TDI
Registered User
Thinking of buying this model, anyone got any views?
Cheers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
Opinions on Panasonic DVD Recorder model DMREH50
- Thread starter TDI
- Start date
Thinking of buying this model, anyone got any views?
Cheers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
I bought a DMR-E50 about two years ago. I'm not sure if that's the same as the one you're considering. I'm guessing the "H" in the title means it's got a hard-drive, which mine hasn't.
When I bought mine, I paid £280, & it was considered the best you could get at that price-point (up to £300). Since then, as is inevitable, lots of newer model have come onto the market, specs & performances have gone up, and prices have gone down.
I bought mine to replace an elderly VCR & a stand-alone budget DVD player. Within that term of reference, it was an excellent choice. However, since then I've got a Sky+ box, so I rarely use the Panasonic for day-to-day watch-and-wipe recording purposes, the exception being where there are three progs I want to see, all on at the same time.
I've also now got a DVD-R drive on my PC, so if I'm making a permanent copy of a DVD, I'll generally do it on the PC, not the Panasonic.
It only really gets used as a DVD player now, and the lack of a component output means I can't use the progressive-scan facility on the TV that I bought six months after I bought the Panasonic. As just a player, it doesn't match the performance of a Toshiba SD350, which you can buy for £79. So, a high-performing best-buy product has become near-redundant in the space of two years, due to no particular fault of its own.
So, what I think I'm trying to say is before you buy, think very carefully not just about whether it meets your current needs, but but whether it will still do everything you might want it do even in as little as a year's time.
When I bought mine, I paid £280, & it was considered the best you could get at that price-point (up to £300). Since then, as is inevitable, lots of newer model have come onto the market, specs & performances have gone up, and prices have gone down.
I bought mine to replace an elderly VCR & a stand-alone budget DVD player. Within that term of reference, it was an excellent choice. However, since then I've got a Sky+ box, so I rarely use the Panasonic for day-to-day watch-and-wipe recording purposes, the exception being where there are three progs I want to see, all on at the same time.
I've also now got a DVD-R drive on my PC, so if I'm making a permanent copy of a DVD, I'll generally do it on the PC, not the Panasonic.
It only really gets used as a DVD player now, and the lack of a component output means I can't use the progressive-scan facility on the TV that I bought six months after I bought the Panasonic. As just a player, it doesn't match the performance of a Toshiba SD350, which you can buy for £79. So, a high-performing best-buy product has become near-redundant in the space of two years, due to no particular fault of its own.
So, what I think I'm trying to say is before you buy, think very carefully not just about whether it meets your current needs, but but whether it will still do everything you might want it do even in as little as a year's time.
TDI
Registered User
Ive had the Panasonic DMR-HS2 for a couple of years now -
mine does have the hard drive, also has DVD-writer built in etc, takes CF cards and so on.
Not much to say really - does exactly what it is supposed to. The dvd-write isnt used heavily but works perfectly when it is used - usually when a 'series' of programmes have been recorded, then drop the whole lot onto a dvd or two..
It does have simple editing, of the programmes recorded onto the HDD, more than sufficient for snipping out adverts etc..
fairly simple to program etc, mine runs into a nice DMP projector and works ok.
My one gripe about mine, is the copying of programmes onto the DVD is real-time - so a 2 hr movie despite being sat on the HDD will take two hours to put onto DVD after, surely this could be improved!!
Good as the panasonic is, I agree with jdp, a sky+ box is much simpler to use, does nearly everything the panasonic does - EXCEPT for the dvd-write.. sky+ with dvd-writer would get my vote!
mine does have the hard drive, also has DVD-writer built in etc, takes CF cards and so on.
Not much to say really - does exactly what it is supposed to. The dvd-write isnt used heavily but works perfectly when it is used - usually when a 'series' of programmes have been recorded, then drop the whole lot onto a dvd or two..
It does have simple editing, of the programmes recorded onto the HDD, more than sufficient for snipping out adverts etc..
fairly simple to program etc, mine runs into a nice DMP projector and works ok.
My one gripe about mine, is the copying of programmes onto the DVD is real-time - so a 2 hr movie despite being sat on the HDD will take two hours to put onto DVD after, surely this could be improved!!
Good as the panasonic is, I agree with jdp, a sky+ box is much simpler to use, does nearly everything the panasonic does - EXCEPT for the dvd-write.. sky+ with dvd-writer would get my vote!
TDI
Registered User
AndyMac
Retired from service
Sky must be working on a DVD-RW enbled Sky+ box. If you could access Sky+ written DVD's using the same menu/naming system as Sky+ it would wipe the floor with the competition.
Just an extra option on the Sky+ menu which would allow you to select source: hard drive or DVD/media card. That would be so cool, just offload a program onto SD card to give to a friend who missed it.
Just an extra option on the Sky+ menu which would allow you to select source: hard drive or DVD/media card. That would be so cool, just offload a program onto SD card to give to a friend who missed it.
AndyMac
Retired from service
As said many times before if you're looking to replace a VCR then Sky+ is a million times more powerful and easy to use than either a VCR or DVD-RW.
DVD-RW is really only useful as a backup to Sky+, on it's own it's just as cumbersome to use as a VCR but with better quality and faster access time. You still have to fanny around with media and finding the right recording, not really a step forward.
If you're using it to pirate DVD's then fine.
DVD-RW is really only useful as a backup to Sky+, on it's own it's just as cumbersome to use as a VCR but with better quality and faster access time. You still have to fanny around with media and finding the right recording, not really a step forward.
If you're using it to pirate DVD's then fine.
If you don't have sky then have a look at the Topfield 5800. It's a Freeview hard disk recorder. Does everything Sky+ does just without Sky. Has a USB2 connection for transfering stuff to your PC to edit and burn to DVD or DivX. Excellent bit of kit and comes with 160GB as standard!
AndyMac
Retired from service
"Does everything Sky+ does just without Sky"
I'm pretty sure it doesn't.
The beauty of Sky+ is the ease of programming not the actual hard disk recorder.
Select a program from the menu hit the R button and job is done, series link it and it'll record everything in the series, everything is stored with the title and the synopsis.
If you don't have sky then you don't have the Sky menu, so you're back to a DVD/hardrive version of a VCR.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't.
The beauty of Sky+ is the ease of programming not the actual hard disk recorder.
Select a program from the menu hit the R button and job is done, series link it and it'll record everything in the series, everything is stored with the title and the synopsis.
If you don't have sky then you don't have the Sky menu, so you're back to a DVD/hardrive version of a VCR.
have a look at this one http://www.digico.co.uk/default.asp?Detail=Yes&ModelID=693
it has a freeview tuner built in with epg recording
i found a review with a pic of the programme guide page here
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228659
the timer mode bit lets it down huh?
it has a freeview tuner built in with epg recording
i found a review with a pic of the programme guide page here
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228659
the timer mode bit lets it down huh?
So whats the best at the moment to get with a freeview box built in,no sky,hd dvd recorder.Options seem to be the panny,topfield,sony and humax.
Which one guys?
Which one guys?
its not easy to say without trying out each one first. my advice would be to have a look in forums and reviews to pick out one or maybe two models from the list you want, try digitalspy forums , they're normally pretty good. go into currys or wherever and play around with their demo units. pick a quiet day like mon-fri and make the sales assistant work a bit for their money. are you anywhere near a richersounds shop?
other than that its down to your own personal taste or favourite manufacturer
other than that its down to your own personal taste or favourite manufacturer
[ QUOTE ]
pick a quiet day like mon-fri and make the sales assistant work a bit for their money.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but don't expect any good advice - this just reminded me of when we were looking to buy a digital camera a couple of years ago and went into local Dixons to check some out "in the flesh" - on asking said sales assistant about the quality of the lenses in the 2 or 3 cameras we were looking at he replied that the quality of the lens was irrelevant, because (and I quote) "its the digital that captures the pixels".
Needless to say, a camera was not bought from Dixons!
[sorry - wee bit off topic]
pick a quiet day like mon-fri and make the sales assistant work a bit for their money.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, but don't expect any good advice - this just reminded me of when we were looking to buy a digital camera a couple of years ago and went into local Dixons to check some out "in the flesh" - on asking said sales assistant about the quality of the lenses in the 2 or 3 cameras we were looking at he replied that the quality of the lens was irrelevant, because (and I quote) "its the digital that captures the pixels".
Needless to say, a camera was not bought from Dixons!
[sorry - wee bit off topic]
AndyMac
Retired from service
Classic, I remember dixons telling me a particular TV was better quality as it used more than the 625 lines that normal TV's use!
This was about 20 years ago before HD was even a fantasy, glad to hear they're still living up to their useless image.
This was about 20 years ago before HD was even a fantasy, glad to hear they're still living up to their useless image.
i bought the panny es20 for the in laws for xmas, What hi fi seemed to like it, they are well chuffed with it as well, father in law has managed to record things using the programmed guide a week in advance, might be a apin if you take longer holidays...
that site seems cheap, esp if the price includes VAT, i got ours from ebay.
chas
that site seems cheap, esp if the price includes VAT, i got ours from ebay.
chas
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/sound-and-vision/vision/dvd-players/508043/prices
a few places have it at this price, even comet and currys aren't far off the mark. no hard drive on this model though remember
a few places have it at this price, even comet and currys aren't far off the mark. no hard drive on this model though remember
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif Either i goofed big time or everyone is in a post xmas price drop. Ebuyer still has it at 180 odd!!! I DID check other places and on kelkoo honest. Live and learn..
it was a xmas pressy not a "week after boxing day" pressy" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Chas
it was a xmas pressy not a "week after boxing day" pressy" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Chas
