Toshiba D-R4

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Toshiba D-R4 Recorder Review

A happy meeting of high quality and high value, The Toshiba D-R4 (Multi-Write)is not just a full-featured progressive-scan DVD player that handles your DVDs, CDs, MP3/WMA music discs, and JPEG-filled recordable discs. It's also a DVD recorder capable of storing up to 6 hours of audio/video on a single-sided 4.7 GB recordable DVD--whether broadcast programming or copies of your home movies to share with loved ones.

The Toshiba D-R4 offers the flexibility of recording on both DVD-RAM--perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple re-recordings--as well as DVD-R, the most widely compatible of the many DVD formats (great for sharing camcorder footage with loved ones). DVD-RW compatibility lets you erase and rewrite, though relatively few players and computer drives will play back DVD-RWs. DVD-RAM discs can be read, written, and erased more than 100,000 times.

When recording, the Toshiba D-R4 captures the first video frame and displays it as the chapter mark. You can then designate chapter marks with custom screen captures or thumbnail images of your choice. The Toshiba D-R4 also lets you generate and save custom playlists using any title and chapter. Each list of desired footage can be separately titled and edited (for removal of, say, commercials) and then seamlessly played back.

Time Slip lets you use your DVD recorder like a personal video recorder, or PVR. Because of DVD-RAM's fast transfer rate, you can view the recorded portion of an ongoing program from the beginning, while still recording the show in progress.

The Toshiba D-R4 features a 181-channel cable-compatible tuner and 2-month, 36-event programming. And, in addition to recording new video content, the D-R4 lets you transfer and even enhance your favorite video recordings to durable, space-saving discs--a terrific way to archive, preserve, and access your movies and family videos. The unit's EASY NAVI menu simplifies operation by giving you direct access to key operations such as locating and playing back of recorded content.

For top-of-the-line playback, the D-R4 is equipped with a 10-bit/54 MHz video digital-to-analog converter capable of great color purity and detail. When connected to a high-definition or HD-ready television through its ColorStream Pro component-video outputs, the D-R4 delivers Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive picture. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.

The D-R4 also has Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive feature, which performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The deck's abundant connections include multiple composite- and S-video inputs and outputs, stereo analog (left/right) inputs and outputs, and an optical digital-audio output for use with a compatible digital surround receiver.

From the Manufacturer

Record your favorite TV shows and home movies to compact, durable DVDs. The Toshiba D-R4 gives you the superior picture quality and reliability of DVD, plus simple, flexible recording options. It even helps you organize and label your recordings, for easier navigation of your personal video library.

The Toshiba D-R4 can record to different kinds of discs for different jobs. For recordings you want to keep forever, use permanent, write-once DVDs. These discs can't be erased, so you'll never accidentally record over something you wanted to save. For shows you want to watch once or twice and then delete, you can use rewriteable, erasable DVDs. Using a type of rewritable disc known as "DVD-RAM," you can take advantage of some handy capabilities similar to those found on hard drive-based digital video recorders. For example, you can start watching a program from the beginning while it's still recording. Or, you can pause playback while the deck continues to record, and watch the rest later.

The D-R4 also gives you useful ways to organize and navigate your recordings. It automatically creates a customizable on-screen menu of the programs saved on each disc, including the recording date, channel, title, and a thumbnail image. You can also insert your own chapter markers on rewritable DVDs, so that you can quickly find the shows or scenes you want to watch later on. Record an entire season of your favorite drama, then set chapter markers at the end of commercial breaks to jump ahead to the good stuff.

With this capable recorder, customizing your video collection is a snap.

What's in the Box?

The Toshiba D-R4 , a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a stereo analog audio/composite-video cable, and an RF coaxial video cable.

What Features Does the Toshiba D-R4 Have?

� DVD type: Multi-drive playback and recording � Digital cinema progressive: Yes, 3/2 pulldown � JPEG viewer: Yes � Video digtial/analog converter: 10-bit/54 MHz � Comb filter: 2-line digital � Black level expander: Yes

� Digital video noise reduction playback: Yes � WMA and MP3 Playback: Yes

� Audio digital/analog converter: 24-Bit/192kHz

� Surround sound: 3-D virtual surround sound with Dolby Digital and DTS compatible output

� Auto clock set: Yes

� Daylight savings time adjust: Yes

� Time zone adjust: Yes

� One-touch record: Yes

� On-screen keyboard: Yes

� Time recording: 36 program/2 month

� Auto channel setup: Yes

� Parental lock: Yes

� Remote control: Universal remote control with TV controls

� Menu: Easy Navi menu

� Recording modes: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 hour

� Pause live TV: Yes, time slip and chase play and live chase play "Pause Live TV"

� Disc quantity: 1 � Disc record: DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW

� Auto title, chapter and thumbnail creation: Yes

� Compatible discs: DVD-R, DVD-RAM and DVD-RW

� Simultaneous recording and playback: Yes

� Time base correction: Yes

� Fast forward and rewind: Yes, instant replay/instant skip, fast forward with audio 1.5x, fast scan and slow motion

� Recording selection: 0 IRE and 7.5 IRE

� Channel tuner: 125 Channels

� Inputs and outputs: ColorStream Pro Component video output, front panel A/V and s-video, Optical TosLink digital audio outputs, Y/Pr/Pb outputs, s-video output, RCA video outputs, 2 L-R audio outputs, optical output, RF output, 2 s-video inputs, 2 RCA video inputs, 2 L-R audio inputs, 1 RF input � Dimensions: 17 x 2.3 x 11.8 inches (WxHxD)

Conclusion

You've grown up with a VCR. It had its ups and downs but, overall, it was okay. Now you don't have to be satisfied with "okay". You can now record your own DVD's. A DVD is a digital means of preserving a recording which, unlike a videocassette, means a recording is a virtual copy of the original.

The Toshiba D-R4 DVD recorder is designed to provide the greatest flexibility in recording and playback by supporting DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW recordable disc formats.

Best DVD Recorder Reviews Rating

9/10

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