AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › DVD Recorders (Standard Def) › New EH55s still out there?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

New EH55s still out there?

post #1 of 19
8/27/08 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 
I found this yesterday. I was searching on a whim and this popped up. I really thought these were long gone, guess I was wrong. This guy still has one. And unlike Amazon, it isn't for $2000 or some such nonsense. It isn't cheap, but is isn't 2k either.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 19
8/27/08 at 12:57pm
Tempting. If only it were just a leeetle bit cheaper.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 19
8/27/08 at 3:27pm
I'm beginning to wonder just how much of the sky-high Panny pricing is due to the TVGOS feature? I mean, even before the EH55 was discontinued it was selling for one or two hundred more than comparable non-TVGOS Pioneers. I have a feeling the USA web market will be flooded with these Pannys once the reality kicks in next March that their analog TVGOS is dead. Perhaps then those who simply prefer Panasonic features, operation or PQ will have an easier time acquiring extra machines- especially if Panasonic markets machines with the new ATSC TVGOS (tho they probably won't have HDDs).
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 19
8/27/08 at 3:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CitiBear View Post

I have a feeling the USA web market will be flooded with these Pannys once the reality kicks in next March that their analog TVGOS is dead.

I'll cetainly be keeping an eye out.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 19
8/27/08 at 3:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Tempting. If only it were just a leeetle bit cheaper.

I hear you! My tale of woe is, I bought two EH50s. The next year, the EH55 and EH75 came out, but I decided to not buy them because I had bought two the year before. I chose to wait until another model year went by before buying again. Well, the next model year had NO HDD recorders from Panasonic. By the time I fully realized that there wouldn't be any further ones, the prices had all skyrocketed. I was extremely lucky to get an EH75 open-box for a good price, but I paid $600US for an otherwise Canadian EH55. Shortly after this, Amazon had the EH55 and EH75 listed for well over $1000 mark.

As you said, "...If only it were just a leeetle bit cheaper." And had a digital tuner, a digital TVGOS, a real keyboard entry for titles and an HDD to HDD copy feature. I'm just glad to have one. I like it a lot.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 19
8/28/08 at 9:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CitiBear View Post

Perhaps then those who simply prefer Panasonic features, operation or PQ will have an easier time acquiring extra machines- especially if Panasonic markets machines with the new ATSC TVGOS (tho they probably won't have HDDs).

Unlikely. IIRC, Panasonic only marketed 1 model without a HDD that had TVGOS. I can't remember the model, RG has one.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 19
8/28/08 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
Well, I just checked again, and the item is still listed. I guess at that price they aren't just disappearing from his shelves. I was wondering if my post would help his listing. Apparently not so far.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 19
8/28/08 at 10:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelson View Post

Unlikely. IIRC, Panasonic only marketed 1 model without a HDD that had TVGOS. I can't remember the model, RG has one.

Hi Kelson. Yeah, it's the Panasonic E-65. I don't think it was a big seller though, which is why I picked one up cheap.

I agree that Panasonic is probably not going back to TVGOS since they have abandoned the HDD DVD recorder market in the US.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 19
8/28/08 at 10:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rgazzara View Post

Yeah, it's the Panasonic E-65. I don't think it was a big seller though, which is why I picked one up cheap.

Geez, I don't even remember the E65.....
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 19
8/28/08 at 1:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy View Post

Well, I just checked again, and the item is still listed. I guess at that price they aren't just disappearing from his shelves. I was wondering if my post would help his listing. Apparently not so far.

Its because he's priced it *just* over the upper limit of what Americans are willing to pay for that model Panasonic imported from Canada. At $599 it would have sold in a heartbeat, his greed to snare some fool at $679 means he'll probably have to relist a couple times before he gets a sale. For $700 he needs to be listing EH75s! The same thing happens when speculators list the new Pioneer 560 or 660 for $700-900: no one is really willing to go that high anymore, especially if they can have someone in Canada just go buy them one for much less.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 19
8/28/08 at 2:32pm
I saw several EH55s in London Drugs in Vancouver, B.C., about six weeks ago, but I think I've read on this site that Panasonic has discontinued them. The Canadian price was $469.95 (if you're close to the border, I understand the new U.S.-duty free limit after a 48-hour stay is $800).
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 19
8/29/08 at 6:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy View Post

Well, I just checked again, and the item is still listed. I guess at that price they aren't just disappearing from his shelves. I was wondering if my post would help his listing. Apparently not so far.

If you check his feedback, you will see he has sold dozens of EH55s. I bought from him a couple of months ago at $599 and was very satisfied with the transaction.

John
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 19
8/29/08 at 10:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMas View Post

If you check his feedback, you will see he has sold dozens of EH55s. I bought from him a couple of months ago at $599 and was very satisfied with the transaction.

John

From $600 to $660 is a ten percent increase. Add shipping onto that, and I think CitiBear and Rammitinski are correct. It is priced just over what people are willing to spend without serious reservations.

Dozens of them... I wonder just how many he still has?
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 19
8/29/08 at 1:47pm
One possible explanation for the price increase is that at the beginning of the summer, even though they had long been off their web site, you could walk into any Future Shop and count on seeing a stack of EH55s on the shelf. This is less and less the case.

I think it's a bit too expensive myself, but if anyone wants the last of the premium HDD machines with TVGOS, this may be one of their last chances. Of course, you might still get lucky and find one at your local FS for $350 to $400, like earlier this summer.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 19
9/3/08 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
Well it appears that JMas was indeed correct. The item I had listed in the original post has been sold with "Buy It Now" but there is another one listed by the same seller. He must have several.

I have to laugh at the advertised properties, "355 hrs of record time!" Is that at EP8 record quality? Would anything even be watchable at the 355 hour mode?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 19
9/3/08 at 11:21am
Blame Panasonic for that one; they print it prominently on the box.




Not that it's not a fine machine, but I wouldn't pay that much. However, there are no more at the downtown Future Shop locations. You might still get lucky scouring the suburban branches.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 19
9/7/08 at 3:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy View Post

I found this yesterday. I was searching on a whim and this popped up. I really thought these were long gone, guess I was wrong. This guy still has one. And unlike Amazon, it isn't for $2000 or some such nonsense. It isn't cheap, but is isn't 2k either.

Canadian units have no warranty whatsoever in the US!
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 19
9/7/08 at 12:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by slprp1 View Post

Canadian units have no warranty whatsoever in the US!

So pay for the $130 flat rate repair if you need it. It is still a better deal than the guy on Amazon with the grossly inflated price.

I'd rather buy from a Canadian with 100% favorable feedback than the Amazon seller who has feedback from several disgruntled customers.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 19
9/9/08 at 3:14am
How long is the warranty anyway, a year??? Most of us here have gone by more than at least that before we encounter any malfunctioning, if not, hopefully longer for the EH55s!
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD Recorders (Standard Def)

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › DVD Recorders (Standard Def) › New EH55s still out there?