Panasonic DMRE50S DVD Player/Recorder , Silver

• 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

I purchased my panasonic dvd recorder in February of 2003. For the most part the system has worked extremely well. You do need to test and make sure the "finalized" dvd-r discs will be read by the dvd player you wish to play them on.

As far as discs, the quality and experience has varied. I have had mediocre results with Imation, Memorex. I have had excellent results from Verbatim. Most of my recordings have been on the DVD-R, but I also record on DVD-RAM, edit and copy onto the DVD-R discs(because they are less expensive).

The only issue I have had, if you begin to record, and stop recording quickly (15-30 seconds), the disc sometimes becomes unusable. An easy solution to this problem is it let the recorder continue recording for a minute or two, then stop the recording and the erase it.

All in all, this unit has exceeded my expectations. It has allowed me to copy many programs and films to dvd.

One other recommendation, I also purchased the Panasonic DVD player (Less than $100) that had a rebate ($30) that will play DVD-R and DVD-Ram. So anything I record can be played on the player and watched, or (are you ready) can be played on the player and recorded on the recorder, for mixing dvd's or editing and then copying the dvd-ram recording to the less expensive dvd-r discs.

And, I have sucessfully been able to keep my dvd-r cost down to about $1.50 each, and the dvd-r to just above $4.00 each.

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This DVD recorder makes 2 hour recordings on DVD-R that I cannot distinguish from a live satellite tv broadcast. The unit was able to use one dollar generic brand DVD-Rs disc. It was possible to playback both on my computer DVD drive and on other home DVD players The unit is compact and quiet. There are three line-in inputs (RCA and S-video). A minor negative is the lack of a firewire connection for connecting a miniDV camcorder. I have not tested the DVD RAM feature that allows re-using the DVD RAM disc repeatedly. It comes with one free DVD RAM disc; these cost about Five dollars each. Set up is quick and straightforward. The remote is comlicated but does everything it's supposed to do. There is a "flexible record" (FR) feature that use the complete space available on the disc so that recording are of maximum quality. The unit is able to ecord up to 6 hours onto a single 4.7 GB DVD-R but the instuctions say that quality deteriorates noticeably if you go much over the two hour limit. Recordings that I have made in the 2 hour range looked great, better than anything I've seen from a VCR, but not as perfect as a store bought DVD. The source material affects the appearance: a broadcast of a grainy, faded movie looks grainy and faded on the recording whereas newer material looked very good.

I bought this from Amazon. The item was in my PO box four days after I ordered it. The price was the lowest I saw from a major source. Shipping was free and the price came to nearly one hundred fifty less than I would have paid had I walked into C*rcuit C*ty to buy the exact same thing. A minor shipping negative: Amazon sent this expensive item thorugh the mail in it's own box which obviously identifies it as an expensive piece of electonic equipment.

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I have been watching the market for a DVD recorder for a couple of years. I'am really glad that I waited for this model (DMR-50). You will not have a problem with this unit if you will read and re-read as necessary the owners manuel. The other thing is DO NOT USE CHEAP DISCS. I've been using Ritek 1X DVD-R blanks and have not had that first problem with recording or playback on anything that is DVD-R compatable. The picture quality is good if not great at all recording speeds. The Sound is the same and agree with all the other reviewers. I wish we could record in surround sound , but I guess they are saving that for a later model. I Play back through a surround system that takes the sterio signal and makes it 4 channel and it is close to the surround effect. All and all I'am impressed with this unit and recomend it highly. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it helps you to decide if this is for you.

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I bought the Panasonic DMR-E50S to transfer my old VHS tapes to DVD and I am absolutely thrilled with this unit! While the instructions are somewhat difficult to get through, the results are amazing! Using XP speed and copying one of my VHS-C cartridges to DVD-R (Memorex, by the way), the copy was wonderful! I also like the added feature of being able to put titles on each segment of a recording, that is pretty neat.

Amazon.com has a very good price. I paid the $12.00 s/h because I wanted to get the unit fast, even though I could have had free s/h. I ordered it on a Monday, and had it at my house that Thursday! The only problem I had was when I hooked up a newer DVD/VHS player to it and tried to copy my old tapes. I believe because of copyright issues with the DVD/VHS unit, it couldn't be done, which doesn't make any sense, since they are MY recordings! However, when I hooked up an older VHS model, I didn't have any problems. All in all, I am extremely happy with this product. Can't wait to try out all other cool editing features.

As a new comer to the world of DVD I was a little sceptical about DVD recorders. No more.

This piece of kit has just blown me away! Maybe I'm easily pleased but it just makes Video recorders utterly obsolete. No more dodgy recordings,no more accidental erasures, no more frantically searching for a space on the tape, no more anything you have to put up with using a VHS recorder.

Now, I'll come down to earth for a while and explain why it's so good and be a little more objective about some of the features.

This recorder uses DVD RAM and DVD R discs. Uh? Well DVD RAM discs you can record over and over (approx 100,000 times!!!) and DVD R are record only. Obviously the RAM's are more expensive. However a RAM disc comes with the recorder and I still haven't needed to buy another yet! Well that's just me. You can get 4.7 gig discs (supplied) or 9.7 gig discs.

Still with me?

The Panasonic can record on 4 different resolutions. So this is where the reality comes in. XP, SP, LP and EP. Now the lower the resolution (EP is lowest) the less memory is used and the more you can fit on a disc. So that basically means more recording time. However, the lower the resolution the inferior the picture. And I've got to say that LP and SP are not really watchable for me personally. Others may find it O.K.but the quality resembles a really coarse video streamed off the internet, you know the kind of thing? So generally I don't use these, but SP and especially XP are superb. So, a 4.7 gig disc will give you 1 hours recording on XP, 2 hours on SP, 4 hours on LP and 6 hours on EP. Bored yet?

So the bigger the RAM disc the more you can record at high resolutions. Phew! That's that over with.

Now there is this Time Slip feature. I can't really see the point of this but it's kinda cool. You can watch something while it's being recorded. WOW. What I mean is that you can sort of rewind the disc to an earlier record time and watch it while the programme is still being recorded. (This is sounding like Quantum physics now) Anyway, if that floats your boat then all well and good. But for me, the really sweet feature is the ability to watch a previously recorded programme while recording a completely different one. Example: Friday night you record ER because you're going out. Saturday night you decide to watch the episode of ER you recorded but then realise that there is something on NOW that you really must watch. Simple. Start recording the programme you wanted to watch NOW and then enter the user friendly menu system, select the recorded ER episode and press play. It plays and records at the same time. Sweeeeeeeet!!! It's that easy and just brilliant.

There's loads more stuff in ther also like, partial erase, moving recorded programmes around, editing etc. etc. Great for people who like editing their own videos.

I know I must sound like a Panasonic PR bod but really, I'm just a humble TV watcher with basic knowledge of audio visual stuff. If i can use this thing then, seriously, anyone can. It's an absolute breeze and for the price (internet [$$$]?)real value for money.

It's the future, buy it.