Toshiba Vardia HD DVD/HDD DVR First Look

If you thought the format was was confusing, consumers are in for a surprise when Toshiba releases its new HD DVD recorder dubbed the RD-RX7. The recorder features the ability to write to HD DVD recordables as well as DVD-Rs. What makes it truly unique is that it has a special mode allowing users to record HD video to standard 4GB DVD-R/RW/RAMs. The way it does this is through a proprietary format that squeezes 2 hours of "HD" material onto that regular DVD. The unit can upconvert MPEG-2 standard DVDs to its HDMI output and transcodes MPEG-2 to AVCHD MPEG-4 on the fly.

Considering that the HD DVD media nets around 6 hours of video on a single-layer HD DVD-R disc, this isn't too bad at all. You can thank MPEG-4 and some fancier laser technology for that. These special DVDs will not be playable on regular DVD players, so remember that if you think you're going to be able to record something and hand it over to someone else when you are done with it.

With that said, why exactly do we need a new HD DVD format again? Just kidding - life would be so boring without an industry-wide format war. The player outputs up to 1080p/24/60 out its HDMI port and HDMI 1.3 with Deep Color is supported along with all the latest audio formats like Dolby TrueHD. Obviously, the RD-RX7 is a formidable HD DVD player as well, so you won't need to pick up a dedicated unit just to play back your HD DVDs.

The player/recorder also has an internal 160GB hard drive and can store up to ~40 hours of HD material. Pricing and availability are still in flux, but based on the competition this player/recorder should really be ready in time for Christmas.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.