Japanese Toshiba RD-A1 HD-DVD Recoder

[lfletcher]

Ok, who wants one of these beasties?

http://lifestyle.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=5998
http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/242487.html
http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/22/toshibas-rd-a1-hd-dvd-recorder-with-1tb-disk/

More pics
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060622/toshiba1.htm

Apparently it outputs 1080p over HDMI and decodes (and I assume outputs) 5.1 DD TrueHD and DTS HD. Wonder if you could record Sky HD onto it?

Anyone know of any sites to import electronics from Japan from?

[shaithis]

I am pretty sure its not SkyHD compatible.

It only has 1 HDMI socket, which is almost certainly an output.....while it has multiple sockets that look like they take a satelite feed......so my guess is it is a tuner/sat receiver that can record what it decodes.

Plus, its a damn beast....that thing dwarfs the Tosh HD-DVD player by a fair amount.

[lfletcher]

From what I've been reading it has built in tuners (for the Japanese market obviously), but is supposed to have anolgue inputs.
You'd prolly have no luck using HDMI in even if it had one, but I was thinking component might work (if it has one).

I really like the look of it, just not the price. Its approx. £2000 :(

[MUGGY]

Nice find :smashin:

[AML]

I had a close look at the pics but it doesnt look like it supports DTS HD, only DD True HD.

Also, as pointed out it only has 1 HDMI and its probably an output for 1080i/p

This machine is designed for the japanese market which is still mainly analog and so all the inputs are analog.
The ones on the left of the machine (back side shot) are antena inputs so it may record from more than one source.

its not that expensive. Jp yen is only 400.000 which is about 2k.
Ive seen DVD players costing that much or even more.

[Drew2]

If you were really brave you could retro fit it with a Sky HD tuner and bin it's satellite decoder!!:eek:

or, just wait for a UK version with terrestrial digital and nothing else!! Unless the sky box's have some sort of i-link cause there is no-way a machine will be made with a digital in connection like HDMI:suicide:

Price:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.kakaku.com/prdsearch/detailspec.asp%3FPrdKey%3D20278010283&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.kakaku.com/prdsearch/detailspec.asp%253FPrdKey%253D20278010283%26hl%3De n%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

Terminals:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www3.toshiba.co.jp/hdd-dvd/products/hddvd/rd-a1/03.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www3.toshiba.co.jp/hdd-dvd/products/hddvd/rd-a1/03.html%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

Connection 13 is a component 480i d-link IN

Sound support:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www3.toshiba.co.jp/hdd-dvd/products/hddvd/rd-a1/02.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www3.toshiba.co.jp/hdd-dvd/products/hddvd/rd-a1/02.html%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

DD plus, DTHD and DTS-HD are supported.

[lfletcher]

Thanks for the links, they were rather handy.
I doubt Toshiba will ever bring this to the UK, might have a chance of them releasing it in the US though. We always get the short straw over here.
Don't suppose you are aware of any Japanese websites/shops that to the UK?

[Drew2]

This mob are usually good but I don't see a listing for this recorder:confused:

http://www.pricejapan.com

Try mailing them for a quote.

If you were interested and are willing to take a 'leap of faith' then I would help you out. Insured airmail is the only way to send as any other means would go 'walkabout', consumer electronics leaving Japan is notorious for this as it is latest technology. I would find out postage to me from website company and 'IA' to you and give you a total without any commission;). My wife has a PayPal account so could work something there:smashin:

One good point is that it will play UK HD DVDs as PAL/NTSC is a non-issue with HD.

Hope that helps!!

[lfletcher]

Just found pricejapan and also couldnt find it on the site.

Thanks for the very kind offer. Think I will hold back a while to see what it can actually do with regards to audio decoding. Its seems a shame that I wouldnt really be able to utilise the TB of storage as well. I believe its release has been delayed till the end of the month as well.

[MUGGY]

The D1 D2 D3 D4 are I beliive digital connections which have been used for some time in the Japanese market and are still more widely used than HDMI. Feel free to correct me as my knowledge in this area is pretty shaky but it looks as though this machine has an equivalent of HDMI in & out !

[Lyris]

Actually the "D1/2/3/4" connectors are for Analogue Component Video.

They simply combine what we in the West know as 3 RCA Cables into one connector. The audio still needs to be input separately.

The number after the "D" refers to what resolutions the socket can accept:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f383/lyris1/dterminal.gif

[lfletcher]

So in theory this could accept a component input from a Sky HD box. Anyone else want to try it out, I'm not keen to be a 2 grand guinea pig

[Lyris]

Yes, it should accept the Component input with an adapter cable:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&Q=&is=REG&O=productlist&sku=410327

One good point is that it will play UK HD DVDs as PAL/NTSC is a non-issue with HD.
Yeah, but 50/60hz is still an issue sadly. HD DVD movies in the UK could well be in 24p/60hz which would mean they would play - unless they were region coded.

...but there's no guarantee that it will accept the 50hz signal from SKY HD for recording.

[Drew2]

So the UK is sticking with 50Hz then:confused: !! What's the point?

[lfletcher]

Looks like it got released in Japan today, http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=17631. Lets hope someone over at AVS gets their hands on one so we can see if its any good.

[scarty16]

So the UK is sticking with 50Hz then:confused: !! What's the point?

Maybe because our whole household electrical systems are based on it :grin:

Tell you what why don't you change instead, after all you already drive on the British side of the road and not teh French:devil:

LOL