Panasonic DMR-EH50S DVD Recorder with 100 GB Hard Drive Recording
Panasonic Gets It Better
Nearly 3 years ago, I got Panasonic's DMR-E50. That's the no-hard-drive model. After working with the DMR-EH50 with the 100 GB hard drive, the old E50 is collecting dust (waiting for those copy-protected broadcasts the EH50 won't be able to record to disk).<br /><br />Putting the hard drive in and adding the TV Guide made things much simpler. The guide enters the name of the recorded program for you--no more typing in titles with 10 keys unless you're recording episodes of your favorite series and you want the title of the episode rather than the series. If that's the case, Panasonic has added some labor saving 'frequently used phrases' list that can be easily accessed.<br /><br />Editing programs such as Stargate SG-1 is much easier than using the older E50 with RAM disks, playlists, and a player than can read RAM disks to play back to the E50 for recording to a DVD for finalizing. With the EH50, I can edit an episode in about 7 minutes and dub five episodes onto a DVD without having to create a playlist.<br /><br />Those who don't want to clean episodes can buy DVD series at Amazon with all the extras, such as directors' comments. OR, record the episodes and use the CM Skip feature to jump 1 minute at a time, or use Time Skip to any specified time. Maybe, with more practice, I'll be able to edit episodes faster. Most episodes run at least three minutes of commercial breaks. Advertisers seem to make breaks vary on purpose. Sometimes commercial breaks are 3 min, 3.25 min, 3.5 min, or 4.0 min. There's no preset 10-15 second back button, just the 1 minute time skip back or the five levels of fast backwards or forwards.<br /><br />Panasonic says the TV Guide isn't available with satellite, and some people have complained they can't get the guide to download with their cable service. Someone named Comcast as one of those services, but I have Comcast digital. Digital service might make the difference. Initially, the recorder must be turned off 24 hours (aka `stand-by mode') in order to allow the TV Guide feature to work.<br /><br />The TV Guide works well as long as one doesn't record a 3-day marathon of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica episodes along with a full evening SciFi Friday night and 6-12 movies during the week. Nearly non-stop recording like that keeps the recorder too busy to download the guide.<br /><br />The TV Guide makes it very easy to program the recorder. All one has to do is punch in the channel, push the TV Guide button, jump 24hrs at a time until you get to the day you want (up to 8 days ahead), then arrow over to the time you want, and push the green button to record the program. If it's a weekly show, you can push the blue button to record it regularly.<br /><br />Panasonic gives you the option of making a weekly show a \\"Favorite.\\" Making a show a \\"favorite\\" doesn't mean the recorder will record it. What this will do is allow you to rapidly switch to your favorite if you're watching something else, but only if you press the blue button. You could have two or more favorites at the same time and flip to them.<br /><br />There's many good features with the DMR-EH50, but one must \\"study\\" the guide to understand how to use them most effectively.d-by mode') in order to allow the TV Guide feature to work. <br /> <br />The TV Guide works well as long as one doesn't record a 3-day marathon of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica episodes along with a full evening SciFi Friday night and 6-12 movies during the week. Nearly non-stop recording like that keeps the recorder too busy to download the guide. <br /> <br />The TV Guide makes it very easy to program the recorder. All one has to do is punch in the channel, push the TV Guide button, jump 24hrs at a time until you get to the day you want (up to 8 days ahead), then arrow over to the time you want, and push the green button to record the program. If it's a weekly show, you can push the blue button to record it regularly. <br /> <br />Panasonic gives you the option of making a weekly show a \\"Favorite.\\" Making a show a \\"favorite\\" doesn't mean the recorder will record it. What this will do is allow you to rapidly switch to your favorite if you're watching something else, but only if you press the blue button. You could have two or more favorites at the same time and flip to them. <br /> <br />There's many good features with the DMR-EH50, but one must \\"study\\" the guide to understand how to use them most effectively.