Panasonic DMR-ES20K DVD Recorder
Good product with lots of little problems
After playing around with this DVD recorder for a week, I have a couple of things to take away for any potential buyers... <br /> <br />1)  The unit freezes up constantly.  This is especially common after finalizing a DVD.  Once the finalizing is done, the recorder fails to respond to any remote commands or button presses on the unit itself.  The only solution is to unplug the machine.  I've also seen this happen as I watch a DVD - the unit fails to respond to remote commands. <br />2)  The user interface is pretty awful.  Maybe I'm spoiled by Tivo and its easy interface, but this unit is confusing and has an unusual setup.  It takes a while of playing around with it until you get the hang of it. <br />3)  I've relayed the S-Video cables from my Tivo to the machine, and then used component cables from the recorder to my television.  The video is pretty bad - much worse than when I relay S-Video directly to my TV.  Something definitely gets lost in the box. <br />4)  For some reason, the machine has to be powered \\"Off\\" to record a scheduled program.  Why??   <br /> <br />There are some good points though - the recorder seems very open to any and all burned DVD's.  Once you learn how to record, it works reliably.  The DVD's it does create have neat little menus that let you preview everything recorded easily.   <br /> <br />Overall, I would probably try another product or just buy a regular DVD player.