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"If it only had a brain"
on by lexusallenPros Very good tape picture even at LP, lots of features,extensive programing options.
Cons No clock display during playback,programming interupts other functions,control response is slow,especially from remote.
Summary As my old Panasonic VCR's began to wear out, I read many good reviews here and elsewhere on these combo machines. Glad the new digital tuner version was available by the time I was opening my wallet.
Set up was pretty easy in spite of the manual. I used to sell VCR'S etc. and have owned Panasonic VCR's for years finding them the most reliable and easy to use. I was not happy at all when I correctly programmed the machine for season finale's and it missed the recordings. Oddly, it would record two shows a day and not a third or more. Calling tech support(very helpful) helped me to reset machine and a mention they had heard of this issue before. With him on phone, set machine to record three back to back recordings of about two minutes each, A OK. Next day, same loss of recordings after first two and then wouldn't record at all. Reset again, re programmed again, and next day, recorded only two shows. Machine back to Costco two days later, assuming a bad machine.
Set up new machine, ever hopeful but same problems and of course back with tech support and a case number. They again walked me through resetting and programming. About two days later, back chatting with tech support who suggested that perhaps sending me firmware disk that corrects shut off "00's" might correct problem. Still waiting on this disk after over a week. He slso suggested that I take it in for repair( perhaps I was pulling from a bad batch), which I of course wanted to know, have there been reports of consistent problems and is there a repair bulletin out there? The idea of having a brand new machine languishing in repair shop not appealing at all. Picked up third machine(hoping for a break), day before and sorry to say, same old crap.
Other observations to share:
If you have two Panasonic VCR's in same location(I hooked up old one), one remote will interfere with both machines. They should allow for different operating codes like my Sony machines.
The programming process interrupts everything. No playback, no tape movement,no sound,no indexing,etc. It's schedule screen has small fonts which for us baby boomers, across the room is too small.
Remote isn't bad but tape transport should have reused old remotes oval button design, much more intuitive/user friendly. Response is also slow on simple task, like changing channels.
There needs to be an onscreen display that shows the clock while in play when most would find it useful. The clock only shows while it's in idle standy, or during recording. Also missing, the old 'gas gage' which would show a graph of beginning-to-end, although remaining time counter is useful.
The owners manual is better but still needs help. It does not tell you how to stop the tuner from looking for digital channels if you don't have any( hit return on remote). Also, the auto clock setting takes a long time (up to 15 minutes), even if you know it needs to be on PBS station. Manual also says you cannot program back to back recording times,as unit will not record beginning of later program, it can.
Love the programming conflict notice, very handy! Not sure why the indexing doesn't work all the time, might be old or cheap tapes. Jet search is very swift.
And finally, I'm going to work with tech support a bit longer in getting a machine to do what it's designed to do, record shows for later viewing. When it does record, the picture is very pleasing. Got this machine after extensive research, good reviews and my past experience with Panasonic recorders. Very shocked that I am having this many problems but given it's consistency, I know it's fixable whenever Panasonic steps up. There could be much to like here.
Will try to update later. Hoping that a quick fix will allow this machine to get a better rating, up to about 7-8.Updated
Having used this machine with the guidance of Panasonic tech help (some better then others) and more manual readings, it's now quite a pleasant machine.
I would now rate this machine as an 8-9.
A few hints I've learned:
The timer recorder problem with VHS remains and for some reason is limited by approximatley 2-3 daily recordings even if plenty of tape remains. Pana. tech support duplicated the same results over a ten day period.
Switching to DVD-Ram has been much better since the programming guide will show you if there is enough time to record. Also shows you if there are conflict overlaps, both great features(only on DVD media).
BIG HINT: Be sure that you see the screen warning "turn off machine to use record timer" and then turn it off. If you don't see this screen and turn off the machine, you will more then likely NOT have a recording when you return. Missed a few crucial recordings until I learned.
Have found DVD-Ram the best media to use from a cost and ease of use standpoint. I ordered two boxes of Panasonic disc from Amazon since they are tough to find. They say you can record/erase/record up to 100K times BUT: there will rarely be pixalation and freezes as you use commercial skip. Then you should clean up the disc after viewing your shows by simply reformatting the disc(very easy-but you will lose any saved shows).
I love the 'time slip' feature which allows you to slip fwd/bkwrd 1-120 minutes by simply chosing the minutes not search buttons. Great if you are interupted by a phone call, etc. BTW, this works even if you are recording and viewing at the same time, one of my favorite features.
Beware that once in awhile, at the end of a playback, you will get the dreaded 'lock up' and the warning window will suggest that 'machine has detected what might be a problem with a disc'. You then follow onscreen directions to turn the machine off and back on. Only seems to happen on last second of recording, don't know why??
The editing features of machine are very good and easy to use if you simply read onscreen prompts. A big relief when you are trying to edit out commercials.
I originally got this machine when I assumed I'd want some ties to VHS capabilities and it still makes sense as a transition. I rarely use the tape part of the machine now, and now looking to get the EZ 17 or 27 with just DVD. If this machine last as long as my previous Pana VCR's, I will remain a happy camper and highly suggest it to fellow time shifters.Updated
Having used this machine with the guidance of Panasonic tech help (some better then others) and more manual readings, it's now quite a pleasant machine.
I would now rate this machine as an 8-9.
A few hints I've learned:
The timer recorder problem with VHS remains and for some reason is limited by approximatley 2-3 daily recordings even if plenty of tape remains. Pana. tech support duplicated the same results over a ten day period.
Switching to DVD-Ram has been much better since the programming guide will show you if there is enough time to record. Also shows you if there are conflict overlaps, both great features(only on DVD media).
BIG HINT: Be sure that you see the screen warning "turn off machine to use record timer" and then turn it off. If you don't see this screen and turn off the machine, you will more then likely NOT have a recording when you return. Missed a few crucial recordings until I learned.
Have found DVD-Ram the best media to use from a cost and ease of use standpoint. I ordered two boxes of Panasonic disc from Amazon since they are tough to find. They say you can record/erase/record up to 100K times BUT: there will rarely be pixalation and freezes as you use commercial skip. Then you should clean up the disc after viewing your shows by simply reformatting the disc(very easy-but you will lose any saved shows).
I love the 'time slip' feature which allows you to slip fwd/bkwrd 1-120 minutes by simply chosing the minutes not search buttons. Great if you are interupted by a phone call, etc. BTW, this works even if you are recording and viewing at the same time, one of my favorite features.
Beware that once in awhile, at the end of a playback, you will get the dreaded 'lock up' and the warning window will suggest that 'machine has detected what might be a problem with a disc'. You then follow onscreen directions to turn the machine off and back on. Only seems to happen on last second of recording, don't know why??
The editing features of machine are very good and easy to use if you simply read onscreen prompts. A big relief when you are trying to edit out commercials.
I originally got this machine when I assumed I'd want some ties to VHS capabilities and it still makes sense as a transition. I rarely use the tape part of the machine now, and now looking to get the EZ 17 or 27 with just DVD. If this machine last as long as my previous Pana VCR's, I will remain a happy camper and highly suggest it to fellow time shifters. -
"Solid product, but has some quirks"
on by rcpotterPros Clear Digital Picture, LP mode records well. Good VCR unit. Does DL (well, sorta)
Cons Can't record digital directly onto VCR, poor NTSC tuner, hung up on one DL disk
Summary I've had this recorder now for several weeks. I'm basically satisfied with it, but it does have some annoying quirks. The quality that comes with the Panasonic brand name is obvious.
It tunes digital (ATSC) well and the picture quality is very good. If you've been using only an analog (NTSC) tuner you'll be astounded by the better picture quality, especially if you live in a "fringe" area. Drop-outs and audio blips are acceptably rare, but do occur, in my location 45 miles from the brodcasting tower.
The LP mode (4 hours) is very sharp and almost as good as the SP mode(2 hours); so it is possible to store more programs on one disk, unless recording in very high quality is an over-riding concern.
It also records in DL (double layer) mode which allows storing about 7 hours and 20 minutes of programming on one disk, if you use the LP mode. However, the unit locked up on me while I was recording a DL disk. Not only did it erase the program I was recording, but everything thing else I had previously recorded on the disk was lost. I'm now sticking to the regular-length (2 hours in SP, 4 hours in LP) disks, even though this means I'll have to buy and store more of them.
It also has the worst analog (NTSC) tuner I've ever seen on any TV, VCR, or DVDR. I can't even get some of the channels, that I normally get clearly. Even my battery-powered portable with a whip antenna comes in much more clearly, than this unit does with a roof-mounted antenna. However, depending on who you listen to: NTSC may be going away, in two (or a few) years.
The VCR unit gives one of the sharpest pictures in re-play I have ever seen off a VCR. It is almost like a DVD recorder, at least in one of the medium-quality modes. It also features a lightning-fast rewind and fast-forward. The Rewind and Fast-Forward modes are actually too fast, I almost always overshoot the start of the program I want, and have to back up.
Also quite annoying - the VCR unit cannot record digital (ATSC) directly off the air. I don't know if this is due to some obscure legistlative requirement, or some hair-brained design criteria. I missed recording a couple of shows before I was aware of this; because the unit refused to record directly onto the VCR. There are instances in which it might be desired to record onto the VCR first; and then dub onto a DVD afterward. This feature rather limits the versatility of this unit. -
"So far, so good..."
on by dmarsh67Pros digital tuner, nice look, easy to set up
Cons still looking for cons
Summary I have been in the market for a DVD Recorder for quite awhile but have yet to pull the trigger. When I saw this new Panasonic piece I felt that it offered enough for me to take that first step.
This is my first Panasonic purchase, but from most reports they appear to be solid in the DVD Recorder market. I don't typically like being the first to purchase a piece before all the bugs are worked out but this machine had all of the features I was looking for.
Out of the box, hook-up was simple, and initial set-up of the unit was a snap. The DVD looked very sharp on my Hitachi HDTV, haven't really tested the VCR portion of the unit yet. I'm looking to transfer some home movies this weekend, so I'll see haow that goes. I like the Black over the Silver, it just seems to be a sleeker more professional look. The fact that it has a Digital tuner was the single most important factor in my purchase of this unit. I was able to pull in more DTV stations through this unit, than I was able to by just going through my HD Direct TV tuner, which was a definite plus.
All in all I would say I am very happy with this unit so far, and will report back if any problems pop-up...hopefully not (knock on wood) -
"Doesn't live up to the promise; falls short in several critical areas"
on by MessingerPros Great quality recordings, even at slower speeds
Cons Software improvements would go far; customer service is very poor
Summary Many of the reviews I read, before I purchased this DVR, didn’t tell the whole story. How many times do you have to reboot your DVR? Nearly once weekly, it stops responding to commands entered from its remote or from buttons on its face and so I have to reboot this DVR. Sometimes, that means actually having to unplug it from its power source.
Sometimes, when chasing playback is engaged, it mangles the recorded audio so badly, you cannot understand the audio track at all.
If you forget to leave enough space to record the program, on the DVD-RAM disk, it attempts to record without an indication something is amiss. But, on playback, you realize you have recorded video, but no audio.
My $40 DVD player will allow you to stop, remove a DVD, and then replace it (even days later) and pick up where you left off. In fact, it remembers the last location on the most recent 30 disks placed into it. This DVR? It forgets where you were, on the disk, the moment you stop and remove the disk.
Large status messages appear on-screen, in the middle of playback (both commercial and disks it records) for no reason. Sometimes those messages flicker on and off once every 60 seconds or less. Panasonic's customer service cannot assist.
When this DVR records, it records great. The reviewers were right on that point. It makes a nice recording, if it functions correctly. You had just better make sure the program you’re recording will be re-aired, because there’s a decent chance the recording you’re making right now will be botched in some way.
Contact Panasonic’s customer service and they’ll tell you to reboot the DVR, but that won’t solve the problem. They’ll tell you to buy new HDMI cables, but that won’t solve the problem, either. They’re fishing and their DVR isn’t yet ready for the real world.
If I were you, I’d wait until someone perfects a DVR with a hard drive that includes a digital tuner and does the thing the Panasonic DMR-EZ47V and DMR-EZ47BK say they do, but actually do not.
Too bad. I really wanted to like this DVR. Now I cannot wait for someone to come along with something better. -
"So far, pretty good"
on by eljoh1Pros Great recording quality
Cons dig pic to widescreen is lacking; lost capabilities i had with previous Samsung DVD recorder/VHS unit; the manual is terrible.
Summary Just bought this to replace my dying Samsung DVDRecorder/VHS unit.
Immediately noticed the controls are much more difficult and much less intuitive. Cannot continue to use DVD-Rw in VR mode and cannot now edit on the DVD-RW !!! This is a major change from the Samsung, which let me choose to format the DVD-RW either as (v) or (vr) and then let me edit parts of segments out, let me delete any recorded portion and then free up the space for re-use. On this recorder, only (v) is offered, and unless what you delete is the last recorded piece, you do NOT get to use the freed up space.
I haven't decided yet if this is a deal breaker. I have another 27 days to decide if this goes back.
I like the obvious quality build.
I have it hooked up with HDMI to my TV for DVD and composite for the VHS. There seems to be quite a quality drop off thru the HDMI versus the composite and versus my TV tuner, watching without this machine's effects.
I have reviewed the settings multiple times, find the manual of no help, and will call the tech folks after the weekend about this.
I guess I just wish that the real capabilities of this model were more readily knowable by me before I purchased.
Panasonic DMR-EZ47VK user reviews
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Quick Specifications
- Release date04/26/07
- Type of component DVD recorder
- Audio output mode Stereo
- Digital audio format DTS digital output Dolby Digital output
- Remote control type Universal remote control
