I really enjoy this recorder | Panasonic DMR-EZ48VP-K 1080p Upconverting VHS DVD Recorder with Built In Tuner

Nice, but with a flaw | Panasonic DMR-EZ48VP-K 1080p Upconverting VHS DVD Recorder with Built In Tuner

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	• Panasonic DMR-EZ48VP-K 1080p Upconverting VHS DVD Recorder with Built In Tuner Panasonic Panasonic average customer review:based on 193 reviews view larger image
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Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK

I purchase Panasonic products because they have always performed flawlessly. This one is no exceptions, and have two of these that I currently use. Setup is easy, even without following the directions in the manual. Picture quality on both VCR and DVD are great through the HDMI connection. Copying VCR tapes to DVD is extremely simple with excellent results. The only minor complaint is the TV tuner picture quality, which can be a little less than perfect at times, but wouldn't prevent me from buying yet another one.

I really enjoy this recorder

Pros: Easy to record; press "Schedule" button and fill-in the blanks. RAM discs allow chasing playback. Excellent DVD recording quality in 4-hour mode. Plays DIVX & XviD files, even directly from SD card, or even a flashdrive. Play & burn videos directly from digital video camera via the "DV IN" port

Cons: Remote has no Mute button. Channel surfing is slow (use "Favorites" button instead). Slow turn-on (there's an option for faster start-up, but setting this feels like leaving a laptop computer running all the time).

Summary: When I started receiving broadcast digital TV programs, I tried to find a DVR that could receive digital broadcasts and record them in digital quality, without monthly fees (sorry Tivo). Based on reviews, the only ones on the market seemed problematic. When my VCR started to fail, I decided to go with the Panasonic VCR / DVD Recorder.

The unit accepts various types of discs. I've used DVD-R / -RW / +R / RAM, and haven't experienced any compatability problems. Using RAM discs allows you to watch a program anytime after it starts recording (chasing playback); very handy when your favorite program starts, but you need a few minutes to get the whole family together. The bad thing about recording to RAM discs is that you can't "Finalize" them to view on your computer.

I also love the fact that the Panasonic can play DIVX & XviD files. It can even play them directly from an SD card, or a flashdrive (using the USB port). I can also play movies (& burn to DVD) directly from my digital video camera via the "DV IN" port conveniently located on the front of the unit.

This unit has a few bugs, but they rarely show-up: A few times I've turned the unit on and the TV images have been in pastel colors! Turning the unit off and on (reboot) resolves this. Also, once in awhile when pressing PLAY after fast-forwarding through a program, the video plays at an undocumented "1.3x" speed. Pressing PLAY again brings it back to normal speed.

FYI: The only difference between the DMR-EZ48VK & the DMR-EZ485VK, is that the latter comes with an HDMI cable.

Overall, I really enjoy the Panasonic DVD recorder, and would recommend it to my friends.

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Nice, but with a flaw

This is the 3rd one of this make and model that I have purchased, the first two having been returned (to Costco) due to the same failure trait. It will function perfectly for some time, then exhibit a flaw as follows: Regardless what TV channel is selected and displayed in its display, the tuner will be stuck on one channel and always output that signal to both of the recording media and to the TV. As this fault was exhibited on my first two units, I returned them to Costco where I had purchased them. On the second unit, I found that rerunning setup would restore normal operation, but after the second occurrence, simply initiating that procedure didn't cure the problem. In reading the comments of other purchasers, I found that if power to the unit is entirely removed, and the unit restarted as if for the first time, the setup procedure would restore normal operation.

The only other make of VCR/DVD player I could find locally was Magnavox, sold by both Walmart and Radio Shack. I had prior experience with the Magnavox, very unsatisfactory. Much less user-friendly than the Panasonic, and the VCR failed completely just after the 90 day warranty period from Walmart. One key functional disadvantage was that there was no convenient way to completely delete all items that had been recorded on a DVD; it would allow the deletion of only one item at a time, then move directly into the programming sequence for a new recording.

Currently, neither Costco, Walmart or Radio Shack carry the Panasonic, so I checked out Amazon.com. The only other available brand I had not yet tried was Toshiba, which all reviewers rated as very user-unfriendly, accompanied by very difficult-to-understand instructions. Soooo, I purchased my 3rd Panasonic VCR/DVD recorder via Amazon. I've been using it now for some time, and it hasn't yet malfunctioned, but I fully expect to encounter the same failure mode.

A significant difficulty is that repeating the setup procedure takes between 20 and 30 minutes, driven by a long interval attempting automatic clock setting, and there seems to be no way to go through the channel setup and not have the clock setting feature also exercised. Automatic clock setting has never succeeded in our case. If the malfunction is first discovered when one is attempting to program a recording session, a significant portion of what you wanted to record will have gone by before you can successfully begin recording again.

On the plus side, picture quality and user-friendliness are great.

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