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183 of 185 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Worthwhile Machine to Own, 13 Sep 2008
I bought the Panasonic DMR-EX78EB-K on Friday afternoon and received it by 08:30 the following morning - excellent service.
I've had it for two weeks now and when I opened the package I took the manual out and started reading it - a little confusing for someone who `doesn't do manuals' but I persevered, and then gave up, but for techies who like to have all this information it is a very comprehensive manual.
Following that, I installed the machine and like magic, it started finding and loading all the channels etc.
The machine was ready to go within a few minutes - very impressive.
I started recording onto the HDD within minutes of the installation and then played back what I recorded - the picture quality is of a very high quality, even in extended play. I've recorded on all the formats and have been happy with the results.
I've copied from DVD to HDD, from HDD to DVD and it was a `piece of cake'. The two downsides that I have discovered so far is that when you copy it is in `real time', so if you have a one hour programme, it will take you one hour to copy it. I thought that there might have been a `quick record' mode, but maybe I just haven't found it yet! The other downside is that when you are programming it to record, everything goes silent so you cannot follow verbally whatever is on the television whilst you are doing this - so it is best to do this when you are not following a programme.
The TV guide is excellent and you can series link with the touch of one button, very handy.
Overall I am very pleased with this product and hoping to learn more about what it can do as time goes on.
I deliberated a long time before buying this product and I regret it - I could have had this machine weeks ago and my life would have been easier for it. Better late than never though.
If you are considering buying such a machine, I would say do it. It is a worthwhile purchase.
10.10.2008
I didn't realise, but this machine also pauses live tv. I thought that this was only something available to SKY, but I have used this facility a couple of times and it is a really worthwhile 'extra' to have. However, the downside is, if you are going to watch another programme straight after the one you paused, then you will fall behind on the programme following the 'paused' programme by the same amount in minutes as the pause was - I hope that makes sense!
Great machine.
[ASIN:B0015M0MXM Panasonic DMR-EX78EB-K - 250GB HDD - DVD Recorder with Freeview Black]]
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156 of 160 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ONE STEP BELOW HI-DEFINITION, 14 May 2008
This is a versatile and intuitive DVD player with a superb 1080p upscaling digital tuner and hefty 250GB hard drive. The whole package is well built, looks cool in black, and is simplicity itself to set up. When you get around to the more advanced features, check out the jukebox facility (the recording of albums onto the hard drive), which comes with a nifty database listing every track - easily updated via the memory stick included as part of the package. Flexibilty is also second-to-none if you like archiving material to disc as all formats are covered and partial editing in DVD-RAM is especially useful for knocking out commercials or any non-relevant material. But to get the very best out of the DMR-EX78E-K you need to use the HDMI output and attach a compatible LCD or Plasma TV, 5.1 amp and surround speaker system - what comes then is going to guarantee in an instant that this beauty won't be up for replacement in a hurry. Don't forget, DVD as a format is going to be around for some considerable time to come so it will remain invaluable until all your disks have been replaced by their Blu-Ray counterparts, but who can afford to do that? And see the price above?, it's getting cheaper all the time.
I've got three DVD/HDD units on the go at present - one is a home cinema in a box which I now use solely as my amp and speaker setup, the second is a multi-region player for imported DVDs, and the above is my pole-position kit. All Panasonic. Put simply, this is unpretentious 'high-end' technology without the accompanying 'high-end' prices. The DMR-EX78E-K delivers the goods, so the only step up from here is the step up to Hi-Definition.
UPDATE: April 2009
I bought the Panasonic DMP-BD35 from Amazon, with free Super Saver Delivery (if only I had been in - twice!) It is a superb player, Blu-Ray pictures are flawless and regular DVD upscaling is top drawer BUT the DMR-EX78E-K (above) is going nowhere. I use it to record and keep the stuff television does best and which won't necessarily be available to buy. And as such, it remains an essential and brilliant piece of kit.
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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137 of 141 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's good but not perfect, 24 May 2008
As a DVD player and Recorder it is excellent, if we stopped here it may be a 5/5. I feel a real opportunity has been missed to make this device a superb media centre, the way it manages music files and connects to alternative devices really limits what it can achieve.
The USB connector is a let down - it won't recognise an external hard-drive which is a shame because I had hoped to plug mine in and benefit from the music and movies/TV shows I have on my computer without either burning to disk or copying to a USB pen drive. Flash-pen drives work fine, my product even came with a 1gb pen drive in the box including some sample files.
The option to save .jpg and .mp3 file to the HD is good but again the device isn't perfect - when listening to your saved .mp3s or a CD the screen displays the song name/album info, it does not have an option to turn the screen black or to display clouds or a swirly image or something. Attention to this rather than the gracenote database (which seems alright) would have been a benefit. Also as you navigate around menus the music stops.
The above may well be unfair as I don't think other products by alternative manufacturers offer these functions.
The size of the hard disk is good and the quality of the recordings I have made so far (on the highest setting) are better than expected. You have options for changing the quality of the recoring you want to make - so you could extend the hours of programmes you can fit to the Harddrive if you don't mind lower quality for certain programmes.
Recording to a DVD from the hard disk is straight forward, not lightning quick though - I couldn't say how it compares to other devices in this respect. The upscaling picture quality of DVDs, so that they look better on an HDTV is also better than I expected.
The next thing to say is that this device can ONLY deal with digital signals, if you are in an area where the only signal you can currently get is analogue - this product may not be for you...
If you can't get freeview and don't have a satellite dish this product will only really be any good for upscaling your current DVDs to look better on your HDTV while you wait for the digital switchover.
Having said that I can't receive a digital signal - no freeview at all - but I do have freesat (the sky one not the new BBC/ITV HD one). My Sky box plugs into this device which plugs into the telly. This machine records the signal from my Sky box and I don't have any problems.
Without digital reception the pause live TV function doesn't work and neither do the TV guide functions (now and next, etc), I can see what's on next from the sky box anyway.
Because my analogue reception is so poor anyway none of this is really a concern to me - whatever product I bought I was going to have to rely on my satellite reception.
Amazon chose City link to deliver my item, they left it with a neighbour I don't even know and didn't even ask him for a signature. Unless you know and trust your neighbours you should pay for delivery that will arrive on a specified day and will require a signature.
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