Sony introduce two HDD DVD recorders
Sony have unveiled their latest hard-disc based DVD recorders with built-in Freeview TV tuners.
Features are much as we’ve come to expect from these all-in-one recorders, with some nice touches. The RDR-HXD560 has an 80Gb hard disc, the RDR-HXD860 has 160Gb.
There’s a built in Freeview tuner with 8-day EPG, and an impressive set of recording and playback options. You can record from the in-built tuner or external set-top box, playback a programme from the start that’s still being recorded, or watch another. You can pause live TV and then enter ‘catch-up’ mode in which the video and audio is played back at 1.3x the normal speed until you hit the live broadcast again. There’s also a ‘record series’ feature that will automatically record an ongoing series of programmes without user intervention.
These models have a High Bit Rate recording mode which record at 15Mbps onto the hard disc, a higher recording quality than DVDs offer.
Additionally, the RDR-HXD860 has a built in HDMI port and can perform 720p/1080i upscaling to a high-definition TV.
The RDR-HXD560 should be available now, priced £350, and the higher-spec RDR-HXD860 will be available in September, priced £400.
