Greetings ....

In 2007, I purchased a Panasonic DMR-EZ27 DVD recorder (August 2007 factory date on back) with a built-in NTSC-ATSC tuner. When connected to my local cable service, the tuner picked up all available unencrypted digital channels as well as the analog channels.

In mid-2008, I noticed that the digital channels on the Panasonic were no longer coming in. Shortly after this discovery, I purchased a Sanyo LCD HDTV (which replaced a 17-year-old CRT TV) and discovered that it could pick the digital channels while the Panasonic DVD unit could not.

I then ran a couple of experiments. First using an indoor antenna, I found that the Sanyo TV picked local digital signals but the Panasonic DVD unit would not do the same. Next, I tried running the cable directly through the Panasonic DVD unit rather than through a 3-way splitter (DVD/TV/Cable Modem). Once again, the Panasonic DVD unit failed to pick any digital signals. Meanwhile, the TV picks up digital cable signals either via direct hook-up or thru the 3-way split.

ALSO - I tried a firmware update, as well as turning off the automatic daylight savings time setting as suggested in another AVS-Forum thread. Those measures didn't help either.

So, as it stands now, my Panasonic DVD unit can tune in only analog TV signals. Since I am on cable, I should not be affected by the "Big Switch" on Feb 17th (or whenever, if not then). However, if I want to record something off a digital channel, I will have to attach an external digital tuner to the Panasonic.

At the moment, a Channel Master CM-7000 is being used to tune in OTA digital stations. Sure, the picture resolution (480i output thru S-Video/composite), isn't hi-def, but the CM-7000 lets me choose picture size, a blessing since my local cable company re-transmits the local stations digital signal in 4:3 fullscreen. Kinda glad the Panasonic doesn't have to tune in that nonsense.

Comments and suggestions RE the DMR-EZ27's tuner are welcome.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

I had same problem. It fixes by pressing 'reset' switch while analog channel scan is in progress. It isn't elegant way, though.

Operation:
1) Press SETUP on remote
2) Follow the menu Channel->Set Channels Automatically->Enter
3) While scanning analog channels, Press and Hold 'reset' switch at left of REC button on the main unit.
4) Do Channel Setup after reboot

Greetings ....

In 2007, I purchased a Panasonic DMR-EZ27 DVD recorder (August 2007 factory date on back) with a built-in NTSC-ATSC tuner. When connected to my local cable service, the tuner picked up all available unencrypted digital channels as well as the analog channels.

In mid-2008, I noticed that the digital channels on the Panasonic were no longer coming in. Shortly after this discovery, I purchased a Sanyo LCD HDTV (which replaced a 17-year-old CRT TV) and discovered that it could pick the digital channels while the Panasonic DVD unit could not.

I then ran a couple of experiments. First using an indoor antenna, I found that the Sanyo TV picked local digital signals but the Panasonic DVD unit would not do the same. Next, I tried running the cable directly through the Panasonic DVD unit rather than through a 3-way splitter (DVD/TV/Cable Modem). Once again, the Panasonic DVD unit failed to pick any digital signals. Meanwhile, the TV picks up digital cable signals either via direct hook-up or thru the 3-way split.

ALSO - I tried a firmware update, as well as turning off the automatic daylight savings time setting as suggested in another AVS-Forum thread. Those measures didn't help either.

So, as it stands now, my Panasonic DVD unit can tune in only analog TV signals. Since I am on cable, I should not be affected by the "Big Switch" on Feb 17th (or whenever, if not then). However, if I want to record something off a digital channel, I will have to attach an external digital tuner to the Panasonic.

At the moment, a Channel Master CM-7000 is being used to tune in OTA digital stations. Sure, the picture resolution (480i output thru S-Video/composite), isn't hi-def, but the CM-7000 lets me choose picture size, a blessing since my local cable company re-transmits the local stations digital signal in 4:3 fullscreen. Kinda glad the Panasonic doesn't have to tune in that nonsense.

Comments and suggestions RE the DMR-EZ27's tuner are welcome.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

I own four 2007 DMR-EZ17 models and one 2008 DMR-EZ28 model. One of the four EZ17 models can not maintain its hold on cable-ready digital channels.

I reported the circumstances and my experimentation back in October 2008. See this and the posts that follow it for more detail:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14966888#post14966888

In recent months the satisfactory utilization of this problematic EZ17 is OTA reception. An "antenna" channel scan was run. Following that this EZ17 has maintained its digital and analog OTA reception.

Common EZ series design flaws and bugs, including some workarounds, are discussed in many AVS threads. When searching for EZ series discussions be sure to set the search criteria at the bottom of the page to "Beginning."

I also had a EZ-17 that lost it's ability to tune digital channels OTA. Nothing I did could correct this, I exchanged it for another one and that one worked. Apparently the two tuners are separate and it's possible to lose just the digitals.
As Digado said the Panasonic EZ-x7 series is quite buggy and unreliable, the x8 series is better but still not perfect.