You're welcome. I'm flattered.

I don't know the TV, I'm afraid. As it's an analogue TV, I assume that the "True Surround" feature is some sort of processing applied to the broadcast stereo signal to give a surround sound effect. If so, then I'm a bit surprised that the machine won't do the same to any other input source. Are you sure there isn't some menu setting that needs adjusting?

But I don't think it'll treat material from the 20D any differently than that from the Digifusion, unless you can feed it with the digital audio output from the 20D.

I'm very happy with the 20D - it seems to do the job of recording analogue and DTT broadcasts very well. If I had a complaint, it's that it's specified as a recorder, not a player. It can be a bit awkward to access the more advanced features for playing back pre-recorded DVDs, like different camera angles, swapping between audio tracks, or jumping directly to chapter marks and timings.

But if what you actually want to do is put a DVD in the slot, sit back, crack open a beer and just watch the perishing film, you'll never notice the difference!

Most people here seem very happy with it for the price. Some problems have been reported, but nothing I'd lose any sleep over. Forums like this don't tend to attract the satisfied customers.........

That's one the one thing I have problems with: the picture quality is great on pre-recorded DVDs, but it's generally a bit clunky to control as a DVD player. I don't really have an option of using my old Toshiba unit as a dedicated player as I've run out of SCART sockets on my TV since connecting up the 20D.

And I'm not sure the wife would be that chuffed of having ANOTHER remote on the table (although that's hopefully going to change soon if I get a Harmony 885!).

Oh well!

Cheeky

Hi
Have just bought one of these Machines(DMR-ES20DEB)
and am having huge problems with disc recognition, and recording. I have purchased TDK DVD+R and so far none have been recognised. I have successfully recoreded one item on a Verbatim -RWand although after finalising it plays on my Laptop, the panasonic won't recognise its own recorded material!
Any ideas or have i got a rogue machine? Many thanks

I think you may have a faulty machine. I have a Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder and I use Imation or Maxell -R discs. Never had a problem with them and they all play back on other machines and the Panasonic.

Thanks again.

I want the machine mainly for playing back re-recorded DVD's (DVD's from the video shop, picture CD's/DVD's and sound DVD's) and, only occasionaly, to record from TV. My impression is that you don't really have any major criticism of this machine for this purpose (and you clearly seem to know what you're talking about) so I think I'll probably go ahead and order the one from Comet (as I haven't been able to find it cheaper anywhere).

Thanks for all your help (although you still haven't told me what other threads you participate in, ... I wasn't joking, you know).

Regards.

Yes, thats what i'm starting to fear-if i'd used cheap discs i could understand it, but TDK have a good reputation.
I will try a different batch just to make sure.

I'd be happy to send you a couple of blank imation dvd-r's for you to try if you'd like to PM your address. As a matter of interest what speed are the discs you are using? I stick to X8.

Deleted - accidental repeat of earlier post
Last edited by lewisnt : 07-06-2006 at 17:20

I don't really, to be honest. I mainly just hang about in the Panasonic PVR section to pick up info about the 20D and TUCTH100.

I think you'll be pleased with the 20D

Try some DVD-R discs rather than DVD+R - this may be your problem.

I use Imation DVD-R on my E55 without issue.

Rgds,
Scorp

The only disks I've used in my 20D are the cheapest I could find - "MrDVD" brand DVD+R's from Asda - they record just fine, and playback fine in my Toshiba player after finalising too. In my experience the Panny isn't fussy about "quality" at all.

Thanks, Just managed to get a recording by using some Phillips -R's (couldn't find imation) and seems ok. I bought some TDK -R's just to try and maximise my chances of success, and it won't even recognise them. I still think the machine is duff because trawling through the threads, nobody else seems to have as many issues as my machine.
Thanks again to everyone who has replied-appreciated a always.

W

I've recently bought a 20D and I'm very pleased with it. TDK-RW's work flawlessly on it.
I have recorded from Freeview and Telewest Cable with no problems - I haven't bothered with Analogue recordings their's no point in it when the Freeview quality is better.

From the sound of things yo do have a duff machine go complain under guarantee.

Cheers for that Marty, think you're right although its interesting someone posted a thread about the self check lock up that mine does too. I have to say its fairly infuriating, but probably a rogue machine.

Since my earlier post about this machine I have encounterd a situation where it goes into self check and takes ages to get out of it this was caused by a duff disc recorded on an Alba DVD recorder - following the purchase and successful set up of the Panasonic the Alba was given a new home - The Dustbin!
Less than 12 months old the Alba was proving a right pain refusing to playback it's own recordings amongst other things.
The Panasonic appears superior in all aspects of it's performance it even looks better.

I have had this machine for a couple of weeks now and one problem I am finding is on some of the freeview channels I am getting thin bars at the top and bottom (which I know you do get a lot) but I am also seeing them on the left and right of the screen. I recorded a film from itv 4 the other night and had this. I dont get this on all channels on certain ones, I think it is also like this on some of the shopping channels (not that I watch them, I was just scrolling through). On my freeview stb I can change the setting so that the picture fills in the whole screen, but can't find a way to do this on the es-20d. Anyone else seen this.
erdie

You can change the TV aspect ratio setting to correspond with your TV. Have a look at the manual, page 46.

Other than that, I don't think there's anything you can do.

I find the combinations of aspect ratios we now seem to be subjected to to be a complete mess. I always seem to be fiddling withthe aspect ratio/zoom settings on my TV to get something watchable that fills as much of the screen as possible.

lewisnt
I have got an old 4:3 tv and put I did change the settings to match the tv but was still getting the bars they are only thin and the film I recorded the other night was mainly set during in the dark but when you did have some light in the film I could notice the bars on the left and right of the screen.
I do agree that aspect ratio does seem to be different on each channel.

I get exactly the same thing and it changes depending on signal.

In the mornings, watching BBC it is fine until it switches to the local news and then they appear - every time!

I have emailed Panasonic to ask them how I can get the latest firmware as I am two versions behind (1.06) but haven't had a reply as yet.

I recorded something on itv4 last night as 8 o'clock and that was perfect filling the whole screen. But later that night I saw they had a James Bond film on and this had bars top, bottom and left, right so that the film looked like it was in a little box. I said before that my on my standalone freeview box I can set it so that the whole screen is filled and that seems to work fine.
I have got the latest firmware so I don't know what is going on.

That's because the black lines are on the local news channel broadcast, i'm watching it in 16:9 and they can be clearly seen.

It has nothing to do with Panasonic, i get them on the BBC local news channel and I don't have a Panasonic Freeview DVD recorder.

They are there everytime the BBC switches to the local news.

Hope that helps a bit.

It would appear Panasonic has choosen to implement it's aspect ratio settings differently than other manufacture's.

I'd say you could describe possible different aspect ratios as:-

4:3 - Center Extract
4:3 - Letterbox 14:9
4:3 - Letterbox 16:9
16:9 - Anamorphic widescreen

My old OnDigital box has:-
4:3 - Center Extract
4:3 - Letterbox 16:9
16:9 - Anamophic widescreen

My Toppy 5800PVR has:-
4:3 - Center Extract
4:3 - Letterbox 14:9
16:9 - Anamorphic widescreen

I'd say my dads Panasonic 60D has:-
4:3 - Letterbox 14:9
4:3 - Letterbox 16:9
16:9 - Anamorphic widescreen

Off course if a broadcast is 4:3 like The Hits for example the picture is 4:3 no matter what setting you choose, ie no black bars.

Many manufacture's appear to have choosen 4:3 - Letterbox 14:9 over 4:3 - Centre Extract due to the number of widescreen broadcasts these days.

Hope that makes sense and helps a bit.

This is a known fault with Panasonics - they cant cope with one of the widescreen aspect ratio settings (don't ask me which one) but its the one ITV4 uses and it's apparently not the 'generally accepted' format. Other boxes are evidently written to cope with it but not the Panasonics.

The only way I could find to avoid it is to watch everything in Letterbox mode (settings menu) rather than 4:3 mode. The trouble is my player couldn't even seem to remember to stay in letterbox mode after I switched it off. A similar problem to the way it can't remember what channel profile you're in after you switch it off.

So I complained to Panasonic. They said they could post me a firmware upgrade (which works at a more 'core' level than the stuff they upgrade over the air) which would not only fix the aspect ratio problem but also make it remember whether it is in letterbox mode or not. They said they couldn't do anything about the profile problem.

All I can say is after using the FW upgrade it now does remember to stay in letterbox mode overnight but if I go into 4:3 mode to check, it's done diddly squat about sorting out the AR problems. Mind you that doesn't bother me any more as I'm happy with everything in letterbox (big telly, small room!)

All in all the impression I get is that Panasonic are pretty crap when it comes to FW upgrades. For instance, they seem to have no intention of improving the EPG by adding programme info for all programmes rather than just now/next (which is a rather useful aid in deciding what programmes to record over the coming days!). But their players are cheap - so I guess you get what you pay for.

at least they gave you a firmware upgrade, to me they said

Of all the current DVD models out there, this one caught my eye and would probably be the one I would buy, however I've decided to stick with VHS for a little while longer. I've heard that recorders with the LSI chipset are the best when it comes archiving VHS tapes to disc, can't remember if this one has that or not but doesn't the EZ25 have it?

Any idea when (if) the next generation of DVD recorders will hit the shelves, something that will allow six or eight hours high quality recording onto one rewritable disc (which would effectively replace what I can get from my VCR currently), Blu-ray maybe? I don't want to go the HDD route, it's just another component that can go wrong.

PS I fully expect the Blu-ray format to be copy-protected so that each disc will only be playable on the machine it was recorded with, any thoughts on that? They would at least need some mechanism in place for when the machine finally dies.
Last edited by jonnymorris : 25-08-2006 at 10:13