Binding: Electronics ASIN: B000051JUK

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The Diamond Mako features a horizontal touchscreen and keyboard in a package only an inch longer than a palm-sized PDA. It offers not only the usual array of PC-syncable address book, agenda, and calendar functions (compatible with Outlook, Lotus, and several other PIMs), but also includes software compatible with Microsoft Excel and Word.

The Mako is designed for people with a limited PDA budget who have spreadsheet and word processing work to do and little patience for carrying a hefty and expensive notebook PC. With accessory software and an add-on foldable keyboard, you <I>could</I> convert a Palm handheld to act like a Mako, but it would be a costly and clumsy conversion.

Since the Mako carries only 16 MB of RAM, the Mako's software condenses your files, then converts them to full size in the compatible PC-based Microsoft or Lotus format. Our Windows PC treated the Mako as it would any other connected drive (via serial port), making file access and transfer relatively seamless via sync or Windows Explorer drag-and-drop. The Mako's cradle allowed us to also connect the AC adapter, so we could link and charge the Mako at the same time.

But you will pay for your portable penury. The Mako's one-quarter-sized monochrome VGA screen (480 x 160) is not backlit--and screen contrast isn't that fabulous to begin with. The lack of backlight preserves battery power, but you'll need optimal lighting conditions to work effectively.

The Mako's keys are proportionally tiny, which makes touch-typing nearly impossible. As illogical as this sounds, we also found the keys either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. And as a consequence of necessary compact compromises, certain keys are awkwardly placed--for instance, the "-" (dash) key requires a combination-function keystroke. Considering that most people have long-practiced keyboard habits, these quirks are far more annoying than you might think.

And because of the Mako's horizontal design, it is less handy than a palm-sized PDA. For instance, simply finding a phone number or checking on the address for your 3 o'clock appointment really does require two hands.

The Mako's software is based on the EPOC standard, the increasingly popular European mobile-computing platform. Even though there is a dearth of EPOC-compatible applications in the U.S., especially compared with the thousands of Palm- or Windows-compatible options, most of the major add-on application bases are covered. However, the Mako's wireless Web and infrared capabilities can be used only with a GSM cell phone, which is gaining ground here, but is still a poor relative to more common CDMA and TDMA phones.

There are people who swear by Psion-based products, but the money saved here might only be worth it as a temporary and low-cost transition between pen and paper and a real notebook PC. <I>--Stewart Wolpin</I>

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