Sigma RD-XS34 (160 GB) DVD Player / HDD Recorder

Pros: Excellent performance, multiple record and playback options
Cons: TV Guide could be better, a little noisy, very complex

I recently needed to acquire a device to be my TiVo replacement. In order to fill this need, the device needed to have the ability to program recordings via an electronic guide. Since I also did not want to buy a VCR, I settled on a DVD recorder with ...

Pros: Extensive list of features Good value Basic functions are on the front of the unit
Cons: TV Guide is useless for satellite No less than 9 different menu buttons

One of the main reasons I purchased a DVD recorder was to replace the functions of a VCR (IE. to record daily and occasional programs from broadcast satellite). The RD-XS34 was apparently not designed with this purpose in mind. Good: Extensive list ...

Pros: Beats rewinding video tape to find recorded content.
Cons: Noisy fan that wastes electricity, remote hard to read in dim light.

In November 2005 I purchased the Toshiba RD-XS34 DVD Recorder with 160 GB hard drive. Over all I am happy with the unit but it is not without it’s faults. Finding and viewing recorded programs is faster and easier than video tape. It beats ...

Pros: Stereo TV tuner. 160GB internal HD.
Cons: Difficult to use. Manual has no index. TV guide doesn't work.

Pros: Many low-price DVD recorders lack the Stereo TV tuner, but they don't advertise this fact (they even omit this fact from specs sheet). But this recorder has a Stereo TV tuner. which is good. I burned on many different DVD-R/RW disks, including TDK/Office Max/Fuji/Maxell, all disks were playable from my Dell Inspiron 2200 laptop, but they are not playable on Dell m710 laptop.

CONS: (1) After 2 weeks use, it had problem formating some new DVDs. I bought new DVD disks, but they didn't work either. Finally the problem was solved by "restarting" the recorder by disconnecting the power cord.

(2) I never seen a consumer product with this poor user-interface. There are about 5 different menu buttons (Quick Menu, Edit Menu, Menu, Easy Navigation, Contents Menu etc) on the remote control, and you have to figure out which menu button works depending on which circumstance. Concept of Formating/Finalizing/Canceling Format/Deleting contents are extremely confusing. Worse, as manual lacks INDEX, once I foget how to "finalize" the disk, I have to go through the whole 100 page manual to find "how to finalize". Transferring the content on HDD to DVD disks is also very complicated.

Pros: Excellent record quality, inputs and outputs. Chase function.
Cons: Camcorder problem. A bit difficult to operate at first.

Excellent product but do make sure you read the thick instruction book. Picture quality superb using RGB function (In and out)and powers up ready to record within a couple of seconds. Only problem is with the connectivity of a Sony camcorder via firewire or s- video connections it begins recording and then stops and states copy protection error. After speaking to Toshiba helpline i discovered that the machine has got to have a software modification which means it will be away for 1 week, perhaps this should have been sorted prior to release. It is not as if Sony is a small scale camcorder manufacturer. But apart from this i cannot fault it, i originally was purchasing the JVC MH30 but at the moment am glad i went for the Tosh even with the camcorder hassle. You can even record on the HDD whilst watching a program already recorded on the HDD.

Pros: Very easy to program preset timer recordings
Cons: Some times it does not tape preset timer recordings

I have had this recorder for about three weeks, I paid over $600. for it (I live in Canada) which was fine because I wanted the best unit on the market.
However, the big problem I am having is that about 15-20% of the time, preset timer recordings are not recording the programs. I know I have everything set up correctly, as the other 80% of the time, the programs record fine. I have it set to record three shows every day, and 20% of the time, it shows a thumbnail as if the program has been recorded, but there is no picture.
I phoned Toshiba and they told me that it must be the fault of my cable provider, saying that the service must have been interrupted, but the cable company tells me that there were no interruptions to cable yesterday, when 2 of the 3 programs that I have set to record, did not record.
How frustrating!