Panasonic DMRE55S 1 - Disc DVD Recorder at FS-$229

[Lookcho]

I bought one today and I think it's kinda of experimental deal.
Will check it out and deside to keep it or not.
Link

[OrdG]

I thought mine was a good deal at $300! Too bad the 30 day price protection period is over by a month.

It's very flexible and obviously geared to us users who like to have lots of options, but I have a few complaints:

- Very, very slow to load discs. Takes about a minute before you can do *anything*.
- No repeating timers, I have to re-enter them every week.
- Picky about RW media used.
- Timeslip only works with DVD-RAM

Other than that it's been decent.

[cheapbastage]

Nice deal considering no-name brands are going for 199 these days. I guess they are replacing this model with one that records on multiple media formats. The DMRES10S at 349.99 http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...6&newdeptid=11

[Lookcho]

Well I had to take a quick desision in the store. Only one store in Vancouver had it and I had to go all the way there
Checked the pricegrabber and it seemed to me a good deal.
The only thing that I do not know is: I actually bought Panasonic DMRE55
without the S on the end. I thnks S and K on the end are almost always for colour.
I found that it plays the cheapest possible rewritable media and it semms it depends how the DVD was ripped but these are just my first impressions.
Something to do
Will convert all my VHS tapes to DVDs. Lazy stuff.

[ES_Revenge]

- Timeslip only works with DVD-RAM

I'm not sure but I *think* that is because something like Timeslip (play and record at the same time, not to be confused with Chasing Playback which is a different feature) can only actually be done with DVD-RAM technology. Though DVD-RAM is slower (well speaking of computer DVD burners, for home decks that is irrelevant) and the discs cost more, DVD-RAM is far more versatile than any of the +/-R/RW formats.

[kool1]

Sold out everywhere.

[Ho!Ho!Ho!]

Sold out everywhere.

In-store Availability
(as of 9 AM April 11, 2005)

at Scarborough location
1141 Kennedy Road
Scarborough, Ontario
M1P 2K8
(416) 285-5520

(Kennedy & North of Lawrence)

[willy]

No +R/W support ...

[JAC]

What is the point to these things? You can't copy a DVD, and you can't record HDTV. So with the price of a VCR these days, why bother?

[willy]

What is the point to these things? You can't copy a DVD, and you can't record HDTV. So with the price of a VCR these days, why bother?

Yeah, there is also no 1394 support either ... So DV can only be transferred & recorded from S-Video quality ...

On the other hand, if all you want is to transfer all your VHS collections onto DVDs, this thing should do the job quite well.

In case you want to dig deeper, here's the manual.

[kool1]

In-store Availability
(as of 9 AM April 11, 2005)

at Scarborough location
1141 Kennedy Road
Scarborough, Ontario
M1P 2K8
(416) 285-5520

(Kennedy & North of Lawrence)

WAY too far out for me.

[torontodragon]

No +R/W support ...

But you can use DVD-RAM.

[alkapone]

For those with Amerifriends...check out A-mazon USA..
$190 US...free ship....no NY tax...
Panasonic has a good rep. I have the E80. Very pleased.
With the right HW/SW you can do a lot.

[socially_hazardous]

I have this unit. I bought it on boxing day for $298 at A&B sound. At frist I was really excited at the ability to copy tv shows and movies from tv on to dvd, but then I realized it's just really an over glorified VCR!!! The dvd playing quality is quite good, but nothing a $100 dvd player can't match. After spending the $300 dollars I relized a pvr was the way to go. I got one about 2 months ago and easily use 4 times a week.

[Rometiklan]

After spending the $300 dollars I relized a pvr was the way to go.

What's a pvr?