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Today I bought the new Panny DVDR E80 Gig- Tell me..  

post #1 of 11
Thread Starter 
$699 at CC( I will obviously return it if prices fall in 30 days which I feel they may- I did not buy for $550 on the net because I wanted the $49 3 year warranty and support that a local store gives me).What specifically would you like me to try? It is set up and ready. I have numerous S-VHS videos that are originally recorded 4 hours that I want to burn to HDD or DVD. In fact I am dubbing right now a 3.5 hour FB game (S-vhs). I set the black level input to darker rather than lighter(only two choices). I frankly did not know which is better but on this vid there is a lot of whitewash on the S-VHS tape being input. They do have two other OUTPUTS on the E80 for S-VHS/composite and Component depending on your wires going out from the E80. BTW this is a very complicated DVDR if you want to use the advanced stuff. I am no genius but fairly up on this stuff. A lot of regular Joes who do not dwell on this will never figure this hard drive sh.. to DVD editing etc out. This is not like a freaking VCR. More like a computer which a lot of people still have not figured out. Plus and this is Big- if you have High definition and two complicated 5.1 systems as I do, be ready for some hours baby. I have spent them. BTW I did get great surround optical (not 5.1 but the same sound WAS coming out of all 5 speakers)tonight from the DMR-E80hs out of my new panny receiver on previously burned dvd -r's.
post #2 of 11
Congrats on your new toy :)

For what it's worth, you made the right choice in selecting "Darker" for the input black level -- that should actually be labeled "NORMAL." If you choose the "lighter" setting, the black level will be raised before recording, resulting in a washed out image. Leave the S-Video/Composite Output set to "LIGHTER" though -- oddly enough, THAT is the correct setting for that.

--Bill R.
post #3 of 11
I am so close to getting this model myself. Friday I left work early and checked out CC, BB and Tweeter in the Galleria area to see what was available.

Can someone convince me that not having component instead of S-Video won't matter that much when recording :) (Mostly cable). I need the HDD.

I figure I will wait and see what the Panny 100 looks like...
post #4 of 11
Quote:
Originally posted by PVerdieck
I am so close to getting this model myself. Friday I left work early and checked out CC, BB and Tweeter in the Galleria area to see what was available.

Can someone convince me that not having component instead of S-Video won't matter that much when recording :) (Mostly cable). I need the HDD.

I figure I will wait and see what the Panny 100 looks like...
My TV doesn't have component connections. I have both an HS2 and an E80, and have been getting very good picture quality at SP using both composite and S-video. There is a small loss when dubbing from the HDD to DVD-R, but the quality is still quite good.

John
post #5 of 11
Quote:
Originally posted by videojanitor

Leave the S-Video/Composite Output set to "LIGHTER" though -- oddly enough, THAT is the correct setting for that.

--Bill R. [/b]
I wouldn't say "oddly". I'm so glad it has the Darker setting for Output because I need it to get the correct black level when playing discs recorded on my HS2. What a difference between those 2 settings!

It seems strange that it took Panasonic so long to realize they really had a black level problem with their earlier recorders, but at least they have admitted it and corrected it.

John
post #6 of 11
Quote:
Originally posted by PVerdieck
Can someone convince me that not having component instead of S-Video won't matter that much when recording :) (Mostly cable). I need the HDD.
OK, I'll convince you. :D Do you have any sources that OUTPUT component video? If not, then having component IN on the recorder isn't going to be of any benefit (ie: you wouldn't even be able to use it). I've got exactly ONE source with component out -- an HDTV tuner -- so it would be nice for that (though I'm not going to get HD recordings ...) So, while a component input would be nice to have just for the sake of having it, it's not a deal-breaker (in my lowly opinion).

--Bill R.
post #7 of 11
Yes, I do. My cable box. It is a Time Warner HD box. I am also contemplating getting DirectTV, also HD, so that would also be a component out.

The majority of my recording would be from those sources.

I would feel like a real idiot, getting a recorder, then they all come out with component in. Also, I would like something I could use (and be satisfied with) until I get a Blu-Ray recorder (2-3 years?).

In general, I like to get 2-3 years minimum out of my HT hardware before I upgrade. Call me funny :)...
post #8 of 11
OK, you're funny. <insert rim shot here> But seriously ...

You might just be a candidate for a recorder with a component input then. It's hard to say exactly HOW much of a difference it'll make without performing some side-by-side tests -- assuming you had some source material that was component all the way from origination to your recorder, you would probably be able to tell the difference. Is it enough to worry about? Only you can make that decision ...

--Bill R.
post #9 of 11
The component in (at least on the Philips models) is 480i only, so your cable box and DirectTV would need to be set to output 480i if you wanted to record from them.

I know the Samsung HD boxes output 480i via s-video and HD via component at the same time, so s-video may still be the best option for input (send s-video to the DVD recorder and HD to your display via component.)

David
post #10 of 11
Thread Starter 
Actually when I said two other OUTPUTS, I should have said menu output choices within the black level menu(not on the back of the unit). It allows you to set the level to darker or lighter depending if your hooked up with component output or S-VHS/composite output on the back of the unit.
post #11 of 11
Some interesting points...
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AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › DVD Recorders (Standard Def) › Today I bought the new Panny DVDR E80 Gig- Tell me..