After devouring as much research as I could over the digital tuner DVD recorders available, I settled on the Panny.

Last night I was really impressed with the picture of viewed DVDs and especially OTA analog & digital. This is my first try with the digital part. I'm about 50 miles away from the sources, have a LARGE antennae in the attic with RF boosters on the signal.

BUT.......every time the Panny is turned on, it gives the blue screen for 'setup'. I was aware of turning off the DST and manually setting the clock; no change. It will display the clock when turned off and it will try to show the last channel it was on at power down (if I hit the exit button on the remote at first set up screen). The channel memory is lost every power down.

FWIW, OTA only, Panny analog TV. RF comes from wall to splitter, one side to EZ17K, other side goes thru 2 VCRs, then to RF of TV. EZ17 has component video & optical audio to Onkyo receiver, component out of Onkyo to TV. EZ17 S-video to TV with RCA jack audio.

First, tech help at Panny insisted I have an RF cable from the EZ17 to the TV. I couldn't understand the logic, but knew it wouldn't help to argue. She insisted I needed to put the VCRs after the EZ17 and finally to the TV. THis would require a LARGE PAIN in the posterior.

I decided to call tech support again. This time the lady said that info was incorrect and the unit is bad. Oh well, just another hour and gas out of my life to exchange.

Have I missed anything?

I also have a question about digital channels. Why do some show full screen, some show wide screen (letterbox), and some show full screen with a black frame around the hole image?

Maybe a weak signal to the EZ17???

Did you try running the RF directly to the EZ17 (no splitting the signal). Also, check the splitter and see if it is marked as to the -dB signal loss at each output. If not marked, it's a cheap one and you might have -7.4dB going to the EZ17 rather than the -3.7dB output. Better splitter might help...one that marks its output signal loss and freq. up to 1GHz rather than 900 MHz.

That's something I should check. I know I have the cheap splitters.

But how would that make the Panny lose it's settings?

I always get a picture after the set up.

Thanks for you help.

That's something I should check. I know I have the cheap splitters.

But how would that make the Panny lose it's settings?

I always get a picture after the set up.

Thanks for you help.
Don't know for sure, just thinking weak signal maybe? You'll answer this by running the RF straight into the EZ17 and seeing if any diff.

One of my Philips 3575s also loses dig. channels while surfing thru them multiple times, but I can always/reliably get them back by switching to the analog tuner, then back again to digital.

Many people here have said that these first gen units with digital tuners might be less reliable than previous models. No one has a lot of experience what what can go wrong with them. Maybe it is a defective machine, but if you spend the time and gas to replace it and the replacement does the same thing, I bet you will feel even worse.

Out of sheer ignorance, I would recommend you try reducing your configuration to the bare minimum and see if it works. If not, then there is nothing you can do but get a replacement Panasonic, or another brand of recorder. If it does work, then add stuff one component at a time until you find out what is causing the issue.

I wish I could be of more help.

....... but if you spend the time and gas to replace it and the replacement does the same thing, I bet you will feel even worse.

Thanks for the push. I would feel a lot worse.

Out of sheer ignorance, I would recommend you try reducing your configuration to the bare minimum and see if it works. If not, then there is nothing you can do but get a replacement Panasonic, or another brand of recorder. If it does work, then add stuff one component at a time until you find out what is causing the issue.

I wish I could be of more help.

I did as best I could. I had everything disconnected except the antennae booster. I know without it, there isn't enough signal.

Still did the same thing. Hope the return to BB doesn't cost me more...."Keep focused.....do NOT look around........just finish the intended mission!"

BUT.......every time the Panny is turned on, it gives the blue screen for 'setup'. I was aware of turning off the DST and manually setting the clock; no change. ?


I have one..works fine. I have the clock in auto and it powers up and down and does not go into setup mode as you describe.

Well I made back from BB without buying anything else. Got the new one and it remembers the channels.

The auto clock still doesn't work; not a biggie.

This unit doesn't seem to want to change channels everytime. It will also sometimes show the wrong channel for what it's showing.

I will keep working with it.

This unit doesn't seem to want to change channels everytime. It will also sometimes show the wrong channel for what it's showing..

Yep.. I have seen that too. I have emailed panny about s/w improvements, I expect to get a generic answer form their web droid.. :(

Auto clock works for me. it was fairly quick.