Toshiba RD-97DT 250GB Storage, , DVD Recorder Reviews

+ Good capacity hard disk for recording and good picture quality on playback

- When using the unit as a Freview Receiver the sound is out of sync with the picture. You see the lips move well before the words are spoken. A major flaw, as the recorder performs well.

+ Good looking design. Simple to use and easy setup. Large capacity hard disk. Can watch DVD and record to hard drive at the same time. High quality picture/sound from HDD recordings.

- Cooling fan is a bit noisy. EPG is a bit fiddly to use and to record from. All programmes for the next few hours should be displayed in a time line chart. Could have twin tuners to allow a channel to be watched and one to be recorded at the same time.

+ DUAL TUNERS, SLEEK DESIGN

- NOISY COOLING FAN, VAGUE INSTRUCTION BOOK

+ With using EPG for timer recordings, it leaves a full detailed record of each recording in the form of a thumb nail picture. The thumbnails play automaticlly with sound as it is selected. The picture quality is excellent on my 37" high definition television using an HDMI cable.

- The remote control can not be changed to a different frequency. Fortuneatly my old Toshiba HD recorder did have this facility other wise it would have caused a problem as I use both recorders one on top of the other.

+ Simple to setup and idiot proof to programme nice looking piece of kit

- Freeview guide could be better but nothing to worry about

+ Reviewer left no comment

- Poor organising of recorded programmes - difficult to write the name of the program.

+ being able to dubb fromm hdd to dvd and vise versa. also its upscaling feature.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Easy to set up and use.

- Reviewer left no comment

+ Easy to use. Brand reliability.

- The programme guide takes a little getting used to and the user interface is alittle basic compared to other brands.

+ good recordings,convenient for recording and copying

- none so far

+ Chase recording and chase viewing are an excellent feature, as are recording one channel whilst viewing an earlier recording.
Once you find your way around the menu structure the units functions are easy to use.

- With programmed recording you can only set the repeat daily/weekly option on the actual day that the first event takes place and not in advance (very frustrating). Also, if the power is interupted for more than 30 seconds, all pre-programmed settings are lost!

+ Ease of use (if you take the time to read the instructions).
Hard disc size.
Timeslip facility.
High speed dubbing.

- Occasionally, when editing out adverts (for instance), the restart point drops sound for a split second.

+ very easy to programme and watch back on the hard drive

- noisy! Quite loud humming noise when switched on like when a pc is switched on. Getting used to it slightly but rather off putting! I am told it happens with all 'hard drives'!

+ The HDD recorder is simple to use, extremely easy to playback. I haven't tried recording to DVD yet so can't comment. Using a gold scart still left a short time delay between picture and sound, which was slightly annoying but didn't happen everytime. To get over this problem I have replaced the gold scart with a gold HDMI lead. Using this lead also stops the unit from overriding the TV when switched, on this was another annoying habit. The fan isn't a nusiance unless you have the sound really low - so isn't a problem.

- Can't see any bad points. Any issues I had were easily overcome - though this was through advice from friends etc.and not from the user guide.

+ Easy to set up. Easy to use.

- Sound and Picture aren't in sync, makes it impossible to use the pause live tv feature because you cant watch the live tv!!