Toshiba D-R1 DVD Recorder
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- Number of Discs: 1
- Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
- TV Tuner: With TV Tuner
- Playable Disk Types: DVD Video VCD DVD-RAM DVD-R DVD-RW CD (Audio) CD-R CD-RW
- Playable File Formats: DivX XviD MP3 WMA JPEG
- DVD Type: DVD Recorder
Similar in Blu-ray and DVD Players
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Toshiba D-R1 Multiformat DVD Recorder / Player
Pros
Good value, format flexibility, performance and features, flexible bit rate
Cons
No DVD-Audio playback or 5.1 out
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The Toshiba D-R1 is a good value and a great DVD recorder with solid feature set and performance.
There are several advantages that Toshiba D-R1 DVD recorder has over other DVD recorders. First and foremost is its ability to record on several formats, including Panasonic-promoted DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW. In other words, it records on all DVD Forum-approved formats.
It does not record in DVD+R or DVD+RW formats, but these are not DVD Forum approved formats. Another advantage is its flexible bit rate, which can be fine-tuned to deliver the best combination of the picture quality and recording time.
Other important features include a DV input (FireWire), progressive scan output, 3 A/V inputs (composite, S-Video and stereo audio) and both coaxial and optical digital audio outs.
Front Panel
The recorder has control buttons on the top of the unit, which may be a good thing if it is located on top of other equipment, but not such a good thing if you wanted to put it somewhere where the access from above is limited.
In addition to front DV input, there is a front A/V input (composite, S-Video and analog stereo audio). The display in the right part of the recorder looks very similar to the VCR display, which makes the recorder look familiar and friendly.
Connectivity
In addition to DV input (FireWire, i.Link) for recording from a digital camcorder, the D-R1 also has three A/V inputs with S-Video (1 in front and 2 in the rear) and an DF input (antenna or analog cable).
Outputs include a component video out (can be switched between progressive scan (for those who have an HDTV or EDTV) and interlaced out (for the rest of us)). Also provided are 2 A/V outs (S-Video, composite video and stereo audio), an optical and coaxial digital audio outs and an RF (antenna-style) out.
Performance
There are several modes of recording with varying picture quality and recording time. The Manual mode lets you record about 71 minutes on a disc (at a bit rate of 6.6 Mbps) with excellent resolution and picture quality virtually indistinguishable from original. The Standard mode (4.6 Mbps) lets you fit 2 hours on one disc and is very well suited for recording anything off the air/cable. You can see occasional artifact in this mode if you make a copy from the DV input and feed a very complex scene from a good digital camcorder.
The LP mode fits 4 hours on one disc and has only about half horizontal resolution of the SP or Manual modes and features artifacts that might or might not be annoying. Being spoiled by DVD, I get slightly annoyed by artifacts while watching DirecTV sometimes (they use much MPEG2 at lower bit rates than DVDs are recorded at and that also creates artifacts).
The adjustable bit rate mode lets you select bit rate from 9.2 Mbps to 1.4 Mbps. At 9.2 Mbps, the picture quality I superb with no artifacts and excellent resolution. You may want to use higher bit rates from the allowed range to record digital camcorder footage with fast complex motion. Near the bottom of the range (1.4 Mbps), the picture quality becomes pretty bad.
In all modes, the sound quality is excellent though.
The playback of DVD video and CD-Audio is excellent. Video looks sharp and clear with excellent resolution and detail level. In addition to store-bought CDs, the recorder also plays CD-R/W discs.
Functionality
Firstly, DVD-RAM has more features but it is not as compatible with other DVD players as DVD-R or DVD-RW. The recorder can record DVD-RW discs in Video mode only, but not in VR mode. The Video mode is more compatible with other DVD players than VR mode, but doesn't allow as much flexibility when editing.
The recorder features a full set of DVD-RAM tricks, including TiVo-like "TimeSlip" function. You can pause live TV while it is being recorder and proceed later. The VCR Plus+ feature simplifies recording of programs of the air (for those who uses it; I never do).
Remote
The recorder's remote is good, but could be better. The numeric keypad is under a flip-down cover, which has some other buttons. The playback control buttons are spread out around the menu control buttons in a nice-looking, but not-so-easy to use fashion. The remote definitely needs light for you to be able to fully utilize it.
Bottom Line
The Toshiba D-R1 is a good value and a great DVD recorder with solid feature set and performance.
It does not record in DVD+R or DVD+RW formats, but these are not DVD Forum approved formats. Another advantage is its flexible bit rate, which can be fine-tuned to deliver the best combination of the picture quality and recording time.
Other important features include a DV input (FireWire), progressive scan output, 3 A/V inputs (composite, S-Video and stereo audio) and both coaxial and optical digital audio outs.
Front Panel
The recorder has control buttons on the top of the unit, which may be a good thing if it is located on top of other equipment, but not such a good thing if you wanted to put it somewhere where the access from above is limited.
In addition to front DV input, there is a front A/V input (composite, S-Video and analog stereo audio). The display in the right part of the recorder looks very similar to the VCR display, which makes the recorder look familiar and friendly.
Connectivity
In addition to DV input (FireWire, i.Link) for recording from a digital camcorder, the D-R1 also has three A/V inputs with S-Video (1 in front and 2 in the rear) and an DF input (antenna or analog cable).
Outputs include a component video out (can be switched between progressive scan (for those who have an HDTV or EDTV) and interlaced out (for the rest of us)). Also provided are 2 A/V outs (S-Video, composite video and stereo audio), an optical and coaxial digital audio outs and an RF (antenna-style) out.
Performance
There are several modes of recording with varying picture quality and recording time. The Manual mode lets you record about 71 minutes on a disc (at a bit rate of 6.6 Mbps) with excellent resolution and picture quality virtually indistinguishable from original. The Standard mode (4.6 Mbps) lets you fit 2 hours on one disc and is very well suited for recording anything off the air/cable. You can see occasional artifact in this mode if you make a copy from the DV input and feed a very complex scene from a good digital camcorder.
The LP mode fits 4 hours on one disc and has only about half horizontal resolution of the SP or Manual modes and features artifacts that might or might not be annoying. Being spoiled by DVD, I get slightly annoyed by artifacts while watching DirecTV sometimes (they use much MPEG2 at lower bit rates than DVDs are recorded at and that also creates artifacts).
The adjustable bit rate mode lets you select bit rate from 9.2 Mbps to 1.4 Mbps. At 9.2 Mbps, the picture quality I superb with no artifacts and excellent resolution. You may want to use higher bit rates from the allowed range to record digital camcorder footage with fast complex motion. Near the bottom of the range (1.4 Mbps), the picture quality becomes pretty bad.
In all modes, the sound quality is excellent though.
The playback of DVD video and CD-Audio is excellent. Video looks sharp and clear with excellent resolution and detail level. In addition to store-bought CDs, the recorder also plays CD-R/W discs.
Functionality
Firstly, DVD-RAM has more features but it is not as compatible with other DVD players as DVD-R or DVD-RW. The recorder can record DVD-RW discs in Video mode only, but not in VR mode. The Video mode is more compatible with other DVD players than VR mode, but doesn't allow as much flexibility when editing.
The recorder features a full set of DVD-RAM tricks, including TiVo-like "TimeSlip" function. You can pause live TV while it is being recorder and proceed later. The VCR Plus+ feature simplifies recording of programs of the air (for those who uses it; I never do).
Remote
The recorder's remote is good, but could be better. The numeric keypad is under a flip-down cover, which has some other buttons. The playback control buttons are spread out around the menu control buttons in a nice-looking, but not-so-easy to use fashion. The remote definitely needs light for you to be able to fully utilize it.
Bottom Line
The Toshiba D-R1 is a good value and a great DVD recorder with solid feature set and performance.
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