Toshiba readies HD DVD recorder

No plans yet for shipments to the U.S. market

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/22/2006

JUNE 22 | Toshiba will be shipping the first HD DVD recorders to Japan in July.

There are no plans yet for this player to be introduced into the U.S. market.

The RD-A1 Toshiba recorder includes an HD DVD burner and a disc drive that can record and store up to 130 hours of high-definition broadcasts.

It streets July 14 in Japan for 398,000 yen ($3,470).

“We are confident that the new HD DVD recorder will meet the market demands for the ability to record digital broadcasts in high definition and is built with high-end specifications with an emphasis on convenience and ease-of-use,” Toshiba marketing VP Jodi Sally said. “It has the same playback functions as the HD DVD players we have already shipped.”

The recorder announcement coincides with reports that retailers are receiving a steadier supply of Toshiba’s $499 HD-A1 HD DVD player. Since the player’s April launch, many stores have been empty-handed for weeks at a time.

The HD-A1 model was in stock last week at BestBuy.com, which had been wiped out of units earlier. Customer service reps at certain Los Angeles-area bricks-and-mortar Best Buy outlets noted that they were receiving a few new $499 players each week but typically were selling out quickly.

“We are airing in product every day and continuing to fill the demand,” Sally said of Toshiba’s HD DVD players.