Panasonic DMR-E50K DVD Player/Recorder (Black)

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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Price at amazon.com: Too Low To Display
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Used & new from $212.50

List price $449.99



Product Features:

• Records DVD-R, DVD-RAM for best of both worlds; plays DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3-CD
• Offers one-touch record, chasing playback (watching a recording in progress from the beginning)
• Progressive-scan video output for seamless, flicker-free picture on high-definition and HD-ready televisions
• Time Slip lets you replay a scene recorded earlier from a show in progress without disrupting the recording
• On-disc video editing lets you tighten up or rearrange your home movies

Product Description:

Panasonic's fourth-generation DMR-E50K DVD recorder sports many of the features and technology benefits people expect from digital recording and merges them with a user-friendly interface and an unexpectedly low price. The DMR-E50K's joint support of DVD-RAM and DVD-R media provides the best of both worlds: DVD-R for the highest compatibility (letting you share video recordings with virtually anyone with a DVD player) and DVD-RAM (for rewritability and benefits like Time Slip, chasing playback, and simultaneous play and record). DVD-RAM offers the perfect solution for recording and re-recording favorite programs--over 100,000 times on the same disc. In addition to an attractive price tag, the feature-rich DMR-E50K offers the benefits of progressive scan (for use with high-definition and HD-ready TVs), MP3 playback, enhanced time-shifting, instant access, and on-disc video editing. When connected to home theater components, you'll enjoy playback of multiple digital entertainment formats, including DVD Video, CDs, and audio CD-R/CD-RW discs. With instant recording onto a DVD disc, there's no need to have to find blank space, as with a VHS tape. Just press record and the unit automatically finds space on the disc, much like a computer's disk drive. Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you replay a scene recorded earlier while a program is still in progress, without disrupting the recording process. And chasing playback makes it possible to watch from the beginning a show whose recording is still in progress. It's also simple to transfer favorite VHS tape recordings to space-saving discs, and personal movie libraries and family videos can be archived, preserved, cataloged, and accessed.

Description from Manufacturer:Panasonic's fourth-generation DMR-E50K DVD recorder sports many of the features and technology benefits people expect from digital recording and merges them with a user-friendly interface and an unexpectedly low price. The DMR-E50K's joint support of DVD-RAM and DVD-R media provides the best of both worlds: DVD-R for the highest compatibility (letting you share video recordings with virtually anyone with a DVD player) and DVD-RAM (for rewritability and benefits like Time Slip, chasing playback, and simultaneous play and record). DVD-RAM offers the perfect solution for recording and re-recording favorite programs--over 100,000 times on the same disc.

In addition to an attractive price tag, the feature-rich DMR-E50K offers the benefits of progressive scan (for use with high-definition and HD-ready TVs), MP3 playback, enhanced time-shifting, instant access, and on-disc video editing. When connected to home theater components, you'll enjoy playback of multiple digital entertainment formats, including DVD Video, CDs, and audio CD-R/CD-RW discs.

With instant recording onto a DVD disc, there's no need to have to find blank space, as with a VHS tape. Just press record and the unit automatically finds space on the disc, much like a computer's disk drive. Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you replay a scene recorded earlier while a program is still in progress, without disrupting the recording process. And chasing playback makes it possible to watch from the beginning a show whose recording is still in progress. It's also simple to transfer favorite VHS tape recordings to space-saving discs, and personal movie libraries and family videos can be archived, preserved, cataloged, and accessed.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Great Price Great Quality DVD recorder direct from Amazon Rating:
This DVD recorder makes 2 hour recordings on DVD-R that I cannot distinguish from a live satellite tv broadcast. The unit was able to use one dollar generic brand DVD-Rs disc. It was possible to playback both on my computer DVD drive and on other home DVD players The unit is compact and quiet. There are three line-in inputs (RCA and S-video). A minor negative is the lack of a firewire connection for connecting a miniDV camcorder. I have not tested the DVD RAM feature that allows re-using the DVD RAM disc repeatedly. It comes with one free DVD RAM disc; these cost about Five dollars each. Set up is quick and straightforward. The remote is comlicated but does everything it's supposed to do. There is a "flexible record" (FR) feature that use the complete space available on the disc so that recording are of maximum quality. The unit is able to ecord up to 6 hours onto a single 4.7 GB DVD-R but the instuctions say that quality deteriorates noticeably if you go much over the two hour limit. Recordings that I have made in the 2 hour range looked great, better than anything I've seen from a VCR, but not as perfect as a store bought DVD. The source material affects the appearance: a broadcast of a grainy, faded movie looks grainy and faded on the recording whereas newer material looked very good.
I bought this from Amazon. The item was in my PO box four days after I ordered it. The price was the lowest I saw from a major source. Shipping was free and the price came to nearly one hundred fifty less than I would have paid had I walked into C*rcuit C*ty to buy the exact same thing. A minor shipping negative: Amazon sent this expensive item thorugh the mail in it's own box which obviously identifies it as an expensive piece of electonic equipment.

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Comment: Panasonic's DMR-E50K is a winner! Rating:
If you're looking for a DVD Recorder to transfer over non-copyrighted material, Panasonic's DMR-E50K does the job without a hitch!

If you're new to DVD, I wouldn't recommend this as your first player. The instruction manual is a little confusing if you're not already familiar with wiring and general setup. Recording a DVD is similar to recording a CD-R in a CD Recorder. You must finalize the DVD-R before it's playable on (most) other DVD Players. If you don't, it won't play on any other machine other than the DMR-E50K.

The picture and sound is very good. Recording time varies from 1, 2, 4 or 6 hours on a single sided 4.7 GB DVD. The top two speeds (XP und SP) look great! The two low speeds (LP und EP) really looks like the VHS equivalent.

After reading other reviews and specifications with other DVD Recorders, my main concerns were disc and player compatability. The DMR-E50K works with Panasonic's DVD-RAM (playable only in the DMR-E50K), and offers editing and re-recording on the same disc over and over again. As for DVD-Rs, the DMR-E50K has no problems recording with Memorex brand DVD-Rs. I have 3 DVD Players (not including the DMR-E50K) and after finalizing a DVD-R, the finished DVD worked on all of them: Audiovox, Panasonic (different model), and a high end McIntosh.

The Panasonic DMR-E50K does exactly what I expected it to do. It offers Progressive Scan, S-Video, Composite video, DTS Output, Dolby Digital 5.1 playback (on pre-recorded discs), and the convenience of recording over and over again on a single DVD-RAM disc.

On the negative side, it only records in Dolby Digital two channel stereo (Pro-Logic compatible), and only offers an optical digital output (not coaxial).

I wouldn't consider this player to the "causal" viewer. However, if you're into DVD and want recording capability, Panasonic's DMR-E50K may just be what you're looking for.

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Comment: Guys, you'll need to read the manual.... Rating:
I pride myself on being able to figure things out with the user manuals. Not with puppy...Simple operations become a frantic search in the manual on how to do these things. I haven't had any problems with discs compatiblities. I bought a Sima SCC2 digital color corrector to compliment this unit. With this I'm able to back up my videos and DVD's. The quality on the XP mode is incredible, can't tell between broadcast and the dvd copy.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)