Toshiba DR17DT DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner
Toshiba DR17DT DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner
Integrated digital tuner. Playable formats: DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW, DVD-RAM, CD, CD-R/-RW, VCD, SVCD, DivX.
Customer Review: not that impressed (yet)
I’ve only had this player 2 days but I must say my first impressions are not that great. On paper this machine seems to do everything, but I took a risk buying it as I couldn’t find any reviews for it online. My first comment is that it’s so s……l……o…….w. Put in a DVD movie and it takes an age for the menu to appear. Once playing a movie things are not much better. The 1080p upscaling (via HDMI) seems to work - however Iam not sure it’s any better than the xbox360 over VGA.
The user interface looks dated and again is very slow to nativate around. I’ve yet to attempt any recording, but I hope it will score better in that area! So far only 3 stars (for HDMI output and styling).
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Used Price: ?259.99
Customer Review: Not over-rated
This is the third DVD/HD recorder I have owned. I bought the original DVD/HD machine, the Panasonic HS2, a basic machine, still going strong. I also bought a much better, but unreliable JVC, which finally died completely. Panasonic seem to have come back with better machines, picking up ideas like thumbnail menus, DVD-RW and no timer button, while retaining good features like automatic programming titling and cartridge DVD-RAM. Contrary to one review here, this machine certainly can be used while it is recording. You can watch any disc or programme on the hard disk, including the programme you are recording (from the beginning). This is a feature of all the machines I have owned. You can not record while copying a disc, but that’s no big deal. It seems a bit of a niggle to complain about how long it takes to power up. How long does you computer take? A lot longer than this machine. I don’t know about the clock not changing, mine comes up with the right time even after it has been unplugged all night. I like the freeview recording and the programme guide is fine, just like the ones on freeview boxes, except you can set a recording from there. The remote is a lot better than the HS2, which was certainly bad. This one, while not being the most powerful, I find ok. My machine has worked perfectly and works with old discs that the previous machine could not read. I don’t find this machine to be at all difficult to use. It is also much quieter than my previous machines. My only criticism is that it only reads SD movie files from particular video cameras. It does not read the movie files from many cameras including Panasonic own Lumix range. I would like to see it read any popular format, anywhere on an SD card. My best machine so far and I’m very happy with it.
Customer Review: Good, but overrated
Just thought I’d make the effort to give some feedback, as I had read these reviews before I bought mine and think they are a little over generous. I’ve had mine a couple of weeks and I will probably take it back as I don’t believe it’s as good as it should be for the money. The most annoying thing is that you can’t use it while it’s recording a tv program. It’s so slow to respond it’s painful. It takes around 30 seconds to switch on, which is frustrating. I have to turn it on twice for some reason to get it to come on. The one film I have recorded doesn’t playback smoothly after about 1hr. I guess the last two problems are because mine might be faulty. It will play mp3s. but only off a dvd? You can’t save them onto the hard drive, or play them off the sd card slot. Although I have to be honest, that’s hyper critical because I was actually pretty chuffed to be able play mp3s on it at all. On the plus side, the picture quality using a hdmi cable and a hd telly is great, as it the sound using my amp. All in all, I’m taking mine back. (Didn’t get it from Amazon). I may get it replaced to find out it was just a one off. If that turns out to be the case, I’ll update this review. Given that you can’t use it while it’s recording tv, I think I’ll just get my money back. Hope that helps.
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in Silver
Amazon Price: ?219.99
Customer Review: You CAN’T transfer your purchased VHS collection to DVD with this
Good * The Freeview digital tuner images are great (no analogue tuner at all - unlike the earlier EZ45 model I bought for my Mum). * Electronic Program Guide (EPG) can be configured to remember programs for quick start-up (unlike my Humax). * Video and DVD images are crisp. * DVD records and plays every option imaginable (+R, -R, +RW, -RW, DL & RAM - RAM is most flexible). * It’s great for copying home video into DVD, either from VHS or direct from your camcorder via a DV socket. Bad * Most commercial video is Macrovision encoded and this device deliberately stops you copying them to DVD - even from an external source. * Menu and Titling options on home burnt DVDs are not as flexible as I’d like. * No SD Card input which the earlier EZ45 model had. * Remote control crowded and hard to find all the options.
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