Customer Reviews

Remanufactured Panasonic DMR-ES20S DVD Recorder Silver

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Literally. I thought I just purchased a stereo deck from 1978! The bright blue display is extra tall, and serves well as a night light, even in dim mode. Once I got past the looks, it was time to try it out. This unit was purchased to replace my VCR`s for everyday recording. A Philips I purchased last year wasn`t reliable enough, and now is used for dubbing only. Setup turned out to be problematic from the getgo. I have DirecTv, and no matter what I tried it insisted on "searching" for channels when all I needed was the IN2 setting. It will not let you start from the manual channel mode! No way is this acceptable in an age where the majority of users have cable, or satellite service. I finally got it to take a by using the timer setting to record a show. Using brand new Fuji RW- discs in the LP mode produced OK pictures. Comparable to a SVHS recording except for when the picture occasionally shuttered. Trying a different disc produced the same results. You also need to set your timer to record 1 minute early, or you`ll miss part of the beginning of your show due to the super slow startup. I deemed the unit as unreliable as my Philips, so back it went.

I have had this recorder for about 2 months now and I love it. I had some trouble, at first, trying to figure out how to erase the disk, but a call to Panasonic's help line solved my problem. I was very impressed with how fast my call was answered and how knowlegable the person was. I really like the feature that lets you watch your movie while it is still recording. This is my first DVD recorder so I cannot compare with other recorders but in any case, it more than meets my recording needs.

I liked this DVD-R enough to buy two. I find it is easy to use once you get the hang of the control. It's a bit more complicated than a VCR but being able to record and catch-up while the program is being recorded is a wonderful feature. It lets you get up to 8 hours on a DVD-R with the Extended Play and you can erase as you watch the individual programs. If you want to save a lot of programs, you can change out the discs (or buy a machine with a harddrive instead). This machine meets and surpasses the casual user who is looking to replace their VCR's.