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Official Panasonic DMR-EZ28K thread - Page 3

post #61 of 838
3/20/08 at 3:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Does that Panny DVD player that's going for cheap also play RAM's? That would definitely be a good thing to have then for RAM-capable recorder owners to extend the lives of their machines.

Sure does, I wouldn't expect Panasonic to produce a product that didn't. I don't know if BB still has them though. I think it was a week? ago I got mine. They had stacks of them at the time, but at that price who knows. Ultimate Electronics has them in there ad this week, on sale for $89, was $99
The box lists ALL formats, including DivX and MPEG4. I think I'll crack the box this weekend. I'll have to disconnect something else though
Oh and I'm not saying Plasma's are dead my any means. Just seem to see mostly LCD's now-a-days, and I've noticed RAM's can be quite hard to find, not impossible though.
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post #62 of 838
3/20/08 at 4:26pm
That S53 was "on sale" at two different BB's near me for $62. For $32, it's a no-brainer. For $62, I have to think about it.

I'm looking forward to hooking up my EZ28 when I get home. Bought one today during lunch at a local BB. Usually, I don't buy anything there, unless it's on serious sale. But, these will be close to MSRP for a while at most authorized dealers, and I had a 10% off coupon. Plus, because it's a B&M, it'll be easy to return if it's as buggy as so many make out these EZ's to be.

FTR, I've never had a problem with Panasonic HDD/DVD recorders. Other than the clunky interface and horrible manuals, they've worked rock-solid.
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post #63 of 838
3/20/08 at 4:51pm
Good luck with yours, mines been working like a charm. Yes it seems like the same stores in different markets can have dramatically different prices. That's one reason I like to have my location below my name. If I state a price hopefully people will at least know what area it was at. I think in my area they were marked as clearance with a red? price or tag. Probably getting rid of them for a newer model, possibly the S54 Kelson mentioned.

Good idea about the B&M stores. I don't know what I would have done about all my bad EZ-17's if I had to mail them back each time they died. I can tell you it wouldn't have made it to 5 units for sure! Good find on the 10% coupon. All mine had expired and I haven't got one in a while.
My guess is once the dust has settled the EZ-28 will go on sale once in a while for $199.
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post #64 of 838
3/20/08 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjeff View Post

GGood find on the 10% coupon. All mine had expired and I haven't got one in a while.

Enjoy!



Here's the URL, as well: https://moversguide.usps.com/img/cou...clientarea.gif
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post #65 of 838
3/20/08 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 
garypen is the man!!
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post #66 of 838
3/21/08 at 7:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Does that Panny DVD player that's going for cheap also play RAM's? That would definitely be a good thing to have then for RAM-capable recorder owners to extend the lives of their machines.

The Panasonic S53 DVD player does support RAM.

AFAIK all Panasonic players support RAM except for the budget S1 model, which I don't think is being sold anymore.
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post #67 of 838
3/21/08 at 8:48am
The Post Office change of address moving kit (in the lobby at our local post office) has the Best Buy coupon/card good through the end of May.
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post #68 of 838
3/21/08 at 9:47am
The link I provided is to the USPS "moving kit" site. Easier than trudging down to the PO, especially if they are out of them.
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post #69 of 838
3/21/08 at 10:57am
Hey all...

I found this today, while searching for a way to change registration details on my DMR-EZ27...

Code:
Software Download - DMR-EZ27 DVD Recorder Firmware Update 
Date of Release: 2/28/08 5:00 AM 
Version: U8-217  
Operating System: N/A 
Models: DMR-EZ27,DMR-EZ27K 
 
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs...&storeId=15001
Hopefully this will help with some of the bugs we're experiencing...
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post #70 of 838
3/21/08 at 11:24am
I was watching live TV last night on my Panny LCD's tuner. All the sudden the input changed and something else was playing It was the VieraLink taking over. You see I had a event scheduled to record on the EZ-28 at 9pm. Well when the EZ-28 turned on to record the event the TV detected it and switched inputs I would call this a flaw. I don't think the TV should switch inputs just because a scheduled event is starting. I can see that it would switch inputs if I push PLAY on the EZ-28, but not for a scheduled event.
Dang, and I was just getting used to how nice it seemed to operate. I'll still leave it on, but "strike one".

Update on Viera ilink changing TV's input during timer recording. It's somewhat erratic. I'd day it will change the TV input during timer recordings 20% of the time. 80% it does not, as I would like. Still running with Viera ON.

update-the Viera changing inputs during timer recording seems to be happening less and less. Can't remember the last time it happened. If I had to say I would say it happens "rarely". One out of a hundred?
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post #71 of 838
3/21/08 at 11:42am
I notice that the power and open/close buttons are on top. I plan on having 5 of these units stacked on top of each other. Will the buttons be inaccessible in this configuration?
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post #72 of 838
3/21/08 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rperlberg View Post

I notice that the power and open/close buttons are on top. I plan on having 5 of these units stacked on top of each other. Will the buttons be inaccessible in this configuration?

WOW, you're really gutsy! Let us know how they all hold up.
The area that the buttons reside is slightly slanted forward. Looking at the unit I think there would be enough room to get the tip of your finger between the button and the unit on top of it. Since the buttons are in the extreme front you could also stagger each unit back 3/4" or so, that would give even more room for your finger.
Yes I think I prefer the slanted front on the ES-15/25 series DVDR's. With those stacking was not an issue, though I don't think it would be a problem with the EZ-28 either.
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post #73 of 838
3/21/08 at 7:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rperlberg View Post

I notice that the power and open/close buttons are on top. I plan on having 5 of these units stacked on top of each other. Will the buttons be inaccessible in this configuration?

That design is part of Panasonic's new universal design initiative. All of their Diga line looks like that, other than those with a built-in VCR.

I've already accidently pushed them many times in the one day I've owned the EZ28, just moving it around in the cabinet. And, I did it a few times recently in Japan while setting up a similar Japanese Diga model at my mother in law's place.

The thing that is really weird is that the power button is over the drive tray, and the eject button is on the opposite side of the drive tray. Whoever came up with that design, and everyone who approved, are grade A morons.
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post #74 of 838
3/21/08 at 8:12pm
Thread Starter 
jjeff,

I have been trying to elicit the gitch you spoke of over the last couple of days. I have been lost a recorded event about half the time. As you said in one of your posts, if the 2nd scheduled event is in the early morning, then sometimes the 2nd event still records - I was actually successful pretty frequently when the 2nd event was in the early AM. If I had my second event after noon on the following day, it consistently missed it.

Thought I'd drop this post to let you know you are not crazy - it appears to be genuine.

A work-around I tried that seemed to work pretty consistenly was this. Lets say I have two scheduled events at 7pm on Monday and Tuesday. If I schedule the Monday event as the first one, then schedule a dummy event in the early AM Tuesday morning, the Tuesday evening event records pretty consistently. The dummy event is a 1-2 minute throw away event that is added to 'outsmart' the glitch. I hope this helps.
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post #75 of 838
3/21/08 at 8:36pm
This may be a variation of the same workaround I used with a DMR-ES40V (a bug-laden 2005 model). I couldn't record a half hour program from 2:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. early Tuesday morning. The workaround was to program a two minute "dummy program" from 11:59 p.m. Monday to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. That dummy program crossing over midnight broke the "early a.m. bug" allowing the 2:00 a.m. Tuesday program to record correctly.
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post #76 of 838
3/21/08 at 9:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bugmenot55 View Post

Hey all...

I found this today, while searching for a way to change registration details on my DMR-EZ27...

Code:
Software Download - DMR-EZ27 DVD Recorder Firmware Update 
Date of Release: 2/28/08 5:00 AM 
Version: U8-217  
Operating System: N/A 
Models: DMR-EZ27,DMR-EZ27K 
 
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs...&storeId=15001
Hopefully this will help with some of the bugs we're experiencing...

Thank you for the additional information. Based on posts I've seen by jjeff, I do not think they have addressed the scheduled recording glitch in the firmware update for the DMR-EZ27. In any event the DMR-EZ28 uses a different version of that firmware. At least I assume it is a different version as the EZ28's GUI includes a menu to access the USB drive. There was no USB drive on the EZ27, so the firmware for the EZ27 was different. I assume they updated the old software in some capacity for the EZ28, but it does not appear that any of their updates that addressed the scheduling glitch.

For those who are unclear about the firmware update for the DMR-EZ27: AS OF THIS POST, THERE IS NO FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR THE DMR EZ28. YOU SHOULD NOT UPDATE THE DMR-EZ28'S FIRMWARE WITH THE DMR-EZ27'S FIRMWARE UPDATE.
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post #77 of 838
3/21/08 at 9:14pm
Another workaround I learned on the DMR-ES40V (that is also necessary for my DMR-EZ17 models) is to schedule with actual dates rather than daily or weekly scheduling. None of my DMR-ES30V (2005) models or DMR-ES35V and DMR-ES15 (both 2006) models had scheduling bugs.
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post #78 of 838
3/21/08 at 10:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rgazzara View Post

The Panasonic S53 DVD player does support RAM.

AFAIK all Panasonic players support RAM except for the budget S1 model, which I don't think is being sold anymore.

That's why I asked - because I remembered seeing a real cheap unit of theirs at Target at one time that didn't have it. Must've been the S1.
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post #79 of 838
3/22/08 at 6:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by garypen View Post


The thing that is really weird is that the power button is over the drive tray, and the eject button is on the opposite side of the drive tray. Whoever came up with that design, and everyone who approved, are grade A morons.

At first glance I thought the same thing, the Eject should be over the drive, but then when I glanced at all the other 10! things in my AV cabinet and it made sense. The power button was on the left side of ALL of my 10 devices. I think that is the one industry standard that is "standard".

Quote:
Originally Posted by dhjellen View Post

Thought I'd drop this post to let you know you are not crazy - it appears to be genuine.

Thanks, I appreciate that Since I don't read a lot of other people having this problem I wonder.....I think not a lot of people A. program there DVDR for scheduled events(more use it to backup there DVR) B. Use Weekly or Daily events. C. Only use there DVDR for a recorder, and hence power up there DVDR regularly(which clears the bug).

Quote:
Originally Posted by DigaDo View Post

Another workaround I learned on the DMR-ES40V (that is also necessary for my DMR-EZ17 models) is to schedule with actual dates rather than daily or weekly scheduling. None of my DMR-ES30V (2005) models or DMR-ES35V and DMR-ES15 (both 2006) models had scheduling bugs.

Agree with every thing you said(except I haven't used the ES-35, the ES-25 I have also has no bugs)

There are defiantly relatively easy workarounds for the bug(once you understand it), it's just I REALLY wish Panasonic would have corrected it on there end, so we wouldn't have to resort to workarounds.
I wonder since the rest of the world now has EZ series Panny's if there's also has this bug, or if it's just the US models that have been cursed.
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post #80 of 838
3/22/08 at 5:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DigaDo View Post

This may be a variation of the same workaround I used with a DMR-ES40V (a bug-laden 2005 model). I couldn't record a half hour program from 2:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. early Tuesday morning. The workaround was to program a two minute "dummy program" from 11:59 p.m. Monday to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. That dummy program crossing over midnight broke the "early a.m. bug" allowing the 2:00 a.m. Tuesday program to record correctly.

There was an ES20 bug "midnight" bug that may be related to the ES40. If I scheduled any timer recording that started before midnight and ended after (or on) midnight, it would record in some real slow mode, probably 8 hr. And the display on the TV would read over a million hours remaining! Others on this forum had the same problem. I actually ended up speaking with a Panasonic engineer & he was able to duplicate the problem. It took a few months, but between Panasonic and LSI (the chip maker) a firmware update was made which did correct the problem. It's just too bad other timer bugs are still around.
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post #81 of 838
3/23/08 at 1:38pm
I just purchased the DMR-EZ28 yesterday and I'm putting it through its paces and learning about its quirks. I'm quite pleased with the picture quality when I record from my cable company's QAM channels and upconvert the picture to my HDTV. Overall, I quite like this unit.

However, I'm not getting any response from the Time Slip and CM Skip buttons on the remote. For example, during playback (using -RW media), when I press the CM Skip button, nothing happens. I thought it was supposed to skip forward by one minute. Same thing with the Time Slip button - it doesn't seem to do anything. I feel like I'm overlooking something obvious. Any help?
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post #82 of 838
3/23/08 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtso View Post

However, I'm not getting any response from the Time Slip and CM Skip buttons on the remote. For example, during playback (using -RW media), when I press the CM Skip button, nothing happens. I thought it was supposed to skip forward by one minute. Same thing with the Time Slip button - it doesn't seem to do anything. I feel like I'm overlooking something obvious. Any help?

I'm not 100% sure with the newer model Panasonics, but I assumed that CM and Time slip only worked when using RAM discs. And on unfinalized RWs. I do know that CM & TS doesn't work on discs that are finalized, or commercial, store bought dvds.
Or perhaps the RWs need to be recorded in VR mode. Again, don't have the newer models, but I seem to recall reading here that the newer ones feature 2 options for recoding on RW discs.
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post #83 of 838
3/23/08 at 3:04pm
Both TS and CM skip only work on "unfinalized" or RAM discs, possibly +RW's since they are not finalized(I personally really never use +RW's so I'm not positive).
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post #84 of 838
3/23/08 at 3:14pm
Mike99,

Several days ago you were curious about the CPU heatsink found on the DVD drive controller circuit board. In the following post there is a link to a group of photos where a similar heatsink may be seen:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...9#post13268159

The heatsink in the DMR-ES35V and DMR-ES15 models does not have such tall side walls as those in the photos.
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post #85 of 838
3/23/08 at 6:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Westly-C View Post

I'm not 100% sure with the newer model Panasonics, but I assumed that CM and Time slip only worked when using RAM discs. And on unfinalized RWs. I do know that CM & TS doesn't work on discs that are finalized, or commercial, store bought dvds.
Or perhaps the RWs need to be recorded in VR mode. Again, don't have the newer models, but I seem to recall reading here that the newer ones feature 2 options for recoding on RW discs.

Ah yes, thank you. The CM Skip and Time Slip does work on unfinalized -RW disks. I had been using finalized disks. I don't seem to see that little detail on p. 27 of the instruction manual. Maybe it says so somewhere else. Thanks again.
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post #86 of 838
3/23/08 at 11:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DigaDo View Post

Mike99,

Several days ago you were curious about the CPU heatsink found on the DVD drive controller circuit board. In the following post there is a link to a group of photos where a similar heatsink may be seen:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...9#post13268159

The heatsink in the DMR-ES35V and DMR-ES15 models does not have such tall side walls as those in the photos.


Thanks for the link. I was thinking the heat sink would be more substantial & have many fins. But I guess it must not take a lot of heat sink to do the job.
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post #87 of 838
3/24/08 at 11:54am
Sorry if this is a newbie question (I really did read the entire thread and didn't find a mention of it).

With the DMR-EZ28K, can you watch one program while recording another while using a cable set-up box?

Is there any special setup required?

Thanks.
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post #88 of 838
3/24/08 at 1:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by waynez View Post

Sorry if this is a newbie question (I really did read the entire thread and didn't find a mention of it).

With the DMR-EZ28K, can you watch one program while recording another while using a cable set-up box?

Is there any special setup required?

Thanks.

The easy answer is "no". But the real answer is "kindof". You cannot record one channel while watching another. You need two tuners for this function and this recorder only has one. What you can do with this recorder is record one program while watchnig another program previously recorded on the same disc (DVD-RAM only).

the only way I could think of to accomplish what you want would be to split the cable before it enters the cable box and take one coaxial back into the DVD recorder and another coaxial cable into the cable box. Then take the cable box and have the video signal input into the recorder via composite inputs. Then you might be able to set the dvd recorder to recird the video coming in via the composite inputs (set to whatever channel you have the cable box set to) and at the same time watch whatever channel you want from the DVD recorder (these would of course only be the unscrambled channels that you could watch).

All of this is dependent on the DVD recorder allowing you to watch video from one INPUT while recording from another INPUT. That is different than watching a previously recorded program from your RAM disc while the recorder records another program onto that same disc. I can confirm that you can do the ladder, but cannot confirm the former.

I would be interested to hear from you if you get this working.
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post #89 of 838
3/24/08 at 2:01pm
Yes, you can watch one channel while recording another if you connect as described here. Different unit but works same way.

With the DVDR 1st on the coax, you can then tune your TV to another channel, or your STB to another channel.
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post #90 of 838
3/25/08 at 5:27am
Only if there are unscrambled channels coming through the RF input. If all the channels are scrambled, then no can do.

In that case, you would need 2 STBs.
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