Toshiba previews DVRs with HD DVD recording
updated 10:20 am EDT, Tue June 12, 2007
Toshiba Vardia A600
Toshiba started its Tuesday by introducing the Vardia A600. This upgrade to the company's digital video recorders is the first to include an HD DVD burner to accompany its storage; the set-top box can record video to the larger capacity discs, including HD footage from unprotected sources such as the dual digital TV tuners that can record one show while playing another. A total of 600GB of hard drive space holds enough room for 78 hours of HD video, by Toshiba's estimates. Standard-definition TV can be captured through an analog tuner and burnt to the more ubiquitous DVD format.
Connections for the new Vardia include an HDMI output for piping video from full HD sources at 1080p with surround audio in Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD; an i.Link (FireWire) port takes video from video cameras and is bolstered by RCA and S-video inputs for virtually any other analog source.
The A600 will be available before the end of the year in Japan, where it will sell for $1,642. A lower-cost version, the A300, will ship with a smaller 300GB hard drive for those with reduced recording demands at a price of $1,232. Toshiba has so far made no plans to export the Vardia series to the US. [via Impress]
