Bought this DVD recorder to copy VHS tapes. I found this recorder for under $100 decided to put my cash down to see how it works.May I say I was VERY surprised.
This player came with a HDMI cable and makes the purchase even better. You can set the player to what definition you want. 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. The trick is you also have to turn on the progressive scan or you won't get a picture. It took a bit of work, but I figured it out.
The menus are large and well set up so you can find everything you need to create your own personalized DVD's.
Plenty of Inputs are available. HDMI, component, and Video. The HDMI cable eliminates 5 cables hookups (component) into just one and the picture and sound is better.
The front of the recorder has a easy plug in for your camcorder, VCR, or other device you want to record from.
The remote is well laid out and easy to use. All the controls were at locations you could easily find.
Finalizing the disc was a breeze, but once it was done, it could not be undone.
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After irreconcilable problems with my Samsung DVD VR375 DVD-Video dubber, a unit I don't recommend, I gave up on it and decided to take a different approach to converting my old videos to DVD: buy a DVD recorder and record off of one of my VCR players. After studying customer reviews for "inexpensive" DVD recorders, I decided to buy the Toshiba DKR40KU.I have only used it to convert VHS to DVD but I want to report that it does an excellent job of doing that, and it is extremely easy to use in this context. If you don't want to fool with creating specific chapters, it is automatically set up to allow you to use the remote, while playing, to skip from one part to the next, at designated intervals (5 min., 10 min., or etc.). (It seems to be pre-set for 10 min., but you can use "setup" to select a different interval if you wish see p.34 of English manual, "Setting for Auto Chapter".) You don't need to give the DVD a title, if you want to keep things simple.
It should work just as well for making "real time" copies of TV programs. (It got mixed reviews regarding making timed recordings, with one reviewer saying it was not that difficult and suggesting the problem some people were having was related to the user rather than the recorder.)
For recording, hook the output of the recording source to the input of the Toshiba (of course); select the recording mode (to accommodate the length of the recording see p.33 of the English manual, "Recording Mode"); put in a blank DVD (DVD-R in my case, for copying VHS) and let the unit "load"; start the VHS (or other recording source); then when you want to record simply push the red "record" button on the Toshiba remote. To stop recording, push the remote's stop button (with the little square image). After the unit does its basic "finalization", if you want to play the DVD on other units, do an official finalization (p.31 of English manual, "Finalizing a Disc").
I like that it has an HDMI output for connecting to the TV (as well as other output options).
Based on my limited and very specific usage, I highly recommend this recorder.
Read Best Reviews of Toshiba DKR40 DVD Recorder with 1080p Upconversion Here
* The reviews I've read thus far are spot on. But I've yet to figure out a way to take the output of my digital TV channel box from my cable company and input it into this DVD recorder so I can record television programs for my library.* I'm a Cox Cable user and the set-top digital tuner converter box outputs in two ways: 1) as an HDMI cable direct to your HD TV or 2) as RCA outputs to the same. You can't use both at the same time from the converter tuner box from your cable company because there seems to be a copy-protection system that prevents archiving broadcast TV programs on-the-fly.
* The only reason I am not a fan of cable system DV-Rs is there is no way to archive/copy what I really want to save for my PERMANENT library. No problems converting VHS tapes to DVD, but major headaches and I'm completely stumped finding a configuration that will allow simultaneous "live" viewing and recording of network programs and specials.
* Someone else also brought up the issue of DV-R blank discs NOT being compatible with recording TV programs (though they work OK with VHS tape conversions to DVD), e.g., that you must use what are called blank "CPRM" DVD discs that are near impossible to find. I've never heard of these. Is this the key piece of hardware that might suddenly solve my problems?
* In sum, I want to record "live" television programs onto blank DVD discs just like how we all used to do during the VHS era, building up a library of broadcast movies, documentaries and specials, etc.
* The personal conversion of home videos is fine, a snap. But recording anything else that's "new" moving forward, has me about to throw in the towel. Sign me "Stumped in San Diego." Any thoughts or help from anyone reading this would be very much appreciated.
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For about 5 years I had a Presidian (sold by Radio Shack) DVD recorder. It was not the best, but worked OK for me. After it recently died, I decided to replace it instead of repairing it. Frankly, I bought the Toshiba DKR40 because it was the cheapest DVD recorder on the market that appeared to be able to meet my rather simple needs. After about a month of use, I am happy to say that it does, at least in large part. I (and virtually everyone else) have no need for an internal turner, as 99% of my recording is from my AT&T U-Verse DVR or from VHS tapes, so the lack of a tuner on the Toshiba is not an important issue. Ease of use and recording quality are good. There are only two negatives, neither particularly serious. First is that the Toshiba allows quality settings for 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours. I prefer my old Presidian DVD's approach in allowing quality settings in one hour increments instead, as many of my recordings are between 2 and 3 hours. Second, the finalizing of a recorded DVD takes somewhat longer than I think it should, sometimes up to 15 minutes. That's not terrible, but is a lot slower than my dead Presidian was, which was usually less than 5 minutes. But I can live with both of these shortcomings for the price. I was initially concerned that it would not have a "Pause" feature while recording, so I can stop recording during commercials. However it does allow pauses during recording. A final improvement would be a considerably smaller physical size, so as to not occupy so much shelf space. It's about twice the size of my old Presidian DVD recorder. If it sounds like I miss my Presidian, it's because I do. I would have bought another one instead of the Toshiba, but it's unfortunately long out of production. Meanwhile, the Toshiba seems to be, so far, doing pretty much what I need it to do, and I'm satisfied. It works well as a DVD player also, and I have it connected to my TV using the HDMI cable. A nice bonus is that Toshiba includes an HDMI cable as part of the package. The Toshiba supposedly has the capability to "Upgrade" conventional DVDs to 1080i, but I frankly can't see any difference in picture quality whether the "Upgrade"is used or not.
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