Toshiba RD-XS34 DVD Recorder with 160-GB Hard Drive
Beware!!!!   This machine may work for some, but not all. (READ UPDATE)
I originally received the RD-XS34 DVD Recorder on March 1, '06. When I connected it, it wouldn't set the correct date or time,  and it wouldn't download any data for the TV GUIDE, even after 48 hours.  I couldn't set the date or time manually.  I called Toshiba Customer Service, and was told that they would send me a firmware upgrade for the TV GUIDE.  I asked them if that would fix the problems and was told that it would allow me to set the date and time manually.  Meanwhile, I contacted the seller and he arranged for me to send it to the Toshiba Repair Center in Massachusetts.  They performed the upgrade and returned the machine to me.  It still did not work, although I could now set the date and time manually.  I called the repair center and they had the machine picked up and returned to them and they replaced a circuit board in the TV GUIDE section, then tested the machine.  It set the time and date automatically, and also downloaded the data for the local cable service.  The TV GUIDE functioned properly for them.  They returned the machine to me.  I connected it and it set the time and date correctly from my cable, however, after shutting off and sitting for over 24 hours, the machine would still not download any data for the program listing.  I waited another 3 days, still no data.  The clock worked properly for 5 days, keeping time to the cable.  I know this because I also have a Panasonic DVD HDD recorder which also has the TV GUIDE feature,and the TV GUIDE works properly on the Pansasonic machine.  The two machines sit side-by-side.  Both clocks showed the same time and they both changed at the exact same second.  Like I said, this lasted 5 days.  On the sixth day, I noticed there was a few seconds delay on the clock on the Toshiba.  It kept losing a couple seconds each day for a few days, then it stayed about 20 seconds slower than the Panasonic.  I called the Repair Center and was told that they would not repair the unit again and referred me back to Toshiba Customer Service.  I contacted them and asked them to exchange the machine for one that worked properly.  At first, they said that they would not replace it, but changed their minds and finally sent me a replacement.    The replacement will not set the date and time from my cable and it will not download the data for the program listing for the TV GUIDE, just like the first machine.  I contacted Toshiba and they referred me to their person in charge of the TV GUIDE problems.  He called me and we tried some things with the machine, but nothing helped it.  He then told me that he would have someone from TV GUIDE contact me.  About 10 days later, someone from TV GUIDE did call me.  After some conversation, he said that he thought that my cable service was at fault, that they were not sending out the data in a format that the Toshiba TV GUIDE could read and download.  I explained to him that my Panasonic unit has the TV GUIDE built into it, and it works flawlessly.  He then stated that the Panasonic unit has a \\"Version 7\\" TV GUIDE, and the Toshiba unit has a \\"Version 8\\" TV GUIDE.  I would expect that the newer version would be \\"backward compatible\\" with Version 7, but it is not.  So I have a cable service that is sending out the data and my Panasonic unit reads and downloads the data, but the Toshiba is incapable of doing this.  The person from TV GUIDE contacted my cable service and later called me to say that my cable service told him that they had corrected the problem and that my Toshiba TV GUIDE should work properly now.  Well, it still doesn't work.  It still won't set the date or time, and it still won't download any data for the TV GUIDE.  I contacted Toshiba Customer Service again and told them about the problems and I asked them to have my unit sent to their repair facility to test it.  I feel that it is defective, and as far as TV GUIDE, it's almost as if I am just getting some double-talk.  It just doesn't make sense to me if the TV GUIDE on my Panasonicunit is working flawlessly, but the TV GUIDE on my Toshiba unit doesn't function at all.  As far as the other functions of the Toshiba unit, they all work properly.  It is a great recorder, has great editing capabilities.  It copies to DVD properly, etc.  I have no other complaints EXCEPT the NOISY FAN.  I want to mention that the customer service people, repair center people, and the person from TV GUIDE were all very courteous and pleasant to talk to.  I had no problem with any of them.  UPDATE:  Aug 22, '06   My TV GUIDE started working today.  The problem was tracked down to my cable service not sending the data in the proper format for the Toshiba.  I originally bought this machine in early March.  It has taken all this time to get it to function properly.  I want to upgrade my rating for this machine to very good, except for the noisy fan.  Everything else works great now.