Panasonic DMR-E55S Progressive Scan DVD Recorder / Player , Silver
Good unit to start with
The unit was easy to setup and was able to find the automatic time on cable without problems. <br /> <br />The menu's are simple and give you concise information.  You don't get all of the information you might get with a more expensive model or different brand, but it's enough to do basic DVD recording and playing. <br /> <br />Recording to the DVD_RAM format works great.  I haven't tried the DVD-R format.  Get the cartridge style DVD_RAM.  They are wonderful.  You don't have to worry about scratching the disk.  All DVD's and CD's should have the cartridge feature.  The easiest way to get DVD_RAM cartridges is to go to [...] and choose consumer products, then Supplies and Accessories (unfortunately Amazon doesn't sell the cartridge versions). <br /> <br />Setting the time for a timer recording is quick and easy.  Pressing and holding the timer buttons allows the time to jump at 30 minute increments forward or backward. <br /> <br />I like the feature that requires you to turn the unit off before it will record Timer recordings.  That way if I have something set to record weekly that I'd like to bypass, but not want to delete the weekly entry, all I have to do is turn the unit on. <br /> <br />You can set the remote for most major brand TV's to Turn it On/Off, or change channels and volume with up/down controls but it will not allow you to change the TV channels with the numeric pad.  This would be a nice feature as it takes awhile if you have to go to a channel that's a high number from where you're at. <br /> <br />It plays DVD-Videos well, though there is no zoom feature if you get the 16:9 ratio.  It also has no real resume play feature.  This is the feature that if you stop anywhere in a DVD the unit remembers where you were, and the next time you insert the DVD and press play it resumes from where you left off.  My JVC player remembers the last 50 DVD's which is very nice.  This unit doesn't seem to be able to remember one.  It mentions it in the Product Menubut the only way I've gotten it to work is when I press Stop and as long as I don't turn the unit off or remove the DVD it will start where it left off. <br /> <br />You can select EP mode and record for 6 or 8 hr's on a DVD.  I found the 4 hour LP mode recording to be acceptable but not the EP mode recordings. <br /> <br />Because of the price I ended up getting two so we could record in either location that we have TV's.  Again it's a good unit to start with. <br /> <br />When I first received it about a month ago I would have given it five stars, but now I find I miss the Resume play and Zoom features more than I thought and will give it 4 stars. <br />