Panasonic DVD/RAM Recorder/digibox - Currys -£155 inc Del

mattersdorff

Ladies and Gentlemen, :j

Welcome to the world of the Panasonic DMRES recorders - THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! :T

First of all, Richer Sounds is the place to go for these (if you live near one) - I bought a brand new DMRES20 only a few days ago and this is the reason why I think it's brilliant (especially for those relative DVD recorder novices out there like me).

- For £169 I was able to get the DMRES20 (including freeview) already multi-region ready so you can play discs from anywhere in the world - it costs £159 if you don't want it multi-region or £129 if you don't want it with the freeview.

- ABOUT THE FREEVIEW - about 2 weeks ago I went and bought an ALBA freeview set-top box from Sainsbury's for £26 and it was pretty damn ordinary (serious pixellation on numerous stations, struggled to tune in some stations, machine froze every now and again and you have to turn it off and back on).
- The freeview in the Panasonic is fantastic - I still have some issues with reception for some channels (because of my area) but it the signal is infinitely more stable and it's tuned in almost all available freeview channels (I agree that one downer is that the EPG doesn't include a brief description of what the program is about - only the title).

- It has been able to play absolutely every single DVD I've thrown at it - included dodgy DVDs from Thailand and China, American DVDs, Australian DVDs... and it plays them all very cleanly/clearly.

- brilliant 1 sec recording so if you suddenly want to record, it can do so in an instant!

- DVD-RAM - haven't actually started using DVD-RAM yet but certainly will do soon (can anyone out there tell me if it's easy to get material from DVD-RAM over onto other media - can I transfer it via a cable to my computer??? Thinking that I will eventually want to transfer my favourite shows from the DVD-RAM onto DVD-R for safekeeping.... would really appreciate some advice on this).
- I've been recording on DVD-Rs and it's so easy to operate.

I actually bought a cheap DVD recorder (£90) late last year and it caused me all sorts of problems (wouldn't read discs, loud mechanism) so for an extra £50-odd it is well worth stumping up for the Panasonic - absolutely brilliant machines also - top of the range (in my opinion).

I have only just moved into my first home and last night I finally finished hooking the Panasonic up to my AV/home cinema system, I also had a 2nd hand sofa delivered so for the first time since late December (we only had 2 fold up chairs until the sofa came) I was able to sit down with the missus in the living room and watch War of the Worlds in full surround sound. :cool:

I tell you I couldn't have been happier! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

If anyone out there is thinking about buying one of these - don't wait! :j

rizla01

One thing that I'm not sure about is the fact that it doesn't have a built in TV tuner.

I don't know if I can get freeview, but I am prepared to risk that.

Trouble is that if I can't then I assume that I won't be able to record another channel to the one that I am watching unless I keep my Vcr and use the tuner in that?

Is this correct anyone?

I also assume that it is possible to copy non Pre-recorded DVDs using existing dvd player and to copy all Vids to DVD.

Anyone?

acc

mattersdorff wrote:

Richer Sounds is the place to go for these (if you live near one) - I bought a brand new DMRES20 only a few days ago and this is the reason why I think it's brilliant

Does this machine write to dvd media only, as the Richersounds website says there's no hard drive yet the Currys spec says '16 hours recording capacity (9.4GB disc)'? Are these different models ie. DMRES20 as against DMRES20D?
Thanks.

honestDave_2

acc wrote:

Does this machine write to dvd media only, as the Richersounds website says there's no hard drive yet the Currys spec says '16 hours recording capacity (9.4GB disc)'? Are these different models ie. DMRES20 as against DMRES20D?
Thanks.

I don't see anywhere in the Curry's spec that says it has a hard drive.

This machine is a DVD Recorder, not a DVD Recorder with built-in hard disk.

clay

Dont forget there are discount codes for currys that will bring the price down to £147.20 inc del, i would post them but im not sure how to link them sorry.

[Deleted User]

mattersdorff wrote:

Ladies and Gentlemen, :j


- For £169 I was able to get the DMRES20 (including freeview) already multi-region ready so you can play discs from anywhere in the world - it costs £159 if you don't want it multi-region or £129 if you don't want it with the freeview.

:j

I don't want the freeview - so am I right in thinking it is £129 AND multi region?

I can only see the options for £159 and £169 on the RicherSounds website.

Rhiannon_of_Woolamai

We bought this exact dvd player off the Currys website.

It's ok - certiainly plays DVDs fine, except It's everso slow to open it's little door to let you put the dvd in. So far we've just played DVDs and not tried recording anything.

However, the freeview part of it is not so great. I've discovered that the "TV guide" thing (that tells you what is on TV for the night) seems to vary with the box that you buy.

We did have a cheapy Bush box - which in hindsight actually had a great TV guide with a little mini picture of the TV station when you're looking at the TV guide, and the option to set a reminder for events you want to watch later on, and also the option to remove channels from the TV guide that you can't watch (e.g. the encrypted ones). The Panasonic DVD has none of these features that we have come to love! It's very basic and slow nor can you get information about shows that are happening later in the evening (just now and next).

A plus point is that it seems to get a good signal (on our other freeview box it often had that funny digital interferance thing where the picture freezes)



I would say that it is ok, but not quite the bargain we thought

Alt

Don't forget the 5% instant cashback if you have an egg card. (as an MSE member you really should have an egg card;) )

acc

honestDave wrote:

I don't see anywhere in the Curry's spec that says it has a hard drive.
This machine is a DVD Recorder, not a DVD Recorder with built-in hard disk.

gizmoleeds wrote:

They don't have hard drives. You would get 16 hours recording capacity on a 9.4GB DVD.
Personally this doesn't bother me - with DVD-RAM disks you can do your nifty timeslip thing so I don't really see the need for a DVD-HDD machine.

Thanks for the explanation. I was thinking that dvd media had a maximum capacity of 4.7 GB, but of course there are dual layer, etc.

talkshop

I would not touch Panasonic crap with a barge pole.

They use DVD RAM which cannot be used in any other DVD recorder.

DVD+R/RW is much better system.