Panasonic DMR-EZ47V: DVD/VCR recorder with ATSC (digitl), QAM(digitl) & Analog Tuners - Page 3

I would think that the main reason for getting a unit that includes DVD recording would be to record on DVD's.

The tape drive should mainly be used to play or transfer old tapes. Maybe to use as a secondary recorder when the DVD runs out of recording room.

Teach her to set timers for DVD recording (after you learn yourself). It's just as simple as it is to VHS (if not simpler), and you won't have to add to your already bulky, space-hogging tape collection.

Well I am getting tired of reading about DVD recorders on the AVS forms. It really looks like the DRM-E47V is the best fit for me. I do wish it had COAX surround out like my current panny S27 do I could just replace it. Wonder why they dropped it. Can you just get a optical splitter? I have one optical and one coax input on my receiver and both my HDTV and this DVD recorder have only optical outs. (could convert one to dig. coax I guess)
Mike

What is the difference between EZ37VK and EZ47BK ?

1-As best buy description is saying 37VK has DVD recorder/VCR combo and 47VK is only DVD recorder?? Is it true?
2- Which one will be better to record the programs from SDTV and/or HDTV?
3- Also which one can record Digital broadcast because according to this:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=834668

Analog channels are shutting down?????

I run a small TV service shop In Iowa and I have purchased 8 of these EZ47 recorders as store returns in AS-IS condition on Ebay. Most have hardly been used. In each case the digital board , the one with the LSI chip on it and the HDMI socket on it is bad!! The LSI chip runs very hot under normal operation. Seeing so many units with the same problem scares me a bit as to how long these boards may last. When this board fails the unit will turn on ,give many 0000 across the readout and then finaly say Hello. The DVD tray will never open and the VCR will take the tape but never give it back! No video output of any kind or menue. The unit is not passing self test. I am putting a heat sink on the chip of my only working unit with the hope of heading off a problem. The panasonic parts house does not have any info or price on this board yet. Al

Hi Al, thanks for the update on the EZ-47. Do you have any information on the EZ-17? I bought one from the Best Buy Outlet store on eBay and it seems to be running perfectly. Any problems I should bve aware of?

Does the EZ-17 have the LSI chip as well?

Thanks for your reply.

ALZY- Bummer about hot LSI chip as I picked up a DMR-EZ47V last night. Maybe I will see if I can open it up and add a heat sink. Is it easy to find the LSI chip?

DTV ATSC Tuner:
Anyway I wanted to see how the DMR-EZ47V worked on a 4:3 HDTV (Sanyo 32" HT32744). The current DVD player I have, is a Panny S27 which works great. I found that I had trouble with the aspect ratio using the tuner. I wanted to have the DTV (ATSC) screen as full as possible without stretching. I found the best way was to set the DMR-EZ47V to 16:9 output and use the TV's NORMAL, ZOOM and LETTERBOX to reduce stretching. This means changing the TV aspect ratio often as many DTV channels are SD and some HD. This works for me as the tuner in the HDTV is the primary tuner. (BTW the DMR-EZ47V tuned all the same channels as the Sanyo)

DVD player:
I put in the 1st Lord of the Rings (WS) because I knew this movie has huge black bars on both the top and bottom of my 4:3 screen (2" bars). Because both my wife and I don't like the hugh bars, I would zoom about 10% (yes you can zoom 1% at a time on the S27) to reduce the bars to ~1". The DMR-EZ47V dosn't zoom and this was almost a deal breaker for us. Using the component input the Sayno will not zoom either HOWEVER again with the DMR-EZ47V output set to 16:9 and using the S-Video and the Sanyo set to ZOOM I could reduce the bars to ~1" without stretching the picture. And on a 32" CRT S-video looks OK. This may work or I will keep the S27 connected to the Sanyo also. BTW I did not try HDMI yet but expect it will be the same at component.

Conclusion:
I miss the ZOOM but by setting aspect ratios on the DMR-EZ47V and Sayno I can get the picture I want. Also VHS and analog were no problem and were always full screen.

Got a new EZ47V from CC today. Made first recording - all went well except audio level is very low. Maybe it's my hookup: Cable feed directly to Motorola cable box; cable box RF out to EZ47V. Did it this way to record some stored recordings in the cable box's video recorder. If just watching TV, if feed through the EZ47V, about same volume drop.

Would appreciate suggestions and perhaps better way to wire up. Thanks

So your the guy that keeps out bidding me. LOL I finally picked up two off eBay in the past week. One that was supposed to be defective, seems to be working fine and the one that was supposed to be OK has trouble tuning in the digital channels and if the unit loses power all the digital station are gone. Then you have to unplug the unit and let it sit over night before you redo the setup.

If you're transferring recordings from your cable DVR, you should definitely have it hooked up to the recorder better than that - through a line input. Your not getting all the avalilable resolution you can that way. S-video would be first choice, and RCA inputs second.

It might improve the audio level, too.

Appreciate your suggestion. Ran the Motorola 3412's audio out cables to the EZ47V and still had attenuated audio (about 10db according to my amplifier's volume meter.) So audio to the EZ47V is antenuated about an equal amount when recording to DVD or just watching channels. Audio volume is identical whether taking through the RF input or from the 3412's audio out.

Tried playing a commercial DVD on the EZ47 and volume output right in line with my other audio sources. I'm guessing the 3412 just antenuates audio when it sends it out. When I get my Son here tomorrow to crawl behind my rat's nest of wires, will try bringing the cable signal directly into the EZ47 to see it that affects volume level (I'm thinking it will.) Also, will pick up an optical cable for the EZ47's output.

Really like the recorder though and will rarely be making a recording from the cable box's recorder - just had a great recording of my 9-year-old Grandaughter doing the weather on a local channel (Grandpa pride!) that demanded saving on a DVD. Also looking forward to putting component out cables to TV to see how upscaling works on my 6-year-old Sony xbr450 that still has a great (albeit 4:33 screen) picture.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice.

Turn off the EZ47's Virtual Surround Sound (VSS) and see if that helps.

Sorry for my ignorance but looking for better way to feed video/audio from a Motorola 3412 STB to my new EZ47V. Have tried RF from STB to 47V and S-video and audio to one of 47V's inputs. As don't have a HDMI on my TV (2001 vintage), was thinking could run an HDMI cable from STB to 47V.

But, don't want to fry either or both of these units! Has anyone tried this and if so, did it work or fry your box?

Previous suggestion to improve audio level did not help. Appreciate much the suggestion. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Got the thought from a 47V user review (9-1-07) opinion on Amazon.com's site. That user had connected STB's HDMI to one input on TV and another from 47V's HDMI to other input on TV - he reported that his 47V was reading the STB's signal this way and worked OK.

After adding a heat sink to the LSI chip, I put in my first home movie VHS tape and copied it to DVD-RAM. The tape has 3 different clips on it and the DMR-EZ47V added chapters for each clip. I could then put the DVD-RAM into my laptop, load each clip into Pinnacle Studio and save each clip as a separate mpeg-2 file. I am a happy camper. The DMR-EZ47V looks like it will be a great help and time saver to convert 25 VHS tapes to DVD-RAM so I can organize them (seperate x-mas clips from birthday clips etc.) and burn new DVDs. One minor thing I noticed was a small horz. tear line on the bottom of my mpeg. files which looks like the tracking on the DMR-EZ47V VCR may need a tweak.

(BTW I have also recorded DTV twice (a movie and a PBS show) and everything worked as expected.)
-Mike

I am very interested in getting one of these DVD recorders. In looking at the Panasonic web site I see three very similar models:

DMR-EZ47VK
DMR-ES45VS
DMR-EZ475VK

Are there any real differences between these models? I don't see much in the specs that's different between them. My local Costco has the 475 model and I'm thinking of picking it up. One quick additional question. Anyone paired one of these up with HD TIVO yet to try and record off it?

The VK is black, and the VS is silver. As far as I know, the Costco/Sam's model is the same.

The 45 is the old analog tuner model. Models ending in a "7" have the digital tuner and the 475 has an HDMI cable in the box. The others don't have the cable.

I bought an EZ475 from Costco because I got the cable "free".

Oh, O.K. Thanks for pointing that out.

I think I need stronger reading glasses - I thought that the first two both said "47" .

I wasn't aware at all about the cable part, though. I'll file that one away.

But I had the "K" and "S" part right, or no?

Just curious, how hot does the LSI chip get? Too hot to touch?

Ron

I believe so, but I haven't seen a silver one. I got two of the E50's and they were silver. I never saw black ones but the suffixes bear that out -- K for black and S for silver.

Oh, I have had a malfunction with my EZ475. It has locked up -- unresponsive to remote control inputs and front panel buttons. The first time I had to unplug the unit momentarily and got control back. After checking the manual, I tried the holding down the Power button for over ten seconds and that worked as well. That's all the problems that I've had.

I wish that it had two RF inputs -- one for cable and one for an antenna, AND a 500 GB hard drive... and at least full High Def support -- especially recording, to DVD as well as HDD.

I am having a couple issues with EZ47VK and Panasonic has replied with a firmware update is being mailed to me (7 to 10 business days), but thought I would see if anyone else was seeing similar [behavior] or would like to comment.

1) Tuning...This may be normal operation, and is becoming less noticable to me - I get 1 to 2 seconds of black everytime I change channels when just channel surfing. Auto-program takes between 12 and 15 minutes to complete. Also, the unit has had occasional lockups when changing channels - each time it requires a power cycle. Lastly, the unit appears to tune the "On Demand" channels - which usually isn't a big deal, but you never know if you are going to see that someone has ordered Curious George or Hardcore Porn. (not something you want to be surprised by with children in the room )

2) DVD playback... Out of 6 DVD+R DL DVDs (all backups of movies) only one is recognized by this player. All the disks play fine in my other DVD players (Phillips, Samsung, and Zenith). The 47's Display will show in 2 peices: Unsup port. I have had no trouble playing DivX shows recorded to DVD+R DL from the same spool of disks (Verbatum)

Has anyone else run into these or similar issues / solutions?
On Pansonic supports reccomendation I have already swapped out my original unit with a new replacement from the same store (Circuit City) -- So the issue is not specific to a single defective player.

I would appreciate any insight that anyone wants to offer.

To answer my own question: Hooking up HDMI out on a Motorola 3421 to the HDMI port on the EZ47 does not work. Asked Panasonic who didn't give me a yes or a no but said give it a try. So tried - nothing fried - but didn't work.

If anyone figures out a better way to bring signals (TV and AUDIO) from the STB to EZ47 - other than RF or Input 2 cables, please let me know. Low audio persists when recording from these source connections but certainly makes a usable DVD - just a pain to run up the volume (about 10db), then when shifting back to a "normal" (factory recorded) DVD have to back the volume down FAST.

FWIW in case you're thinking of using EZ47's HDMI port for input.

OK, my "VSS" suggestion didn't help, but how about this one?

OK got the Firmware DMR-EZ47 UJ-190.
All issues the same.
Noticed now not playing some AVI ... xvid not playing --- don't know if this is a result of the Firmware or it never worked...
Long story short, will be taking it back tomorrow. Will look for better playback support and possibly an EPG.
Disappointed, but I can't lose half my movies due to poor software interface to the hardware.

Another issue: Now cannot change channels if the dvd drive is empty.
Good thing CC has a 30 day return policy.

You are hereby named the "AVSFORUM SUPER-GURU!

After trying every possible cable setup I could think of, that procedure in the STB worked!

(The setting names are different - guessing difference between 6XXX and my 3XXX box) but these TWO things worked

Under STB Setup - audio options: Mono-Stereo-TV Speakers option; choosing TV Speakers sends normal volume level to EZ47, either through RF or Input Terminals.

If choose Stereo in above option, it gives more options, including compression. Compression Off-light-heavy setting increases volume to EZ47: Off = minimum volume (where I was to begin with) Light = better (increased) volume Heavy = maximum volume.

This Heavy Compression setting gives "normal" volume to TV watching or DVD recording, when fed from the STB through either RF or Input terminals.

Really appreciate your suggestions (especially this one that did the trick!) My hands can now rest from trying every possible cable connection. Wish that Panasonic had put either co-ax or optical audio in jacks on the EZ47 so we could send 5.1 to it from a STB but maybe in my next recorder?

Thanks again for your help!

Very glad it worked for you!

I was just the messenger. Thanks to Joseph Dubin for the original suggestion!

Just got an EZ47, seems nice.It is great for me , i have analog cable with no cable box. i put coax right to EZ47 and it has a good picture.
But i really want to make sure i get oprtimum sound. I hooked up the optical audio out straight to my stereo receiver. will this ensure that every time a play a dvd i will get DTS surround sound? I am a little worried that because the vcr and dvd are same unit maybe the receiver will default to the rca inputs instead of the optiocal audio out. also will the optical audio improve the sound when i play vhs tapes or cable tv thru the ez47? or does optical only work for digital shows?
thanks

Another way to reboot this unit is to press a ballpoint pen into the "reset" hole, located behind the door at the lower right of the front pannel. For me, it beats crawling around behind the tv to unplug the DVD

I have a cox cable HD box with HDMI out to the plasma (HDMI in). I am replacing a DVD player that uses component out to a different plasma input (Component 1). I am also replacing a VCR that has video and L R audio out to plasma input (AV 1).
This Maxent plasma does not have a tuner.
So do I ignore the HDMI out on the EZ47V and just use component out (EZ47V) to component in (plasma)?.
If I do that will the screen format auto adjust on playback for the DVD or the DVD RAM?.
Is this the best way to do this?.
Thanks everybody for the help.

whats the difference between the DMR-EZ47V and the DMR-EZ47VK and the DMR-EZ47K?

Did you get low audio levels from recording the ASTC digital TV? I've got low audio level issues with my Philips 3505 (see the 3505 threads and the 3575 threads). Many say digital TV has a lower audio level than analog.