Toshiba RD-XS52 DVD Player/Recorder with 160 GB

Taking DVD and home-video entertainment to new heights, the Toshiba RD-XS52 combines a topnotch DVD player with a DVD-R/DVD-RAM optical-media recorder and a hard-disk drive (HDD) with a stunning storage capacity of 160 GB. Whether you're watching the latest DVD movie releases in your home theater, recording your favorite TV programming, or archiving home movies and other videos to long-lasting DVD, the RD-XS52 is your ticket to world-class entertainment. And did we mention that the unit spins your homemade CDs filled with JPEG image files or MP3 and WMA music tracks?
The RD-XS52's HDD lets you store around 135 hours of audio/video programming, ample room for time-shifting your viewing and keeping a fair amount of "must-watch-soon" content at the ready. Imagine the contents of a fleet of 30 VHS tapes, all recorded in 6-hour/EP mode, available at once and with easy navigation, no fast-forwarding or rewinding, and in much higher resolution.
When you have programs you decide you want to keep, just offload them to DVD. Archiving is lickety-split: 24x normal speed when transferring from the HDD to a write-once DVD-R and 12x when burning to DVD-RAM. Time Slip recording/playback lets you begin watching a recording that's already in progress or pause a live recording and return to it later. Amazon.com Product Description

The RD-XS52 is also one of the first DVD recorders to offer an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) with upconversion capability from standard 480i resolution to high-definition 720p or 1080i--perfect for viewing your DVDs, camcorder footage, and television programs on a high-definition-equipped TV, now or in the future. HDMI provides a single-cable digital connection for the highest-quality interface between the DVD player and a compatible television, maintaining the digital audio and video signals until they reach the monitor. Other picture enhancements include 3D digital noise reduction (DNR), mosquito DNR, and block DNR.
Front-panel inputs accommodate VCRs and camcorders, including digital camcorders through an IEEE 1394/DV input. The digital-video input even includes controls for your camcorder to simplify the process of selecting and transferring the scenes you want. Other inputs include 3 each of composite- and S-video (1 each on the front panel) and an RF/antenna input on the rear panel.
For DVD recordings, you can create virtual titles on the hard drive--including menus and chapters with thumbnail images--then burn your programming to DVDs with high-quality MPEG-2 encoding (the DVD-Video standard). A convenient library function maintains an inventory of all your recorded content by disc or title so you can sort by date, time, or genre

The RD-XS52 offers the flexibility of recording on DVD-RAM--perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple rerecordings--as well as on DVD-R, one of the most widely compatible DVD formats (great for sharing camcorder footage with loved ones). DVD-RAM offers double-sided recording (9.4 GB total storage), and the format is rewriteable, too.
Advanced timer programming lets you use the unit like you would a VCR, specifying a time and channel for recording, and built-in Gemstar VCR+ C3 greatly simplifies this. Significantly, this model gives you the option of recording audio in higher resolution than the MP3-like Dolby Digital 2.0. Choose from 3 separate formats, depending upon your desired quality and available disc space: Dolby Digital 1 (192 kbps), Dolby Digital 2 (384 kbps), and linear PCM (1,546 kbps).
For playback, ColorStream Pro progressive-scan component-video outputs (switchable between 480p and standard 480i) provide great color detail and high purity when connected to compatible televisions. The unit also has standard composite- and S-video outputs, with an RF coaxial output for passing tuner signals to an external device such as a VCR (the RF output does not pass a DVD or HDD signal). Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio output (Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

The RD-XS52 records to two DVD types:
DVD-RAM
The most flexible of the recordable DVD formats when it comes to recording, editing, and playback. Even more, you can rerecord content approximately 100,000 times.
DVD-R
A write-once format perfect for sharing treasured video moments with virtually anyone who has a DVD-Video player.


What's in the Box
DVD recorder, DVD-RAM, audio/video interconnects, a universal remote control with television control capability, remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty information.
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Toshiba RD-XS52 DVD Player/Recorder with 160 GB

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Had It For A Week Now, Used It Everyday So Far, Works Great, March 5, 2005 Reviewer: Richard Budney "Patriots Fan" (North Brookfield, Massachusetts) - I haven't had any problems with this recorder. As far as I know there isn't any DVD recorder that will let you record to DVD-R if the movie is copy protected. I purchured a SIMA GoDVD Model CT-2 from Amazon.com for $75.00, in Circuit it listed for $125.00. I don't have any problems recording copy protected movies using the SIMA GoDVD, be it HBO or coping from another dvd player to my Toshiba RD-XS52. As far as being complicated, it does take a little time to get use to, I've had mine a week now and can use it now without the manual. This is a great machine and I have no problem recommending it.
I hope this helps.



Good Recorder , February 27, 2005 Reviewer: Gadget Man "Gadget Man" (California) - See all my reviews recorder. My only gripe is with the menu structure.

Since this DVD Recorder does so many things, the menus are complex. Although the you eventually figure out the menus, there are about three or four different menu buttons that send you in different directions, and sometimes intersect. This is a very confusing layout. It works - but it should be more consistent in the menu structure. (Examples - sometimes the blue button saves, sometimes the orange button saves. Other times the Orange button returns to the prior menu. Setting thumbnail is sometimes done from the quick menu button, but not other times...) One button that gets you everywhere would be better.

The folding remote is a nuissance. Most of the editing and setup funcions require you to unfold it. This is minor, but I thought I'd mention it.

I ran into an HDMI incompatibility. On a JVC 52 inch TV the HDMI reported an error and would not transmit sound or video. I I was never able to resolve the problem on the JVC 52 inch. Note that it worked fine on the JVC 61 inch. I exchanged TV for a 55 inch Sony TV. By setting the sound to PCM, the HDMI worked fine on the Sony.

Toshiba RD-XS52 DVD Player/Recorder with 160 GB

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