002 4 This unit is really great ! We recently got a 40 HD TV and needed a replacement for the VCR - - we wanted to record shows ( and On-Demand movies ) at a good enough quality for HD viewing .
One option was DVR from Comcast for $10 / month ( which might or might not allow recording of On-Demand movies and transfer to computer for disc-burning ) . Another option was using a computer with a video acquisition device and record to hard drive . The third option was this unit for $110 , delivered , from Amazon - - hands down the most practical choice .
Though this unit doesn't record in true HD resolution , the quality is about the same ( in 2 hour mode , 16x9 ) as regular 16x9 enhanced DVDs . At first I was worried the recorded discs might not play on other DVD players ; but they did , no problem at all on any of our equipment ( that is , after the recording is finalized ) . The recording time for a DVD-R disc ( on high quality mode ) was 2 hours and 8 minutes . ( On lower quality modes , it's 4 + hours and 8 + hours . )
Navigating the menu system is easy enough , and each recorded disk is given a simple menu with the various recordings available to choose from ( which by default have the date & time of recording as the title , but can be renamed ) .
Upconversion of commercial DVDs is quite good ( enough so that we're not that motivated to get a Blu-Ray player yet ; - ) .
Our only complaints ( which are very minor ) are that the tray-eject is a little slow & noisy and that there isn't component video inputs ( just composite video & S-Video inputs ) . But it was easy enough to hook up to our cable box ( or TV ) to record from their outputs .
This will be a great unit to have until Blu-Ray recorders become less expensive .
014 4 Pro's
- Records easily
- Recorded Generic DVD-R's have played on three different dvd players ( and brands ) with no problems and acceptable quality .
- Video quality is fine when playing a commercially recorded DVD and acceptable when playing burned disk .
- Menus are smartly arranged
Con's
- Remote is too small so the tiny buttons are hard to read and overall remote seems pretty cheap .
- Labeling chapters is not unlike trying to solve a rubics cube
- Inputs limited to 1 composite , 1 S video and 1 DV - a second composite input sure would be handy .
Other Thoughts -
I need to experiment with the settings and inputs but the recording quality is good - but not great . Recording a HD program out of the cable box yielded a finely pixalated picture on both a 32 and 46 LCD sets when played on upscaling DVD players . The same disks on an old 20 Vega tube tv with a progressive scan DVD player the picture had as nearly good picture quality as a commercially recorded DVD .
031 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I added a great Tuner with a Gov sponsored TV Converter box ( Insignia from Best Buy that I have ) . I then purchased a Dayton SVC1 S-Video Jack to RCA Plug Converter , and a S-Video Cable here . Connect the Plug end to the Video Out of the TV Converter box , and the other end of the S-video cable to the rear L1 S-video of the Recorder . Total cost for cable and plug was about $15 with shipping .
This recorder can edit a recording with + R DVDs ( not - R ) via chapter markers . I was able to hide the commercials . Once finalized it would be permanent .
032 4 I added a great Tuner with a Gov sponsored TV Converter box ( Insignia from Best Buy that I have ) . I then purchased a Dayton SVC1 S-Video Jack to RCA Plug Converter , and a S-Video Cable here . Connect the Plug end to the Video Out of the TV Converter box , and the other end of the S-video cable to the rear L1 S-video of the Recorder . Total cost for cable and plug was about $15 with shipping .
This recorder can edit a recording with + R DVDs ( not - R ) via chapter markers . I was able to hide the commercials . Once finalized it would be permanent .
052 4 I am pleased with this dvd recorder , one of the reasons being it plays vcd's , my other ( and first ) dvd player didn't but it said in the manual it did . This one does and glad about it . It's easy to use , my last was a Toshiba so it was easy enough to get to know it , many features operated in the same way . Remotes a little different but not much .
So I recommmend this especially if you want to play vcd's .
060 4 I had a dvd recorder going back four years ago - a generic cheap one and it stopped working so I threw it out . I have been hesitant to get one since , primarily because of the prices and I wanted one that could record from all platforms and have good quality . I must say for the price , it is unbelievable . You can record at different speeds ( about 4 ) and the quality is noticeable . i am rather savvy with electronics so I did not have a problem with connecting it to my cable or vcr.It even has an hdmi outlet ! But you probably wont need it if you are mostly converting old tapes . The instructions are ok , but could be better . Play with the remote and functions , you will see all it can do . I read a review before I bought it about it making a noise as you load it ; that is so irrelevant-almost all dvd players make sounds as you load them .
Again for the price and quality , I recommend it . I have had it for 3 months not and it has worked great .
074 4 Given that the Toshiba DVD costs under $100 I think it is an exceptional value . In my case , it does everything I need . It has a wide variety of outputs including component , S-video and HDMI outputs - and I use all three . Plus it has coax ( digital ) sound output which my old unit - at twice the price - did not have . As for operation , it's a snap to use . Just for the heck of it I threw in a DVD + RW that my Sony recorder had partially formatted before locking up and the Toshiba promptly formatted it with no issues . In fact , it seems to format any type of disk I throw at it . Another big plus is that it seems to format disks in a very short time .
The manual is also very impressive with large , easy to understand directions . I also like the fact that it's broken down by popular topics . My only gripe would be that the display is incredibly small . In fact , it's kinda difficult to determine if the unit is on or off . But this is a minor quibble . And some people are sure to prefer the ' stealth ' look that this recorder provides .
114 4 I purchased a DVR five years ago and love it . It is starting to have a few issues , so I have been looking for a replacement . When I saw the Gold Box Deal price , I thought this could be the one . ( I paid $100 for my current one and about that for this one ) But this is not it !
DVRs record best at 3 hours or less . This one records at 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 or 8 hours . Therefore , this one only has two higher quality recording speeds . And a lot of the films that I record are about 90 minutes . Therefore , I will burn two discs instead of one .
Once you record a program the only edit that is allowed is to title the program . My current one allows me to change chapter marks , hide sections and to choose a cover picture .
Now the reason that I am so frustrated , is that most of the time with electronics , as time goes by it gets better and less expensive . This definitely did not .
Other than this , the set's picture quality , sound and programming to be adequate .
If you are looking to replace a VCR , then this is probably a good option . But if you are using it to create a library , then buy a better model .
005 4 I bought this unit after reveiwing other brands on the Amazon web pages . I wanted to copy from Tivi to DVD.Nice owners guide and physical looks . The tray opens just like other players with a little noise , no big deal ! It does take awhile to finallize your dvd copys but , no big deal . Component out only , no cable terninals , no tuner . the recording light on the front is real tiny.On screen menu is good . For my use this recorder is perfect .
030 4 This is low end DVD player and recorder , which delivers reasonably good quality . The manual does not give proper guidance . I am still unable to figure out how to record in full wide screen display .
076 4 This is my second upconverting dvd player and by far the better one . The other was a magnavox and didnt give me a noticable difference from a normal dvd . This player is great and works as advertised .
009 4 I had this unit for less than 3 weeks . Hooked it up , but never got the chance to even use it ! One night it just simply wouldn't turn on , and the unit would'nt open . Called Toshiba for help - The warranty on page 101 stated that it would be replaced with a new or reconditioned unit . I was told that was a typo and that I would have to send the unit in for repair . Luckily , I had puchased it from Amazon and they have a good return policy . I will look for another unit to replace this one .
012 4 I bought this DR420 from an Amazon affiliate at the end of June , 2009 . Amazon was out of stock . I plan to transfer homemade VHS tapes to DVD , but I haven't tried that yet . The upconverting DVD player works great at 1080p connected to an HDTV with HDMI cable . I am completely satisfied with the picture quality and I don't see any need for BlueRay . I don't have any complaint about the remote control . I am writing this to warn of a potential problem when playing a DVD . On two different DVDs the player has hit a spot where the sound suddenly cut off . It was easy to restore the sound by hitting PAUSE and then PLAY again . This might be a problem with handling an error on the DVD , or I just may have a lemon . It would be interesting to know if others have seen the same problem .
008 4 I bought this DVD recorder to convert my old VHS home movies into DVD's . I had it up and running in no time . It is extremely easy to use . I had shopped around before buying because I wanted something easy and something that would work well . If you are thinking about getting a DVD recorder , but are unsure . . . rest assured , this is a great recorder . I'm extremely happy with it .
044 4 Very good transaction , product came as advertised and worked as advertised . When connected as described in the directions the recorded will read and write both VHS and DVD's as advertised . Anyone that has had problems with this product did not connect it up properly .
015 4 Arrived a couple of days before I expected it . I began working it as soon as I got it . Was real easy to use . Manual was good , could have been better . Setup was a snap ! Have beem working it pretty much non-stop for a couple of months now , with no complaints . Seems to be an excellent machine , so far ! We'll see how long it will last ! But I will definitely recommend this product !
P.S . Remember to fanalize your recordings when you're finnished , or they won't be playable on other machines ! ! ! A lot of people seem to make that mistake .
017 4 I could go into all the features of this machine , but I think it would be better to say that it just does everything I want it to and it doesn't require a high learning curve . When I want to record something I just hit the record button . Next to the button is the mode button where you can choose the recording size . As far as playing DVDs , it does a respectable job and upgrades the video . It is a nice recorder for the money .
Ken
Webmaster
About Facts Net
049 4 After attempting to use the machine by following the instructions in the provided manual , which are not very easy to understand , I used common sense . When properly installed , the recorder / player works very well .
088 4 I found it eats discs . After it eating the disc , you cannot get it out . Luckily I can put in another blank disc and it would return both discs back to you . Having to return the product to the seller . The seller is quite nice and offer return without much questions .
Probably it is a rare case , but really unexpected from Toshiba
090 4 I had this recorder out of the box and recording DVDs in no time and I am not a techie . I am happy with the quality of the recording too .
116 4 For the most part , this is a great dvd recorder and does the job well . I have a question , I am not able to play recorded dvd-r and dvd-rw on my computer . The computer plays other dvd-r just fine . But it just wont play the dvds recorded on the Toshiba . . . any ideas ?
127 4 I had received a refurbish one , eventhought , said new condition , it
was not working properly and can not play back not one movie
129 4 I Felt that all went very well , arrived in good shape and timely .
thank you .
019 4 I have the output hooked to a 40 LCD Samsung via HDMI cable . My cable signal comes in through RCA style cables . The instruction manual is very complete and thorough at 100 pages . The recorder can be set up very quickly for recording . I am using DVD + R discs . The unit only records at 480 which I assume is a limitation imposed by the cable box . Play quality of recorded DVD's is very good , not as good as 1080 though . Playback of DVD movies is excellent . The on screen programming is functional if not pretty . Basically , this is a fine DVD recorder for recreational home recording .
027 4 If you , like me , have done any research recently on DVD-recorders you have found yourself faced with a mass of mostly contradicting information . I used to have a Toshiba DVD recorder that lived a long and productive life at my place , and when it died I started looking for another . I started looking across the board at all brands and models and prices .
OK , here's what I was after . I wanted a basic DVD recorder that I could use to make archival copies of DVDs , home video , etc . I also wanted to use it for DVD playback and upscaling standard DVDs to 720p ( the quality of my TV ) . I did NOT plan to use it to record shows off of TV while I was out , etc .
While I was doing my homework is became apparent that DVD-recorders are no longer state of the art ( they've been replaced by DVRs , Tivo , etc . , for the most part ) . This is no surprise to most people , including , me , but I pushed ahead anyway , because I knew what I wanted and what I would use it for .
My searching brought me back to this unit over and over . It is reasonably priced , I have had a Toshiba before , so its method of operation should be familiar , and so I looked further . The vast majority of the reviews were positive , but there was a nagging list of reviews that gave it low marks . When I checked those out more carefully I noted that most of them were dissatisfied with the recorder's ability to do timed recording ( while people were out ) . The other major complaint was the inability to play recorded discs in other DVD players . it turned out that most of these complaints came from people that did not know , initially , that a DVD needs to be finalized before it can be played in other players ( I was aware of this because of my earlier DVD-recorder experience ) .
Since I knew that I had no plans to to use this unit for absentee recording , and I was aware of the disc finalizing issue I went ahead and purchased this machine . I've had it for a few months now , and I've used it to record several things . This DVD-recorder has done everything I hoped it would do . It records well . It plays and upscales my DVDs so they look better on my TV , and it's easy to operate .
You can set the DVD recorder so that the finalization takes place automatically , or you can do it manually .
I have used DVDs recorded in this unit in Sanyo and Magnavox DVD players , as well as in computer DVD drives . No problems here !
I'm happy ! The price , features , and performance are all right for me . Maybe they will be for you , too .
5 stars .
004 4 I bought this unit to transfer videotapes to DVD , and to save TV shows on DVD from my cable DVR . For that purpose , it works perfectly . The setup is simple , and the controls are very easy to use . The manual is very clear , with nice big pictures to show you where the relevant buttons are . I had it set up and dubbing within 15 minutes .
I only use DVD-R format discs ( due to their universal compatibility ) , so I cannot comment on how the recorder works with other formats . But when I played back my recorded DVD-R on other machines , I had no compatibility issues , they played perfectly , and the picture was sharp and clear .
DVD-R discs have to be finalized before they can be played in other machines . This unit finalized a 3 / 4 full DVD in just a couple minutes - much faster than other DVD recorders I have used in the past .
The recorder only offers Composite and S-video inputs . It would have been nice to have Component or HDMI inputs as well for higher quality . However , I used the S-Video input and the playback quality was still excellent .
The recorder does offer Composite , S-Video , Component , and HDMI outputs , which gives you lots of options for connecting to your display . I went with the HDMI connection because it is simple ( just 1 cable for both audio and video ) and provides the highest quality .
As a bonus , this unit is also a very good upscaling DVD player . With the HDMI connection to my display , I was very impressed with the quality of the 1080p upscaled image .
For the very reasonable price ( [ . . . ] ) , this is a nice piece of equipment which performs as advertised .
007 4 If you are an old fart like me who was still clinging to the VCR to record TV shows during the week so you can watch them later , and you want to want to move into the 21st century , the dr420 is perfect ( assuming you have a tuner , like a DirecTV box ) .
This machine works perfectly , and the DVD upconversion is very good . I liked it so much I bought two more and replaced all of the VCRs in my home . I am using DVD-RW to record daily shows . After I watch them each day I format the disk . 1000 formats per disk ! I have been using the dr420 like this for a couple of weeks only , but so far I could not be happier .
One warning though . Unlike what your old VCR might do , the dr420 will not pass through the audio / video when turned off . This was not a problem for me , as my DirecTV box has multiple outputs . So in one of my set-ups , the TV has a direct connection to my DirecTV box and my dr420 has another , separate , connection to my DirecTV box . I use S-video from DirecTV to the dr420 and then again to the TV ( two channel audio as well ) . Then I have a direct coax connection from the DirecTV box to my TV , which is used when the dr420 is powered off .
UPDATE * * After 3 + months all of the dr420 machines are working as good as from day one . I am very satisfied with this product .
010 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I am very satisfied withe the DR420 . It is simple to use the One Touch Recording function . Recording quality is very good . And the upscale playback feature works very well . It is not Bluetooth but serves my purpose very well . I would recommend this unit to anyone wanting to record programs video programs .
011 4 I am very satisfied withe the DR420 . It is simple to use the One Touch Recording function . Recording quality is very good . And the upscale playback feature works very well . It is not Bluetooth but serves my purpose very well . I would recommend this unit to anyone wanting to record programs video programs .
020 4 It is important to note that this recorder does not have any tuners , limiting its usefulness .
Whether this is right for you , depends on how you are going to use it . If you just want to transfer VHS tapes on to DVD , then this would be OK .
You won't be able to record TV shows without some sort of external tuner . This could be a digital TV tuner for over the air broadcast or a cable box or a dish box .
But , in any case , you will not be able to record a high quality video picture . You will only be able to record in standard definition and not in widescreen .
For copyright protection ( so people can't copy high defintion signals ) , no commercial DVD recorder comes with component or HDMI inputs . They only have composite inputs and in some cases , like with this player , S-video inputs . But , composit and S video are lower qualify .
I prefer a DVD recorder with digital ASTM and QAM tuners . With these , you can take direct digital signals from either over the air , or directly from a cable and record higher definition DVDs in widescreen .
025 4 I was interested primarily in converting VHS Tapes to DVD and recording DVD's from this point forward . For this the Toshiba 420 works GREAT . My problem was that I was connecting it into a system of Direct TV , VHS recorder , and a 10 year old TV . The Toshiba Owners Manuel does not cover the hook-up of this combination of coax and ' audio-vidio ' cabeling . After much head scratching , I found the old TV set Owners Manuel . As luck would have it , that told me how to connect ' audio-vidio ' cabels to it's inputs and how to switch them into the circuit . This solved the delima , and this electronics village idiot ( me ) , is now making DVD's like a pro ! Everything looks and sounds GREAT !
046 4 This Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black , has been great for recording cable TV and backing up my old Hi8 home movies of the kids to DVD's . The set up required some cable purchases to get it just the way I wanted it and you should have some audio and video equipment knowledge or you may have to do some research if you have never made these types of connections . The titling and timers are pretty straight forward . Just remember you have to finalize the disc to watch it on a different player .
Next time I would spend a little more and get a Hard drive type recorder .
I have recommended this to my friends !
056 4 As a consumer who has purchased FOUR DVD recorders ( 2Panasonic / 2Samsung )
over the last several years , I feel I have learned from experience .
I was very frustrated when the FOURTH of my purchases once again failed to work !
In each case I spent hundreds of dollars buying the BEST models available , only
to find that they eventually all fail . Judging from other reviewers , most
people run into the same problems.DVD recorders tend to last 2 - 3 years even with careful use .
This time I vowed that I would buy an inexpensive unit with ONLY the
features I needed .
Enter TOSHIBA dr420 .
This model does not have a tuner ( not needed if working with a cable / satellite receiver ) .
The quality is excellent , and a breeze to install ! NO quirks in recording almost anything
( copy-righted material a given exception ) .
If you can run an old VHS tape-recorder , you can easily use this as well .
I am VERY SATISFIED with this purchase ! !
057 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This dvd recorder more than meets my expectations . You can record a TV program , but if you have to change channels after recording one hour , it can be tricky because the recorder cannot transition from one hour to the next that easily . The recorder works great for transferring vhs tapes and from a dvr to dvd's .
072 4 I used this recorder for about a month now . I connected the back input to my old VCR ( so I can convert some of the old VHS video that I wanted to keep to DVD disc ) and the front input to the set top box ( so I can record TV program for later watch ) . The one touch input selection button is very convenient on the remote . The 6 hour recording mode quality is acceptable for TV program recording .
One advise is that if you want to record your DVD and watch on other DVD players , you should pre-set it with record compatible on . For your convenient edit chapter marks , you may want to pre-set it to automark chapter so you don't have to spend long time to fast forward / rewind to the location to mark the chapter . There are some cases chapter mark feature are gray out ( I cannot add / delete / hide chapter marks ) with some disc ( My cases are with the Sony disc so far . Those TDK and HP disc are OK to edit chapters . # . I think it's possible that some blank disc need to be formatted before you can edit it after recording # I haven't try this so far ) .
089 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I had this recorder out of the box and recording DVDs in no time and I am not a techie . I am happy with the quality of the recording too .
093 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I bought this unit to replace my DVD + VCR combo . Just got it yesterday and hook it up before go to work today . The installation is very straight forward . I tried the recording later today . It is also easy and the recording quality is good . I recommend you to use DVD + RW / DVD-RW which can record multiple times . Overall I am happy with the buy ( the price is great too ) .
119 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This is a great product . It's the first remote control that actually makes sense to me . And the seller is very polite and professional . I'd buy from them again any time !
124 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Very pleased with the service , the price , the quality . It has so many features , I have'nt even tried them all yet .
131 4 This is a marginal device .
It cannot record HD channels properly . All HD channels appear and record in Letterbox on your TV .
Does not have composite capabilities .
Does not have HDMI input .
Save your money .
134 4 For a Toshiba product , I found this DVD recorder-player to be terribly disappointing . Despite , reading the instructions and trying innumerable times to reprogram this machine , it never recognized blank discs so I could record TV programs and movies .
Consequently , I returned it .
137 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Toshiba has placed limitations on it's ability to make or play back your own recordings rendering this a complete piece of trash .
034 4 checked all of internet on 5 / 17 for the newest dvd recorder and this toshiba is what pulled up . bought it as an early xmas gift for my husband to use NOW ! The other dvd recorder broke . Reviews I had read were AWESOME and this dvd recorder could record from On Demand Movies ! ! X ! ! ! ! and every site was out of stock except for Amazon directing me to US Applicance and as of today other sites and even Amazon have it in stock now . Its true to word - you have to set up general stuff 1st but before recording make sure you set up the recording info . and then Finalize it ! so you can play it on any other dvd player in your home IT WORKS . It took trial and error with the manual ( the pics of the remote are good ) but don't think the manual is in the correct order . If you have a dvd thats rw and you thought was blank ; it will show on your tv a menu title ; just hit the stop button and gets you out of it and then you can proceed to record again trial and error . if you have a cable dvr your limited to 2 recordings at one time so now you can record an extra one . also u can hook up a portable dvd player ( you'll need to go to radio shack to get male / female adapters ) to record an already recorded dvd .
022 4 I wanted to transfer 80 mini DV tape recordings of my sons to DVDs and I didn't want to spend $10 or more per Mi DV tape to do it . I did some research and discovered this Toshiba recording / playback device and bought it here on Amazaon . It's simple to use ( I didn't know I had to do a process called finish before I could play the DVD . . . wish the Toshiba instructions made that more obvious on page 1 . . . . but , now that you know , you'll look for it in the clear and helpful instruction book ) . I saved many hundreds of dollars by using this sweet machine . I highly recommend it if you want to do something similar .
066 4 I was pleasantly surprised that this inexpensive recorder could work so well . My old ( and expensive ) Panasonic recorder had quit and I didn't expect a $99 replacement would do much . It WORKS ! Thanks Amazon and Toshiba . Wonders never cease . Rita McWhorter
108 4 I previously used a Samsung that I was very pleased with . It failed a few months ago , and I was unable to replace it with another Samsung in the same price range ( around $179 ) . I looked all over , finally seeing the Toshiba on Amazon . It was lower in cost , but seemed to have some negative reviews . I ordered it , planning to save the packing and return it if it didn't satisfy my needs . Boy , did I get a pleasant surprise , when it exceeded my needs . It installed easily , the manual was easy to follow , and the software was very user-friendly . It is a step up from what I had thought was a good recorder . I recommend this unit to the average user with little expertese as an excellent tool for building your home library of programming .
050 4 i have no idea but have never seen this before - some of my tv episodes recorded with video but no audio ! ! ! ! ! ! ! episodes i deleted from my dvr and forever gone - not sure why it records video but no audio but even more odd half or close to half the audio is there and the other half - its not - its not the hookup because i would not be getting audio from the dvr - not sure if im taking it back or not - but inconsistent audio is not ok at all ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! called toshiba and the customer service rep was no help and not too knowledgable and specualated on things that could be wrong but werent ugh
112 4 Installation was simple . The manual could have been organized better and an index would have helped , ( it was a little hard to find all the information for recording in one place ) , but reading in advance and familiarizing yourself with the keys ( and their functions ) on the remote will make recording simple . I saw one review that complained he couldn't play discs on other recorders . I did not have that problem . Two things to remember about that : ( 1 ) FINALIZE the disc when you have finished recording all you want on that disc , and ( 2 ) make sure you are using a disc format ( - R , + R , + / - RW ) that your other player recognizes , as not all players recognize all formats .
062 4 This product was very satisfying it is awesome . This is the second one I bought . I am saving one for back up . I would recommend this product to others . Thank you amazon for the quick shipment also .
070 4 This recorder was very easy to install . Be aware that you have to buy a second set of wires if you want to record . If you're not recording , the wires provided are enough . The quality of playback on every disc I've put in has been very good . I don't do a lot of fancy stuff with mine , so there are features I can't speak about . If you just want to record your tv shows , movies , and then watch them , this is the recorder for you .
078 4 This has been a great product so far . Setting up recording is easy and rewind on playback is surprisingly fast . I recommend this product and it is very affordable .
130 4 It was easy to install the product and watch a video . Remember to buy HDMI cable , the price is very reasonable on Amazon compared to electronic stores . It is not very easy to record video . At least I don't know how to do it yet .
081 4 Great product easy to install love the editing specially . Got it on time and every thing was good . Love Toshiba products and will consider buying another on .
138 4 Toshiba has placed limitations on it's ability to make or play back your own recordings rendering this a complete piece of trash .
096 4 I own a Canon ZR80 , but , I cannot get the firewire to work with my Windows XP . The only way I could think to get the video from this camera to my desktop ( affordably ) was with a DVD burner . I chose this one largely because I could afford it , even though some of the negative reviews kinda ' scared me ; Phew ! Ignore those reviews .
I downloaded the pdf version of the users manual from the manufacturer , and decided that I only needed to know how to hit the setup key , arrow-up and arrow-down , and the enter key . The rest I assumed was not much different from an old VCR .
This burner arrived ; 15 minutes after it arrived I was in the setup menu . I plugged in my camera and put a disk in (
Verbatim ® DVD + R Discs , 4.7GB , 16x , Spindle , 100 / Pack
) . I pressed the record button and then pressed my camera's play button . Ten minutes later I finalized the DVD and tested it in two different DVD players ; the results were beautiful . I was extremely happy with the ease and quality of my first recorded DVD from my camera . This burner allows me to convert my video on my PC for upload to YouTube , and I can also convert and edit the video from the DVD with software that is on my PC ; Once I'm finished , I can burn it again from the DVD burner on my computer . Extremely easy to use and perfect for my needs .
024 4 Easy out of box DVD recorder with no complicated hook-up.Has no tuner , so be sure you know that before you buy .
I have had a Radio Shack & Magnavox recorder before this unit.Each has lasted for little over 1 year before they stopped recording.They only play now . I expect this unit to last that long or longer if lucky.The old saying of you get what you pay for is really not true today.A lot of electronic equipment today are built with sub standard electronic parts.The days of ( well built & will last ) are long gone.This is the use-broke-throw away age.This unit has performed well since start up-only dislike is remote is about as big as a boat .
054 4 I bought this DVD recorder to replace a two year old Panasonic that failed . Picture quality , even in LP mode , is just as good as the Panasonic . Setup is easy , as is programming and navigation .
The only thing that is not 5 stars is the remote control . I was spoiled by Panasonic , there remote is logical and easy to use . The Toshiba remote is impossible to read in dim light and until you memorize the layout you will be fumbling and wondering what sadistic engineer designed it .
A fantastic unit , especially considering the price . I have already recommended this to others and would buy another without a second thought . And if Toshiba contacts me I'll be happy to design a more user friendly remote .
064 4 I have the same positive reviews as the ones before me - excellent picture quality , easy installation and simple manual . The only reason I downgraded it is that there are too few connections . I have a surround sound system that connects with a digital cable connection that permits the surround sound . Unfortunately , this DVD player does not have that type off output . It does have HDMI but my sound system does not - so part of the fault is mine . Using regular connections the stereo sound is fine - just not surround sound .
Again , if you are using a surround sound system check the compatibility of the connections .
094 4 I bought this unit to replace my DVD + VCR combo . Just got it yesterday and hook it up before go to work today . The installation is very straight forward . I tried the recording later today . It is also easy and the recording quality is good . I recommend you to use DVD + RW / DVD-RW which can record multiple times . Overall I am happy with the buy ( the price is great too ) .
100 4 My use : Copy from DVR to DVD .
Overall impression of the DVD recorder : Easy to use .
Design : Functional and beautiful . The display window design reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright .
Instant record : Press one button on the machine .
Disc finalizing : Can be set to automatic when disc is full .
Manual : Easy to understand . Mini symbols for DVD + R / RW - R / RW show which function is available for what kind of disc .
Temperature : Machine gets just hand warm .
Noise : No noticeable noise .
135 4 i recently bought this DVD recorder but it did not satisfied me . i thought its 120 - 240volts but its only upto 120 volt.secondly it get very hot in less then half an hour because of which it shut off automatically and does not turn on unless i put some ice on it ( in plastic bag ) . it takes too much time to recognize an empty disc.it also hampers the smooth running of disc .
i would not recommend you to buy this DVD recorder as you can buy some better match in this price range .
098 4 The setup of this DVD recorder and instruction book is very easy to use and user friendly . The finalization process leaves something to be desired since it does not show pictures but only text-titles on the title menu of a finalized disk . One nice feature is it's ability to read other DVD disks created on another DVD recorder that haven't been finalized and it's ability to finalize these disks so that they are viewable on another DVD player . While the recording function is very fast to start ( almost instant ) there is a delay when you press the pause before you can un-pause and record again of about 2 seconds - this can be annoying at times if you accidently press pause and want to un-pause immediatly .
021 4 I bought this DVD recorder to convert some of my old tapes to DVD format for sharing / having an extra archive copy . It works well for that . It is priced very attractively and the quality of recording was great even in standard mode ( where I record 2 hours worth of video on it ) . Of course it is tunerless and I did not want to pay for that and go to the higher model .
068 4 Once the recorder was all hooked up , I inserted a prerecorded disk and it played beautifully . Next did a recording by just pressing record to see how it worked . That went great . Then I programed a timed recording . I played it back and it had a great picture and sound quality . After finalizing it , I played it on my other DVD players and it played just as well . The instruction manual is very clear and the remote is very easy to use . I would recommend this recorder to anyone .
102 4 For the price ( about a hundred dollars when I bought it ) it's hard to beat this unit . It has all of the basic features for a DVD burner and hasn't hiccuped after burning about 10 shows from my Tivo . I gave it five stars because it's hard to ask more than burning DVDs from a DVD burner .
120 4 This is a great product . It's the first remote control that actually makes sense to me . And the seller is very polite and professional . I'd buy from them again any time !
128 4 This replaces a Panasonic DVD recorder which was much better . This is very difficult to learn to use and the instruction booklet is not clear at all . It is difficult to find the subject you are interested in as well as when you do find it the instructions are poor . It is not clear what kind of DVDs you need to buy to record on so we bought the wrong kind . We've spent a lot of time trying to format DVDs so we could record on them but the instrctions are very poor and it takes a lot of time . I do not recommend this item .
115 4 This unit was easy to install but is too complicated in use . Both input and output totally died in less than 4 months of use . I had very poor experience when Toshiba service was contacted . Verdict - waste of money , look elsewhere .
028 4 Easy to use , operate , and connect . Very practical . Excellent for cxreating DVD of favorite televised events.HDMI output is marvelous ! !
125 4 Very pleased with the service , the price , the quality . It has so many features , I have'nt even tried them all yet .
123 4 While I am not a tech expert by any means , I have been able to install many DVD players and DVRs to cable boxes in the past with little or no problem . Perhaps it was the TV ( LG ) or the digital Comcast cable box I tried to connect it to that provided some sort of conflict , but this item gave me the most difficult time I have ever had . The manual is very confusing as well . At any rate , many people on this board have had only good things to say about this item . So without going into too much detail I can only say two hours after I started I still got nowhere , nor did a friend of mine who tried it on his Samsung / Comcast combo . It is now in the hands of my local Salvation Army charity shop . Spare yourself the headache .
058 4 This dvd recorder more than meets my expectations . You can record a TV program , but if you have to change channels after recording one hour , it can be tricky because the recorder cannot transition from one hour to the next that easily . The recorder works great for transferring vhs tapes and from a dvr to dvd's .
080 4 Works very well - - far better than the Sony which it replaced ( after the Sony finally completely locked up ) . It would be perfect if it saved and finalized a little faster and the text on the remote control were more legible .
136 4 I bought this unit to record broadcast TV . It is totally useless as it does not have a built-in turner . After dragging it home and hooking it up to two different TVs , I noticed the fine print on the bottom of the box : External tuner required for recording broadcast TV channels . It works fine as a DVD player but not as a recorder .
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I can't believe that ANYONE woukd give this machine more than one star . The remote is impossible : poorly laid out with small characters which are dark gray on black . In operation , the machine is hesitant , slow , clunky , mushy .
Any Panasonic is light years ahead of this machine ( I know , I own Pasasonic ES15s also ) .
Get a Panasonic . Or something .
133 4 I can't believe that ANYONE woukd give this machine more than one star . The remote is impossible : poorly laid out with small characters which are dark gray on black . In operation , the machine is hesitant , slow , clunky , mushy .
Any Panasonic is light years ahead of this machine ( I know , I own Pasasonic ES15s also ) .
Get a Panasonic . Or something .
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
If you , like me , have done any research recently on DVD-recorders you have found yourself faced with a mass of mostly contradicting information . I used to have a Toshiba DVD recorder that lived a long and productive life at my place , and when it died I started looking for another . I started looking across the board at all brands and models and prices .
OK , here's what I was after . I wanted a basic DVD recorder that I could use to make archival copies of DVDs , home video , etc . I also wanted to use it for DVD playback and upscaling standard DVDs to 720p ( the quality of my TV ) . I did NOT plan to use it to record shows off of TV while I was out , etc .
While I was doing my homework is became apparent that DVD-recorders are no longer state of the art ( they've been replaced by DVRs , Tivo , etc . , for the most part ) . This is no surprise to most people , including , me , but I pushed ahead anyway , because I knew what I wanted and what I would use it for .
My searching brought me back to this unit over and over . It is reasonably priced , I have had a Toshiba before , so its method of operation should be familiar , and so I looked further . The vast majority of the reviews were positive , but there was a nagging list of reviews that gave it low marks . When I checked those out more carefully I noted that most of them were dissatisfied with the recorder's ability to do timed recording ( while people were out ) . The other major complaint was the inability to play recorded discs in other DVD players . it turned out that most of these complaints came from people that did not know , initially , that a DVD needs to be finalized before it can be played in other players ( I was aware of this because of my earlier DVD-recorder experience ) .
Since I knew that I had no plans to to use this unit for absentee recording , and I was aware of the disc finalizing issue I went ahead and purchased this machine . I've had it for a few months now , and I've used it to record several things . This DVD-recorder has done everything I hoped it would do . It records well . It plays and upscales my DVDs so they look better on my TV , and it's easy to operate .
You can set the DVD recorder so that the finalization takes place automatically , or you can do it manually .
I have used DVDs recorded in this unit in Sanyo and Magnavox DVD players , as well as in computer DVD drives . No problems here !
I'm happy ! The price , features , and performance are all right for me . Maybe they will be for you , too .
5 stars .
001 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This unit is really great ! We recently got a 40 HD TV and needed a replacement for the VCR - - we wanted to record shows ( and On-Demand movies ) at a good enough quality for HD viewing .
One option was DVR from Comcast for $10 / month ( which might or might not allow recording of On-Demand movies and transfer to computer for disc-burning ) . Another option was using a computer with a video acquisition device and record to hard drive . The third option was this unit for $110 , delivered , from Amazon - - hands down the most practical choice .
Though this unit doesn't record in true HD resolution , the quality is about the same ( in 2 hour mode , 16x9 ) as regular 16x9 enhanced DVDs . At first I was worried the recorded discs might not play on other DVD players ; but they did , no problem at all on any of our equipment ( that is , after the recording is finalized ) . The recording time for a DVD-R disc ( on high quality mode ) was 2 hours and 8 minutes . ( On lower quality modes , it's 4 + hours and 8 + hours . )
Navigating the menu system is easy enough , and each recorded disk is given a simple menu with the various recordings available to choose from ( which by default have the date & time of recording as the title , but can be renamed ) .
Upconversion of commercial DVDs is quite good ( enough so that we're not that motivated to get a Blu-Ray player yet ; - ) .
Our only complaints ( which are very minor ) are that the tray-eject is a little slow & noisy and that there isn't component video inputs ( just composite video & S-Video inputs ) . But it was easy enough to hook up to our cable box ( or TV ) to record from their outputs .
This will be a great unit to have until Blu-Ray recorders become less expensive .
003 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I bought this unit to transfer videotapes to DVD , and to save TV shows on DVD from my cable DVR . For that purpose , it works perfectly . The setup is simple , and the controls are very easy to use . The manual is very clear , with nice big pictures to show you where the relevant buttons are . I had it set up and dubbing within 15 minutes .
I only use DVD-R format discs ( due to their universal compatibility ) , so I cannot comment on how the recorder works with other formats . But when I played back my recorded DVD-R on other machines , I had no compatibility issues , they played perfectly , and the picture was sharp and clear .
DVD-R discs have to be finalized before they can be played in other machines . This unit finalized a 3 / 4 full DVD in just a couple minutes - much faster than other DVD recorders I have used in the past .
The recorder only offers Composite and S-video inputs . It would have been nice to have Component or HDMI inputs as well for higher quality . However , I used the S-Video input and the playback quality was still excellent .
The recorder does offer Composite , S-Video , Component , and HDMI outputs , which gives you lots of options for connecting to your display . I went with the HDMI connection because it is simple ( just 1 cable for both audio and video ) and provides the highest quality .
As a bonus , this unit is also a very good upscaling DVD player . With the HDMI connection to my display , I was very impressed with the quality of the 1080p upscaled image .
For the very reasonable price ( [ . . . ] ) , this is a nice piece of equipment which performs as advertised .
013 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Pro's
- Records easily
- Recorded Generic DVD-R's have played on three different dvd players ( and brands ) with no problems and acceptable quality .
- Video quality is fine when playing a commercially recorded DVD and acceptable when playing burned disk .
- Menus are smartly arranged
Con's
- Remote is too small so the tiny buttons are hard to read and overall remote seems pretty cheap .
- Labeling chapters is not unlike trying to solve a rubics cube
- Inputs limited to 1 composite , 1 S video and 1 DV - a second composite input sure would be handy .
Other Thoughts -
I need to experiment with the settings and inputs but the recording quality is good - but not great . Recording a HD program out of the cable box yielded a finely pixalated picture on both a 32 and 46 LCD sets when played on upscaling DVD players . The same disks on an old 20 Vega tube tv with a progressive scan DVD player the picture had as nearly good picture quality as a commercially recorded DVD .
016 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I could go into all the features of this machine , but I think it would be better to say that it just does everything I want it to and it doesn't require a high learning curve . When I want to record something I just hit the record button . Next to the button is the mode button where you can choose the recording size . As far as playing DVDs , it does a respectable job and upgrades the video . It is a nice recorder for the money .
Ken
Webmaster
About Facts Net
018 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I have the output hooked to a 40 LCD Samsung via HDMI cable . My cable signal comes in through RCA style cables . The instruction manual is very complete and thorough at 100 pages . The recorder can be set up very quickly for recording . I am using DVD + R discs . The unit only records at 480 which I assume is a limitation imposed by the cable box . Play quality of recorded DVD's is very good , not as good as 1080 though . Playback of DVD movies is excellent . The on screen programming is functional if not pretty . Basically , this is a fine DVD recorder for recreational home recording .
023 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Easy out of box DVD recorder with no complicated hook-up.Has no tuner , so be sure you know that before you buy .
I have had a Radio Shack & Magnavox recorder before this unit.Each has lasted for little over 1 year before they stopped recording.They only play now . I expect this unit to last that long or longer if lucky.The old saying of you get what you pay for is really not true today.A lot of electronic equipment today are built with sub standard electronic parts.The days of ( well built & will last ) are long gone.This is the use-broke-throw away age.This unit has performed well since start up-only dislike is remote is about as big as a boat .
026 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
If you , like me , have done any research recently on DVD-recorders you have found yourself faced with a mass of mostly contradicting information . I used to have a Toshiba DVD recorder that lived a long and productive life at my place , and when it died I started looking for another . I started looking across the board at all brands and models and prices .
OK , here's what I was after . I wanted a basic DVD recorder that I could use to make archival copies of DVDs , home video , etc . I also wanted to use it for DVD playback and upscaling standard DVDs to 720p ( the quality of my TV ) . I did NOT plan to use it to record shows off of TV while I was out , etc .
While I was doing my homework is became apparent that DVD-recorders are no longer state of the art ( they've been replaced by DVRs , Tivo , etc . , for the most part ) . This is no surprise to most people , including , me , but I pushed ahead anyway , because I knew what I wanted and what I would use it for .
My searching brought me back to this unit over and over . It is reasonably priced , I have had a Toshiba before , so its method of operation should be familiar , and so I looked further . The vast majority of the reviews were positive , but there was a nagging list of reviews that gave it low marks . When I checked those out more carefully I noted that most of them were dissatisfied with the recorder's ability to do timed recording ( while people were out ) . The other major complaint was the inability to play recorded discs in other DVD players . it turned out that most of these complaints came from people that did not know , initially , that a DVD needs to be finalized before it can be played in other players ( I was aware of this because of my earlier DVD-recorder experience ) .
Since I knew that I had no plans to to use this unit for absentee recording , and I was aware of the disc finalizing issue I went ahead and purchased this machine . I've had it for a few months now , and I've used it to record several things . This DVD-recorder has done everything I hoped it would do . It records well . It plays and upscales my DVDs so they look better on my TV , and it's easy to operate .
You can set the DVD recorder so that the finalization takes place automatically , or you can do it manually .
I have used DVDs recorded in this unit in Sanyo and Magnavox DVD players , as well as in computer DVD drives . No problems here !
I'm happy ! The price , features , and performance are all right for me . Maybe they will be for you , too .
5 stars .
029 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This is low end DVD player and recorder , which delivers reasonably good quality . The manual does not give proper guidance . I am still unable to figure out how to record in full wide screen display .
035 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This was purchased to replace a dead Pioneer reecorder . It was fairly quick and easy to install . We recorded a football game broadcast in HD at the various recording mode settings . Things started to get a little grainy on the 6hr and especially on the 8 hr settings , but were very good on the 2 and 4 hour settings . The manual was also fairly easy to use and was helpful and well set out . I did not notice any difference in recordings done on - R or + R , and have not used either - RW or + RW discs at this time . I miss the ease and ability of selecting a recording mode to the exact time of the program length ( eg , 3 : 15 vs 2hr or 4hr ) like the Pioneer had . I would recommend this DVD recorder .
037 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This is a great device , it starts recording instantly , remote control has easy access to recording speeds and quality , and makes my regular dvd movies look even better with its 1080p upconvert . Also very easy to use .
039 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This DVD recorder is so easy to use - even my husband can do it ! It is as simple as pushing the REC ( record ) button to record a tv show or cable show ! Playing rented DVD's is just as easy ! I'm thinking about getting a second one ! LOVE IT ! ! !
041 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Great product even considering its ' low cost . Simple installation and use . I feel that that it's a bargin .
043 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Very good transaction , product came as advertised and worked as advertised . When connected as described in the directions the recorded will read and write both VHS and DVD's as advertised . Anyone that has had problems with this product did not connect it up properly .
045 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black , has been great for recording cable TV and backing up my old Hi8 home movies of the kids to DVD's . The set up required some cable purchases to get it just the way I wanted it and you should have some audio and video equipment knowledge or you may have to do some research if you have never made these types of connections . The titling and timers are pretty straight forward . Just remember you have to finalize the disc to watch it on a different player .
Next time I would spend a little more and get a Hard drive type recorder .
I have recommended this to my friends !
047 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
The recorder works well with a few idiosyncrasies . My problem is the complexity of use . The manual is 100 pages with none dedicated to the usual safety warnings : it's all how to use ! By the time I'm on page 33 , I forgotten the material on page 10 . I've been on the phone to toshiba several times and they are willing and helpful , even a little apologetic . I made the mistake of buying DVD discs before I got the machine , and they didn't work . You need to be sure to buy the specific ones listed in the manual which fit their format .
051 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I am pleased with this dvd recorder , one of the reasons being it plays vcd's , my other ( and first ) dvd player didn't but it said in the manual it did . This one does and glad about it . It's easy to use , my last was a Toshiba so it was easy enough to get to know it , many features operated in the same way . Remotes a little different but not much .
So I recommmend this especially if you want to play vcd's .
053 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I bought this DVD recorder to replace a two year old Panasonic that failed . Picture quality , even in LP mode , is just as good as the Panasonic . Setup is easy , as is programming and navigation .
The only thing that is not 5 stars is the remote control . I was spoiled by Panasonic , there remote is logical and easy to use . The Toshiba remote is impossible to read in dim light and until you memorize the layout you will be fumbling and wondering what sadistic engineer designed it .
A fantastic unit , especially considering the price . I have already recommended this to others and would buy another without a second thought . And if Toshiba contacts me I'll be happy to design a more user friendly remote .
055 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
As a consumer who has purchased FOUR DVD recorders ( 2Panasonic / 2Samsung )
over the last several years , I feel I have learned from experience .
I was very frustrated when the FOURTH of my purchases once again failed to work !
In each case I spent hundreds of dollars buying the BEST models available , only
to find that they eventually all fail . Judging from other reviewers , most
people run into the same problems.DVD recorders tend to last 2 - 3 years even with careful use .
This time I vowed that I would buy an inexpensive unit with ONLY the
features I needed .
Enter TOSHIBA dr420 .
This model does not have a tuner ( not needed if working with a cable / satellite receiver ) .
The quality is excellent , and a breeze to install ! NO quirks in recording almost anything
( copy-righted material a given exception ) .
If you can run an old VHS tape-recorder , you can easily use this as well .
I am VERY SATISFIED with this purchase ! !
059 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I had a dvd recorder going back four years ago - a generic cheap one and it stopped working so I threw it out . I have been hesitant to get one since , primarily because of the prices and I wanted one that could record from all platforms and have good quality . I must say for the price , it is unbelievable . You can record at different speeds ( about 4 ) and the quality is noticeable . i am rather savvy with electronics so I did not have a problem with connecting it to my cable or vcr.It even has an hdmi outlet ! But you probably wont need it if you are mostly converting old tapes . The instructions are ok , but could be better . Play with the remote and functions , you will see all it can do . I read a review before I bought it about it making a noise as you load it ; that is so irrelevant-almost all dvd players make sounds as you load them .
Again for the price and quality , I recommend it . I have had it for 3 months not and it has worked great .
061 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This product was very satisfying it is awesome . This is the second one I bought . I am saving one for back up . I would recommend this product to others . Thank you amazon for the quick shipment also .
063 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I have the same positive reviews as the ones before me - excellent picture quality , easy installation and simple manual . The only reason I downgraded it is that there are too few connections . I have a surround sound system that connects with a digital cable connection that permits the surround sound . Unfortunately , this DVD player does not have that type off output . It does have HDMI but my sound system does not - so part of the fault is mine . Using regular connections the stereo sound is fine - just not surround sound .
Again , if you are using a surround sound system check the compatibility of the connections .
065 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I was pleasantly surprised that this inexpensive recorder could work so well . My old ( and expensive ) Panasonic recorder had quit and I didn't expect a $99 replacement would do much . It WORKS ! Thanks Amazon and Toshiba . Wonders never cease . Rita McWhorter
067 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Once the recorder was all hooked up , I inserted a prerecorded disk and it played beautifully . Next did a recording by just pressing record to see how it worked . That went great . Then I programed a timed recording . I played it back and it had a great picture and sound quality . After finalizing it , I played it on my other DVD players and it played just as well . The instruction manual is very clear and the remote is very easy to use . I would recommend this recorder to anyone .
069 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This recorder was very easy to install . Be aware that you have to buy a second set of wires if you want to record . If you're not recording , the wires provided are enough . The quality of playback on every disc I've put in has been very good . I don't do a lot of fancy stuff with mine , so there are features I can't speak about . If you just want to record your tv shows , movies , and then watch them , this is the recorder for you .
071 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I used this recorder for about a month now . I connected the back input to my old VCR ( so I can convert some of the old VHS video that I wanted to keep to DVD disc ) and the front input to the set top box ( so I can record TV program for later watch ) . The one touch input selection button is very convenient on the remote . The 6 hour recording mode quality is acceptable for TV program recording .
One advise is that if you want to record your DVD and watch on other DVD players , you should pre-set it with record compatible on . For your convenient edit chapter marks , you may want to pre-set it to automark chapter so you don't have to spend long time to fast forward / rewind to the location to mark the chapter . There are some cases chapter mark feature are gray out ( I cannot add / delete / hide chapter marks ) with some disc ( My cases are with the Sony disc so far . Those TDK and HP disc are OK to edit chapters . # . I think it's possible that some blank disc need to be formatted before you can edit it after recording # I haven't try this so far ) .
073 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Given that the Toshiba DVD costs under $100 I think it is an exceptional value . In my case , it does everything I need . It has a wide variety of outputs including component , S-video and HDMI outputs - and I use all three . Plus it has coax ( digital ) sound output which my old unit - at twice the price - did not have . As for operation , it's a snap to use . Just for the heck of it I threw in a DVD + RW that my Sony recorder had partially formatted before locking up and the Toshiba promptly formatted it with no issues . In fact , it seems to format any type of disk I throw at it . Another big plus is that it seems to format disks in a very short time .
The manual is also very impressive with large , easy to understand directions . I also like the fact that it's broken down by popular topics . My only gripe would be that the display is incredibly small . In fact , it's kinda difficult to determine if the unit is on or off . But this is a minor quibble . And some people are sure to prefer the ' stealth ' look that this recorder provides .
075 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This is my second upconverting dvd player and by far the better one . The other was a magnavox and didnt give me a noticable difference from a normal dvd . This player is great and works as advertised .
077 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This has been a great product so far . Setting up recording is easy and rewind on playback is surprisingly fast . I recommend this product and it is very affordable .
079 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Works very well - - far better than the Sony which it replaced ( after the Sony finally completely locked up ) . It would be perfect if it saved and finalized a little faster and the text on the remote control were more legible .
082 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
It took longer than expected for me to figure out how to install it . The instructions were not clear to me for my set up - but after a few tries , it is working fine . I think the picture quality is good and it has recorded just as I hoped . Good value for what I wanted .
084 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I didn't think I needed a dvd recorder with a tuner because I have a dish box . But when this came there was not a spot to connect the cable with the coaxial cable ( pin and screw thing ) . However , my very techy friend figured out that I could connect it with a composite cable ( that has the red , white and yellow pugs on it ) ! Otherwise , I would have needed to buy an adapter of some sort or an S cable in order to record ! You just run the composite cable to the back of the dish box and away you go !
086 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
The DR420 is an excellent machine . It does all that I expected it to do . It's great for burning CD's from my DirecTV DVR on topics that I want to save . It works great .
091 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
What a great price for a refurbished recorder . I have not had the chance to check the picture quality using HDMI . The playback on my computer after finalizing the disc results in wonderful picture on a computer monitor using SVGA hookups . The delivery of this unit was really quick and impressive . I do not have any issues so far with recording sports as I have read some reviews with copyright issues .
095 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I own a Canon ZR80 , but , I cannot get the firewire to work with my Windows XP . The only way I could think to get the video from this camera to my desktop ( affordably ) was with a DVD burner . I chose this one largely because I could afford it , even though some of the negative reviews kinda ' scared me ; Phew ! Ignore those reviews .
I downloaded the pdf version of the users manual from the manufacturer , and decided that I only needed to know how to hit the setup key , arrow-up and arrow-down , and the enter key . The rest I assumed was not much different from an old VCR .
This burner arrived ; 15 minutes after it arrived I was in the setup menu . I plugged in my camera and put a disk in (
Verbatim ® DVD + R Discs , 4.7GB , 16x , Spindle , 100 / Pack
) . I pressed the record button and then pressed my camera's play button . Ten minutes later I finalized the DVD and tested it in two different DVD players ; the results were beautiful . I was extremely happy with the ease and quality of my first recorded DVD from my camera . This burner allows me to convert my video on my PC for upload to YouTube , and I can also convert and edit the video from the DVD with software that is on my PC ; Once I'm finished , I can burn it again from the DVD burner on my computer . Extremely easy to use and perfect for my needs .
097 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
The setup of this DVD recorder and instruction book is very easy to use and user friendly . The finalization process leaves something to be desired since it does not show pictures but only text-titles on the title menu of a finalized disk . One nice feature is it's ability to read other DVD disks created on another DVD recorder that haven't been finalized and it's ability to finalize these disks so that they are viewable on another DVD player . While the recording function is very fast to start ( almost instant ) there is a delay when you press the pause before you can un-pause and record again of about 2 seconds - this can be annoying at times if you accidently press pause and want to un-pause immediatly .
099 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
My use : Copy from DVR to DVD .
Overall impression of the DVD recorder : Easy to use .
Design : Functional and beautiful . The display window design reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright .
Instant record : Press one button on the machine .
Disc finalizing : Can be set to automatic when disc is full .
Manual : Easy to understand . Mini symbols for DVD + R / RW - R / RW show which function is available for what kind of disc .
Temperature : Machine gets just hand warm .
Noise : No noticeable noise .
101 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
For the price ( about a hundred dollars when I bought it ) it's hard to beat this unit . It has all of the basic features for a DVD burner and hasn't hiccuped after burning about 10 shows from my Tivo . I gave it five stars because it's hard to ask more than burning DVDs from a DVD burner .
103 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
This is a great replacement for the aging VCR . I mostly record hockey games and the picture and sound quality are both great . I have been ussing the same RW disk through out the playoffs and have had no difficulities at all . In addition it is very easy to program and user friendly . Good value for the money .
105 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I got this DVD recorder in order to transfer family videos on tape , to DVD . I messed around for days trying to get consistent results using my computer . Using this DVD recorder I get much better results than I was getting using my computer , consistently , and easily . I can summarize by saying wish I had done this sooner .
107 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I previously used a Samsung that I was very pleased with . It failed a few months ago , and I was unable to replace it with another Samsung in the same price range ( around $179 ) . I looked all over , finally seeing the Toshiba on Amazon . It was lower in cost , but seemed to have some negative reviews . I ordered it , planning to save the packing and return it if it didn't satisfy my needs . Boy , did I get a pleasant surprise , when it exceeded my needs . It installed easily , the manual was easy to follow , and the software was very user-friendly . It is a step up from what I had thought was a good recorder . I recommend this unit to the average user with little expertese as an excellent tool for building your home library of programming .
109 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I am very happy with my Toshiba Video Disc Recorder . It lives up to expectations and I would recommend it to others .
111 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
Installation was simple . The manual could have been organized better and an index would have helped , ( it was a little hard to find all the information for recording in one place ) , but reading in advance and familiarizing yourself with the keys ( and their functions ) on the remote will make recording simple . I saw one review that complained he couldn't play discs on other recorders . I did not have that problem . Two things to remember about that : ( 1 ) FINALIZE the disc when you have finished recording all you want on that disc , and ( 2 ) make sure you are using a disc format ( - R , + R , + / - RW ) that your other player recognizes , as not all players recognize all formats .
113 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I purchased a DVR five years ago and love it . It is starting to have a few issues , so I have been looking for a replacement . When I saw the Gold Box Deal price , I thought this could be the one . ( I paid $100 for my current one and about that for this one ) But this is not it !
DVRs record best at 3 hours or less . This one records at 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 or 8 hours . Therefore , this one only has two higher quality recording speeds . And a lot of the films that I record are about 90 minutes . Therefore , I will burn two discs instead of one .
Once you record a program the only edit that is allowed is to title the program . My current one allows me to change chapter marks , hide sections and to choose a cover picture .
Now the reason that I am so frustrated , is that most of the time with electronics , as time goes by it gets better and less expensive . This definitely did not .
Other than this , the set's picture quality , sound and programming to be adequate .
If you are looking to replace a VCR , then this is probably a good option . But if you are using it to create a library , then buy a better model .
122 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
While I am not a tech expert by any means , I have been able to install many DVD players and DVRs to cable boxes in the past with little or no problem . Perhaps it was the TV ( LG ) or the digital Comcast cable box I tried to connect it to that provided some sort of conflict , but this item gave me the most difficult time I have ever had . The manual is very confusing as well . At any rate , many people on this board have had only good things to say about this item . So without going into too much detail I can only say two hours after I started I still got nowhere , nor did a friend of mine who tried it on his Samsung / Comcast combo . It is now in the hands of my local Salvation Army charity shop . Spare yourself the headache .
126 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
I had received a refurbish one , eventhought , said new condition , it
was not working properly and can not play back not one movie
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
On the day after the end of the 90 - day warranty period , it started skipping and halting on music CD's and also refusing to load CD's that I had burned ( with jpeg files ) . Now it refuses to load even unrecorded blank DVD's , fresh out of the box and scratch-free .
I have no choice but to throw it out and buy something that works .
Also , even when new , it seemed like it took FOREVER to load disks and even to eject them . I can't imagine what it was doing for well over a minute .
117 4 This review is from :
Toshiba DR420 DVD Recorder , Black ( Electronics )
On the day after the end of the 90 - day warranty period , it started skipping and halting on music CD's and also refusing to load CD's that I had burned ( with jpeg files ) . Now it refuses to load even unrecorded blank DVD's , fresh out of the box and scratch-free .
I have no choice but to throw it out and buy something that works .
Also , even when new , it seemed like it took FOREVER to load disks and even to eject them . I can't imagine what it was doing for well over a minute .
118 4 On the day after the end of the 90 - day warranty period , it started skipping and halting on music CD's and also refusing to load CD's that I had burned ( with jpeg files ) . Now it refuses to load even unrecorded blank DVD's , fresh out of the box and scratch-free .
I have no choice but to throw it out and buy something that works .
Also , even when new , it seemed like it took FOREVER to load disks and even to eject them . I can't imagine what it was doing for well over a minute .
