Toshiba RD-XS32SU DVD Recorder / HDD Recorder

The Toshiba RD-SX32 is DVD recorder (with an 80 Gb hard drive) that can record on rewritable DVD-RAM and DVD-RW discs and on write-once DVD-R discs. It is great to have the ability to use both DVD-RAM and DVD-R/RW.

Appearance

The recorder seems to be well-built and has a cleanly laid-out front panel with LEDs indicating what type of disc you are using (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R) and if the hard drive (HDD) or DVD is engaged.

The buttons are located on the upper surface of the recorder, which is convenient if you don't plan to stack components up on top of the SX32.

Connections

This DVD recorder, as many others, has better connectivity than either a DVD player or a VCR. It has an RF input (to record from off-the-air and analog cable) and an RF out (to output the signal to a TV with no component, S-Video or composite video input).

It also has a component video out (can be switched between progressive scan and the standard, "interlaced" mode), 2 A/V outputs (including S-Video), coaxial and optical digital audio outs.

The inputs are represented by three A/V inputs (including S-Video), one of which is on the front panel. The rear panel also includes a jack for an IR controller that can change channels on cable/satellite boxes.

The front panel also features a FireWire input for digital video to connect DV digital video devices (MiniDV camcorders, Digital8 camcorders, etc.) under a flip-up lid.

Remote

The supplied remote houses a multitude of buttons, some of which are beneath a flip-up door (which in turns houses some buttons on its front surface). The main playback control buttons are in the middle of the remote and are relatively easy to use. Except for a fact that some of them are combined into a long strip with opposite ends having different functions. I would prefer separate buttons.

Editing

The recorder offers numerous editing features. You can take programs stored on the hard drive, cut some segments from them and then compile them and burn on DVD. If you want to get rid of commercials, the SX32 is for you.

Recording Quality

You can adjust the recording quality (bit rate) in fine increments or choose from two standard quality presets. The SP preset, which records at a bit rate of 5 Mbps (Mb/s), produces excellent picture quality with no noise, virtually indistinguishable from the original. As bit rates decrease, the picture quality worsens too, however.

The sound quality is excellent too. The sound will be in stereo, of course, as there is no 5.1-channel recording option or inputs available (the case with other DVD recorders too).

Playback Quality

The DVD playback quality is great also – crisp, detailed, noise-free and with good colors. The playback from the hard drive is also as good as the bit rate allows. The recorder features picture zoom and picture-in-picture functionality as well.

Other Considerations

The DVD-R and DVD-RW discs require to be finalized, but this is the case with other DVD recorders as well. The DVD-RAM discs do not require to be finalized before they can be played on other DVD players (not all DVD players support DVD-RAM playback).

The DVD-RAM discs are more expensive than DVD-RW, but have larger feature set. E.g. you can erase titles to reclaim space on DVD-RAM but only erase the last title to reclaim space on DVD-RW.

The recorder supports VCR Plus+ and also manual record programming. You can copy video on a DVD disc or the hard drive and then on the DVD disc from a digital camcorder without quality loss due to unneeded digital-analog-digital conversion using the recorder's FireWire input.

Bottom Line

The Toshiba RD-SX32 is a good choice as a DVD recorder for archiving your video footage or favorite TV programs, especially if you record them on the hard drive first and then remove commercials and burin them onto a DVD disc.