My trusty DMR-E30 is no longer trusty. (did the Saint Baz spindle cleaning, but it still will barely play old known-good RAMs any longer).

When DVDRs dropped from $800 to $400 about 6 years ago, I jumped in. At the time there was a raging debate over whether HDD was necessary. I had DVRs to capture programs, so opted for non-HDD.

Panny was the obvious leader, with Sony and Pio in the game. Toshiba appeared later, IIRC, and I actually bought one for our web guys at work about 2006; it was the worst POS ever, especially the interface, which put me off of them forever.

Other than researching them in 2003 and watching the prices drop and features be added over the next few years, I had no idea where the industry had gone. Looking now, it appears as a bleak post-apocalyptic landscape. The venerable Panny HDDs are gone. Pickins are slim. It boggles the mind how things went to $#!+.

I bought a EZ28 the other day. Pretty stripped down, compared to Pannys from the mid 2000s, and at $238 a lot more than I would have expected to pay, based on regularly seeing E80s and the like on the open box table at BB for $150 not all that many years ago.

But let me get to my point:

What I liked about the old E30 was the ability to dub over line input to RAM and later remove commercials using the "shorten program" feature, a feature so simple and easy (edit directly from the remote) that Panny didn't even know how to explain it in their manual. It took me a few weeks to discover and figure it out.

I am looking for something to replace that; a RAM editing capability that can also play back older edited RAMs. Naturally, I tried Panny, now apparently a shadow of its former self, but the EZ28, which has all the other RAM editing features, does NOT have the "shorten program" feature any longer. :mad: Grrrrrr!

So I may not keep it, and I don't know where to turn next.

1) are there Pannys or other machines that can edit RAMs the way I want to?

2) should I think about defecting to Pio or Sony or another system that might do the job?

3) is it so bleak that I might have to look at EyeTV software on the Mac?

I dont need a tuner (never ONCE used the timed recording feature of the E30), I just want to edit to RAM and remove commercials later. And be able to play the old ones (I guess I could get a cheap Panny player that could do that last thing). I understand the HD thing, although one would have once thought we would have HD DVD recorders certainly at least by now. 480i will have to do, and I'm (reluctantly) OK with that.

TIA, and any input from you gurus that have been paying attention to what has been going on in this industry is much welcome.

If you haven't seen it here's a post listing the various Panasonic (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1134909) DVDRs produced over the years. As you can see your E30 is one of the first, a '02 model year(which you may have purchased in '03).
AFA shortening a RAM disc, AFAIK any Panasonic should be able to do that. With a RAM disc inserted you just go into Direct Navigator, select Edit Title, then Shorten Title. It's used to remove things like commercials or anything you don't want on your title. It's destructive so anything you delete will be gone forever. AFAIK any RAM disc recorded on your older E30 should play back just fine in a newer Panny.
I wonder if I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to do, I did have a EZ-28 for a while and while I can't specifically remember shortening a title on a RAM disc I'd be surprised if that feature was eliminated, it's one of the main advantages of RAM discs. All my '05 and '06 ES/EH series Pannys can shorten a RAM disc:confused:
BTW if you're looking for a nice line input Panny with a HDD don't forget about the international Pannys like the EH-67. It's based more on the older ES series like you may be familiar with. The post I linked has a link to one source for the EH-67 and other international Pannys.

...
AFA shortening a RAM disc, AFAIK any Panasonic should be able to do that. With a RAM disc inserted you just go into Direct Navigator, select Edit Title, then Shorten Title...

I wonder if I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to do, I did have a EZ-28 for a while and while I can't specifically remember shortening a title on a RAM disc I'd be surprised if that feature was eliminated, it's one of the main advantages of RAM discs. All my '05 and '06 ES/EH series Pannys can shorten a RAM disc:confused:...Well, yes. Imagine my frustration when I discovered that "shorten program" was not a menu item among the DVD-RAM editing functions on the EZ28. Maybe I just got the one model that did away with that. [edit: I just downloaded manuals for the EA18 and EA28, and both are missing the "shorten program" function, just like the EZ28]

It does have the "divide program" feature, meaning I could "divide" the program at the beginning of a cm break, again at the end, and then simply delete the "program" which was the cm break, but it is very clunky and you end up with a program for each program segment that way. Not nearly what I had in mind.

I just don't understand the mindset that would remove this feature! :( (but then if you had asked me in 2004 to predict where we would be with Panny right now, I would have predicted AVC HD frame editing, 1TB HDDs, and all the features of the E80 and much more for under $200; instead we are left with an industry apparently in disarray if not in ruin.)

Can you go to Direct Nav, then highlight the title on the RAM, then press Sub menu, and click View Chapters. Then press Sub menu again, to call up the menu and look for Create Chapters...the Create chapter screen appears allowing you to divide the program. Once you've surrounded the commercial breaks with markers, you exit Create Chapter back to the program's Chapter screen. Then mark the ad chapters and delete.

See if those terms are present on your ez28. The "divide program" feature falls under the Edit Recording tab. View Chapter should be right under "divide program"-at least, that's how it's arranged on the EZ48.

You can absolutely do this with a Pioneer DVD/HDD recorder. My Pio 540, 450 and 460 units will read and write to DVD-RAM. The operations menu may look and read a little different than your Panasonic, but the functions are the same. When I insert a RAM disc into one of my Pios, clicking on the Disc Navigator brings up a window with a scrolling list of titles on the disc with their thumbnails. If I highlight one and press the right arrow key, a pop-up menu offers the choice of erasing or editing that recording. If I highlight "Edit" and press enter, a submenu appears with various edit options, one of which is "Erase Section". This functions much like the Panasonic "Shorten Program" command: an editing screen appears with a timeline and playback window. I can select start and end points for removing a segment (usually commercials) using the timeline and video preview, that material is deleted and a new chapter mark is inserted at the new join point. The space occupied by the now-deleted material is immediately made available as blank recording capacity, as indicated in the navigator window. Other options besides "erase section" include rename, select thumbnail, create/move/delete chapters and divide one title into two or more. The interface is one of the simplest around, certainly no more complicated than a Panasonic.

Unfortunately Pioneer went extinct back in April and supplies of the final 460-560-660 models are running very low in Canada. A few "new open box" units appear on eBay occasionally from reputable electronics dealers, you could try looking there. Sony makes a similar Canadian model 780 based on the Pio design, but it can only read RAM, it cannot edit or burn it, so that would be no good for you. And of course you could look into the Panasonic EH-67 "global model" for sale by some USA dealers like B&H, J&R, and WorldImport. It has been replaced by the EH-68 which is apparently closer to newer, less featured Panasonic designs, but there should still be stock of the EH-67 (or EH-57) floating around at these dealers.

Tomcat, I can't believe this hasn't come up before or I never ran into it when I had the EZ's. Before coming to AVS I guess I never really used RAM discs or knew much of there benefits. Shortly after coming here I ditched all the EZs and have been happily using my older(pre EZ's) ES/EH series Panasonics. You are 100% correct in that the EZ's seem to lack that incredibly handy "shorten program" feature. I downloaded the manuals and it seems like this started with the introduction of the EZs in '07 with the EZ-17 etc. and continued with the '08/'09 EZ-28 etc.
I also downloaded both EH-67 and EH-68 international manuals and both those have the "shorten title" function so if you can swing the price it sounds like they may be your best new option.

edit: I just looked at the manual for the '05 ES-20 and ES-40v (the predecessor of the EZ series with the same LSI silicon) and BOTH those also lacked the "shorten title" feature! Those (2) '05 models are actually more like the EZ series than the ES/EH series. In '06 Panasonic had one more good(some think the best) year before the introduction of EZs.
Due to this new finding I'm really thinking the international EH-68 is more based on the older(better IMO) ES/EH design instead of the newer(buggier, less featured) EZ design, which had been speculated. AFAIK no one posting on AVS has a EH-68 so until someone gets one it's just speculation. The EH-68 does have a handy Gracenotes feature if you plan on putting MP3s on it's HDD.

Tomcat, I can't believe this hasn't come up before or I never ran into it when I had the EZ's...You are 100% correct in that the EZ's seem to lack that incredibly handy "shorten program" feature. I downloaded the manuals and it seems like this started with the introduction of the EZs in '07 with the EZ-17 etc. and continued with the '08/'09 EZ-28 etc.

I also downloaded both EH-67 and EH-68 international manuals and both those have the "shorten title" function so if you can swing the price it sounds like they may be your best new option.

edit: I just looked at the manual for the '05 ES-20 and ES-40v (the predecessor of the EZ series with the same LSI silicon) and BOTH those also lacked the "shorten title" feature! Those (2) '05 models are actually more like the EZ series than the ES/EH series. In '06 Panasonic had one more good(some think the best) year before the introduction of EZs.

Due to this new finding I'm really thinking the international EH-68 is more based on the older(better IMO) ES/EH design instead of the newer(buggier, less featured) EZ design, which had been speculated. AFAIK no one posting on AVS has a EH-68 so until someone gets one it's just speculation. The EH-68 does have a handy Gracenotes feature if you plan on putting MP3s on it's HDD. Thanks, jjeff, for the confirmation. I think your theories are sound. I discover now that I can't even make playlists on the EZ28, and it will not repeat playlists (made on earlier, better machines) in kiosk mode, either, something the 6-year-old E30 could do standing on it's head. What will I discover that's missing next, I wonder?

It still boggles the mind what the zipper-heads running Panasonic might have been thinking. Successful, well-run companies do not typically spend years building a product that is arguably superior to everyone else's product, and then later down the road rip the guts out of it to save a buck. I'm not sure I can bring myself to reward such behavior by throwing good money after bad, regardless whether I can afford it or not.

But it does appear that the international models will indeed do more of what I am looking for. I don't need a tuner or GraceNotes (I stream iTunes from my PowerBook wirelessly to my stereo using an Airport Express), but I need some sort of editing capability, and the EZ/EA models apparently just won't cut it.

But the internationals are a bit pricey. In hindsight, I guess it was naive of me to figure that when the old girl (E30) finally gave up the ghost that I could find a newer Panny that was even better for half or less of what I paid for the E30 originally (they dropped precipitously to under $400 in 2004) even though that was obviously the direction things seemed to be headed in 2005-6.

So rather than blindly replace Panny for Panny, I find myself at a crossroads. Maybe there are other units out there that would be better than what Panny has. Maybe there are better deals than the international models. Maybe the wannabees from 2004 have by now caught and surpassed Panny (and apparently, with Panny's help; they might have been able to accomplish that much while standing still).

What I am looking for is an accurate way to remove commercials from programs dubbed via line in to RAMS (or maybe I should widen to other media, should they have similar capability). So I am trying to look at all units/all manufacturers that have at least that sort of rudimentary editing capability. And it really needs to be an easy or simple interface such as the "shorten program" now-defunct feature on older Pannys.

The problem is that you can't really suss that out from manuals; I am probably going to have to rely partly on the kindness of AVSForum members such as yourself, who I know have the info I am looking for and have yet to ever let me down :).

RAM recording as we knew it is pretty much dead:( Pioneer was probably the other big user of RAMs and instead of compromising quality to save money they pulled out of the US market in '07 and were only available in Canada and other areas of the world until '09 when they stopped DVDR production everywhere:(
I think what most people that want to do any editing are doing is either use a computer:confused: or maybe something like the Magnavox 2160 or Philips 3576. Neither record to RAM but they have a built in HDD which you can do editing probably to the same degree as Panasonics did with RAM discs. You can then burn the edited title High Speed and Lossless to regular R discs.
The Magnavox/Philips are built by Funai and are quite reasonably priced <$300. If I were you and didn't want to go the international route I'd try and find a Magnavox 2160. Check Wajo's large sticky thread to learn all about the Philips/Magnavox model.
If you're really used to the way your Panasonic operates you may or may not care for the Funai models, the only way to know is try. For editing you really don't have many other choices. LG may or may not currently sell DVDRs w/RAM capibility but LGs seem to have much higher than normal problems. You could try and search out a '08 Pioneer 460 from one of the online Canadian etailers, they will also edit on RAM or the built in HDD.

But the internationals are a bit pricey... Maybe there are other units out there that would be better than what Panny has.

See what I wrote above about recent model Pioneers, they will do everything you want and more. They match the Panasonic DVD/HDD models feature for feature and add one that Panasonic doesn't have: full manual control over intermediate recording speeds. I am not by any means knocking Panasonic by that statement, just saying now that such recorders are fading from view it pays to examine all the remaining alternatives. The days of fanatical brand loyalty drew to a close in 2007 when all the mfrs abandoned the USA: you buy now whatever will do what you need at the best possible price. Holding our noses and stamping our feet because we must have brand x accomplishes nothing.

If you have no need of a tuner or elaborate TVGOS timer functionality, and you rely exclusively on the line inputs for recording, all distinction between Canadian Pioneers and import Panasonics vanishes. I would take either one if I needed a new RAM-capable machine, whichever was most affordable and/or easiest to buy. They are at total feature parity. As usual, there are always those who insist one has a slightly better picture than the other, to which I politely reply "bullsh*t": I have been using recorders of all brands since 2003, and with very rare exceptions they all record at more-or-less the same quality. Ain't none of us has a hardwired link to our TV stations: as long as we rely on the vagaries of broadcast/satellite/cable, the source is the limiting factor. I have yet to see an utterly flawless DVD produced by any of these machines.

The key difference to buyers right now is availability, "cult" following, and prices. Panasonic fanciers are a victim of their own big mouths: endless hype and overpraise on forums like this has left the unfortunate impression that absolutely no other DVD/HDD recorder will do. Plus, Panasonic was always more careful than other brands not to flood the market with too much stock, so there aren't a ton of these older models left up for grabs. When you do find them, people want $500-600 for 'em. Turning to the import market for European Panasonics that will work in the USA via line inputs, you are again hit with nearly a $500 pricetag. (ghandielectronics in Chicago claims to have PAL/NTSC import versions of the EH55 in stock for $379, but I'd have to see it to believe it).

Pioneer suffers from a different sort of "cult"- the cult of "they changed the way my favorite feature works so I only want the old models". This one continues to baffle me: there are those who gladly hand over $500 for a 2004 Pioneer that can't write to +R or RAM, because they just can't live without a dedicated chapter marking button on the remote (they hate going into a chapter editing screen). For quite awhile, this had the beneficial effect of driving down prices on the newer, more reliable, more useful Pioneers which until two weeks ago regularly sold new for $269 from Canadian eBay dealers. The publicity from Pioneer going out of business has caused a temporary spike in prices with the final 460 model now averaging $369, but I expect when the furor dies down in a few weeks you'll be able to pick up new Pioneers for $269 again. (There is GLUT of Pioneer stock in Canada, they overproduced these on a scale Panasonic wouldn't dream of, and got caught with their pants down at the end.)

If you want a full-featured DVD/RAM/HDD machine, a Pioneer 460 at $269 is a much better value than a comparable Panasonic at $400-600, especially if your existing Panasonic works fine and you just need a spare recorder. If you don't have an urgent need, wait until July and see if Pio prices come down again (they're cyclical):you could get quite a bargain. But if Pioneer prices remain at or near $400, you may as well opt for the Panasonic if thats what you really want. My only beef with Panasonic is the artificially high pricing, if the situation were reversed and Panasonic usually sold for $200 less than Pioneers, I would recommend Panasonic as the better value. Money talks, assuming feature and build quality are equal (they are).

...The days of fanatical brand loyalty drew to a close...Holding our noses and stamping our feet because we must have brand x accomplishes nothing...Panasonic fanciers are a victim of their own big mouths: endless hype and overpraise on forums like this has left the unfortunate impression that absolutely no other DVD/HDD recorder will do...Citi, I really do appreciate your info and advice. Your editorial comments are, too, just as welcome. That said, I hope you do not see me in this way. Maybe it was my comment about Panny having an "arguably superior" product (or maybe it's just my paranoia) but remember that the key word there is "arguably".

I have an admittedly narrow view of the industry, based on research for a few weeks in 2004 and little else. At that time the prevailing widely-held opinion was that Panny had the most features and produced the fewest coasters, Sony had a half-baked editing system, and Pio was playing catchup.

IIRC, there was a forum dedicated just to the first or predominant editing HDD-based DVDR, an iconic Panny model that folks just seemed to not be able to get enough of. Being a professional VT editor in a previous life I personally felt that the editing system was arcane and difficult, and so never went there, but you talk about fanatics, the supporters of that model were nearly Tivo-like in their worship.

I also still think the E30 and its like are also esthetically-speaking some of the classiest-looking pieces of HT gear ever made. Panny was indeed at the top back then, even if some contenders were also really legitimate contenders. Things change, however.

But you make a good point about product worship on the forums, about how accurate it really is (or is not) and about how hype for some products can take on an unrealistic zeal of its own for no really good reason. But make no mistake: I am not a Panny apologist, and I do not believe in blind loyalty to anything or anyone. I also take no offense toward those who might assume that I am or do. It's just not that important to me.

This is why I rely on folks like yourself. I have not had the luxury of the time or motivation to really have paid that much attention to the industry, compared to some here. My research has been only as thorough as limited time can make it. But I still really do strive for the truth rather than blind product worship. My original intent to replace Panny with Panny had little to do with brand loyalty; I assumed they still made a great product (or even better product) than they did in 2004 and that transition to a new model would have a short learning curve. Both were incorrect assumptions, it appears. But please don't hate the player, if anything, hate the game.

So thanks again for your input, which I find immeasurably helpful. To you and the rest, please keep it coming :).

@TomCat

The ability to edit dvd-rams (using -vr mode) is available on all Panasonics. Instead of using 'Shorten' as you have in the past, just 'create chapters' and then delete the chapters that you do not want (eg. commercials). It is on page 38 of the manual or under Advanced Editing in the Table of Contents.

HTH

...When you do find them, people want $500-600 for 'em. Turning to the import market for European Panasonics that will work in the USA via line inputs, you are again hit with nearly a $500 pricetag. (ghandielectronics in Chicago claims to have PAL/NTSC import versions of the EH55 in stock for $379, but I'd have to see it to believe it).

That is indeed the internationl version of the EH55. It has SCART connectors, and a 160GB HDD instead of the 200GB HDD that was in the North Amercian version. According to that model's manual, it has the phrase save feature. If it does what it says, and I don't doubt that it does, then that is a good price. Compare it to this (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMR-EH55S-Recorder-Drive-Input/dp/B000F4CVE4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244488324&sr=8-1) and you will have to agree.:rolleyes:

Of course, the Ghandi site also has the 57/67, 58/68, as well as others, and eight Pioneer HDD recorders. I'm pretty sure it isn't worth ~$400 just to check them out though.

My passion for this hobby is sometimes misconstrued as criticism of other members:o: for that I truly apologize. TomCat, I sincerely didn't mean to "accuse" you or anyone else here of Panasonic "fanaticism", I was just trying to point out that when supplies take a sudden turn, too much accumulated praise for a single brand or model can create a run on that model causing all hell to break loose with insane prices paid and no regard to possible alternatives. I am only suggesting Panasonic fanciers look at the Pioneer alternatives, and that Pioneer users consider Panasonic alternatives, if one or the other is more available and/or cheaper at the moment you need one. And of course, to consider the Phillips/Magnavox units if you don't need or hardly ever use the DVD-RAM feature. We got slim pickings to choose from, and they're gettin slimmer every day.:(

I don't want to put words in TomCats mouth, but I think he does understand the create/delete chapter workaround on new Panasonics, he just doesn't care for it and prefers the more direct "shorten" feature of the older Panasonics. A lot of DVD recorders have had only the create/delete chapter mode of editing: if you started with one of these it won't bother you to edit that way. But if you have gotten used to separate editing and chapter functions, it can be really really annoying to be stuck with only basic chapter editing. Of the machines TomCat would have any chance of getting his hands on today, the Canadian Pioneers or import-model Panasonics are the only ones that offer both those editing options and DVD-RAM capabilities.

Now that I look at the "Ghandi" site again, I'm more clear on the model variations they're selling. If anyone has $400 and up to spend on a new Panasonic import, I'd recommend going for the EH-57, 67 models over the import EH-55 they're selling. The 57, 67 and 68 are more clearly universal designs intended for use around the world, including USA/Canada. They do not have the dopey required-for-UK SCART connectors.

The EH-55 for sale at Ghandi does have SCART connectors so should probably be avoided. Based on many reports here by members who got burned by them, Europe-specific models with SCART connectors don't seem to work very well in USA/Canada (the inclusion of SCART seems to muck up the standard S-video and composite connections in NTSC mode). Also note the UK/SCART version of the EH-55 does NOT include the prized TVGOS system which makes the North American EH-55 so desirable: if thats what you're looking for, this version ain't it. "Just Say No" to SCART-equipped imports;).

Now that I look at the "Ghandi" site again, I'm more clear on the model variations they're selling. If anyone has $400 and up to spend on a new Panasonic import, I'd recommend going for the EH-57, 67 models over the import EH-55 they're selling. The 57, 67 and 68 are more clearly universal designs intended for use around the world, including USA/Canada. They do not have the dopey required-for-UK SCART connectors.

The EH-55 for sale at Ghandi does have SCART connectors so should probably be avoided. Based on many reports here by members who got burned by them, Europe-specific models with SCART connectors don't seem to work very well in USA/Canada (the inclusion of SCART seems to muck up the standard S-video and composite connections in NTSC mode). Also note the UK/SCART version of the EH-55 does NOT include the prized TVGOS system which makes the North American EH-55 so desirable: if thats what you're looking for, this version ain't it. "Just Say No" to SCART-equipped imports;).
Um, CitiBear, the EH67 I have does in fact have SCART connectors. In the EH57 manual, page 14, it clearly shows two scart connectors. The same for the EH67 manual, same page. In the EH68 manual they are shown on page 65. I think all the international Panasonic DVD recorders have them. I have ignored them, and have had no problems with the machine. I have been told by other users that there is a SCART adapter that has a SCART connector on one end, and composite, S-Video and component input and output cables on the other. I haven't needed it, so I haven't gotten one. It sounds good though. It also explains why the two inputs that I use are called IN1 and IN4, if the SCART is 2 and 3.

My passion for this hobby is sometimes misconstrued as criticism of other members:o: for that I truly apologize. TomCat, I sincerely didn't mean to "accuse" you or anyone else here of Panasonic "fanaticism", I was just trying to point out that when supplies take a sudden turn, too much accumulated praise for a single brand or model can create a run on that model causing all hell to break loose with insane prices paid and no regard to possible alternatives. I am only suggesting Panasonic fanciers look at the Pioneer alternatives, and that Pioneer users consider Panasonic alternatives, if one or the other is more available and/or cheaper at the moment you need one. And of course, to consider the Phillips/Magnavox units if you don't need or hardly ever use the DVD-RAM feature. We got slim pickings to choose from, and they're gettin slimmer every day.:(

I don't want to put words in TomCats mouth, but I think he does understand the create/delete chapter workaround on new Panasonics, he just doesn't care for it...Certainly no need for an apology, I take your points completely.

And yes, I did try the chapter route, it's not terrible, and I may have to live with that seeing as how decent DVDRs are going for anywhere from $500 to $1800. I may have to hunker down and wait for a Pio. I'm right now just very confused and dismayed by the current state of affairs.

But I am pretty sick of technology having very short "golden age" periods where replacing a beloved piece of gear is like replacing Angelena Jolie with Susan Boyle, and at a higher price, mind you. :)

My passion for this hobby is sometimes misconstrued as criticism of other members:o: for that I truly apologize. TomCat, I sincerely didn't mean to "accuse" you or anyone else here of Panasonic "fanaticism"
And the truth is, this place is much less prone to fanaticism than other similar sites that I have visited. I am very grateful for this board. The technical interchange is excellent, and the signal to noise ratio is also very, very good.

But I am pretty sick of technology having very short "golden age" periods where replacing a beloved piece of gear is like replacing Angelena Jolie with Susan Boyle, and at a higher price, mind you. :)

Priceless analogy: I'm still laughing ten mins later:D. Too true.

Um, CitiBear, the EH67 I have does in fact have SCART connectors.

Interesting! I could swear the demo model at J&R here in NYC does not have the SCART connectors. I'll have to look at it again next time I'm there. B&H site says their EH-67 does have SCART so I'd guess most if not all do have it, like yours does. In that case, glad to hear SCART does not cause a problem in the import EH-67, but its a big problem with the global Pioneers. Based on the messages sent to me by disappointed AVS members who bought import Pioneers with SCART, I'd avoid those: nothing but trouble when used in the USA for NTSC. Note this does not apply to Canadian Pioneers, those are just fine and were designed exclusively for USA/Canada: they're solid as a rock. Its the "global import" Pioneers (sold alongside the Panasonic EH-67) that are flakey. If you can't obtain a Canadian Pioneer, I'd advise skipping the global versions for sure in favor of the Panasonic EH-67, even if its over your budget. The import EH-67 has a flawless track record according to all here who bought one.

Now that I look at the "Ghandi" site again, I'm more clear on the model variations they're selling. If anyone has $400 and up to spend on a new Panasonic import, I'd recommend going for the EH-57, 67 models over the import EH-55 they're selling. The 57, 67 and 68 are more clearly universal designs intended for use around the world, including USA/Canada. They do not have the dopey required-for-UK SCART connectors.

The EH-55 for sale at Ghandi does have SCART connectors so should probably be avoided. Based on many reports here by members who got burned by them, Europe-specific models with SCART connectors don't seem to work very well in USA/Canada (the inclusion of SCART seems to muck up the standard S-video and composite connections in NTSC mode). Also note the UK/SCART version of the EH-55 does NOT include the prized TVGOS system which makes the North American EH-55 so desirable: if thats what you're looking for, this version ain't it. "Just Say No" to SCART-equipped imports;).
Ha, Ha! I couldn't resist, so I sent info@gandhiappliances.com an e-mail:


Hello,

I am thinking of purchasing a Panasonic DMR-EH55 DVD recorder. I have a few questions. Your web pages says that it is region-free. Does this mean that the machine has been modified in some way?

Also, the manual for this machine shows a power cord with two round pins, not blades. I live in California, so I would need some adapter for the power cord. Is this supplied? If not, where can I get one? It says 110v-240v, so an inverter for power is not required, is the correct?

Lastly, since this is an international model, will Panasonic honor the one year warranty for this unit?

Thank you very much for your time,
Luke
And their reply is as follows:
Panasonic DMR-EH55 model is discontinned and our MultiSytem Dvd Recorders are good for PAL or MultiSystem TVs only and NOT American TVs.
I would find this interesting if it wasn't so amusing.:D

The web site clearly states tha the discontinued EH55, "Records in PAL or NTSC, Plays any region PAL or NTSC. Plays NTSC on NTSC TV or Multi-System TV."

Now I really want to buy one to see if it works or not. It's the curiousity that gets to me.:) Unfortunately, I don't have $375 to waste on satisfying my curiousity.:p The really surprising thing is, they didn't try to convince me to buy one just to make the sale. That says something to me.