Toshiba RD-XS34 DVD recorder

Posted by T3 Online on Fri 26 Oct 2007

The DVD recorder that skimps on picture quality but loves DV camcorders.

This recorder only has an analogue tuner, but can control your set-top box via its IR blaster. It lacks an EPG, which is a real pain in the arris for those of you used to having them.

It's capable of recording up to 276 hours of TV. Although by no means bad, quality is not on the same level as the Sony RDR-HXD710 or Philips DVDR3300H - a recorded episode of Invasion looked slightly smudgy.

An unwieldy menu system and cluttered remote control earn this a few more black marks, but nevertheless, this recorder is not without its charms. For the asking price it has plenty of useful features like DVD-RAM recording and editing, while editing facilities for camcorder footage (imported, as usual, via iLink) are the best of any unit on test.

This may not make great recordings, but if you want a machine that will bond with your DV camcorder, look no further.