Official Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK thread - Page 48

Thank heavens for small miracles Oh AFA the slow boot, you can enable QS in the setup which trims some of the start up time but IMO it's basically like leaving the DVDR on all the time. Some(including myself) may not care for this and generally don't use QS, although I have enabled QS on my EZ-28 which like your EZ-48v is VERY slow to start otherwise.

1st time posting....hope I'm doing it right....

Have had this unit sitting in a box (new) for a few yrs. and finally got around to hooking it up as I've been working on a few systems in my home that I needed up and running 1st, anyway, I'm running cable into a Scientific Atlanta Hd settop box and frome there via component to a new LG 50" HDTV (tried HDMI but had issues) as well as into the EZ-48V using S-video....Everything from the cable box to the tv in HD fills the screen but everything from the Panny is flatenned to letterbox size and records it the same way.......I know the cable box is outputting the right format from all its HD outputs as I've tried running them all directly into the tv and have n/p and it's the same for sd channels.....The only thing that comes out full screen through the Panny is the channel guide...So, is this unit incapable of passing or recording signals in anything other than letterbox ??.......Thx in advance......

Most cable boxes do not output a widescreen picture from the coax, S-Video and composite connectors.

You have a couple of options:

- Dump cable and get satellite since both DirecTV and Dish output widescreen over s-vid and composite
- Get a component to s-vid/composite converter

That's why Im using the component and hdmi outputs on my cable box that do put out HD but the Panny has no HD inputs and converts everything into letterbox before it sends it to the TV...So if I record anything from the cable box including SD and Hd it plays back in letterbox....seems weird....I've checked and re checked all connections and settings.....Am I missing something ??

Cable is fine as it does output HD and SD through component and HDMI....Problem is the Panny not being able to handle it or something weirds going on.....

You have s-video from cable box to the Panny. Have you set the aspect ratio on the Panny-under the Functions>Setup menu, to 16:9?

If you are unable to record 16;9 on the Panny using s-video from the cable box, you can at least record the local tv station that way if you use a splitter, -cable from wall into 2 way splitter, then from splitter into the cable box and separate line into the ez48.

DVD recorders with HD inputs are extremely rare. The "component to s-vid/composite converter" that mdavej mentioned is a workaround to the problem. I simply set the aspect ratio on my TV to zoom when watching recordings made from my cable box.

Its definitely set to 16:9 and my TV is the same ratio but evrything comes out of the Panny squished down (letterbox) Is there any other way to hook this up so it will record what and pass what the cable box is putting out and am I the only one noticing this ?? And yes I've tried using the splitter option right out of the wall but I lose about 300 channels that way although it does seem to work but the quality suffers as well.....Thx in advance.....

It's your cable box, not the panny (I speak from first hand experience). As Ken said, most cable boxes, including yours, simply do not output widescreen (anamorphic) over s-vid/composite. There is no setting in the box or on the panny to get around that fact. Sorry. But sat boxes do it just fine. There's a list around here somewhere of boxes that do SD anamorphic. If you don't want to get a converter or sat, there are a few recorders that have component inputs, like the polaroid 2001G. Those are around $70 on ebay at the moment, less than many converters.

..Good to know and thx for all your help.....have tried pretty much all of the sat providers out there including the American ones (no longer available) but being in Canada our choices are limited and the programming is HORRENDOUS !! so that's why I ended up with cable ( a little better).....Do you know how much I should expect to pay (retail) for one of the converters and what the quality will be like coming out of it ?? ...Thx again

Here's some info on converters to preserve 16:9 WS from a cable/sat box.

This is great.....Thx again for all the info....will check them out....

Note, since your already using component to your TV you will need either a component distribution amplifier(somewhat expensive and hard to find) or the HDMI to S-video converter linked in Wajos post. Note your cable box may disable all the other outputs if using HDMI so keep that in mind too. If thats the case my first option would be your only choice, the distribution amp(you can't simply split the component signal or your picture will be very dark) and one of the component to S-video converters again linked in Wajos post.
IMO cable companies purposely make it as hard as possible for people to do what your trying to do If you ask them for options all they'll say is, we rent DVRs for that

I finalized a DVD with this Panasonic DVD recorder. But the "finalized" DVD will not play in any other DVD player. My regular DVD player cannot play it, although the menu/chapter top page appears. My PC can't read this "finalized" DVD, and in fact, has crashed every single time I tried to play the DVD through my PC. Crashed so badly that the only way I could shut off or restart the PC was by pulling the plug out and then replugging.

The "finalized" DVD however, does play perfectly, without a hitch on the Panasonic DVD recorder.

Any advice?

An "unfinalized" DVD will play in a Panasonic DVD Recorder but not other devices.

Might you be confusing "writing to disc" with "finalizing?"

Press FUNCTIONS for a report of finalization status.

If "Not Finalized Disc" is reported you may finalized the disc by pressing OTHER FUNCTIONS, DVD MANAGEMENT, FINALIZE, YES and follow the prompts.

It's definitely finalized. There's a top menu. And when I eject the DVD from the Panasonic, I no longer get that message asking me If I want to finalize the DVD (by pressing the REC button).

Also anytime a unfinalized DVD is ejected in a newer Panasonic you will be prompted by the nag screen, DO YOU WANT TO FINALIZE THIS DISC? IF SO PUSH REC. It's also possible the DVD is somehow corrupt and only the Panasonic DVDR is able to play it.

Edit: DVDHARP responded while I was typing up the above, in that case I'd suspect a corrupt disc.
Oh lastly, it's not a RAM disc you have is it? RAM discs only play in limited devices. Most DVD players and some PCs won't play RAM discs.

The DVD is a Verbatim 97459 4.7 GB up to16x Branded Recordable Disc DVD+R (100 Disc Spindle)



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i02_details

Were the recordings on the +R disc made in the XP 1 hour rec mode? Some older dvd players will sometimes choke on XP recordings, though a PC drive shouldn't.

I did not know that. Thanks for the info. Still, I recorded in the SP, 2 hr. mode.

Hi I bought a DMR-EZ48V VCR/DVD recorder (Australian model) the otherday and have a question. Ok everything seems to be fine except one thing. I am trying to play back a VHS tape through the S-video out termninal in the 'DVD priority' outlet to get better picture out through the S-Video lead rather than composite video. I have read the manual and on pg 8 it says the DVD priority out terminals can be used to output the VHS signal as long as you are not recording a DVD at the same time. The problem is when i do play a VHS through S-video output that the picture appears on the TV but there is a blue box with white writing that says "to watch pictures on VHS, use DVD/VHS common out and switch to appropriate AV channel on your TV" well yes my TV is set to 's-video' I can output the TV tuner signal on the DMR-EZ48V though s-video output DVD priority terminal ok but not VHS for some reason. Well the pic appears on the screen but there is that message that comes up. Also the picture is less than perfect as it has some black lines/distortion/noise at the bottom of the picture. It is not the tape because, the tape is brand new and plays fine through the composite outputs. So can you please tell me what the problem is because the manual says i can output VHS through the DVD priority terminals but when i do that i get the onscreen message saying not do do it. I hope there is no problem with this unit as i only had it since friday. Hopefully someone can sugest what may be wrong. I looked everywhere to see if I had to change a setting somewhere but I could not see anything. Thanks

* I will also add that the S-video cable i am using is quite long, probably 5 meters i think as thats all i had and need to get a shorter one. So i am wondering if may explain why the VHS picture has lines at the bottom? But the picture comes through to the TV fine when watching DVB though. And the cable can not be causing the onscreen message either. It was just a thought i had that the cable being ecessively long was picking up interference and the VHS signal is not strong enough to pass through a S-video cable that long?

I don't have a EZ-48v but do have several ES-30v's so until a EZ-48 owner comes along I'll give you my experience with my ES-30v's as far as getting VHS out of the S-video output(or even component output).
On the ES-30v to get VHS out of the S-video output you must first select the DVD side with the DVD button. Next for the source of the DVD side you want to select the VHS side. By doing this you are watching the VHS side through the DVD side. From what I remember you can also watch the VHS side through the component or even HDMI output using this technique.
Hope this helps but again if a EZ-48v owner comes along with something different I'll defer to them.

I had a quick look at how to do that but am not really sure how to do what you say. For example when i press 'select drive' and set it on DVD it just says 'no disc'. I will post a photo of my remote control tomorrow and see if anyone can point me in the right direction. Thanks.

Again this is for the ES-30v but after pushing DRIVE SELECT to get to DVD you want to push INPUT SELECT until you see your VHS tape playing. I believe the INPUT SELECT button should be under the 9 key.

On the US EZ48 model, there is an option under the Functions menu, to turn off onscreen messages. Look to see if your version has that, and turn it off and check if that box appears again during vhs playback.

I have tried that 'messages off' setting but it did not do much if anything at all. I think it just delays the message from comming on for 10 seconds, even if i have it set to off. I did fiddle around with input select but all that seemed to do was select what was connected to the AV inputs not outputs.

Here is my remote. I tried turning off messages but the message still pops up after about 5 seconds telling me to use DVD/VHS common out to watch a VHS

Can't come up with any other suggestions, other than the obvious...connect a separate pair of composite cable from the dvd/vhs common outputs to your tv. Sorry.

I dont get why some people can output VHS through component or S-video but i cant. Maybe the current Australian model does not have that cabability and the US version does? The Australian one does not have USB input either.

Hang on, i just found something. I just popped in a new tape which is labeled as 'PAL system SECAM in France' and it plays fine!!!!! That message is not showing up and the picture looks normal. I don't want to get too excited here yet though. The other tape was a new NTSC tape. This DMR-EZ48V can play both PAL/NTSC anyway but there is something odd with that NTSC tape it seems.

I think it does not like being played back through S-video? i checked a couple more tapes and it seems PAL are Ok but NTSC are not. NTSC plays ok through composite though. Or maybe its a copy protection thing and it just happens to be that the 2 NTSC tapes have macrovision and the PAL tapes dont. I am very intrigued by this, and hope someone can tell me whats going on. My guess is that you can't play copy protected tapes through S-video because its passing through the DVD circuit and thinks you are trying to copy it? I have what i believe is a home copied VHS in NTSC and i dont think it would have macrosvision as the original from the early 80's probably did not have it but the same thing happens with that. Its looking like NTSC tapes wont play through s-video but PAL can. Bit of a shame if thats the case as i have bought a lot of NTSC tapes. I wonder if its the reverse thing in USA and owners over there cant play PAL tapes through S-video? I am very interested to hear what you guys think. Thanks