Toshiba Introduces DVD-Video Recorder With Built-In 80 GB Hard Drive

Model RD-X2 Merges DVD-RAM/DVD-R With Hard Disc Recording Capabilities

5-Jul-02

Toshiba introduced a DVD player that combines the benefits of DVD-RAM and DVD-R recording with the time-shifting and assemble editing capabilities of an 80 GB hard disk drive (HDD). The Toshiba RD-X2 integrates a combination of advanced digital recording and high-resolution playback technologies into a single device.The RD-X2 allows users to record and playback their favorite videos in MPEG-2. A host of advanced title creation and program editing features lets users edit videos, home movies, or other programs, and create a customized video library of recorded content. Equipped with four separate line inputs, the RD-X2 accepts a variety of playback video devices, allowing users to dub content from multiple sources to the HDD, assemble/edit their final production, and record to DVD-RAM or DVD-R. The RD-X2's connections include three line-level (composite and S-video) rear panel A/V inputs, in addition to an RF input and output for connection to a cable system or antenna. An additional set of S-video, composite video, and analog audio inputs are provided on the front panel. The RD-X2 also features composite, S-video and ColorStreamÆ component video outputs. A pair of analog audio outputs complement individual optical and coaxial digital audio connections.""Since the introduction of the first DVD-Video players, consumers have anticipated the day when they could record and play back high-resolution DVD video,"" noted Craig Eggers, Director of Product Management for Toshiba DVD. ""With today's introduction of the industry's first DVD-R/DVD-RAM/HDD combination recorder, Toshiba has taken a giant leap beyond all expectations, creating an advanced DVD video system that offers digital recording, playback, video editing, and archival capabilities that exceed any previous home recording product. All the advantages of digital technology are present, including instant access to selected scenes, with no time-consuming rewinding or fast-forwarding, plus the assurance of high-quality recording and playback."" Eggers continued: ""The RD-X2 has been more than two and a half years in development. The result is an engineering triumph that creates an entirely new category of recordable DVD product destined to redefine how consumers think about and experience DVD recording and playback. The RD-X2 is the first in a lineup of innovative Toshiba products that will demonstrate our clear leadership in this new category.""In addition to one-touch recording directly to the HDD, users can choose the benefits of built-in DVD-RAM or DVD-R functionality. The RD-X2's DVD-RAM recording capability lets users record and overwrite as many as 100,000 times on a single disc. Because it utilizes sector-based, nonlinear recording for HDD and DVD-RAM content, the RD-X2 is capable of nearly instantaneous recording. DVD-RAM recording also permits high-speed dubbing (x2, x4, x8) from the HDD without any deterioration of the digital MPEG2 signal. Another benefit of DVD-RAM is that it permits two-sided recording, allowing a maximum of 9.4 GB to be stored on compatible DVD-RAM disc. (Competing formats including DVD-RW and DVD+RW, as well as DVD-R can only offer single-side recording.) The RD-X2 allows users to select an A-B Recording mode from the Record Menu. With this feature, A-side content is recorded directly onto the DVD-RAM, while B-side content is recorded on the HDD, allowing eventual high-speed dubbing to side B of the DVD-RAM, with no loss of picture quality.To ensure that users will not run out of disc space when recording to the DVD-RAM, the RD-X2 features a special recording mode entitled Relay Recording. As an example, a high-resolution two-hour recording destined for the DVD-RAM is recorded simultaneously on both DVD-RAM disc and the HDD. The DVD-RAM will actually record the first 60 minutes on side A. At the 50-minute point, the HDD will duplicate the last 10 minutes of the first hour and then record the remaining 60 minutes of the program. Once the recording is finished, the user can dub the remaining 60 minutes of the program from the HDD to side B of the DVD-RAM after selecting an appropriate edit location in the program. Again, this process can be performed at high speed with no loss in digital picture quality. Finally, a Disc Budget Recording feature directs the RD-X2 to read the space available on a DVD-RAM, and automatically assign the optimum data rate for video recording, based upon the length of programming and the audio mode selected. The addition of DVD-R recording capability offers universal compatibility with virtually every DVD-Video player ever manufactured. The RD-X2 is also equipped with a 181-channel cable compatible tuner and two-month, 32-event timer programming functionality. Users may input their own program data, or take advantage of the built in Gemstar VCR+ feature. The RD-X2 offers a variety of preset and manual recording modes. For example, users may choose LP picture mode (2.2 Mbps video data rate) and record as much as 75 hours on the HDD and 4 hours 22 minutes on a single-side DVD-RAM or DVD-R. The SP mode, which utilizes a video bit rate of 4.6 Mbps for near-DVD picture quality, provides users approximately 36 hours recording time on the HDD and 2 hours on DVD. In the manual recording mode, users have the option of presetting the bit rate, selecting from 37 individual choices, ranging from 2.0 Mbps all of the way up to the highest quality 9.2 Mbps. The user can also select from three separate stereo audio formats, depending on audio quality desired: DolbyÆ Digital 1 (192 kbps), Dolby Digital 2 (384 kbps), and full CD-quality PCM (1546 kbps).The RD-X2's recording process utilizes constant bit rate MPEG encoding. Toshiba has also added a variable bit rate (VBR) buffer that varies the bit rate slightly in conjunction with picture complexity, improving picture performance when recording complex images or scenes.With its built-in 80GB HDD, the RD-X2 offers a variety of sophisticated recording options. With Chase TV Recording, for instance, users may watch a programmed recording already in progress, playing the program back from the start and even operating the fast-forward/rewind functions to skip past unwanted content. With the RD-X2's Time Slip feature, users can ""pause"" live programming being recorded and then return later to the exact moment they were watching. During playback of both Chase TV and Time Slip modes, a bar graph can be displayed on screen depicting the ""progress"" or location of the playback signal in relation to the real-time recording signal. The RD-X2 One-Touch Replay feature allows users to review the last ten seconds of a recorded video. Once a program has been recorded on the RD-X2's HDD, users can edit with the addition of menus and chapters, with thumbnail images, then dub it directly to DVD-RAM disc at high-speed (x2, x4 or x8). The actual dubbing speed will vary based upon the length and complexity of the original program. During high-speed dubbing, from the HDD to the DVD-RAM, audio and video signals retain their original integrity. The video signal is not decoded to baseband, then re-encoded to MPEG-2.Toshiba's Library function allows users to create, store, and then access as many as 3,000 titles in the RD-X2's database, each sorted or arranged by title, genre, day, date, or week recorded. The RD-X2 also offers a variety of title creation and editing capabilities. The unit's Title Menu lets users view the entire title content of their HDD and DVD-RAM on-screen. A thumbnail image of the beginning of the program is displayed with a variety of additional information including original recording date, program length, program bit rate, program title, and more. This information can also be viewed on-screen in the Title Summary menu display. An on-screen, three-language (English/French/Spanish) alphanumeric titler provides consumers the ability to create and assign titles to programs, as well as individual chapters within the title. Once a title is recorded, the RD-X2 lets users divide the programming content into chapters utilizing the Chapter Create menu option. Chapter marks can then be used to easily edit out unwanted scenes in the video, or define favorite scenes in a video. Chapter marks are also defined by individual thumbnail images, and can be assigned a specific title, utilizing the on-screen alphanumeric keyboard. The RD-X2's editing capabilities have several advantages for movie collectors. Once a title has been recorded, users may create customized ""virtual titles"" (with objectionable scenes deleted) for future playback or dubbing to DVD-RAM or DVD-R disc. Disc menu-related items, such as chapter thumbnails or chapter descriptions, when applied, can also be recorded along with the edited audio/video content. Concluded Mr. Eggers: ""With its built-in 'no-compromise' DVD-Video player functionality, massive 80 GB HDD for recording and assemble-editing, multi-input capabilities, plus the universal compatibility of DVD-R and the versatility of rewritable DVD-RAM recording, the RD-X2 represents a revolutionary step forward in digital home video recording and archiving. Toshiba has once again set the standard for years to come.""The Toshiba RD-X2 will be available in the fall at a suggested retail price of $1,499.For more information about Toshiba America Consumer Products, Inc., visit www.tacp.com.

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