Is the DMR-EZ27 a good DVD recorder?

Yes.

But it is always much better to get a recorder that includes a hard drive.

It improves usability enormously.

I took delivery of one today, reasoning that I'll get a freesat box with PVR functions and a HDD eventually, so don't need a HDD in the DVD recorder.

First impressions are good - the interface makes sense (although I have to admit the remote could be described anywhere between 'solid' and 'clunky' depending on how charitable you're feeling), and my first recording went flawlessly, appearing very much like the source media. The flexible recording feature seems like a really good idea - it varies the bitrate to fill a disc completely, so you aren't wasting space.

Any questions you have directly about the unit or its instructions I can answer, but I'm afraid I don't know any others to compare it to, and I'm running it on a standard definition tv.

Too late in your case, but the advantage of an HDD in a DVDR is that all kinds of editing possibilities can be achieved which are impossible with a DVD drive only.

Not being combative, but curious: what is impossible?

I realise that it's going to be more effort, but can't I just edit till my heart's content on the PVR, then copy it across, track by track, to the DVDR?

No, most pvr's can't edit recordings only play recordings from the hdd. You can only record to a pvr what the internal tuners view, which is the freeview signal. With the hdd, you could record from the pvr then edit out the adverts etc then copy to dvd.
Dave

Thanks a lot lads.

I have owned the player for almost a year now and have still not worked out how to move through a recorded disc by chapters. It doesn't seem to insert chapters automatically when you are recording onto a DVD-RW.

Apologies if this has already been answered elsewhere or if I am just being stupid but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I believe chapters are created automatically on -R and -RW approximately every 5 minutes when the disc is finalised.

That's what I thought... and if I play the resultant disc on another player that seems to be the case. But if I try to watch the disc in the panny the skip chapter buttons do nothing.

Are you certain you are not confusing non-finalised discs with finalised discs?

The chapters are only added during the finalising procedure... so an unfinalised disc will still play on the Panasonic but unless finalised will have no chapters.

I'm really sorry if this is a stupid question but is creating the top menu for playing on other DVD machines the same as finalising it? If it is then yes I am doing that... if it isn't then I am doing it wrong...

On my EX77 you can find the finalise option here, I presume it is the same for the EZ27.

Functions-To Others-DVD Management-Finalise

Again, might be a stupid question... but does finalising a DVD-RW mean you can't use it again?

Once finalised you cannot use the disc again until it is reformatted. To reformat the DVD-RW goto..

Functions-To Others-DVD Management-Format


....which will wipe the disc clean.

Thanks Adrian_F, I will give that a go. Clearly I am just doing it wrong.

If I might just ask one more question... is it possible to store where you are on the DVD when you take it out and then put it back in later? I know it resumes from the location you stopped it at if you leave it in but what happens if you take the disc out and put it back in later?

Many thanks again.

It is only possible to do that with RAM discs, by applying a chapter mark before you eject.

It is not possible with other disc types unfortunately.

Thanks again. In that case, is it possible to go to a certain time by entering say 35.00 mins and jumping straight to there?

Yes.

Press the Time slip button [ Bottom right of remote] then input a time using the Nav wheel North and South buttons to increase / decrease the time. Then Push OK.

A single dab adds one minute. Press and hold to increase by 10 minute increments.

Thank you so very much... that will save me so much time... and I know you are probably thinking why didn't he read the instructions but believe it or not I did and didn't really understand them.

Many thanks again, I shall give that a go this evening.