Panasonic DMRE85HS Progressive-Scan DVD Player/Recorder with 120 GB Hard Drive Recording
Very Nice Machine
I read through all the reviews on here and other websites.  I wanted a Panasonic since my VCR, which I got in the 80's is still working well. I did all the stuff it said to do and I had a few problems in the beginning.  However, it has made up for the minor issues I had in the beginning for what it is capable of.  I got some help by reading the reviews here on some of the operations. Some good hints: <br /> <br />Turn off the TV guide so it doesn't appear as soon as the machine boots up.  I think this was causing a problem and since it tended to freeze before I did this.  You can still active the TV guide by pressing the \\"TV guide\\" button on the remote. <br /> <br />Go into setup to make sure you can copy in the high speed mode.  Another reviewer explained it very well so I won't repeat it here. <br /> <br />While it says that it can't record on spindle disks I have had luck in recording on them.  You have to be careful that you do not bend the disk at all before recording on it.  I made the mistake of recording on the disk and then wrote on the disk what it was.  When I put it back into the machine to write a name of the disk the machine freezed up.  It did allow me to finalize it.  Lesson: If you are recording on a disk, record and finalize in the same step.  Don't write on the disk until it's finalized. <br /> <br />I get great quality at the EP mode (6 hours) and have been able to play it on my Sony Playstation and my Sony DVD player. <br /> <br />I just bought a Panasonic DMR E10S for my living room.  This way I can record programs on a DVD-ram and view them in the living room and then record over them.