Toshiba RD-XS54 DVD Recorder with 250 GB Hard Drive
Good machine - most here dont understand DVRS
I'll try to get as much in as short a space as possible\\"    (1) All these DVRs use the same Gemstar TV Guide On Screen (TVGOS) system. Selecting a program is easy but setting it up is a very poor process with no backup capability. SAME ON ALL DVRS.  (2) This is a very feature heavy machine. AWESOME for power users. Not for the beginners or those who only understand TIVO. Get a crappy Sony that does little except record with the same quality and functions like an old VCR.  (3) Unless you have an extremely quiet room, you'll never hear the fan when the TV is on or if there is even a small amount of background noise, where there usually is. Never put ANY DVR in your bedroom that uses the TVGOS or else you'll hear the hard drive spinning as it updates itself at night. I don't mind it or would get a case with glass doors.  (4) This is by far the most feature rich DVR to come out. It does a slew of incredible things. The manual is over 120 pages for good reason. It works and I've done a lot with mine. It's a geeks paradise.  (5) If you are buying a DVR, make sure you do the research. This one has the ability to watch a program and put cue markers in. The Pioneers currently do NOT, which is rather remarkable. The Pioneer editing is OK but finished product to present to friends is not impressive, even though they are good quality recording machines. They are a different DVR.     EDIT - FIVE STAR REVIEW    It has its quirks but now that hard disk DVD recorders are out of production, we can all cry about perfection. This unit is far and away the most versatile recorder of all. Dumping video, editing, burning, you name it. It's not the easiest one to use, for sure, but it's not that difficult with a little time investment. The power of this little unit is amazing - you can even broadcast your video to PCs around your home network. Want to watch while you work but on your monitor in another room - it does it! Record a show by sending an email? Does that too. Has more features to record regular TV shows than any other unit and also does a fantastic job with recording and burning 16x9 properly. It's one of a kind and you're lucky to find one if you can. Easily worth the original retail price and then some.