all dvd players

I thought long and hard about creating DVDs on a computer versus getting a stand-alone recorder. I am glad I got this one, it really has everything except DVD + R capability. In the few days I have had it, I have recorded several TV shows, transferred and edited Hi-8 tapes, time-shifted viewing, and created DVD's without any failures.
Features I like:
Controls your cable box (changes channels)
Programs like a VCR to record TV shows, very easy
Easy copying between hard drive and DVD's
Almost infinitely variable bit rates, 0.2 increments from 1.4 to 9.2.

Things to note:
179 page instruction manual, you actually have to read it to make DVD's, its not the clearest document, no index, somewhat confusing, but when you actually do it, works fine.

It has iLink DV input, but in fact I did not find the quality to be any better than S-video when transferring home videos. Actually, I prefer the S-video because I can intermittently record the date onto the DVD.
reuse, use DVD-R for recordings you want to keep forever. Keep in mind that DVD-RW is not a totally flexible rewriting format,
You edit your home video on the hard drive by creating chapter breaks in your home video, then piecing together the chapters in a playlist, which you then copy. I have found so far that chapters pieced together from separate parts of a video have a tiny noticeable pause in the video, unlike the instant transitions in the original.
Then you create a menu, you get thumbnails of either titles and/or chapters, 6 frames per page, with limited choice of colors (or your own background). Even the simplest computer-based DVD creation software gives you more options. It works fine for me, but do not expect to create masterpieces.

With a hard drive, there is almost no need to buy the expensive DVD-RAM discs, just use the hard drive. Use DVD-RW for recordings you want to keep for a little while but reformat for to reuse a DVD-RW you can either ONLY erase the last recorded item or reformat the whole disc (erasing everything).

I read with interest the other reviewers about the "black level" problem. I played the DVDs I made on another DVD player (RCA cheapie) and they appeared to be the same color level as when played on the Toshiba. I also dug into the instructions, and it appears there is a way to adjust the recording level to make your recordings darker (1 setting) or lighter (3 settings). However, I have not tested this function yet.

I loved the RD-X2 enough that I would only have considered another Toshiba. (Much as I love this machine, it *does not* do 90% of what a Tivo will do. Tivo has season passes, suggestions, wish lists, search functions, and other features that make it absolutely fantastic. Buy both -- they really compliment each other.)

This is an absolutely great DVD Recorder. Picture quality is very good. You can record programs onto the hard drive, edit out the commercials, create custom thumbnails and titles, even customize your menu screen, and with a 4x DVD-R burn a DVD in 15 minutes. Its definitely more difficult to use than a VCR, and the manual isn't particularly well written or organized (it lacks an index), but its not that hard to get the hang of it. It works like a computer, not a VCR.

Features I Really Love (in no particular order):
1. Burning a DVD-R in 15 minutes. If you want to control the burn speed, use a 1x or 2x disc instead of a 4x.
2. Editting functions. I can set the timer to record programs on the hard drive while I'm away, then come back and edit them with ease and speed. I mark the chapters, can batch delete (its quick) and then recombine the chapters to make a single title. Or I can manually set the chapters, almost down to the frame.
3. Recording quality settings. You can select the video and audio recording settings, from 1.4 (EP equilvalent) to 4.6 (SP)on up to 9.2. Adjust your settings to get the best possible PQ and still fit your movie on the disc. At 1.4, I can get about 6.5 hrs on a DVD-R, at 2.2, 4.25 hrs, at 4.6, 2 hrs 6 mins.
4. You can watch another program you've already recorded while you record "live" programming. Or you can use the "timeslip" feature to watch a program from the beginning while its still being recorded.
5. You can give titles to "timer recordings" so everything has a title in advance.
6. For DVDs you've created yourself (*not* prerecorded DVDs) you can recopy programming back onto the hard drive and burn additional DVDs.
7. To copy to VHS, you can create a "playlist" and have your VCR copy all six hours worth of programming at once.
8. Out of town for a 48 hour Star Trek marathon? No tapes or discs needed, you can record all 48 hours on your hard drive as long as you have enough free space (135 hours at lowest setting).

About the black level bug issue, I've seen it reported, but I've played DVDs I've created on a variety of different DVD players (Toshiba, Sony, Hitachi, a PC and a Mac) and never experienced what some of the reviewers have complained about.

i think the webmaster or whoever wrote the description of this dvd recorder need to know a little about the difference between MB and GB... there is no way in world that you can record 109 hours on 80MB.. this site needs to go on the back page of pcmagazine bluffs =) well. anyways, considering this DVD recorder has 80.. GB! it's not a bad recorder and although it's a little pricey, i'm still gonna go ahead and give it a 3 stars. Hopefully, soon, they are gonna change that 80MB to 80GB.. Goodluck!!