Comments on: Toshiba D-R400 Tunerless 1080p Upconverting DivX Certified DVD Recorder

By: big nick

big nick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:00:52 +0000

My first task with this DVD recorder was to copy VCR tapes that I had saved over the years. I spent many hours editing as I transferred the videos to DVDs. However, when I played them back I got error messages with some of them and they could not be read. Since the recorder was only a few months old I took it to a local authorized Toshiba repair shop for service. They could not reproduce the problem so now I have a defective Toshiba DVD recorder and am afraid to trust it for copying anything from the TV and don't want to waste hours copying VCR tapes knowing that they might not play back. I am trying to contact the Toshiba company but it is not easy. I sent them two e-mails and got no response. Now I must try to find a customer support phone number and that is difficult.
I wonder if anyone else has had the same problem.

Latest edit: Found the Toshiba customer support number on their web page and the good news is that I got a representative immediately. The bad news is that I had to argue with the rep for three quarters of an hour to convince him that is was not a disk problem but a defective recorder. Even after I explained that the problem happened with Imation, Phillips and TDK disks he insisted that disk quality varies within the same batch and the fact that some of the disks survived the recording process proved that it was a disk problem! Where do they get these guys? Eventualy, I gave him a choice; he could provide me with the address of corporate headquarters so I could sue them or he could give me the addres of Toshiba customer support service center so I could return it for service. He gave me the customre support address. We'll see what happens now.

Update January 16, 2008:Toshiba replaced the unit with a new one which I received in mid-November. In mid-December the tray got stuck in the open position and I had to return it again for service. (The local authorized repair shop won't work on warranty units because "Toshiba doesn't pay enough.") Here I am on January 16 and have been told that the unit is being replaced AGAIN with a new one which should arrive in 7 to 10 days. This is the last Toshiba product I will ever buy.

By: MP

MP — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:18:46 +0000

I wanted a DVR to record TV shows and to watch DVDs. I simply bought the wrong product.

I was not able to do the above despite help from Toshiba's tech support.

First of all, you need a cable or satellite box. If you don't have that, you need an RF modulator, which is cheap. However, even if you get that, you have to leave the TV on the channel you want when you leave to record your favorite program! I could hardly believe my ears when the tech support told me that. When you set the timer, you set it to one of the input channels into the DVR, not to a specific television channel. It simply records whatever is coming through the input.

If you hook it up to a cable box, you can have the TV off but you the cablebox needs to be left on the channel you wish to record. I guess I just didn't know what I needed when I was looking to play DVDs and record TV shows. I think I will have to get a DVR/harddrive (i don't want to pay for TiVO).

On the bright side, the HDMI is convenient and the upconversion was surprisingly good.

By: Toshiro Igarashi

Toshiro Igarashi — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:19 +0000

Sorry I returned Toshiba D-R400 for the reason that the remote control command does not respond what I see on a screen. I predict some thing wrong with R-400 machine or software inside the machine.

By: Pen Name

Pen Name — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:22:37 +0000

Pleased do not add MY name to products I have not reviewed because I have NOT BOUGHT THEM.

By: Sergio Verdina

Sergio Verdina — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:06:59 +0000

I’m sure this is a decent product. Was not able to adequately test/use it as I needed one with a built-in tuner (which this model does not have). Toshiba apprently makes a similar product with a tuner, but reviews here weren’t entirely positive. Decided to buy a Samsung instead.