Panasonic DMR-ES20K DVD Recorder
Upgrading to this DVD recorder was...a good thing ;-)
Being that the video tape I used with my old VCR would only last about 4 months, I ended up choosing to upgrade to this Panasonic DVD recorder. For me, its biggest selling point was the ability to used cartridge-based DVD-RAM discs with it...which I just TOTALLY love!!  And why wouldn't I? Because the discs are sealed inside cartridges, they'll never get dust, scratches or stuff like fingerprints on them, and last...100,000 times???!!! WOAH!!! I don't think they'll EVER wear out!! They're totally goof-proof!! <br /> <br />*** NOTE: I use double-sided, 9.4GB DVD-RAM discs, which can only be purchased from Panasonic. *** <br /> <br />But the coolest thing about the Panasonic DMR-ES20S, I think, is the ability to use its TiVo-like capability to watch live TV. I recently used this feature to record \\"The Parent Trap\\" (1998) on a Startz multiplex pay channel while finishing off the last 15 minutes of FX's \\"Rescue Me\\". When I was done, I just simply switched to my TV's video mode, pressed the play button & watched it right afterwards. UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE!!! Of course, being able to pause, rewind & forward live TV is always sort of trippy, isn't it? <br /> <br />Anyway, this DVD recorder uses six different recording speeds to do its thing: <br /> <br />_____________________________________________ <br /> <br />*********** <br />XP (1-hour) <br />*********** <br /> <br />This is the fastest & most clearest speed. It also takes up a TON of space <br /> <br /> <br />*********** <br />SP (2-hour) <br />*********** <br /> <br />The 2nd most fastest speed <br /> <br /> <br />*********** <br />LP (4-hour) <br />*********** <br /> <br />A popular speed that used to be avaliable on VCR's, it gives SP-like quality while doubling the recording capacity. <br /> <br /> <br />********************** <br />EP: Version 1 (6-hour) <br />********************** <br /> <br /> <br />The \\"clearest\\" slow speed...according to Panasonic. Anybody who's used that recording speed on a VCR, though, knows otherwise. ;-) <br /> <br /> <br />********************** <br />EP: Version 2 (8-hour) <br />********************** <br /> <br />This recording speed TOTALLY SUCKS!! (Even Panasonic agrees) <br /> <br /> <br />******************************* <br />FR: Flexible Recording (8-hour) <br />******************************* <br /> <br /> <br />This recording speed gets lost in the shuffle. It lets you customize a recording to an entire disc. It comes in handy when you want to use the TiVo-like feature to watch a 3-hour movie like \\"Alexander\\" (2004). <br />__________________________________________ <br /> <br /> <br />In any case, it also helps that the auto clock feature on this Panasoinc DVD recorder (unlike on my Sony VCR) is something that actually works the way it's supposed to. I just LOVE having the ability to not worry about setting that 2 to 3 times a week. Overall, this purchase is a pretty damn good one!! I don't have any complaints.