Toshiba HDD-J35 HD
Pros
- Full HDTV support; HDMI, component and RGB output; huge hard disk
Cons
- It ain't pretty
Bottom Line
As long as you're not too worried about how it looks, the HDD-J35 is an awesome PVR, with outstanding HDTV support.
-
Price
$ 1,699.00 (AUD)
It's not a pretty device, looking rather like the twin of a VHS player my parents bought in the late 80s--and having an on-screen display that looks like it comes from the same era--but under the hood, the Toshiba is quite the beast. It's a rare full HDTV-supporting PVR with all the bells and whistles, including HDMI and RGB output.
The back of the huge box is home to more inputs and outputs than you can count. It has two aerial loop-thoughs, component in and output, digital audio output via coax or fibre, stereo RCA output for both standard definition displays and HD displays, the RGB port, the HDMI port, S-Video out and component and RCA input. It also has a serial port for software updates. The huge remote that comes with the Toshiba matches the box's lack of style, but it is very functional, offering one-touch access to most PVR functions.
The HDD-J35 has two tuners, which can be used for picture-in-picture viewing or recording one show while watching another. You only need one aerial source, since the Toshiba has a loop-though for the second aerial.
Recording television with the Toshiba is dead easy. Programming is simple, and it supports EPG-based programming and also keeps EPG info with recorded programs, naming them appropriately. Accessing recorded programs is a one-touch operation, and the management of these programs is extremely well implemented.
We recorded a good half-hour of HDTV with the HDD-J35, and it didn't blink. There were no frame skips, no noticeable hard disk churning and perfect picture quality. Even with a TV running at 576i, the HDTV recording looked perfect.
The HDD-J35 comes with a huge 160GB hard disk, capable of storing in excess of 80 hours of SDTV and 20 hours of HDTV. You can also timeshift using the hard disk, although unlike most PVRs, timeshifting is not automatic with the Toshiba--you have to start it manually.
It's not attractive by any means--although it does have a useful digital display on the front which tells you your current channel and where you are in a recorded show--but the Toshiba has it where it counts. It's a real videophile's dream box, although you can expect to pay heavily for it.
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- You can now rock out to Apple Music on Roku devices
- Complete guide to the new AirPods Pro 2
- Apple Music adds DJ mixes in spatial audio
- Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ will be free for the first 12 weeks of the season
- Apple TV+ makes history at wild Oscars ceremony
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?