Toshiba D-VR4

Toshiba D-VR4 Recorder Review

Delivering true multi-media versatility at a remarkably affordable price, The Toshiba D-VR4 combination DVD recorder and VCR opens a world of video recording and archiving options while saving valuable shelf space.

The Toshiba D-VR4 is a 4-head, hi-fi stereo VCR and a full-featured, progressive-scan DVD player that handles your DVDs, CDs, MP3 music discs, and JPEG-filled digital-photo discs, all wrapped into a component that stands just 3 inches tall.

The recorder can store up to 12 hours of audio/video--whether broadcast programming or copies of your home movies to share with loved ones--on a 4.7 GB double-sided DVD-RAM disc and 6 hours on a write-once DVD-R or recordable DVD-RW.

The Toshiba D-VR4's disc recorder offers the flexibility of recording on both DVD-RAM--perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple rerecordings--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. Time Slip lets you use the device like a digital video recorder, or DVR. Because of DVD-RAM's speedy transfer rate, you can view the recorded portion of an ongoing program from the beginning, while still recording the show in progress.

In addition to recording new video content, the Toshiba D-VR4 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.

For top-of-the-line playback quality, the D-VR4 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 Toshiba D-VR4 delivers a progressive-scan DVD 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 Toshiba D-VR4 also features Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive (3:2 pulldown reversal) for DVD playback. DVD mastering commonly introduces a distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown reversal digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The deck's abundant connections include 2 composite-video and 1 S-video input, 2 sets of stereo analog (left/right) RCA inputs (with a choice, for DVD recording, of uncompressed, linear PCM or, to conserve disc space, Dolby Digital 2.0 audio encoding).

The DVD and VCR sections share a single composite-video output and stereo analog audio output (saving input space on your TV or audio receiver), while the DVD player also offers the component-video outputs mentioned above, an S-video output, and a pair of digital-audio outputs (1 coaxial, 1 optical) for channeling Dolby Digital and DTS multichannel surround signals to a compatible digital surround receiver.

What's in the Box?

Toshiba D-VR4 DVD recorder/VCR combo, remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, RF coaxial video cable.

From the Manufacturer

Record your favorite TV shows and precious home movies to durable DVD discs or VHS tapes with Toshiba's D-VR4. It includes both a DVD recorder and a HiFi VCR in a single space-saving machine. You get easy recording options, plus convenient playback for your whole collection of DVDs and videotapes. This recorder offers some cool capabilities that you usually only get with popular hard drive-based digital video recorders. When you use a special type of erasable DVD called a "DVD-RAM" disc, 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-VR4 sports a few other neat recording features, too. With a built-in VCR and simple one-touch dubbing, you can quickly copy valuable VHS home videos to DVD, or save non-copy-protected DVDs to VHS.

Plus, front-panel audio/video inputs make this a great choice for people who want to back up their home camcorder footage. With handy features like this, the D-VR4 might just become the busiest component in your system.

What Features Does the Toshiba D-VR4 Have?

� 10-bit/54 MHz Video Digtial/Analog Converter

� Digital Cinema Progressive DVD scan

� JPEG Viewer capability

� CD Play capability for MP3 and WMA files

� 4-Head/19-Micron VHS System for VCR

� Multi-Drive Playback and Recording from VCR to DVD, from DVD to VCR (does not record copy-protected material)

� ColorStream Pro? Component Video Outputs - These outputs allow the highest quality video signal to be sent from the DVD player to a component video equipped progressive scan TV.When this connection is utilized with today's HD-compatible sets, typical NTSC artifacts-like video noise, dot crawl, and flicker-are virtually eliminated, resulting in a low-noise, highly detailed picture with unequaled color purity.

� Chase Play allows the user to begin watching a recording that is already in progress from the beginning while it continues to record to the end.

� Front Panel A/V & S-Video Inputs - There are composite audio & video inputs, as well as S-Video input on the front panel of the unit for easy camcorder dubbing

� 3-D Virtual Surround Sound

� 24-Bit/96kHz Audio Digital/Analog Converter

� DOLBY Digital and DTS Compatible Output

� VHS Hi-Fi Stereo sound

� VCR Records at SP and EP / Plays SP, LP and EP

� VCR Plus+ Timer Recording

� Auto Channel Setup

� Channel Lock

� Universal Remote with TV Controls

� Unit Dimensions: 17" x 3 3/16" x 12 9/16" (WxHxD) / Weighs 12 pounds

� DVD player type: Multi-drive playback and recording

� JPEG viewer: Yes

� VCR type: 4-head and 19-micron Hi-Fi stereo VHS playback

� Digital cinema progressive scan: Yes, DVD only

� Video digtial and analog aonverter: 10-bit and 54 MHz

� Resolution: 500 plus lines

� Virtual surround sound: Yes

� WMA and MP3 playback: Yes

� Audio digital and analog converter: 24-bit and 96kHz

� 3-D virtual surround sound: Yes

� VHS Hi-Fi stereo: Yes

� MTS stereo and SAP with dbx: Yes

� Auto clock set: Yes

� Daylight savings time adjust: Yes

� Time zone adjust: Yes

� On-screen keyboard: Yes

� Auto channel setup: Yes

� Parental lock: Yes

� Unified remote control: Yes

� Recording modes: 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours

� Chase play: Yes, with DVD-RAM

� Disc quantity: 1

� Disc play: DVD-Video, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM and DVD-RW

� Disc record: DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW

� Video heads: 4

� Record speeds: SP/EP

� SQPB: Yes

� Channel tuner: 125 channel

� Fast forward and rewind: Fast forward with audio 1.5x, fast scan and slow motion

� Bi-direction dubbing: Yes

� Inputs and outputs: ColorStream Pro Progressive Scan component video output, ColorStream Pro Component video output for DVD, optical coaxial and TosLink Digital Audio output, front panel A/V and s-video, Y/Pr/Pb output, S-video output, RCA video outputs, L-R audio output, RF input, S-video input, 2 RCA video inputs, 2 L-R audio inputs

� Dimensions: 17 x 3 1/2 x 12 1/4 inches (WxHxD)

Conclusion

The Toshiba D-VR4 video recorder gives you the best of both worlds - analog VHS videocassette recording and digital DVD recording. Both can record TV shows at pre-programmed times from a built-in 125 channel TV tuner. The DVD recorder (which records on DVD-RAM, and DVD-R /RW discs), will also record tapes played on the VHS player. It's a great way to make a smooth transition from VCR to DVD, for home recording purposes.

Best DVD Recorder Reviews Rating

6/10

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