TOSHIBA RD-XS34 vs. PANASONIC DMR-EH50EG-S

A

AlbaMeccanica

Guest
Hi, everyone!

I notice that the Toshiba's quite popular in the UK, while I can't say that for Italy (it's almost impossible to find it here!) and I've read interesting things about it. It's on sale at Pixmania (for Italy, at least) at the same price as the Panasonic (449€), so I was wondering which one is best... I know I would be just fine with the Panasonic, but I'm interested in some features of the Toshiba (such as the possibility to control the Sky receiver or setting a custom bit-rate). On the other hand, I've read it's not very reliable when it comes to media (while the Panasonic accepts virtually everything).

Your help is much anticipated! :)
 
Take a look at this thread
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206365&highlight=xs34+EH50

The XS34 doesn't seem to be as fussy as the XS32 (and the 32 is also less fussy with new firmware). Yes it has the ability to control Sat or Freeview boxes. It also has DV-in (if you have a DV camcorder), and it saves the widescreen flag when you dub to DVD-R/RW. These are all plus points for the XS34. And yes you can manually set the bit rate, though you can get the same result with the Panasonics FR mode.

Advantages of the Panasonic are longer recording mode in full resolution, considered easier to use.

Mark
 
Thanks a lot. ;)

About the "magic wand": is it difficult to use? How do the receiver and the recorder have to be positioned in order for it to work properly? :)
 
It is easy to use. There is a little tramsitter which you plug in to the recorder, you then just need to sit this in front of the IR Receiver on your Sat box. Just make sure your make of box is supported (you can find the XS34 manuals here) http://tesc.toshiba.co.uk

When programming a recording, you can select that you want a channel from the Sat box; and at the right time the XS34 will change to the right channel. You will need to leave the Sat box on.

Mark
 
Hi, Mark!

Thanks for your help: I got my Toshiba yesterday and surprisingly I find it quite easy to use... :clap: One problem, though: I tried my first timer recording tonight using the sat control function and apparently it's of no use with the Sky Digibox... There's an interval of a few seconds between each number sent to the receiver (I selected SkyCinema1 at 3-0-1), so by the time the second one gets there the first one is gone... Is there anything I can do either with the Digibox or with the Tosh? :confused:
 
I use mine with a Panansonic digibox and have no problems. The remote numbers aren't sent as fast as when I'm changing channels myself but there definitely isn't a few seconds between them, more like one number per second. If you time it and there's really a few seconds between pulses then I'd go back to Toshiba. If it's one per second then your digibox is timing out too fast and maybe there's some setting. Some cable boxes timed out too early for the xs32 and so maybe this is a long shot but might be of some help http://www.redremote.co.uk/index.html http://www.redremote.co.uk/xs32.html.
 
I use mine with a Sony Freeview box, and it works fine. The digits are sent fairly fast - no more than 1 second per digit I would think. There aren't any options to change the speed on the XS34. As Sinclair said, if it is really slow then maybe there is a problem with your XS34 unit. Otherwise, it is your specific Sky box which is too quick to time out.

Mark
 
Well, actually it does send one digit per second as you were both saying. :rolleyes: I tried this procedure (thanks, sinclair :) ), but it only works with cable receivers and not with the Sky Digibox. My receiver is a Pace and apparently there's no way to get the emitter to work properly when sending digit keycodes. It' disappointing, since this feature would come extremely in handy... :(

One other problem: I can't watch the satellite while the recorder is off. :rolleyes:
 
To watch satellite with the recorder off, you need to press the "Sat Moni" button on the recorder.

Mark
 
IIRC there were IR issues with some Pace digiboxes timing out too quickly with Tivos, which also use an IR dongle. Another long shot is that it might be worth speaking to these guys to see if their tivo-digibox RF2link would work in this situation http://www.pacelink.co.uk/rf2link.htm. Good luck
 
tobyjuggler said:
A few things...

If you're using a standard Sky box (not Sky+), after positioning the IR transmitter that came with the Tosh. near the Sky box, go into the setup menu and then the final submenu (far-right) select Set top box setting, then pick Brand type and use the number 0326.
I guess I'l try this one (my current brand code is 1536 (SkyDigital), and it works except when using digit keycodes). Unfortunately I can't right now, because my recorder is stuck: I was finalizing a disc when ERR-14 occurred (says the disc is only available for reading). As a result of that, the dvd indicator says it's now reading the disc but all I can see is a black screen and I can't operate a single thing (pressing any button, either on the remote or on the front panel, is simply useless). I was thinking about unplugging the machine, but I guess that's not the best option... :lease:
 
AlbaMeccanica said:
I guess I'l try this one (my current brand code is 1536 (SkyDigital), and it works except when using digit keycodes). Unfortunately I can't right now, because my recorder is stuck: I was finalizing a disc when ERR-14 occurred (says the disc is only available for reading). As a result of that, the dvd indicator says it's now reading the disc but all I can see is a black screen and I can't operate a single thing (pressing any button, either on the remote or on the front panel, is simply useless). I was thinking about unplugging the machine, but I guess that's not the best option... :lease:
Yep, pull the plug out for a while and then plug it back in whilst holding down the eject button on top of the box. Keep your finger on the eject button until the tray opens. Then bin the disc. I had a disc that would lock up the recorder whenever you played it and this was the only way I could get the recorder to work again.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom