HUGE thanks to Computerman and moxie for the tip and veferrari for the information. The original message is below. And, the tip they gave me worked. So it does record XP I just wasn't aware of a setting that defaults to XP once you press Record Mode. Thanks!

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I'm quite shocked!
First, the picture quality is GREAT, which is what I was lookig for! And it's simple to use

(BIG) HOWEVER, the XP (HIGH QUALITY RECORDING SETTING) IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR "SCHEDULED" recordings. You cannot hit record spontaneously and record at XP quality...you have to "speed" through a fast schedule recording to record something at XP QUALITY.

What is up with that? That's pretty ridiculous!

Two things:

I'm assuming this is the case with ANY DVD type.
I have only tried DVD-R, DVD+R, AND DVDRW.
I have NOT tried DVD RAM (but i'm assuming it will do the same thing?!)
Still, this is troublesome to me and I think i'll look into purchasing the Pioneer DVR-640H-S (which I hope has on the fly recording at very high quality unlike the Pioneer ES15S!
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Hi

If you press record mode prior to pressing record when starting a recoridng you can choose between XP, SP, LP, EP settings, FR is available when starting a manual recording also by pressing F.Rec on the remote, and setting the time you want it to go to. I had the Panasonic DMR-ES15S since March 31st and it works very well.


Hope this helps

(BIG) HOWEVER, the XP (HIGH QUALITY RECORDING SETTING) IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR "SCHEDULED" recordings. You cannot hit record spontaneously and record at XP quality...you have to "speed" through a fast schedule recording to record something at XP QUALITY.

What is up with that? That's pretty ridiculous!

Still, this is troublesome to me and I think i'll look into purchasing the Pioneer DVR-640H-S (which I hope has on the fly recording at very high quality unlike the Pioneer ES15S!


Leave the recorder in XP mode and then when you hit record for your on the fly recording it will record in XP. That what's up with that. Only ridiculous if you don't RTFM. :D

What is up with that

I would say operator error.

I think i'll look into purchasing the Pioneer DVR-640H-S (which I hope has on the fly recording at very high quality unlike the Pioneer ES15S!

Hope you can find one. It has a HDD so that's going to make it about $200 more than what you paid for the ES15. However, I would say you should pick up any Pioneer or Panny HDD/DVD Recorder you can get your hands on since it looks like the manufacturers have stopped making them because of their low sales numbers - supposedly due to their being too complex for the typical consumer. Hopefully, you can prove them wrong but its not looking good right now based on your ES15 experience. Hope you get a manual with that 640. Good luck. (The remaining HDD based DVD recorders are disappearing fast in the US because manufacturers/retailers have to dump their remaining stock of recorders with analog tuners since they have to sell recorders with digital channels by law - so act fast).

Wow! I feel like such a klutz!!

Computerman, I had no idea that I could do that type of manual setting! I don't recall the instructor's manual mentioning that..you are a lifesaver to let me know!!! Seriously...i was thinking it was only a scheduled recording thing.

Moxie...thanks for the tip!

I extend to you all my heartfelt thanks!! You just saved me from returning it!! Thanks and I send you luck your way for your good deed!

Vferrari: Yes, I was definitely considering getting a harddrive DVD recorder. Perhaps I might want to complement the one I have or save up money and get a better one in the future.

Yes, well computerman and moxie gave me a tip that I didn't realize and I just tested it and it works!!! So now i'm satisfied. Your info is very helpful! I did read that Pioneer is a leader or one of the leaders in DVD recorders so I do agree it's probably best to stick to a trusted and worthy brand.

Thanks to you all it's greatly appreciated!

Vferrari: Yes, I was definitely considering getting a harddrive DVD recorder. Perhaps I might want to complement the one I have or save up money and get a better one in the future.

Glad you are happy with the ES15 now that you are more familiar with its capabilities. You would definitely find that a HDD based DVD recorder would be a great compliment to the ES15 because of the flexibility it offers (e.g., you don't have to worry about whether or not you have a disc in the unit for a scheduled recording, you can edit programs before you commit them to disc, you can view and delete recordings without having to waste a disc, you can record to the HDD while viewing another program off a disc or even dub to disc while recording a program, you can record long duration back-to-back programs that would exceed the maximum capacity of a disc). However, like I said, it looks like HDD based recorders FROM THE QUALITY MANUFACTURERS are disappearing fast with no new models announced for the future so you need to act fast to snatch up the remaining recorders. Good luck and have fun recording.

I'm more than welcome to help when i can, i originally wanted a hard drive recorder replacement for my old E80H, but now that i have a dvd player that reads DVD-RAM, and stuff, i just gotta remember to have a disc ready to record on.


Overall ES15 is a good machine, will see in the coming years if it's as much as a work horse as the old E80H was, Probably won't be doing much marathon recording as i do before with the E80h, but that's ok.

Hope you don't mind the question, but does this have a stereo tuner?

PromoGuy, Yes it has a Stereo Tuner as did/does EVERY Panasonic recorder ever made. :)