[chrisardy]

I would be grateful if anyone with either the DMR EX95 or the DMR EZ45 can tell me if they can do the following:

1. Play back and record (to DVD) - SVHS tapes.

2. Play back and record (to DVD) USA VHS Tapes ie NTSC format.

I would also be interested in any general comments on quality of recordings, ease of use etc.

Thanks

Chris

[yonder99]

Chris: glad you brought this up, though so far the response isn't encouraging.

Our situation is that we have a stack of SVHS's; we also have a Panasonic SVHS camcorder whose fillums we'd like to archive onto DVD.

Being naive, we had expected JVC to bring out a DVD/SVHS recorder combi in view of the loyalty shown by thousands of users to SVHS worldwide.

But JVC didn't bother, and instead marketed a DVD/VHS combi. (So we haven't bought JVC since nor will in future).

Our JVC SVHS unit was damaged in a recent house move so we have been hunting for a replacement. For space reasons, we need a DVD/SVHS combi -- except, there isn't one.

The Panasonic DMR EZ45 looks our best bet because it seems to be able to manage optimised video transfers to DVD.

We have two problems though.

(1) We already have a PVR so do not need to make use of the DMR EZ45's single digital tuner. We are unsure how this can be achieved.

(2) We do not know if our S-VHS videos will play on the EZ45.

Help / advice with the above questions would be appreciated. Sadly, we are a non-techie household.

[bobcar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yonder99

We have two problems though.

(1) We already have a PVR so do not need to make use of the DMR EZ45's single digital tuner. We are unsure how this can be achieved.

(2) We do not know if our S-VHS videos will play on the EZ45.

Help / advice with the above questions would be appreciated. Sadly, we are a non-techie household.

You don't have to use the digital tuner if you don't want to, it's never a minus having this. If you already have a PVR it's less useful than otherwise but still can be useful for the very unusual times you want to record an extra channel.

The big problem is playback of the SVHS tapes, I'm not sure if the Panny will do this or not (its called quasi playback). Even if it does the quality will be much reduced compared to an SVHS player.

If you have a lot of SVHS tapes and really need to transfer them, I'd recommend a separate SVHS player and then record them onto DVD from that. However unless these are personal tapes (family stuff etc) from a camcorder it might be better to forget them and just buy DVDs of those films you want. If you do need to record them then I'd recommend the Panny EX75 (built in HDD) and a separate SVHS player.

Is your current SVHS recorder definitely beyond repair? That would be the cheapest option.

EDIT: I've just checked and both the EX95 and EZ45 will record your SVHS tapes ok (but not SVHS quality).

---

Last edited by bobcar : 23-11-2006 at 16:06.

[yonder99]

Thank you Bob for your advice, it's great to have this help so promptly as we are on the verge of the buying decision!

I think perhaps in view of the uncertainty about SVHS playability we might be better off then to forget the idea of a combi.

Our own SVHS (JVC) is beyond hope, but someone else in the family has one which is still working well (a Phillips) so I think we will borrow that to do transfers to DVD.

We were quite impressed with the Panasonic range so perhaps we'll go for a cheaper unit now but one which offers the same optimisation of video tapes.

Thank you again!

[yonder99]

oh, posts crossed! Hadn't seen your edit update; well, that's now given us additional pause for thought!

[eddie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisardy

I would be grateful if anyone with either the DMR EX95 or the DMR EZ45 can tell me if they can do the following:

1. Play back and record (to DVD) - SVHS tapes.

2. Play back and record (to DVD) USA VHS Tapes ie NTSC format.

I would also be interested in any general comments on quality of recordings, ease of use etc.

Thanks

Chris

Hi

I have the DMR EZ45 and I guess it is ok. As with a lot of these kind of things it is trying to do lots of different jobs and it cannot always succeed.

Strengths:
It copes well with all DVD formats (including Dual Layer).
It has a quick start record (less than a second).
It has HDMI, optical & component connectivity.
It has front connections for DV camcorder and SD memory cards.
It has a strong freeview tuner (a useful back up).
It can playback SVHS (but not in SVHS quality) so I presume that it can record them to DVD too.
It copes with NTSC recordings (as far as I know).
Multi Region versions are available out of the box.
DVD recordings of VHS tapes are improved over the original.
Build quality is fine.

Weaknesses
Possibly the worst manual I have ever read! Unlcear, over long, unfocussed and badly worded.
The remote is cluttered and misses some standard DVD buttons I am used to (eg audio selection is only available via a sub menu).
Copying from DVD to VHS (and vice versa) is bit long winded and complicated to set up.
It takes quite a while to finalise discs.

Overall it's a bit of a jack of all trades and master of none. Although I already have a PVR I kind of wish I'd gone for a DVD/HDD instead and kept an old VHS recorde to use as and when but , hey, I've made my decision!

If you are stil interested you should be able to pick up a multi region version of the DMR EZ45 for less than £250 online - certainly don't pay £300!

Hope this helps

[yonder99]

Eddie:

Many thanks (many many!) for your post -- it couldn't have been more timely.

Because of bobcar's helpful post about SQPB, which I hadn't picked up on when reading the Panny specs, we popped into Comet this morning to actually look at an EZ45 in the flesh (the Panny, I mean; not us. . .)

In-store, Comet have knocked twenty quid off the £299.95 RRP but on Comet's website it's a "web promotion" at considerably less -- plus, to save on delivery, you can collect from your local store.

We've just returned from the store because we're, er, still mulling things over. So your info -- from an actual EZ45 owner!! -- could not have been better timed.

Not untypically, the salesperson we spoke to didn't know that much about the Panny and just recited off the most obvious features (which didn't actually distinguish it much from all the other DVD/VCR combis on the shelves).

We explained that what appealed to us was the SQPB facility PLUS the Panny's hardware optimisation of video tape source material (which might bring the quality back up to SVHS, or at least, a bit nearer).

We weren't too bothered about the SD card thing because our Konica Minoltas both use CF cards, though the salesperson thought "aren't they similar? Your cards could be OK." Hmmm. . .

We also liked the DVD-RAM aspect (now that we've finally understood it. . .) especially as prices for this media have dropped so much.

So. . .

Looking around all the other stuff on the shelves this morning, including a Toshiba HDD combi (I think it was a combi: anyway, it was to the left of the Panny and another salesperson was citing it as the best thing since sliced bread to another punter) we still came away thinking the EZ45 was the best at its price point: like you, we'd appreciate a HDD facility but to be honest, we really can't afford the EZ95, all singin' all dancin' though it undoubtedly is.

The only downside now -- apart from the buying decision: whether to purchase the EZ45 now or hang on until after Christmas when the sales will be on! -- is your experience with the Panny unuseable user manual: we're pretty much non-techie so the prospect of having to connect up something according to instructions we can't fathom is daunting, especially as the EZ45 will have to connect up to a CRT television and our little 80Gb HDD PVR. . .

Gawd. If only life were simple!

Thanks again, Eddie: a much appreciated post!

[eddie]

To get an impression of the Panansonic manual click here. This is actually the US version of the manual and a bit clearer than the UK one I got.

Your experience at Comet sounds familiar! I ended up buying mine online as I felt I wasn't going to get any useful information from asking the big multiples.

If you want something to reduce the amount of boxes underneath your tv then it works fine. As a tool to archive a load of old video tapes then it can work quietly in the background. It's very flexible in terms of the types of discs it uses. It is actually relatively easy to connect - no worse than the VHS you already have as that is what it would replace I guess. The analogue and digital tuners are both useful - not many have both (or in fact a digital tuner)

I doubt you'll see any true benefit of SVHS when copied on to DVD as the manual does state that quasi playback doesn't replicate it.

It is actually relatively easy to connect - no worse than the VHS you already have as that is what it would replace I guess.

Overall I'd recommend it.