Product Description: Incredibly versatile and format friendly, this DVD recorder can record to and play back just about any DVD you can throw at it. Specifically, it can record to and play back DVD-R/-RW/-RAM/+R/+RW discs. It can also play back many more disc formats, including: DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD-R (dual layer), DVD+R (dual layer), CD, CD-DA, and CD-R/RW (including MP3, JPEG, and DivX files). With a Panasonic DVD recorder, never think twice about what disc you need. This DVD recorder can record an amazing 500 lines of horizontal resolution in LP Mode, which is twice the 250 lines of resolution offered by conventional LP Mode recording. What does this mean? It means that you can now record longer (4 hours on a single-sided DVD-R or -RAM disc as opposed to 2 hours) and still enjoy the crisp, vibrant images with exceptional detail that 500 lines of horizontal resolution deliver. When connected to an HDMI-compatible TV via an HDMI cable, this DVD recorder can up-convert the DVD content that youre watching to 720p or 1080i resolution (depending on your TVs display capability) so you can enjoy beautiful, high-quality imagery in high definition. You sit down to watch this week's episode of your favorite show and realize that you never got around to watching your recording of last week's episode. Not a problem with Time SlipTM, featuring simultaneous record and play. Select this week's episode in the program guide, start recording, and as it records you can watch your recording of last week's episode. What if you set up your DVD recorder to record a movie from 8:00 to 10:00 while you're out, but dinner was faster than you expected and you get home early? With our Chasing Playback feature, you don't have to wait for the program to finish recording in order to watch it. You can begin watching the portion of the program that has already been saved while the DVD recorder continues recording the remainder of the program.
Amazon.com Product Description: The Panasonic DMR-ES45VS brings together a VCR and multi-format DVD recorder, enabling you to continue to enjoy your VHS video tape library as well as record TV programming and home videos directly to DVD disc. It includes easy-to-use front panel controls as well as an S-Video/composite AV input for connecting gaming consoles and video camcorders. This unit provides easy, one-touch copying of non-copy protected DVD disc material to VHS tape, and vice versa--great for archiving your old home videos. It also offers a FireWire port (also known as IEEE1394 or i.Link) for direct connection to a digital video camcorder, enabling you to download footage directly to disc. You can also view individual images and photo slideshows using the integrated Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with JPEG and TIFF file formats).
This unit also includes an HDMI digital audio/video output, which can "up-convert" standard DVD movie discs to near HD resolution. Where standard DVD players (even progressive scan models) provide just 480 lines of resolution, the DMR-ES25S up-converts the picture up to 720p and 1080i high-def video formats--taking full advantage of your HD television's sparkling resolution. (Note that your TV must have an HDMI connection; HDMI cable not included.)
Choose from a full spectrum of recordable DVD media--write-once DVD+R and DVD-R discs or rewritable DVD-RW/+RW and DVD-RAM discs. (For temporary storage, such as your favorite weekly shows, DVD-RAM discs are a great choice as they can be rewritten more times than DVD-RW/+RW discs.) In addition to standard DVD movie and CD audio discs and its compatible recordable formats, the DMR-ES25S can play back CD-R/RW, dual layer DVD-R/+R, and VCD disc formats as well as JPEG, and MP3 digital formats.
Panasonic's Time Slip function consists of two features designed to give you added flexibility and control when making DVD recordings: Chasing Playback and Simultaneous Record & Play. With Chasing Playback, you don't have to wait for an entire program to be recorded before watching it from beginning to end. This feature allows you to watch a program that's currently being recorded from any point that's already been recorded--while continuing to record the live program in progress. Simultaneous Record & Play allows you to record a program onto a disc while simultaneously watching any other program that's previously been recorded on the same disc.
You can set your recorder to one of five different recording speeds, each varying in recording quality and length. EP mode yields the most recording time, LP & SP modes provide less recording time with higher quality recording, and XP mode gives you the highest quality recording. There's also the FR (Flexible Recording) mode that lets you record with the best picture quality possible for the recording time and remaining space on the disc.
The Direct Navigator feature makes it easy to find a previously recorded program on a disc. A list of recording dates, times, channels and (user-entered) titles are shown on screen. With the Playlist Playback function, you can perform simple non-linear video editing using, such as rearranging the order of scenes, skipping over unwanted scenes, or copying selections
Jump directly to any spot on a disc and begin playback or recording right away with the Rapid Random Access function when using DVD-RAM discs. Even if there is no sequential area of empty space available, this DVD recorder can record data on available space throughout the rest of the disc. You will also avoid searching for a blank spot to start recording, or accidentally recording over desired material.
Enjoy a great picture on you flat screen LCD or plasma HDTV using the component video output, and immersive surround sound via the optical digital audio output for Dolby Digital and DTS home theater effects. The full lineup of video and audio connections includes:
RF input: 1
RF output: 1 (for VCR)
Composite video/audio input: 2 (1 front)
Composite video/audio output: 1
S-Video input: 2 (1 front)
S-Video output: 1
Component video output: 1
HDMI audio/video output: 1
Digital audio output: 1 optical
Tech Talk HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. It provides up to a 5 GB per second bandwidth for transmitting pure digital video and audio signals with no degradation in the transfer. It can carry up to eight discrete audio channels, making it compatible with 7.1-channel surround sound systems. Signals are encrypted with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) to prevent recording. HDMI is fully backward-compatible with most DVI connections .
Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.
High Definition Formats: The most common high-def (HD) video format is 720p, which displays video at 720 vertical by 1280 horizontal pixels. The "p" denotes that it is progressive scan, meaning that all video lines are filled at the same time. The 1080i format displays video at 1080 vertical by 1920 horizontal pixels, and the "i" means that it is interlaced (the old-school way of presenting video where the screen scans the odd-numbered video lines first, then the even-numbered lines). The 1080p format has the same pixel resolution as 1080i, but it is a progressive scan format and thus has a constant vertical resolution of 1080 lines.
What's in the Box DVD recorder/VCR, remote control (with batteries), AV cable, RF cable, power cord, one DVD-RAM disc, printed operating instructions
DVD drive failed after 1-1/2 years ^ This served my needs for dubbing VHS to DVD, but the infamous U61 error (call your service center) appeared after only 22 months of usage. The unit will no longer play DVDs. So after paying approximately $280 for the unit, I basically paid $12/month before it died. Worth it? You be the judge.
Other minuses: The "spin up" time to go from stop to record is really, really slow. The controls "feel" sluggish because there is a delay in most functions. I'm an experienced A/V owner and found the controls for creating/marking chapters on DVDs nearly impossible to figure out. The manual is so cryptic and poorly organized, and you'd never be able to figure out how to use the on-screen controls by the intuitive "hunt and peck" method.
On the positive side: The recording quality is good, even at low quality settings, with many options of quality level to record with, depending on how much storage space is left on a recordable DVD.
I gave it 2 stars, but wouldn't recommend it based on the DVD drive failure.
Don't buy this one. ^ The longer I own this unit the less I like it. Command response is SLOW. Press a button and wait and wait for something to happen. Timed recording is iffy. Sometimes it records sometimes it doesn't. I am about ready to replace it with something else.
Absolutely FANTASTIC! ^ I needed to save dozens of home made VHS tapes dating back to 1983! EACH ONE played perfectly in this deck. I transferred each to an included DVD RAM dis WITHOUT TROUBLE OF ANY KIND! The internal menu settings I routed through my computer monitor (I did not own a TV) and the simple remote control provided WORKED FLAWLESSLY! I then transferred the MPG files created by the DVD side of the deck to my computer and checked them! Perfect transfer, no artifacts of any kind!
I then "formatted" the disc for the next transfer, in essence, erasing the info and setting it up for new data. When I used NERO on my computer, this process took 70 minutes! In the Panasonic, using the format feature, it took 4 minutes. I have since transferred thrity VHS tapes to my hard drive, using the one DVD RAM included in the box. It took days! But each "movie" played fine and even loaded into my Sony Vegas editing software without a hitch! Even older tapes, ones I had shot using old tube VHS cameras (back in 1983) came out looking good (or at least as good as the 25 year old video tape could afford to look!)
If you're going to transfer video to disc (or computer files for storage) I highly recommend this Panasonic unit. I was going to sell it after wards, but have kept it becuase it also allows DV cameras using Firewire to transfer in real time from the camera to the DVD RAM disc! Even at $10 a disc, these discs are great! I have "used" mine on 30 plus transfers without a hiccup!
This is worth every dime! Again, I highly recommend it!
DVR/VHS combo saves old tapes in newer format ^ This combo works pretty much as advertised to copy VHS tapes onto DVD's of various formats. It isn't completely intuitive to operate, so, horror of horrors, you actually need to read the directions to operate it. The directions assume a level of competence I don't possess, so I'm still trying to figure out how to split titles and edit, but that will come with some experiementing.
Totally frustrating ^ If you want to use this to record or play VHS tapes, DON'T!! Read all the other reviews about the problems people have when tapes get jammed. Panasonic should be ashamed.
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