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Panasonic 2012 models

5K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Cyclone82 
#1 ·
I have been told the following from Panasonic UK

Quote:
Whilst the Panasonic range of DVD Recorders will be reduced in favour of Blu-Ray models, we can confirm that there continue to be several DVD-RAM and DVD-RAM/Hard-Drive models in the 2012 line-up for Europe, albeit virtually identical to last year's models.

Probably to be lucky to get one model in Australia.


I really feel sorry for USA though.
 
#2 ·
We all feel sorry for the USA too! Others get the good stuff we want. Apparently not enough of us though.
 
#3 ·
Panasonic USA is still selling warmed over 2008 models. Clue: the "8" in the model number indicates the model year. My DMR-EA18 is a 2008 model even though it was manufactured in 2009. My DMR-EZ28 is a 2008 model manufactured in 2008. That DVD recorder is now R.I.P., as are two of my 2007 DMR-EZ17 models and one of my 2007 DMR-EZ47 models.
 
#4 ·
Its really strange because to me it always seemed like USA 'has everything' I import a LOT of stuff from your land.

Have you considered importing a non USA spec unit from elsewhere and then using a voltage converter? I was considering getting a USA spec VCR and if i did then i would need a voltage down converter. I guess its only the tuner issue aswell, but you can use AV inputs but its still not the same as having a proper model for your region is it.
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyclone82 /forum/post/21745440


Have you considered importing a non USA spec unit from elsewhere and then using a voltage converter?

We can purchase the EH-59 and EH-59 from "grey" market US dealers, they are basically PAL machines but also play and record analog NTSC(60 hz) material. I would guess the problem with many overseas Panasonics is they may not be compatible with our 60hz system. I would think(but am not positive) most/all?? Panasonics would work with 120v 60hz(our line voltage) but I would think the ability to fully support 60hz material would be the hardest part.

AFAIK no one at AVS has tried one of the Panasonic BD recorders, it would be a interesting experiment but costly if it would not work with our voltage and frequency. I have never seen a US grey market dealer selling one of the newer Panasonics so that may tell us something....
 
#7 ·
I looked into getting a UK Panasonic BR recorder at one time, but no one on line would sell me one and ship it to the US.
There was something in their agreement with Panasonic. It made (and makes) no sense to me--a sale is a sale--but they were prohibited. The region thing was a concern also.


Go to Amazon OK and try to order one. They will likely not allow a US address, at least no one did when I tried, though I admit it was some time ago (2-3 years). I had a difficult time getting anyone in the UK to send me DVD -R DL media! Money is money, whey the embargo?
 
#8 ·
^^^


These type of international trade agreements are quite common. Take Wal-Mart for example, an American company with stores in Canada in just about every Canadian neighborhood. Yet Canadians can't legally order a Magnavox DVD/HDD recorder from Wal-Mart USA. Wal-Mart USA under agreement with Wal-Mart Canada will refuse to send a unit to Canada. It's not just Wal-Mart, but if Canadians purchase a Magnavox DVD/HDD recorder from any retailer from the US - Magnavox/Funai will not honor any warrantee work if the recorder is taken back to Canada - it's right in the fine print in the owner's manual. I guess these types of trade agreements are in place to protect local employees and local trade. What I don't know is if these agreements are made by the companies or by our governments.


The strange thing is that some stores like B&H have no such agreements and will gladly sell to Canadians. In fact I contacted B&H once, asking them if I purchase a unit and have it shipped to Canada, will they honor the warrantee if need be. At that time they told me that they will honor a 30-day exchange but any longer and I have to deal with the manufacture. Manufactures like Panasonic, Sony and JVC will not honor out of country warrantee work.


I guess the point behind DVD region coding was to prevent buyers from buying out of continent discs. The funny thing is the smaller non-blockbuster companies sell region-free DVDs. In fact in the past I have purchased off eBay from American dealers based in the USA - region free NTSC discs manufactured in South Korea and Argentina, discs not available in North America. These are not bootlegs; they are official non North American releases released in South Korea and Argentina.
 
#9 ·
While doing some research i found that appently its a legal requirement that all DVD players sold in Australia are made region free. With Panasonics, they come from the manufacturer locked on region 4 but Panasonic Australia opens them and makes them region free. Thats why my EZ48 had a sticker on it saying opened for inspection and quality assurance. I know there is the international dual voltage models but what i was suggesting was a purely AUS/EUR spec one that its just 220/240. You coul perhaps try UK ebay or if you have a friend over there who could buy it for you ans ship to USA too. I speak to a lot of sellers selling VHS tapes on amazon UK and half the reason they dont want to sell internationally or mostly to USA is the whole PAL/NTSC thing. They think all americans are dumb and wont realise a PAL tape will not work for them, but they also dont realise that a lot of people have dual NTSC/PAL VCRs anyway.


90% of my DVD buys are R1 or R2. R4 discs are pretty poor and lack features. I try to buy the best version possible and 9/10 tiems the R1 release is the best so thats why. The whole region code thing is a non event for me. My computer plays anything and i modified my LG DVD player to region 0 and as i have just found out, panasonic AUS made my EZ48 region free. I suspect my XW480 will be too not that i will be playing DVD's on those recorders unless i really have too.
 
#10 ·
Yes, I know, and understand, and I agree with you...but...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Super Eye /forum/post/21749258


^^^


These type of international trade agreements are quite common. Take Wal-Mart for example, an American company with stores in Canada in just about every Canadian neighborhood. Yet Canadians can't legally order a Magnavox DVD/HDD recorder from Wal-Mart USA. Wal-Mart USA under agreement with Wal-Mart Canada will refuse to send a unit to Canada. It's not just Wal-Mart, but if Canadians purchase a Magnavox DVD/HDD recorder from any retailer from the US - Magnavox/Funai will not honor any warrantee work if the recorder is taken back to Canada - it's right in the fine print in the owner's manual. I guess these types of trade agreements are in place to protect local employees and local trade. What I don't know is if these agreements are made by the companies or by our governments.

I can see this to protect local trade, like local stations not allowing us to get the national feed from the network to protect their local advertising dollars. What I don't understand is, WHOSE trade are they protecting by prohibiting me from gettng a BR recorder? No one is selling one here, so it would be infringing on NOBODY! If there were a product available here, I wouldn't need to get one from another market. Who is being protected here? All I can tell is, I am not allowed to purchase a product that is readily available elsewhere.


Can you tell I'm annoyed?
 
#13 ·
That's a bad sign. Many consumer electronic companies are talking about their upcoming 2013 models for various products by now. DVD recorders are really at the bottom of the priority list, or off the list altogether.


Not surprising...
 
#15 ·
Well this morning i went to 3 shops to have a little look around and see what was left in the way of DVD recorders and more specifically to see if any XW385's were left and i was expecting there to be no 2012 DVD/HDD's.


At the last shop i asked if they had any and he said no but there is a new model comming, the DMR-XW390 with 500GB. I was totally shocked by this. The RRP is a good $499 AUD and he said he could do one for $460. He could not find any info on it but said he had some ordered. I did not order one as i wanted to find out specs on it first.



I was really surprised because everything was indicating to me there would be no 2012 DVD/HDD. What is even more surprising is that the sales guy said it will have at least one HDMI input. I thought to my self yeah right. Then when i got home i found a site that said it did have a HDMI input! I would like to see official docs on that first as it may be a mistake on that site.

http://www.bigbrownbox.com.au/panaso...twin-hd-tuner/


Anyway i still need to find info out about it as theres nothing on Panasonics site yet, just sellers who have it listed already.


This is not much use to Americans but i thought i would just mention it anyway.
 
#18 ·
I was to Best Buy yesterday, the ONLY DVDR they had was 1 lowly Toshiba, no EZ-28 or even the dreaded EZ-48v. DVDRs are basically a dead product in the mainstream
They had a whole department of MP3/video players not to mention a large area for Smart phones. Oh and a dozen different BD players but only a couple cheap DVD players.
 
#20 ·
I think this XW390 will surely have to a watered down version of the 385/480. I paid $830AUD for the XW480 (only a couple online shops had them left as they were a 2010 model) and that price was still under thr starting RRP was around $1000 from memory. So for a RRP of $499 and the shop willing to sell me one for $460 straight up, ther has to be some features missing i am sure. I hope they hurry up with getting the real specs out so i can compare to the XW385.


In the shops i went to on Saturday, they only had LG DVD recorders and one had about 5 EZ48's
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyclone82 /forum/post/21932914




I was really surprised because everything was indicating to me there would be no 2012 DVD/HDD. What is even more surprising is that the sales guy said it will have at least one HDMI input. I thought to my self yeah right. Then when i got home i found a site that said it did have a HDMI input! I would like to see official docs on that first as it may be a mistake on that site.

http://www.bigbrownbox.com.au/panaso...twin-hd-tuner/

I'd bet that HDMI Input is a typo. Probably ment to be HDMI Output.

It didn't mention HDMI Out, and all the latest Panny's had an HDMI Out.

Keep us posted! I'd like one if it becomes available and could be used in USA.
 
#22 ·
Well as soon as i know info on it i will post it here but i reckon you may be better off with a EH model.


The twin HD tuners will will be useless in USA so you can only record via AV in and you will need a STB (unless you just want to use it for archiving VHS/LD). I Wont get too excited about HDMI in yet. If it is there i bet theres some restrictions on it.



Also i am pretty sure it will only be 220v but these days most people are using step up/step down converters for all the different gear they buy world wide so they are not such a scary think anymore..


Yes it will be available in a couple weeks but i am just not sure there would be too many plus reasons for someone in USA to get one other than the fact its a 'Panasonic dvd recorder' which have a good reputation.


Like all these late model twin HD Pannys, although you can record in HD to HDD you cant record that to disc, it needs to be converted to SD first. Only way out for HD is via HDMI in real time. When i get my HD fury i will have a play around and see if i can get HD recordings out via HDMI/component/VGA. No big deal if it does not work (but i think it should) as i am going to get a Magic TV MTV4000 http://magictv.com/au/mtv4000pvr.html which are sold in Australia and can record to interal HDD in HD and also export via USB too. Can not easily get a MTV7000 yet which has HDMI inputs
 
#24 ·
I can confirm the XW390 does NOT have HDMI input. It also has no S-video input or output. Only composite and HDMI. Cost cutting i am sure. This looks like it will be the last of the line here.


It really annoys me that they would drop s-video input. If anything it should have been composite.


Panasonic Australia could not send me a manual but i was able to get Panasonic NZ to send me the 390 maniual to look through. It seems you can make AVCHD discs on this unit but i am not sure if its only from AVCHD files transfered via USB/SD card. it can record in HD to the HDD but i am not sure if it can convert that to AVCHD. I doubt it.
 
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