Official Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK thread - Page 33

Seems like such a basic function: don't you sometimes need to know how much time is left in the movie they are watching?

oh well...

Hi. I'm new to forums, but a Google search led me here and I'd like some info if anyone can help.
What is the difference between the Panasonic DMR-EZ48V and EZ48VK?

Thanks!

^^ The VK was packaged for sale at the big warehouse outlets such as Sam's Club and included the HMDI cable in the box, while the plain numbered 48 appeared in regular stores and electronic shops without the extra cable..

Other than that, it's the same machine.

None. The basic model name is DMR-EZ48V. The K indicates black, the only color found in the US marketplace. If the "K" is replaced with "S" the color would be silver. This is the same as the DMR-EZ485 but without a HDMI cable.

Be sure to read this thread before purchasing this problematic combo recorder. If you must have a Panasonic purchase the more reliable DMR-EZ28 DVD recorder. I own one DMR-EZ28, a good product, one of my fifteen functional Panasonic DVD recorders.

If you're considering a combo recorder in order to copy videotapes to DVD the better choice is to connect a VCR to a DVD recorder input and record from that input.

The best current choice among all recorders is the Magnavox 2160, a HDD/DVD recorder. Connect a VCR to an input, transfer the videotaped material to the hard drive, edit the material (if you like) and high speed dub the material to DVD. I own three 2160 models, as well as one other Magnavox (2080) and two Philips HDD/DVD (3575/3576) recorders. See this thread for more information:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

Thanks so much for the info. I've been searching for awhile for a combo unit that also has a digital tuner. I would rather not have a separate VCR, DVD recorder, and Digital tuner around my TV. What are your thoughts on a combo unit that has a tuner?

I've been searching for various models on the web, then looking at Amazon for user feedback. I thought Panasonic was one of the best.

I'd appreciate your feedback again.

Thanks.

I can not in good conscience recommend Panasonic EZ series combo recorders (DMR-EZ37V, DMR-EZ47V, DMR-EZ475, DMR-EZ48V and DMR-EZ485) produced in 2007/2008/2009. These models have "digital" tuners.

My experience with five Panasonic EZ series "digital" tuners found ATSC (antenna) reception was usually satisfactory. Clear QAM (cable) reception was seldom entirely satisfactory. All four of my remaining EZ series recorders are enslaved to a Comcast converter box through composite line inputs or RF pass throughs from Philips or Magnavox recorders, thus bypassing the Panasonic "digital" tuner. If you use a cable company provided converter box or DTA the "analog" outputs allow EZ series recorders to provide satisfactory service with "analog" signal sources. To maintain functionality be sure to use scheduled program workarounds mentioned in earlier posts in this thread.

Panasonic gained its reputation with the ES series DVD recorders and EH series HDD/DVD recorders. A number of ES series combo recorders (the 2005 DMR-ES30V and 2006 DMR-ES35V, DMR-ES45V and DMR-ES46V models) are outstanding products. These models all have NTSC "analog" tuners.

If you must purchase an EZ series combo recorder they may be found on eBay or Craig's List, the dumping grounds for thousands of these machines returned or disposed of by their original purchasers. A year ago DealTree's starting price for "good working order" DMR-EZ48V combo recorders was $20.98, including shipping. Online "Panasonic Authorized Dealers/Resellers" may still offer the DMR-EZ48V (or similar DMR-EZ485) "Refurbished by Panasonic" with a "Panasonic Refurbished Product Warranty" for around $150, including shipping.

I strongly suggest that you read earlier posts in this thread for more detailed information.

The best current digital tuner Panasonic DVD recorder is the DMR-EZ28V model.

The most flexible and reliable recent DVD recorder is the Magnavox H2160MW9 HDD/DVD models manufactured in May, August and December 2008. One of my 2160 models (and one Philips 3575 model) are enslaved to a Comcast converter box. Two of my 2160 models (and one earlier 2080 HDD/DVD model) are connected directly to the Comcast coax cable feed for clear QAM reception. These Magnavox recorders provide outstanding performance. The current H2160MW9A variation manufactered in March and May 2009 requires an inconvenient workaround to retain full functionality. More detailed information may be found by clicking the link in my earlier post.

Not to nitpick but the EA-38 doesn't have a tuner, it's a EA-18 with the VHS section. Otherwise I totally agree with what Digado said. Oh and of the current combos available I'd probably suggest the EA-38, but you did say you want the digital tuner(and VHS), in which case I really have no recommendations at this time

While I own 2 of the EZ models, the 47 and 48, I too wouldn't recommend either to a casual user, If you are not afraid of 'babying' a unit or are not a techno-phobe, and can find one used or refurbished, I would say try the EZ48. I bought both of my EZs (one refurbed, 1 used) with my eyes wide open, having read dozens of posts on both here. As troublesome as the EZ has been, the 48 may be the least troublesome of the lot. Note, you cannot record digital channels to vhs with the EZ Panny combo units. Sometimes the unit will freeze up during use.

Features that were present in the ES line of combos have been stripped from the EZ line, making dubbing vhs tapes to disc a hassle (the older line, you could set a time limit on the dub, say 1 hour only. The EZs have no ability to set a limit on how long it'll dub. Pressing the dub to vhs button, the tape starts from where ever the tape left offat, and records to disc either until it reaches the end, or you manually stop it.
The more experienced members here will always recommend keeping your existing vcr, and connect it to whatever dvd recorder you purchase, as you will have greater control over how much you dub to disc.

So, with budget in mind here's a few additional options for you to consider. Note, I don't own any of these, I'm only looking at the prices and the return policies if you decide after trying, you don't like them (or can locate one in a local store)..

http://www.jr.com/panasonic/pe/PAN_DMREA18K/

http://www.jr.com/philips/pe/PHI_DVD...ductTabReviews

The most recommended current recorder-non combo, is the Magnavox 2160.
http://www.target.com/Magnavox-HDD-D...der%20H2160MW9
Walmart normally carries it cheaper than the Target price here, but it's not listed at their website at the moment. They may get more in later, as well as J&R, with the even cheaper refurblished units.

I just picked up one of these combo units not realizing there were so many problems with this thing. I had an old ES series DVD recorder and was quite happy with it and thought this thing would be the same.

I haven't really used it yet but I'm having trouble connecting it to my AVR in such a way that I can see what I'm recording from my cable box.

With My old recorder I could see what I was recording via the "in 1" inputs. I have this unit connected via S-video and L&R audio cables to the AVR. The output of the unit is connected via HDMI.

When I switch my AVR to view the output of the DMR-EZ48 I get a black screen. Should I not be seeing what is being sent to the input of the machine? When I record I still get a black screen but when I play it back I see that it actually recorded.

Aside from the HDMI output from the player I've also connected the analog outputs to another input on the AVR to see if I can get it to show what it's recording and I still haven't had any luck.

Anyone know what I'm missing?

I don't use the HDMI cable. But I can't recall ever reading about anyone connecting both the S-Video and HMDI to a tv at the same time...is it possible the HMDI is interfering with the signal output?
Try disconnecting the hmdi cable from the recorder and see what happens. Also, connect the 48 directly to the tv to see if the signal feed appears over the line input.

Also, don't despair (too much) about the 48. It's a let down after using the better ES models for sure, but knowing that it's a bit of a diva, and being mindful of it's quirks, it can still be a worthwhile machine to use. Picture quality is great at the 2 and 4 hour rec modes.

I managed to come up with a workaround. For some reason my receiver doesn't have a record source select that is separate from the main input source select. I just used 'Zone 2" as the record source input and then I can see what is being input into the recorder via the hdmi main source input.

I'm a little annoyed that Pioneer didn't include a record source select function into most of their current Elite receivers. My old one had it. Oh well...

Yuck. My 48V's digital tuner all of a sudden freaked out this past weekend. The image's brightness started wavering in and out, though a few hours earlier all had been fine. In fact, the quality of the recorded DVDs had been outstanding in 1 and 2 hour mode, and I appreciated having a VCR which could play my old S-VHS tapes.

For those reasons I picked up a new unit when returning the broken one to Costco. That, and the fact there was an instant $40 rebate in effect, made me take yet another chance on the 48V. Mind you, this is the third one I'm trying out. Masochism aside, it can be a superb performer, particularly if one has a vast tape library. But I'm keeping the sales receipt close at hand...

Very wise man It took me 6 EZ recorders(mostly EZ-17s and one EZ-27) to decide they weren't for me. Actually the EZ-28 and tunerless EA-18's probably wouldn't be bad and if one must have a combo I'd try and track down a EA-38. No denying the PQ though

Here are two posts found in a series of posts where I describe the anomalies of one of my DMR-EZ17 recorders:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post14966888

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post14969525

In the second post I describe the beginning of the end of that EZ17's clear QAM tuning as "flashing." Once that DMR-EZ17 entirely lost its ability to tune clear QAM sub-channels it was later connected to an antenna for ATSC reception where it functioned normally for a while. Later that EZ17 was set aside as a standby recorder. Just recently that EZ17 donated its functional DVD Drive to another of my EZ17 recorders that continues in daily use with a composite input from a Comcast cable box.

While the linked posts are from October 2008, I believe that I was already posting descriptions of EZ series bugs and design flaws within a few days of becoming an AVS Forum member in December 2007. In those EZ series posts I would often end the post with

"And the bugs go on . . ."

Thanks guys but now I'm really scared. The future of my 48V may be dark indeed...or at the very least, flashing.

(Good thing Costco takes back stuff forever.)

^^ Let us know how this new one performs.

Well, I'm getting some odd strobing on some shows. The fake NYC lights behind David Letterman's desk, for instance. They seem to blink in unison, usually when there's some small camera movement. And during Conan last night, when the camera moved left to right during a bow-and-arrow demonstration, it seemed that it would drag small vertical sections of the video field with it. These effects didn't occur on cable and satellite transmissions BTW.

Something else strange--while making an otherwise excellent DVD recording last night of the CW, I heard a slight audio drop towards the end. But when I played it back, the drop wasn't there, there was no interruption anymore. And no, my amp isn't acting up. Weird, huh?

Can someone tell me if it's possible on a 48 (or 28) to record onto a dvd in widescreen format from an S-video input? I have a 47 with the latest firmware and if it's possible with that machine I haven't found the way (other than to use post recording display scalers such as those outboard or built into some display devices, which of course lose resolution).

I want to be able to record a disc, from the output of a satellite box, that will play back in proper aspect on an LG Blu-ray player and Sony HDTV, neither of which have "wide" scaling capability, so everything has the skinny disease.

Maybe there is something in the thread on this but if so I haven't been able to find it.

Many thanks

If the s-video out from your sat box is anamorphic (squeezing 16:9 into 4:3) then you're good for recording widescreen onto the DVD. The issue I think you're having is finding the right setting on your LG to play back properly, since your TV lacks such a setting. Post the model numbers of your sony and LG. Either should have some aspect ratio setting, although they may not call it wide (zoom perhaps?). Another issue is that the 48 won't set the wide flag on DVD-R or DVD+R, which your LG might need. If that's the case, I don't know any way around that.

Thanks mdavej,

That's indeed what I was afraid of - the lack of the widescreen flag, which I believe is the same as with the DMR-EZ47. I would have thought Panasonic would have sorted this out by now, seeing that they have released new firmware for it, and even a new model in the DMR-EZ48. It looks like a design error pure and simple, but perhaps there is some reason for it that I fail to see.

The player and TV actually are at another house, but I recall the model no of the LG Blu-ray player is BD-390, only a few months old. The TV is a Sony Bravia HDTV two or three years old but I will have to check for the model number. The LG doesn't play DVD-RAMs so I can't use them there. I looked for a wide setting on the LG and didn't see any but I'll check again. The Sony does have an aspect control (they improperly call it "zoom") but no setting of it fixes the problem. Pressed widescreen dvd's (not my burned ones from the Panny) do play at the right aspect on the LG/Sony, so it seems pretty clear that the Panny is not burning the dvd correctly in the first place, which is consistent with the lack of the flag. FWIW, the satellite box is a Dish VIP722 set to 16X9, although I have tried all its other settings with no joy.

A widescreen dvd-RAM which I burned on an earlier model Panny DVR from a DirecTV satellite box does play back at the right aspect without need for post scaling and is super good - almost HD quality even on a fairly large projection screen. I haven't tried it yet on the DMR-EZ47 and Dish box.

Thanks again.

Do you have the 48 set to 16:9 under the TV Aspect tab, found in the TV Screen menu? How you do have the other settings under TV Aspect ratio-found directly under the TV Aspect tab set? Recordings made from the HD source inputted to the 47 and 48 must be made with the ratio set to 16:9. The tv should then stretch the image that's been recorded to widescreen during playback.

Setup>TV Screen tab>arrow over to TV Aspect, in the Other Functions menu.

Tucker,

Also check out the chart in THIS post (I wish it was a sticky). It talks about wide screen issues and tells how to set up your dish box to get the same results you got with D*. I have D*, sony tv and panny and my recordings work fine widescreen, even without the flag.

It is puzzling why so many recorders won't set the flag. It seems like a simple thing to do.

Westly-C,

I have the 47 set to 16:9. I want to record a DVD-R not a DVD-RAM since I have no way of playing a DVD-RAM on the LG player, as is the case with most players other than Panasonic. I think the problem is that when recording a DVD-R on the 47 (or 48), the widescreen flag is not properly set. So when you play the resulting DVD on anything other than a Panasonic player the aspect is wrong. Again, this appears to be a design error which Panasonic has had ample time to correct but has not done so far. Even with a Panasonic player the recording may have the proper aspect, but if the stretch is done by a scaler post recording the resolution is compromised.

That's interesting. I'm going to try playing back a DVD-RAM on some other DVD players to confirm this; another software glitch. BTW is there any logical reason why my E48 would at first refuse to confirm I placed a brand-new blank DVD-RAM disc in it? The front panel indicated "no disc" after briefly flashing "read". I had to remove the disc and turn the machine off and on in order for the machine to then accept the disc.

Let's guess--another software glitch?

I was unable to try this last night, but I recorded Numbers off my local CBS affiliate's hi def channel on my 48 (cable not antenna), and finalized the disc. I played it back on a player connected to a Phillips 19 in HDTV in another room this morning, The tv stretched the image to fill the screen.


This is how it looks on a 4:3 television-and my pc's media player, InterVideo Win DVD. (When recording to RAM, any HD programs are, as mentioned in widescreen on Win DVD)
So I must ask a stupid question, are the programs you're trying to record, coming from a hi def source channel, or a standard def channel from the satellite box?

Westly,

Yes, I am sure the source material is high def. It's just not coming out of the 722's S-video output in widescreen. I have my projector set up so that I can switch back and forth quickly between HD widescreen via HDMI directly from the 722 sat receiver and component from the recorder's component monitor output. As far as I can tell there is simply no way to record or even monitor in true widescreen from the 722's S-video output, and I would be surprised if the same isn't true of its composite video although I haven't tried that. I can record or monitor widescreen material in 4:3 and then use a "full" or "wide" mode on the projector to get an expanded widescreen display of it, but this is not the same as recording in widescreen, and results in significantly compromised picture quality. And some HDTV's don't have a suitable expansion mode anyway so even the aspect is wrong on them.

I have DVD recordings I made from a different (DirecTv) sat receiver, and they are true widescreen and considerably better quality as viewed on a 75" screen - almost HD although I realize they are not. Dish needs to get its act together with appropriate firmware.

To see if the same isn't true for you, I suggest first playing a commerical widescreen DVD on the Panny and setting a 16:9 TV so that the aspect is displayed correctly (using a fixed mode aspect on the TV assuming it has one - not an automatic one which can confuse the issue). Then replace the commercial DVD with one recorded on the Panny but without making any changes to the TV settings. I'm betting you will see the "skinny" disease just as I do.

Does the Panasonic DMR-EZ485 NTSC version also play PAL Format tapes cause I am in the process of bidding for one on ebay.

Also is it better than the Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK?

Cause I want good quality, stable VHS to DVD Transfers can this unit do it?

Another thing I may want to transfers the VH|S material to be edited in PC do I need a hard drive version for that or can the DVD RAM do the trick?

In need of your help!


Thanks

The EZ48 and EZ485 are identical. Neither play PAL discs or VHS.

Yeah take a look at this?

Panasonic DMR-EZ485 1080p DVD Recorder VHS ATSC Tuner

So it defininately plays VHS.

But I was hoping it could play PAL.

If you are willing to tolerate random creation of new "titles" at VHS index marks, utterly crude recordings with overlapping beginning and ending material wherever those new "titles" are created; and many other bugs and design flaws, then a Panasonic EZ combo recorder is for you.

To find out more about the grief you will experience with a Panasonic EZ series combo recorder you need only read this and several other threads where combo recorders or videotape dubbing/copying is discussed. If you disregard other's advice be sure to post your findings so that others may benefit from your experience.

The better dubbing/copying alternative is to connect a VCR to a DVD recorder and copy videotaped material directly to DVD in that manner.

The best current method to transfer videotaped material to DVD is with a Magnavox 2160 HDD/DVD recorder. Transfer videotaped material to hard drive, edit the material (if you like), and high-speed dub to DVD. The first post in this thread is the gateway to a wealth of information:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657