- Records DVD-R, DVD-RAM for best of both worlds; plays DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3-CD
- Offers one-touch record, chasing playback (watching a recording in progress from the beginning)
- Progressive-scan video output for seamless, flicker-free picture on high-definition and HD-ready televisions
- Time Slip lets you replay a scene recorded earlier from a show in progress without disrupting the recording
- On-disc video editing lets you tighten up or rearrange your home movies
This unit is very easy to use. To get the most out of the unit READ THE MANUAL! One of the best features is the flexible record, allowing optimum recording for those more-than-2 hour-programs. This feature provides the highest quality recording available for the time that you desire to record. Unlike the VCR, where you'd have to record on the LP (or SLP) mode if a program is more than 2 hours, this option will give you the best picture it can in the disc-space provided. To my eye, programs of 2:20 look no worse than if it was recorded on SP.
Of course, some of my prerecorded VHS tapes are copyrighted (but not all) and can't be recorded this was expected.
There is some concern regarding DVD-R playback on other machines. (Don't forget to FINALIZE. This is all covered in the manual.) IF you have problems, try various brands of media. My JVC player had no problem with Verbatim, Memorex or TDK. However, only the TDK would playback on my Toshiba player. I loaned all three brands to a friend and all 3 played on his Philips and Panasonic players.
My only complaints are:
Can't record on DVD-RW.
No (audio) digital input (no brands I could find had it)
I had considred buying a PC-based DVD recorder, but based on the complaints of various friends who have PC-based DVD recorders, I made the better choice by buying this product MUCH easier. Now my friends are considering buying a DMR-E50.
Buy Panasonic DMR-E50K DVD Player/Recorder , Black Now
The wife & I decided to hold off on buying a DVD player until they could record, and those units were more affordable. To the DMR-E50K I can only ask: "Where have you been all my life?!?"This is a great concept and a wonderful machine.
I currently have 2 VCR's slaved to one another then channeled through this unit, the satellite receiver and either the DVD player from my home theater, my camcorder or my digital camera connected to this machine. It is not an overstatement to say that this device is the workhorse of our Media Center. And it's up to the job.
Until I brought this out of the box, my wife was recording her craft shows to video tapes. Twenty-some of them, to be exact. This means that on a 6 hour tape, there might be 30-40 minutes of stuff she wants to save for future reference. Now, she can use the timer to record the whole show, but edit out the stuff she doesn't want to keep. Also, all those tapes will, someday, have the parts she wants to keep transfered to DVD.
As other reviews have noted, I am also transfering my old video tapes to DVD and simply based on the space I'm clearing up, this machine is worth the price.
The only media problem I've ever encountered was when I bought the wrong format. Other than that, all the media I've used have worked well.
Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DMR-E50K DVD Player/Recorder , Black Here
If you're looking for a DVD Recorder to transfer over non-copyrighted material, Panasonic's DMR-E50K does the job without a hitch!If you're new to DVD, I wouldn't recommend this as your first player. The instruction manual is a little confusing if you're not already familiar with wiring and general setup. Recording a DVD is similar to recording a CD-R in a CD Recorder. You must finalize the DVD-R before it's playable on (most) other DVD Players. If you don't, it won't play on any other machine other than the DMR-E50K.
The picture and sound is very good. Recording time varies from 1, 2, 4 or 6 hours on a single sided 4.7 GB DVD. The top two speeds (XP & SP) look great! The two low speeds (LP & EP) really looks like the VHS equivalent.
After reading other reviews and specifications with other DVD Recorders, my main concerns were disc and player compatability. The DMR-E50K works with Panasonic's DVD-RAM (playable only in the DMR-E50K), and offers editing and re-recording on the same disc over and over again. As for DVD-Rs, the DMR-E50K has no problems recording with TDK brand DVD-Rs. I have 3 DVD Players (not including the DMR-E50K) and after finalizing a DVD-R, the finished DVD worked on all of them: Audiovox, Panasonic (different model), and a high end McIntosh.
The Panasonic DMR-E50K does exactly what I expected it to do. It offers Progressive Scan, S-Video, Composite video, DTS Output, Dolby Digital 5.1 playback (on pre-recorded discs), and the convenience of recording over and over again on a single DVD-RAM disc.
On the negative side, it only records in Dolby Digital two channel stereo (Pro-Logic compatible), and only offers an optical digital output (not coaxial).
I wouldn't consider this player to the "causal" viewer. However, if you're into DVD and want recording capability, Panasonic's DMR-E50K may just be what you're looking for.
Want Panasonic DMR-E50K DVD Player/Recorder , Black Discount?
I brought this from Amazon a month ago and it works just as easy as a VHS recorder. All you need is a blank disk and tell it when to record and it will record with it's built in timer. I have been using several brands of DVD-R disk and only have problems with the cheap ones(i.e. no name brands). The problems only happen rarely. For example, the recording will stop and go to recovery mode. But don't worry if goes to recovery mode, previous recordings are not destroy. However, you can't record anymore to that disk. The recorder also uses DVD-RAM disk and this is my most favorite type of disk. It treats a DVD-RAM disk like a hard drive. There is no recovery mode or hiccups that I have seen happen to a DVD-RAM disk yet. ...
This recorder is not for everybody because sometimes it's glitchy, even with Panasonic's disks. If the recording passes the first 111 seconds, it usually will continue, but don't count on it. When it reaches that magic moment, it will sometimes bomb, meaning the laser lens is dirty, or the disk quality is not to the recorder's liking, or the power is too spiky, or it's the wrong day of the week. Maybe this touchy behavior is unique to my recorder, but I missed getting a few treasured movies off the cable. Who knows when those will be aired again. Recordings of broadcast t.v. are not nearly as good as those on digital cable, but sometimes the network presentations have good quality broadcasts almost worthy of DVD recording.
Sometimes the recorder mistracks, getting the temporal sequencing out of order. That's annoying. However, if the recording is ripped to the PC, then the re-recording can smooth out this problem and a few others such as stuttering and pixelation madness.
It's touchy. Sometimes DVD players have trouble playing the finalized disks. Frequent cleaning of the recorder's laser lens is necessary to prevent the problems given above.
I suppose this glitchy nature is because of the power in the laser. Lower power increases the lifetime of the burner, but the disks being burned have to have a perfect surface and disk opacity has to be very high so the low burn power of the laser doesn't pass through the disk but gets concentrated. I'm not sure this is best explanation for the recorder's malfunction with other manufacturer's disks, and occasionally with Panasonic's. The 50-cent disks from other manufacturers will work most of the time, but expect a few failures.
When it records timed events, most of the time the final product is excellent. However, it would be nice to have a keyboard to type in the titles. Using the telephone-like keypad is inconvenient. What was Panasonic thinking? An infrared keyboard would be a big help.
While the DVD-RAM disks can be edited, using the keypad makes editing inconvenient. In order to make RAM recordings watchable on DVD players, I had to purchase Panasonic's inexpensive and versatile player that can read RAM disks. Playing the RAMs on the player makes DVD mastering possible with the DVD recorder.
I wish Panasonic had software that would allow editing of recordings prior to finalizing. That would make things more convenient.
When I buy my next recorder, I'm going to be looking for greater ease of use and for features that address the problems I've had. I don't want to mislead anyone, because this unit has many good features.
Should people buy this machine? Yes, oh yes! Low price, high quality. It is very good most of the time, but you should know the things I and the other reviewers have to say, so you know what to expect, and so you won't be as disappointed and frustrated as I was initially. Keep the laser clean and most of the time it will behave well.
While superb recordings can be made with the SP (standard play setting), the LP (long play)setting is perfect for most recordings. The recording quality of LP is very good. That lowers the cost of recordings, so the more expensive Panasonic DVD-R disks are more affordable. The same cannot be said for EP (extended play), but even EP recordings are remarkably good.
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