Toshiba RS-TXxx or SD-H400, Humax DRTxxx, etc. Which one to use with HD-LCD TV?

[wonks]

I have 3 of the regular Tivo brand Series2 boxes. One in the living room and 2 in bedrooms. I recently bought a 37" HD LCD TV and using the S-video the picture looks like crap. It seems that the DVD/Tivo units support progressive output through component cables, and I just want to upgrade to a better Tivo in order to get the best picture possible. These are the models I have come across thus far.

Toshiba RS-TX20, RS-TX60, SD-H400, Humax DRT400, DRT800, Pioneer DVR-810H

Can anyone recommend one of these units over the other, or even offer another unit if I have missed something. Any and all assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated. I thank you all for your time. Take care.

[dubluv]

i'm no expert, but feel your pain. @800, the series 3 is a big chunk of dough. however, nothing else will give you HD. i'm not even sure the series 3 at half the price is the answer. i just gave up on cable card with my cable company after a year and a half. they finally stated i needed a firmware update to my sharp aquos tv. at 250 bucks, i dont think so. besides, sharp claims to have abandoned cable card altogether. and you'd need at least 2 cable cards for the series 3. i just ordered a humax drt400 with component outs. i have a feeling the component out will be for dvd output only, but i'm keeping my fingers crossed. without a doubt, the s video looks horrible on the newer lcd and plasma screens.

[wonks]

I had to abandon TiVo in the living room and get a HD DVR from my local cable company, called the Motorola Moxi. It's ok, it's no TiVo, but it is a nice machine...good quality.

[dubluv]

my two sons each have our cable company's HD dvr and it works great and they like it. my wife hates the interface, since she was spoiled with directv's tivo which we had first. if your unit is the scientific atlanta 8300 hd, than you've got the same one. i grabbed the humax drt400 because both humax boxes are elligible for lifetime subscription.

[Bill McNeal]

i have a feeling the component out will be for dvd output only, but i'm keeping my fingers crossed. without a doubt, the s video looks horrible on the newer lcd and plasma screens.

I don't own one (yet), but the online manual for the DRT800 from Humax's website makes no mention that component output is for the DVD only. I assume the same applies for the DRT400.

[lafos]

i just ordered a humax drt400 with component outs. i have a feeling the component out will be for dvd output only, but i'm keeping my fingers crossed. without a doubt, the s video looks horrible on the newer lcd and plasma screens.

If the Humax is anything like the Toshiba SD-H400, then component video and optical audio works for the DVD and hard drive.

[FishTank1701]

If the Humax is anything like the Toshiba SD-H400, then component video and optical audio works for the DVD and hard drive.
Bear in mind that the picture quality coming out of the component outputs on the SD-H400 is only going to be as good as the feed going into the TiVo. I find DVD's played on the unit look far better than what my cable box feeds through the TiVo.

[billyacc]

I have both the SD-H400 and the RS-TX20 and had them both hooked up (at different times) to my 32" Sharp Aquos. The picture for DVD's is great with the component output and the picture for the cable is ok, it isn't HD, but it works.

Hope this helps!

[tiv0pete]

I don't know if this helps, but I bought an 80-hour Humax box w/TiVo a couple of years ago, and the DVD burner fizzled out after a few months, with the "internal drive error" message. My 4-year service agreement with Best Buy allowed me to exchange it. Well, I had to go through this process three more times, because each time they gave me a new Humax box the DVD burner failed, usually after a few weeks. One actually failed after just a few days.

So I brought the fifth one back and got a store credit, with which I bought a nice Toshiba DVD recorder w/80GB hard drive (but no TiVo). This one has now burned more than 800 DVDs without any problems whatsoever. The guy at Best Buy told me that, in his opinion, Humax (made in South Korea) was using either cheap parts or poor engineering. I also notice that my local Best Buy has not carried the Humax brand for some time now. I guess I know why! IMHO Humax is a lousy brand, as far as I can tell.

[larrs]

I tried three Humax units about a year and a half ago and each one was a failure. I now have the Toshiba and it has been working great. I do not burn many discs on it, but I have never had an error. I am also considering a used Pioneer.

i would stay away from Humax.