Customer Reviews

Remanufactured Panasonic DMR-ES40VS VHS / DVD Recorder Silver

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

 

 

This product was glitchy from the get-go and has gotten progressively worse. Now it eats most DVDs that we try to record. Well, I've seen it again and again on reviews of this line of Panasonics, even many later models than mine, which is the DMR-ES40V. The unit eats DVDs. I buy top-rated, high-quality stock to record on. Doesn't seem to matter. Even after you "reboot" the unit as directed, by unplugging it for 10 seconds and then plugging it back in and holding the power button down for 10 seconds and then turning the unit back on. You record programs and before you can finalize the disk, it eats the disk and returns messages like: Nothing was recorded, Cannot read. Please check the disk, Cannot finalize disk. When you set the unit to record several scheduled programs, it will record some of them and then choke somewhere during the recording and get stuck saying it's recording when it isn't, then show that only a portion of the disk is still available for recording, while displaying the message that nothing was recorded.

This is still a bug several models later, and it appears that Panasonic doesn't care about fixing it, and they don't give a darn about quality and customer support. I went to their web site and tried to download the firmware update that it appears to offer. However, the download button takes you to an agreement page and after you check the I Agree checkbox and click Accept, nothing happens. There is no download. It just re-displays the original download page where you started. Endless loop.

Several reviews of several models of this product line stated that Panasonic would not support the customer even right after the purchase of a machine that clearly didn't work. The customer just had to eat it and buy another unit. Based on that, I'm sure not buying Panasonic ever again. Sad -- I've owned their products since the early 1970s. No more. I guess all they care about is taking your money.

My advice to other owners is finalize as quick as you can, hold your breath while it's finalizing and hope for the best. And never really expect to actually get to keep anything you record, it likely won't be there when you're through recording it.

I purchased the remanufactured model at the lowest price available and it was delivered four days later. I had read mixed reviews on this model but as it turns out, I was able to use the deck succesfully with little practice. I have copied videos from our Hi8 camera, from the VHS deck and from our Satelite DVR. The DVD quality is as good or better than the originals. I'm happy that I took a chance with a remanufactured unit. My one complaint is that the instruction manual was a black and white photocopy of the color original making it difficult to read. Some of the comments that its difficult to finalize the videos is much ado about nothing. I can't figure out how to insert chapters so I stop and start at logical breaks thereby creating chapterrs and the problem is solved. I recommend buying this model, but I admit its the only one that I have tried.

I bought one of these when it was new and decided I wanted another, since it does a good job with DVD's and the VCR I was using decided to act up. The DVD-RAM acts like a small-scale DVR and I am able to copy some old video tapes to DVD for future viewing.

The DVD part of the unit did not work when it arrived, but Panasonic sent me a letter so I could send it back for free using UPS and I had the unit back in 7 days working perfectly.

It was easy to set up, but wasn't worth the effort. The DVDs got stuck and the VHS stopped working altogether - after only 2 months.

The product performs as stated on the ad. For a remanufactured unit, its OK...A bit noisy. The biggest plus is the price, thought...

Panasonic DVD Recorder DMR-ES40V; I have not had any problem with this model since I purchased it more than two years ago. VHS tapes and CD's are easy to use. As is their recording.

The features are great but they have a high infant mortality rate. Mine died two weeks before the warranty ended. I got it fixed. Now it's dead again, out of warranty, and it's cheaper to buy a new one then get this fixed. Two friends bought one around same time. One had exactly the same problem I did - died twice. This is the third Panasonic product I bought which croaked out after a year or two. They need to clean up their act. Meanwhile, if you buy any Panasonic product, especially their DVD recorders, make sure you can get an extended warranty.