Panasonic recorder questions

I am considering buying a

http://panasonic.com.au/Products+Arc...XW480/Overview

or

http://panasonic.com.au/Products/DVD...XW385/Overview

or maybe a DMR – EH69 -don’t know much about the 'international' models are they really universal? I dont really care what region code the DVD drive is as i wont be using it for playing discs. Its just the power side of things i am not sure of. I prefer something primarily PAL based but i assume most of these units will cope with both PAL & NTSC.

I need it to work on 220-240 volts and if it does not have a AC lead that fits my wall outlet (AUS) I assume I can just swap the lead. Are they plug in or soldered direct to board?

How old is the EH69 model? Does it have a tuner? ... ok i think it does but i dont know what country its for. In Au i need DVB-T. Is the EH69 a domestic Japanese model or a UK model? i could not find it on UK site. Or is it a euro spec unit eg german? Cant seem to find where the EH69 originates from.

I do prefer the DMR-XW480 for the large HD.

Any other recommendations for a very good recent/current new Panny? I dont want to buy a used one or a specific USA NTSC 110 volts only version either.

The only thing is I am not sure if I can export the recordings from the HDD to either a computer or harddrive via USB? Or is the only way to get stuff out the HDD is via burning to DVD?

What about if I was to play the stuff on the HDD out through S-vid and composite audio and then into some sort A-D box (eg Canopus)and then into the computer? I guess I am going to loose all the good quality aren’t I and they will no longer be in HD and i am not getting the same thing as transfering files. Results would have to be pretty good though? way better than VHS ripping. Remembering stuff on the HDD is only going to be ftom TV anyway. Even if i do burn the 1080p HD stuff recorderd from TV onto the HDD onto DVD, its not going to be 1080p HD on the DVD anyway is it? Thats why i am thinking transfering from HDD via analogue composite or s-vid and then into my computer probably would not be that bad anyway? Hang on, what about resolution/aspect ratio? Will it all be converted from widescreen back to 4:3 with this method?

My other thought was could I play the HDD stuff out via HDMI and into a HDMI recorder (eg Magic Tv box from HK) or somehow input HDMI into a computer?

I guess its not going to be a real big deal though if I cant export the hi def stuff, but I would like to at least get the HDD stuff out at least as normal DVD quality. Ideal method would be out via USB as data. I guess if defeats the purpose of the DVD recorder but I don’t want to over use it and my main use is I would prefer to use it for burning VHS rips or mirror coping a DVD i already have in emergency cases (rip DVD to HDD and then burn back to blank DVD) as I do not have any real good dedicated recorder other than the DMR-EZ48.

So that is my main concern before buying.

Looks like my question is too hard LOL. Anyway through some research i dont think its possible to transfer from HDD to an external hard disc/computer with out going through analog and converting back to digital with something like a A-D converter. Or possibly i can record from HDMI out into a device that accpepts HDMI in for example that set top box recorder from Hong Kong we discussed a few weeks ago. With that unit i can then export from its hard drive and out to computer fingers crossed??? I have no idea what sort of format gets transfered via HDMI though and it its the same as what you could transfer out via USB if that was an option.

Now i have a question related to to a Panasonic EH69. I know they have no tuner for USA which is fine as i do not live there, but all i can find out about what tuner it does have is that is got a 'PAL/Secam BG, DK TV tuner'. I dont know what that means though. I can receive Freeview PAL DVB-T. Is that what the EH69 tuner recieves? What is a DG, DK TV tuner?

I am pretty keen to get one of these.

Are there any DVD/HDD recorders that can transfer stuff saved on the HDD via USB? i am not talking Panasonic specific now.

Well I have spent several hours reading the EH69 manual and it looks like its going to not be as useful as I thought it may be.

I think it has an analog tuner only? Even if it can receive analog channels in Australia now, it wont for much longer as that will be gone in a year or so. I only get snowy analog now anyway which is unwatchable.

It seems the unit would only be good for VHS transfer to DVD and DVD playback.

Would really ike to know the following…

Only way to input TV is via analog composite/s-vid – can this be saved to the HDD????? And can you set the timer to record at certain times what is being fed into the composite/s-vid connections and at least use it as a VCR replacement to timer rec SD TV from a set top box?

Can you copy DVD’s to the HDD and then burn a copy to a blank DVD and get an exact copy?????

These 2 things if possible would make it a little more useful

There does not seem to be many if any ways to actually put stuff on the HDD if you cant feed in TV or copy DVD’s across to HDD. If its the asian/middle east version the tuners are pretty much useless if they are analog like I think they are. Cant find anything out if they receive DVB-T.

I am certainly no expert on this.

To me looks most useful for VHS transfer to DVD, DVD playback and transfer of DV video from a camcorder and thats it Oh and maybe DIV X transfer/burning/watching.

If you cant record TV from a set top box via composite to HDD, it becomes even more useless I think

Thanks for that. Very helpful info makes it more clear now what it can or cant do.

So primary functions would be

disc playback
SD def digital TV via set top box
VHS transfer to DVD
DivX/MP3 etc

Well i just put a depost on a DMRXW480. The cost of it causes pain, so i just hope the damn things lasts. I think i would still like to get another one, probably the 320GB HDD version and then hopefully the 2 would keep me going , but its scary thinking they could be paper weights after a year or so.

Have not seen the EH69 in Australia. Even if i could, theres no advantage of getting it here instead of from USA. The analog tuner is useless. Even if i got a better anntena, analog is getting shut off in areas as we speak.

LG in Australia also still makes a couple of recorders. That may be my other option for a second one too.

Yes i saw the scart connectors. Never had anything to do with those. That is one of the reasons why i was considering a EH69 is that those connectors could offer some more versatility/options. I think one is input and one is output only to TV.


On the copy protection thing, If i take a commerical DVD run it on my computer using Anydvd, this overcomes the CSS and allows copying it to my HDD and in some cases if needed makes the drive region free too so i can play any region disc. If i burn the ripped disc on my HDD back onto a blank then can i copy that copy of the commerical disc onto the panasonic HDD internally or does the burnt copy still have the CSS? And if i can manage to copy a commercial disc to the HDD, can i copy it back to a blank with the original menus and extras? or is that a no go too? Can i only do that with a computer? (been reading through this thread again and i am pretty sure this is a NO)Just thinking of the ways to get the most use out of one of these.

I had another thought with the EH69

Would it be possible to convert the composite output from a set top box to RF and then connect that to the RF in? The tuner in the EH69 is not actually tuning in the TV stations (set top box does that) but its just tunning in whats being fed from the set top box.

A) would that work at all?
B) would it be worser quality than just connecting the composit leads directly into the EH69?

What about if you have a RF loop out of the set top box? This would not feed in a 'tuned' digital signal would it? It is just the same as whats comming from your wall socket and probably would not work?

I have been reading about 'black levels' for this unit. Will this not effect me being in a PAL region?
Also, do the American sellers make any adjustments inside the unit regarding power input? They say 110- volts i believe and are 'set up for america' but i dont see any button on the back to switch it back to 240v. Or is the unit ONLY 240 volts but the Amercan sellers are selling it with some external converter to up convert 110 to 240v? i just need to make sure it would work in a PAL region using 240v 50hz

Will all SD fed in by composite/svid/scart only be recorded in 4:3 full screen or will i retain the original aspect ratio fed in from the set top box? If yes would inserting one of those 'video filters's sold by a member on here keep the aspect ratio at 16:9 and record that to the HDD?

I could not see this answered before, so can i just watch anything i have saved on the HDD on the TV. - YES
I think that must be all the questions i have now.

I have spent hours and hours reading various Panasonic manuals over the weekend. It was mentioned earlier that you would be able to timer record from AV inputs. Now cant find that anywhere in the manuals yet though. Surely this would not work in standby though would it? At night all I do is turn my TV off (its just a monitor) and my set top box stays on 24/7 so in theory what ever the channel it is set on, signal is coming out the composite connections.

If I had these connections connected to the AV in on the EH69 for example and if I can set timer recording on the unit, can it record while being in standby? Or does the recorder turn on from standby when the timer rec starts and then will record that signal being sent to it from the set top box via composite/s-vid?

I have not seen anywhere that states that timer recording can be done from AV inputs but I am still looking. I suspect it may only work from the built in tuner which probably means timer rec is not functional on international models in USA, Australia etc.

Anyone have any definite answers on this?

The TV is not a concern, i was just stating that in my daily routine that gets turned off. It has no output, the tuner it it is blown so effectively its just a monitor. I never never turn my set top box off though which is ok as i would assume it would need to be on to be able to record from its composite output. If the set top box is turned off, it wont be outputing anything. The set top box would have to be set on the right channel too i am sure and you could only do timer records on that one channel. But what i really want to know is how you can timer record from the AV inputs on a Panasonic, especially EH59/69. I read all the manual last night and it tells you how to set timer recording which would be relevant to the inbuilt tuner in the unit but does not explain how to do a timer recording from an AV input. I will read it again as i may have missed something. Thanks

Thanks for the answers guys. A lot of people say the panny manuals are poor and it has only been with this timer recording that i would have to agree because i could not find anything about being able to timer rec from AVI imputs. Anyway is is good to know it is possible now.

With the RF in, that would then be able to tune in a vido/audio signal then, kinda like a VCR used to? I remember the old days when you had to tune in the TV to the video signal. I think it was something like channel 28 in my region.

Ok so i knew it may be poor quality doing composite to RF conversion but if that is an option too that could be a way to hook something up to it that was not all that critical. Remember, i can happily watch a good condition VHS on a CRT but i have never seen what composite to RF looks like. I guess i would need a composite to RF converter box that outputs on a channel in the range of the PAL tuner specs.

Anyway i have the XW480 to still arrive first before i get another one.

You sound like you have a good set up Digado.


Can you explain this 'switch' bit?

CHURCH AV GUY

I have read about this B&W issue somewhere. I think i know what the problem/fix is. I either read it on wikapedias scart section or it was on another site about converting composite to s-video. in some instances passive conversion does not work and you need a active convertor. i read that on www.svideo.com and the B&W issue was mentioned i think. Also i read somewhere about 1 of the scarts being RGB on the panny and the other one not. i must find this info out as i want to know myself too.

Ok just found in DMR-EH50 manual under the AV2 SCART connector in the drawing it says 'Decoder/EXT'
someone on here must know what that means? I guess you got to go throug a decoder thing before connecting. Why?
See page 15 & 55 of EH50 NZ manual. It may help. Appantly there is a setting to set the AV2 scart to RGB in. Maybe that fixes the B&W issue?

Looks like theres some answers on the scart wikapedia page too.

Ok so you are talking about Scart OUT. I have more been thinking of Scart in.

I also noticed that they have appeared to have cut back the input type into the AV2 Scart in. Or it’s a printing mistake in the manual?

EH50 New Zealand manual says
RGB/video
RGB
Video
S-video

EH59/69 manual says
Video
S-video

I think Video just means composite. By the looks of that you may not be able to input a RGB signal into the AV2 Scart in on the EH59/69. I am not sure what settings are available to select from the onscreen menu. Can any Owners confirm you can only select Video or S-Video?

DigaDo - In your first photo, is that the Pelican brand switcher box that has AV- select witten in it? I need one of those as i am sick of switching cables around. One with remote control switching would be nice too.

So if i am correct, this box converts digital signal into a analog signal that can be recieved by the EH50. You get the digital programming but its converted to analog.

This is what i need then! Except i need a box that converts Australian digital DVB-T into analog which would then be recieved by the PAL tuner in the EH59/69. If i am correct this would better than converting the compostie output from my current set top box into RF and then feed than into the RF in. My current set top box has a RF 'loop out' but that i am pretty sure is just raw RF and is not passed through the digital circuitry, its basically just an annenta out. Now where can i find a Digtail DVB-T tuner which converts to PAL RF? Will start hunting.

I dont think the Zennith converter will work here. That would be for your system. I may check their website to see if they make them for markets outside USA though. I am currently looking locally. Surely there must be something available for all those people who dont want to change TV/VCR and need a set top box which converts to analogue RF out.

Ok i know know what i am looking for. Basically what you call a 'digital to analogue conveerter box' we call a 'set top box with an RF modulator'


Yep thats the one i like the look of thanks.