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I bought this item before Christmas as a gift but decided to keep it.When I tried to set it up, it went straight to an error code that can't be corrected with the help info in the manual.Spend the money and get a better quality system.
Please be advised that DIGITAL programming by its very nature cannot be recorded on a VCR.No matter who makes it.VCR`s are ANALOG devices.ALSO,MOST DIGITAL HI-DEF programming,especially movies braodcast by Premium channels such as HBO and Showtime are Copygarded in compliance with the DIGITAL MILLENIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA) of 1998 and cannot be recorded by a DVD recorder.This is not the fault of Panasonic or any other manufacturer.BLAME YOUR CONGRESSMAN and the MPAA(Motion Picture Association of America).ALERT to all you MIS-INFORMED people. The ONLY way to RECORD HIGH DEF Content onto a DISC would be with a BLU-RAY Recorder.which the MPAA(Motion Picture association of America ) and it`s well paid LOBBYISTS have persuaded our BOUGHT OFF Politicians in Washington.we do not deserve to be able to buy as AMERICAN Citizens.Make no mistake, Blu-Ray recorders are made and sold everyday by Panasonic,and many other manufacturers in many other countries,Just NOT in North America.So you can have 2000 HD channels and connect a DVD recorder using any kind of cable you can find (Including HDMI)to connect to your cable/satellite receiver,.but as long as you live in the good ole USA.You`re NOT going to be able to RECORD HIGH DEFINITION. The Panasonic DMR-EZ48V is simply the latest offering from Panasonic as a DVD RECORDER/VCR Combo.with a digital tuner.This machine ,as far as I can tell, leads the field with features and specifications.The main thing the owner MUST do is familiarize themselves with the owners manual and be aware that the machine incorporates an operating system and microchips and must be allowed to recognize commands before given another one.otherwise there will be "lock-ups".The machine.Like today`s blu-ray players does not respond to multiple at-once commands from the remote.but given time to adjust to its last "Command" you should have no problems.Panasonic DMREZ48VK Progressive Scan DVD RecorderPanasonic DMREZ48VK Progressive Scan DVD Recorder
Looks like a good product. Did not realize when buying that you could not record digital on VHS. May have missed that in product Spec, not sure. Took two calls to Tech support for reset instructions so I could make necessary settings.I think it will be OK but just because one can add features, it does not mean you have to add all of them.
Features may increase,and price always drops,but you end up with equipment that isn't built as well. I swapped machines,and moved the old one to the bedroom. So in summation,this unit does what it says it will do,maybe not quite as well or reliably as prior models,but it "gits 'er dun". The 1st generation equipment is usually very expensive,made in Japan,and is built like a tank.
This unit does have some nice features,for about half of what I paid for my six-year-old recorder. Bought it at an HH Gregg store for $218. Digital artifacts are also more pronounced,along with movement on the screen being more choppy. This machine,I may have to be careful with,but that's okay,I guess.
That probably won't change any time soon. First thing I noticed with the new one was the decreased detail and "barber-poling" of colors on certain images (I use LP speed only). In fact,LP on the new Panasonic roughly equals EP on the old one,with perhaps not quite as much choppiness. Another issue is the "lockup" problem a couple other reviews mentioned. This is a DMR-EZ48V,not EZ458V.
As long as it doesn't become annoying or problematic.I've been a Panasonic fan for a very long time,and it's the brand I try to stay with. The company has a proven track record. But I've noticed one thing with electronics that I believe you can take to the bank. Whenever a new technology first comes out,such as the first CD player,first DVD recorder,etc.,it's not the progression you would think. I may have hit an extra button when I did,but it stopped responding,and I had to reset it by pulling the plug for a second. But after using it for a week,I can say that the recording quality doesn't approach that of my DMR-E50 Panasonic machine. Normally,this is the reliable equipment.
It only happened once,but I was in pause,and tried to resume play on a DVD. It's kind of an unwritten rule that equipment is normally made in such a way to prevent miscues with buttons from causing any kind of failure. As time goes on,the product "cheapens out",as they move production to China. It's worth $200,for sure.
Even if he'd spent more time and somehow been able to get it to record, I knew I'd never be able to get it to work reliably, since I'm an infrequent user of recording equipment. I couldn't make it past the first instruction in the set-up directions, so I called my neighbor who's a connectivity engineer and once worked for a cable company. The short version is that after he struggled with it for over three hours, it couldn't be made to work with the box provided by Comcast. Bottom line: I returned it. I really don't care whether the problem is with Panasonic or Comcast--it shouldn't be this hard.
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