I bought a DMR-EZ27 recorder from Amazon before Christmas but it has proved very unreliable. Sometimes it won't format a disk, saying it is dirty or scratched (brand new Sony DVD+RW disks fresh out of the box), or it will format then say it can't record, or it will format and record, then say there is nothing there when I try to play back. Last night it completely locked up and I had to unplug it then replug to reboot it and eventually get the disk out.

In each case the same Sony disks have then formatted/recorded/played perfectly in my older SMR-EZ25 recorder, bought from Argos about a year ago.

I spoke to Amazon.co.uk yesterday and they agreed to replace it. I got an email today saying the replacement is in the post. Can't fault them there.

But just now I Googled "DMR-EZ27" and read some reviews. The professional reviewers on the magazines seem to think it is fine, but the user reviews are a very mixed bag. Some praise it highly, but others have had the problems I am having - ironically these reviews are on the Amazon.com site.

One reviewer wrote: "Their website directs you to a local repairer who acts on their behalf. I e-mailed this repairer, outlined the problem and asked the question about whether a repair would be good value bearing in mind the original purchase price (about £180). The answer I received was to the effect that the problem is probably the RAM/DIGI pcb assembly and replacement would cost in the order of £200!."

So if the replacement acts up as well, I'll have to send it back and ask for my money back, then look elsewhere. Vey disappointed, as I thought Panasonic was a safe brand. But the instruction book says proudly that they are now building in the Czech Republic. <sigh>

My earlier one, model DMR-EZ25, has been faultless so far, but when I Googled it, find it is no longer available, except that Amazon still list it - at £285! - I got mine from Argos for £150.

Can anyone recommend a reliable alternative to the EZ27?

The replacement DMR-EZ27 arrived from Amazon, and I've just set it up. Tried to format a new Sony DVD+RW disk, got the message "format failed, press OK". This happened with three disks. Put the same three disks into my old DMR-EZ25 and they each formatted without a problem.

So that'll be two DMR-EZ27s going back to Amazon tomorrow.

Can anyone recommend another brand with a similar spec, that has a good track record?

Many thanks.

Hi Alfredo

I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties, but you may be condemning a machine unfairly for what looks like nothing more than a disc incompatibility.

Discs and firmware have moved on since the EZ25 and it may be that the particular discs you have are not suitable for the unit.

In any case Panasonic machines always have better support for -type discs rather than + type discs, so they tend to make a better first choice.

Trying other disc types would perhaps have been a better course of action.

However - if you wish to replace... I find it impossible to recommend any DVDR that does not include an HDD and I would urge you to consider a unit that includes one... for the enormous increase if flexibility and usability and recording reliability that it brings.

Also despite your experiences I have no hesitation at all in recommending Panasonic again.... such as the Panasonic EX77.