Toshiba RS-TX20 (140-hour TiVo)

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 37 reviews
• See all user reviews

Product summary

CNET editors' take

• Reviewed by: John P. Falcone
• Reviewed on: 06/10/2004
• Updated on:09/30/2004

Toshiba's $699 RS-TX20 combines a 120GB TiVo hard disk digital video recorder (DVR) and a DVD recorder in one unit. At its highest quality setting, the RS-TX20 will be able to record about 40 hours of programming to its internal hard drive (at its lowest video quality, that capacity jumps to 140 hours). The RS-TX60, which features a larger 200-hour maximum capacity, sells for $100 more.

Upside: Unlike with Toshiba's earlier SD-H400, anything recorded on the RS-TX20's hard drive can be archived to a DVD-R at the touch of a button. And while the RS-TX20 will function almost identically to the Pioneer DVR-810H, the Toshiba includes some notable enhancements: a FireWire input will allow easy transfer of home movies from any DV camcorder, and a larger hard drive will let the unit store 50 percent more video than the Pioneer can.

Downside: Unfortunately for hard-core archivists, commercials can't be edited out before burning a DVD. Toshiba teases you with a 45-day free preview of the TiVo Plus service, but maintaining access to that full range of TiVo conveniences--such as 14-day programming guides, Season Pass recording options, WishList keyword searches, and the cool Home Media Option--will cost you either $13 per month or $300 for the lifetime of the unit. Otherwise, the stripped-down (but free) TiVo Basic service will have to suffice.

Outlook: The Pioneer DVR-810H is CNET's highest-rated combo DVD recorder, and the Toshiba RS-TX20 adds a larger hard drive and easy camcorder connectivity for a lower price. We'll have to reserve judgment until we get our hands on one, but the "ToshiVo" looks promising indeed.

See more CNET content tagged:

Toshiba,

TiVo Inc.,

Pioneer Electronics,

camcorder,

recorder

User reviews

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 37 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars Write review

• Showing 3 of 37 user reviewsSee all 37 user reviews

• 5.0 stars

  10 out of 10 people found this review helpful

  "Superb unit, easy to set up, easy to use. Free Tivo is great."

  by defeldman on February 25, 2005

  read more

• 4.0 stars

  7 out of 7 people found this review helpful

  "A few quirks, but overall a great unit!"

  by cschneid13 on April 10, 2005

  read more

• 4.5 stars

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

  "Idiot Proof and Superb Performance"

  by vtxrocketeer on April 4, 2005

  read more

• See all 37 user reviews Write review

Similar products

• Pioneer DVR-810H (80-hour TiVo)
  • Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
  • Users' rating: 2.5 out of 5
• Philips HDRW720
  • Editors' rating: 2.5 out of 5
  • Users' rating: 2.5 out of 5
• Philips DVDR3575H
  • Editors' rating: 3.0 out of 5
  • Users' rating: 3.0 out of 5
• Panasonic DMR-EH75V - DVD recorder / VCR combo with 80GB HDD
  • Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
  • Users' rating: 3.0 out of 5
• Toshiba SD-H400 (80-hour TiVo)
  • Users' rating: 3.5 out of 5

Where to buy Toshiba RS-TX20 (140-hour TiVo)

This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.

Find from our auction partner, eBay

Email me when this product is available