Panasonic DMR-E50K DVD Player/Recorder , Black

I bought this unit with the intent of copying my VHS collection and using this recorder in place of my VCR. After reading reviews from various sources, I bought this model over the next closest - Philips. (By the way, what's up with few brands providing black cabinetry?)This unit is very easy to use. To get the most out of the unit READ THE MANUAL! One of the best features is the flexible record, allowing optimum recording for those more-than-2 hour-programs. This feature provides the highest quality recording available for the time that you desire to record. Unlike the VCR, where you'd have to record on the LP (or SLP) mode if a program is more than 2 hours, this option will give you the best picture it can in the disc-space provided. To my eye, programs of 2:20 look no worse than if it was recorded on SP.Of course, some of my prerecorded VHS tapes are copyrighted (but not all) and can't be recorded - this was expected.There is some concern regarding DVD-R playback on other machines. (Don't forget to FINALIZE. This is all covered in the manual.) IF you have problems, try various brands of media. My JVC player had no problem with Verbatim, Memorex or TDK. However, only the TDK would playback on my Toshiba player. I loaned all three brands to a friend and all 3 played on his Philips and Panasonic players.My only complaints are:- Can't record on DVD-RW.- No (audio) digital input (no brands I could find had it)I had considred buying a PC-based DVD recorder, but based on the complaints of various friends who have PC-based DVD recorders, I made the better choice by buying this product - MUCH easier. Now my friends are considering buying a DMR-E50.

Yes, I bought it used but it should do what it is supposed to do. It doesn't. It burns the disc but won't finalize them. It didn't come with a remote, which is needed to do many things, since there is no menu button on the machine. I ordered one. While waiting for it, I burned a couple of dozen hours of a local show that doesn't go into reruns. I needed to free up dvr space. Once burned, I deleted them. When the remote arrived and I discovered it won't finalize. Now my shows are on discs that can only be played on this machine. I should have had my Sony fixed. It was GREAT and worked for years!

remote control bad and the dvd recorder not working

Good quality and work for the price.

Love It

I purchased a E50 about two months ago and couldn't have been happier with it! It did everything it promised...recorded, played back...I could even play my discs back on other (even relatively older) DVD players. Then, it all started to change. I had been using Memorex discs, and in a pack of five, usually the recorder would turn one into a coaster. Then the ratio got higher until finally it wouldn't record at all. I started troubleshooting, tried different disc brands and even used the *supplied* Panasonic DVD-RAM disc, but no dice. It just wouldn't record anymore. I took the unit back and it was replaced...and...so far so good. It's been about a month now with the new unit, and every disc I've recorded has come out working. Just for giggles I bought some cheapie CompUSA discs...even they work! TMC has been showing classic Oscar winners all month, and vintage Charlie Chaplin...which I now have on DVD thanks to this recorder! I also enjoy having the front end inputs with S-video & RCA. Great for hooking up my MiniDV Camcorder to caputure vacation videos to DVD...so now we can share them with friends without having to hook our cam up to their TVs.From reading the reviews here, there seems to be a problem in the manufacturing of these units, because when they work, they work wonderfully. I guess it's Russian Roulette as to whether you get a working model, or a paperweight.*** out of ***** Because of the Forrest Gump rule on these recorders..."You never know what your gonna' get."

This unit does a great job of playback. I have never had a DVD player/recorder and it looks great with store-bought DVD's or the DVD-Ram disc that panasonic supplied. But as another reviewer mentioned, it does not read DVD-R. I used several Maxell DVD-R discs (I don't know why the brand should make any difference) and the player says: NO READ. You must purchase DVD-Ram discs or you won't be able to record anything. I did see that others claim that DVD-R works in their units and the manual says it should, but I had no luck and I wouldn't spend $ 400. if you think you're going to record on DVD-R with this unit. Best of luck. Other than that, it's great. You also must have a THREE JACK (Yellow, White & Red) Output a/v on your TV or you will not be able to record from your TV set. If your TV is more than a couple years old, and it has TWO A/V jacks in the rear of the the set, you will not be able to record from your TV or VCR.

Picture and sound are first rate. I am using the unit for backups of my video tape collection and for dumping programs off my Tivo unit. I am completely satisfied with the results except that I have also had the problems experienced by several of the negative reviewers. The unit worked fine for me on Verbatim, Sony and Panasonic disks but rejected 1 out of 3 of Fujifilm DVD-R. When it locked up on the Fuji disks it went into a "death spiral" where it would attempt to recover, fail but would not allow you to eject the disk. I had good luck unplugging the unit for 10 minutes and then holding the open button during the recover phase. This allowed me to remove the offending disk. Seems to work fine afterwards. Lesson is good disks mean good results. Anything else is at your own risk.