DVD Ram

07-03-2003, 18:08

We are thinking of buying a Panasonic DMRE50EBS DVD Ram recorder, (well, my Granddad is

), but we are put off by the analogue tuner. I know we can connect a Freeview box to the unit but this isn't the ideal solution. In most cases, the recoder will record analogue 4x3 picture, for showing on a widescreen plasma, and what is the point of that ?

This is an £800 unit and I can't see why they can't build in a digital tuner instead of an analogue one.

No domestic video or DVD recorder should be sold with an analogue receiver, IMHO. We all know analogue is on its way out so it is irresponsible of the manufaturers to make unit with such a short life. I'd go further than this and say no analogue TVs should be sold, not even portables. I know some digital products could be slightly more expensive, but it is only slightly. The cost of the unit's forthcoming redundancy is likely to cost far more than the current cost difference between analogue and digital.

<<< This smiley isn't grumpy enough to illustrate the way I feel about this matter. HMPPHH !!!

Orbitalzone · 07-03-2003, 18:14

Whilst I agree that they should incorporate digital tuners into more equipment, but let's not forget that many people still can't get digital TV reception and won't for many years (many areas will only get digital once analogue gets turned off, maybe in 2010 to 2016)

Ideally TV's and VCR's should now have digital tuners built in, certainly the higher priced items, but a £59 video or portable TV?.... it's gonna take some time to bring down digital tuners before we see them in low cost items... let alone high end stuff!

Faust · 07-03-2003, 23:07

DMRE50 £800? why on earth would you pay £800 for what is in effect a DMRE30. The only difference being to Panasonic, who have been able to reduce the manufacturing costs of this DVDR. If I were you, I would try to source a DMRE30, I got mine from Comet on-line for £399 This unit will have more expensive internal components than the latest model. You will not be disappointed with either, as they really are a first class bit of kit. The Panasonic HS2 is the £800 machine, with incorporated hard drive. Buy and enjoy.

idiot9 · 08-03-2003, 01:01

Quote:

This is an £800 unit

Where the hell did you see the dmre50ebs for £800?
go to http://www.avland.co.uk/dvd/dvdr.htm#dvdr
it is only £399.95

Edit
bollocks to avland check here only £311.96
http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/default....uct&sku=110966

andyk22 · 09-03-2003, 01:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragazza
We are thinking of buying a Panasonic DMRE50EBS DVD Ram recorder, (well, my Granddad is ), but we are put off by the analogue tuner. I know we can connect a Freeview box to the unit but this isn't the ideal solution. In most cases, the recoder will record analogue 4x3 picture, for showing on a widescreen plasma, and what is the point of that ?

This is an £800 unit and I can't see why they can't build in a digital tuner instead of an analogue one.

No domestic video or DVD recorder should be sold with an analogue receiver, IMHO. We all know analogue is on its way out so it is irresponsible of the manufaturers to make unit with such a short life. I'd go further than this and say no analogue TVs should be sold, not even portables. I know some digital products could be slightly more expensive, but it is only slightly. The cost of the unit's forthcoming redundancy is likely to cost far more than the current cost difference between analogue and digital.

<<< This smiley isn't grumpy enough to illustrate the way I feel about this matter. HMPPHH !!!

I know its more expensive but how about a Sky + system? You can record the raw digital signal and play it back in its full original quality with no problems.

Problem is though if products are to have digital tuners shouldn't they have one for DTT,Sky and cable so the raw sigina lcan be recorded to? Its a whole new can of worms but hopefully it will be sorted soon.

09-03-2003, 01:44

We are moving away from Sky systems. We find that although we have three Dsat setups, 99% of our viewing is on channels available on Freeview. Freeview is often integrated into TVs, so my question is why isn't it also built into recorders ?

Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record.

andyk22 · 09-03-2003, 01:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragazza

Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record.

You can swap the hard drive in the machine very easily , quite a few people have installed there own 120GB hard drives that could literally record a few solid days of programming!

davep · 10-03-2003, 10:25

Quote:

This is an £800 unit

Where did you get this price from

It should be about £400-450, the one with the built in hard disk is £800!

You say most programmes will be 4:3 ratio but I find that most of the stuff I record is 16:9, I usually record BBC and ITV with Sky1 to a lesser extent. Perhaps you have different viewing habits!

DaveP

wicket · 10-03-2003, 11:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Ragazza
Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record.

With Sky+ you can archive to video tapes.

davep · 10-03-2003, 15:06

Quote:

Originally posted by wicket
With Sky+ you can archive to video tapes.

Or even to DVD! Which nicely brings us back to where we started!

DaveP

andyk22 · 10-03-2003, 15:08

Quote:

Originally posted by davep
Or even to DVD! Which nicely brings us back to where we started!

DaveP

True , the most effective in terms of retainig quality (but expensive) is to record on Sky + and archive to DVD.

07-03-2003, 18:08	#1
Ragazza Posts: n/a	DVD Ram We are thinking of buying a Panasonic DMRE50EBS DVD Ram recorder, (well, my Granddad is ), but we are put off by the analogue tuner. I know we can connect a Freeview box to the unit but this isn't the ideal solution. In most cases, the recoder will record analogue 4x3 picture, for showing on a widescreen plasma, and what is the point of that ? This is an £800 unit and I can't see why they can't build in a digital tuner instead of an analogue one. No domestic video or DVD recorder should be sold with an analogue receiver, IMHO. We all know analogue is on its way out so it is irresponsible of the manufaturers to make unit with such a short life. I'd go further than this and say no analogue TVs should be sold, not even portables. I know some digital products could be slightly more expensive, but it is only slightly. The cost of the unit's forthcoming redundancy is likely to cost far more than the current cost difference between analogue and digital. <<< This smiley isn't grumpy enough to illustrate the way I feel about this matter. HMPPHH !!!

09-03-2003, 01:36	#5
andyk22 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 17,473	Re: DVD Ram Quote: Originally posted by Ragazza We are thinking of buying a Panasonic DMRE50EBS DVD Ram recorder, (well, my Granddad is ), but we are put off by the analogue tuner. I know we can connect a Freeview box to the unit but this isn't the ideal solution. In most cases, the recoder will record analogue 4x3 picture, for showing on a widescreen plasma, and what is the point of that ? This is an £800 unit and I can't see why they can't build in a digital tuner instead of an analogue one. No domestic video or DVD recorder should be sold with an analogue receiver, IMHO. We all know analogue is on its way out so it is irresponsible of the manufaturers to make unit with such a short life. I'd go further than this and say no analogue TVs should be sold, not even portables. I know some digital products could be slightly more expensive, but it is only slightly. The cost of the unit's forthcoming redundancy is likely to cost far more than the current cost difference between analogue and digital. <<< This smiley isn't grumpy enough to illustrate the way I feel about this matter. HMPPHH !!! I know its more expensive but how about a Sky + system? You can record the raw digital signal and play it back in its full original quality with no problems. Problem is though if products are to have digital tuners shouldn't they have one for DTT,Sky and cable so the raw sigina lcan be recorded to? Its a whole new can of worms but hopefully it will be sorted soon.

07-03-2003, 18:14	#2
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	Whilst I agree that they should incorporate digital tuners into more equipment, but let's not forget that many people still can't get digital TV reception and won't for many years (many areas will only get digital once analogue gets turned off, maybe in 2010 to 2016) Ideally TV's and VCR's should now have digital tuners built in, certainly the higher priced items, but a £59 video or portable TV?.... it's gonna take some time to bring down digital tuners before we see them in low cost items... let alone high end stuff!

07-03-2003, 23:07	#3
Faust Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: UK Posts: 8,103	DMRE50 £800? why on earth would you pay £800 for what is in effect a DMRE30. The only difference being to Panasonic, who have been able to reduce the manufacturing costs of this DVDR. If I were you, I would try to source a DMRE30, I got mine from Comet on-line for £399 This unit will have more expensive internal components than the latest model. You will not be disappointed with either, as they really are a first class bit of kit. The Panasonic HS2 is the £800 machine, with incorporated hard drive. Buy and enjoy.

08-03-2003, 01:01	#4
idiot9 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 126	Quote: This is an £800 unit Where the hell did you see the dmre50ebs for £800? go to http://www.avland.co.uk/dvd/dvdr.htm#dvdr it is only £399.95 Edit bollocks to avland check here only £311.96 http://www.unbeatable.co.uk/default....uct&sku=110966

09-03-2003, 01:44	#6
Ragazza Posts: n/a	We are moving away from Sky systems. We find that although we have three Dsat setups, 99% of our viewing is on channels available on Freeview. Freeview is often integrated into TVs, so my question is why isn't it also built into recorders ? Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record.

09-03-2003, 01:55	#7
andyk22 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 17,473	Quote: Originally posted by Ragazza Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record. You can swap the hard drive in the machine very easily , quite a few people have installed there own 120GB hard drives that could literally record a few solid days of programming!

10-03-2003, 10:25	#8
davep Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 1,107	Quote: This is an £800 unit Where did you get this price from It should be about £400-450, the one with the built in hard disk is £800! You say most programmes will be 4:3 ratio but I find that most of the stuff I record is 16:9, I usually record BBC and ITV with Sky1 to a lesser extent. Perhaps you have different viewing habits! DaveP

10-03-2003, 11:32	#9
wicket Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: NE England Posts: 3,096	Quote: Originally posted by Ragazza Sky+ isn't really the answer because we can't take the disk out (can we ?), so there is a limit to the amount of video we can record. With Sky+ you can archive to video tapes.

10-03-2003, 15:06	#10
davep Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 1,107	Quote: Originally posted by wicket With Sky+ you can archive to video tapes. Or even to DVD! Which nicely brings us back to where we started! DaveP

10-03-2003, 15:08	#11
andyk22 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 17,473	Quote: Originally posted by davep Or even to DVD! Which nicely brings us back to where we started! DaveP True , the most effective in terms of retainig quality (but expensive) is to record on Sky + and archive to DVD.

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