Early Adopters Pick: July 2003. This DVD recorder features the industry's largest included hard drive--120 GB.
The Panasonic DMR-E100HS not only records DVDs and holds more than 100 hours of audio/video programming in its built-in memory--it also boasts a built-in SD card slot for reading and writing MPEG2 and MPEG4 video. Now you can copy TV shows or archived video footage to portable media that will play in a laptop, camera, or other device. And guess what? This technological wonder is also a progressive-scan DVD player that's equipped to handle DVDs, CDs, and MP3-encoded discs.
The DMR-E100HS's 120 GB hard drive (HDD) provides up to 150 hours of recording time, plus you can write up to 6 hours of programming to removable 4.7 GB DVD-RAM discs (in Extended Play mode in each case), thanks to Panasonic's original Hybrid VBR (variable bit rate) technology. This puppy would seem to have written the book on flexibility, letting you play back recorded programs--from DVD-RAM or HDD--while watching another program on DVD-RAM or HDD (when, for instance, you wish to view and archive footage to tape at the same time), and you can play files from the hard drive while recording to another part of it (even at high bit rates). You get high-speed transfers (22 Mbps) to and from HDD to DVD-RAM, and a quick-record function that rapidly locates a blank section of disc to begin writing to.
In addition to recording new video content, the DMR-E100HS lets you transfer favorite VHS recordings to durable, space-saving discs. Personal movie libraries and family videos can be archived, preserved, and easily cataloged and accessed. Picture-enhancing technologies include 3D noise reduction, block noise reduction, and mosquito noise reduction. You can even perform simple non-linear video editing, such as rearranging the order of scenes, skipping over unwanted scenes, and creating custom playlists of favorite scenes on a disc.
DVD-RAM is perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple rerecordings, while DVD-R is widely regarded as the most widely compatible of the many DVD formats (great for sharing camcorder footage with loved ones). When recording to a DVD-RAM or DVD-R disc, a feature called relief recording automatically checks to see if there's enough remaining disc space to complete the recording. If there isn't, the unit will store the program on the hard disk (provided there's sufficient space there).
Inputs consist of one DV, three composite-video, three S-video, one RF input, and the SD card slot. The IEEE 1394 DV input lets you connect a compatible digital camcorder (via IEEE 1394 cable) and transfer home movies onto either the hard disk or to a DVD-RAM/DVD-R. To simplify navigation through the resulting recordings, a DV Auto Record feature generates a playlist for these transfers by creating a new chapter for every instance of "stop" or "pause" used in the original recording. Once the playlist has been created, it's easy to change the order and duration of the chapters, create new ones, and delete the ones you don't want using the on-screen menu.
For HDD recordings, the Direct Navigator lets you access recorded material from an onscreen menu that lists recording dates, times, channels, and titles. Finding and viewing recorded material is simple because there's no need to search, fast-forward, or rewind.
The PC card slot is compatible with standard PC card, SD memory card, CompactFlash card, MultiMediaCard, Smart Media card, and Memory Stick. Other features include two-channel Dolby Digital audio recording, bilingual recording, commercial skip, Advanced Surround (simulated surround sound from two speakers), Cinema Mode, and a built-in time-base corrector that delivers highly stable, natural images.
1 Not perfect, but close. Making my own movie dvd's!
Wish it had a IEEE connector in the back. If my HD Receiver had IEEE output, I'd be inheaven. However...
I record from my Sony SAT300 Hi-def receiver. No, the Panasonic doesn't record in HD, but the digital pic via s-video makes for the BEST and CLEANEST recordings imaginable. It even records widescreen! Then I trim the beginning and end of fluff, and remove the commercials. Now I can make my own "edited for tv" movie dvd. It is frikken great!
Modes: XP ~ 10 mbit. Similar to Superbit-DVD.
SP ~ 5 Mbit. Pretty much the rate all DVD movies play.
Do the math. Record a 2 hour TV movie in XP (Best mode). After editing you have a 90 minute XP movie. Record to a DVD in FR (flex recording mode). The variable bit rate means your movie is about 6 Mbit. 25% better than the store bought DVD!
Also recorded lots of old family VHS to DVD, and mini-dv. Editing is great though there is no "undo", so be careful.
I can live with the little quirks about it. It lets me edit without relying on quirkier pc's!
2 dvd
i love this dvd recorder yes i really do i love this more than anything yes i do this is so cool yes it is i love this very very very much thankyou very much panasonic i love u too
3 Fantastic Product!
I have had this unit for about 6 months and I absolutely love it. I have successfully used it for the following:
- Setting up the HD to record TV shows like a TIVO without the monthly fee. For example, there are reruns on every weekday afternoon of an old show I like and I have set up my unit to record from the same channel at the same time every weekday. I also automatically record Saturday Night Live every week while I am out. Although the DMR E100H is not able to control the channel switching of a cable box (for instance, you are away for a week and want to record 5 different programs which all come on at different times and on different channels), there is an easy work-around for this. Almost all cable boxes nowadays allow the user to separately program the cable box (with the remote usually) to switch channels according to a timed schedule for many weeks in advance. So once you have programmed the DMR E100H to record what you want it to and when, you must then program the cable box to channel switch with a corresponding schedule (the cable companies built this capability in originally to facilitate VCR recording of cable TV). This practice is not quite as easy as using a TIVO, but is still very simple to do (sounds more complicated than it is I am sure) and no monthly fee is necessary.
- Backing up VHS tapes onto DVD - I have transferred all my old VHS tapes to DVDs with great results. Clearly, you need a good VCR for this as well.
- Backing up DV tapes onto DVD - great for preserving home movies.
- High speed dubbing of HD content onto DVD. This is a fantastic feature, but this HD content must first have been recorded in "high speed DVD" mode (this must be manually switched on in the "Setup" menu - no reason to ever switch it off after this). For example, you may program your unit to record an HBO movie onto your HDD at a certain time. You can then edit slightly to trim off anything unwanted in the beginning and the end and then make as many DVD copies (in high quality - SP mode has been very impressive to my eye) as you wish at high speed. A two hour movie on your HD can be copied at high speed to a DVD-R and finalized in less than 20 minutes.
- Making copies of DVDs. Note that you will need another DVD player as the input, but I have been able to make excellent copies of existing DVDs (even copies of commercial DVDs can be made if you have certain available devices which counter copy protection - obviously such copies are illegal other than for personal use (acceptable under "fair use" laws).
- Looking at pictures I have taken with my digital camera on my big screen TV. I simply take out the compact flash card from my camera and plug it into the DMR E100H (I did need to buy a $10 adapter to do this - the compact flash card inserts into the adapter which mimics a PC card and is then inserted into the PC Card slot of the DMR E100H (SD cards can be inserted directly).
4 Great recorder, TERRIBLE DV features (no DVD dubbing)
The other reviews speak much of this great product so I will not duplicate their raves. It IS all that! My main problem, a problem without a "real world" solution, is that these units, BY FEDERAL LAW, are required to PREVENT DUBBING (copying) of ANY DVD to the Hard Drive (HDD), even if it was a PERSONAL DVD made by me with no copy protection technology.
Basically, if you put in a lot of DV video to the HDD, burn it to a DVD or DVD-RAM, then delete the HDD content to make room for new content, you cannot go back later on and make any copies of the DVD you made previously. You can't DUB it, nor can you play it to the HDD. You are FORCED to either pipe it in from the INPUTS with another DVD player at 1x speed (slow) or hook up the DV camera and play the DV tapes back into the machine all over again, as well as REBUILD the DETAILED menus and titles. A BIG WASTE of TIME!!!!!!!
With my primary uses, this is a RESTRICTION that I cannot live with and I returned this unit to Amazon. I now use the excellent PLEXTOR PX-712UF DVD Burner with my Toshiba notebook for all my DVD needs and it works FLAWLESSLY. I make a DVD, then later I make as many copies as I desire, most in less than 15 minutes. Just what I needed!
I really liked the DMR-E100HS and really tried to make it work. Panasonic is bound by the STUPID federal law and it is not their fault. If you don't need the DV functionality, then this unit is AMAZING!!!
Also, don't forget to TURN ON the HIGH SPEED DUBBING switch in the SETTINGS of the unit. Why this is not a DEFAULT is beyond me.
Sorry Amazon & Panasonic... this unit is coming back.
Robert
5 A Great Product
This is a fantastic machine. Menus and Remote Control very intuitive, great recorded quality. No Tivo charges, just set my own recording programs and it records every week. I'll never buy a VHS tape again.
6 massive hard drive, excellent reliability and easy editing
I bought this unit to archive old S-VHS tapes, VHS tapes and laserdiscs to DVD, and this it does admirably. I also bought it to time-shift weekly TV shows to HDD and at this, it is better than any S-VHS VCR I have owned (and I have owned a lot of high-end units). As others have mentioned, it cannot dub FROM its own DVD drive to the HDD, but how relevant is this since this is probably a second player/recorder for most purchasers? You will not be able to copy macrovision-protected DVDs or tapes either (without the appropriate third party copy enhancer box). But respecting macrovision copyguard is pretty much the rule on all consumer electronics in the US so this should not be "news" to anyone.
Yes, if you want to archive VHS tapes or DV tapes to DVD, you WILL need a device to play back the tapes (duh). I'm not exactly sure what the earlier reviewer was complaining about, with the "lack of firewire input" - the DMR-E100HS most certainly *does* have a firewire input, as well as 3 analog inputs (S-video and composite video on each). So if you have a digital camcorder, you will be able to plug your camcorder into the E100's firewire input and make a digital copy. Very few DVD/HDD recorders actually have firewire inputs (the new Panny E85, for example, does not have it, nor does the Pioneer DVR810), so if you are going to use your DVD recorder to convert DV camcorder tapes to DVD, then the E100 is an excellent choice.
Also, the SD card port is actually really cool - you can dub any material from DVD-RAM or from the hard drive directly onto a tiny Secure Digital (SD) card in MPEG (MPEG4) encoding so you can then import it directly into a PC from the card. The unit can also read images from SD cards, as well as PCMCIA cards, which is interesting, but less useful to me.
My only gripes (and they are minor) are that there is limited control over the DVD menu when finalizing a DVD-R (you get a user-selectable thumbnail for each video segment, which is nice, but you can't select a custom background for the menu - just one of a list of 8 stock backgrounds; and the text labeling is a bit awkward. Also, I have had some compatibility problems with off-brand DVD-R discs, though Panasonic, TDK, and even cheapo "Liquid Video" blank DVD-Rs have worked fine. Plus both Panasonic and the cheaper Optodisc DVD-RAMs work great in this unit.
I love that you can use a double-sided DVD-RAM in a cartridge to fit twice as much material on the disc than you ever could on traditional DVD-R (yes, you DO have to switch sides if you use double-sided media). I send my sister in Germany copies of several US shows and this unit allows me to put 10 episodes of a one hour show on a single double-sided DVD-RAM disc at actually very acceptable quality (one hour shows end up about 43 minutes long after editing our commercials).
Speaking of editing... editing out commercials, or editing home made video segments is a breeze on this unit. Mark the start point, mark the end point, click twice and you're done.
As a demanding videophile with an extremely high resolution monitor (Loewe 38" HDTV-cable widescreen monitor) and a penchant for recording a lot of TV, I have to say I've been quite happy owning this unit for the past 8 months. Picture quality in XP and SP modes are better than S-VHS without the annoying tape glitches that can happen. And the unit has a "flexible recording" mode that can squeeze the absolute highest quality out of the available space on a blank DVD. It's not perfect, but it's among the cream of the crop of DVD/HDD recorders on the market today. If you buy one... you won't be disappointed.
7 How did Panasonic screw this one up?
The unit is well made. The hard drive idea is great!! It only works with DVD-R disks and DVD RAM disks which kind of stinks, but hey, I can live with that. So how did Panasonic screw this one up to make it essentially worthless to me? Well, read on...
The primary reason I bought this, and missed this nuance in the reviews/descriptions was that I wanted to time shift rented DVDs. I thought I would be able to back up a limited number of DVDs to the hard drive, watch them, and then delete them later to record another movie etc. I didn't want to buy a DVD burner and have tons of DVD media hanging around, and the integrated hard drive seemed like just the ticket.
Panasonic, in all their brilliance, blocked it. You cannot copy a DVD, copy protected or not, to the hard drive unless it is a DVD-RAM disk. I can understand not allowing someone to copy protected material to another DVD, but to block it from copying to the hard drive makes the unit a dust collector. I went out and bought a DVD burner and use DVD+/-RW for time shifting my viewing now.
Another negative is that Panasonic made it so the thing won't even play any DVD with a + in it. DVD +R or DVD +R/W, both of which work dandy on my other DVD player and in my comupter. So I have to have a separate DVD player to read DVD +Rs I burn with my DVD Burner. Lamo. I can't even use the thing as an expensive DVD player.
This unit is just plain not worth the money unless you have a ton of VHS or taped material you want to move to DVD or if you are into video recording and want to copy that material to DVD. That it does well. You can also record unprotected DVD material through the analog inputs and edit it. And finally, you can use it to record TV shows to the hard drive or DVD, but I already had Replay TV which does a much better job of that.
So, the lack of being able to send a DVD movie to the Hard Drive drops this puppy to 2 stars.
8 WOW!!! BEST PURCHASE I HAVE EVER MADE!!!!
I just bought this thing from Amazon and all I can say is WOW!!!!
This is probably the best purchase I have ever made. This thing is everything I ever expected and more!! It's easy to use as well - even my wife can operate it!
I have to say, everyone out there who is thinking of buying this, stop thinking. I bought it and I am extremely happy with it the moment I powered this thing on. YOU ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS PURCHASE! I GUARANTEE IT!!!
9 An updated review
OK, the manual is pretty dreadful, but once you succeed in translating it, you've got the best of the crop of the current DVD recorders. It enables you to do just about everything you'd want to -- with one irritating exception. In an effort to kow-tow to the Hollywood interests, Panasonic deliberately prevented dubbing DVD disks to the unit's Hard Drive. That's a significant nuisance, because it prevents the perfectly legal transfer of ones own DVD content. (To do that, you'll have to use a computer and DVD drive.) But you can dub back and forth from DVD RAM disks -- an excellent media -- and, of course, you can create DVD-R disks.
It's easy to transfer Camcorder tapes (via either the unit's Firewire or analog inputs) though editing them is limited to fairly basic possibilities.
Overall quality of video is excellent, and (once you surmount that manual) the unit is easy enough to operate. Now go bury that VHS recorder (once you've transferred all your tapes, of course.)
Update -- one year later. No buyers-remorse whatsoever and the (noted) small shortcomings remain small and the pluses get larger.
This has become an indispensable unit in our house! If you watch (and archive) favorite TV shows, you can (fairly) easily strip them of commercials and enjoy them without annoyance. Makes ALL the difference! "Desperate Housewives" shrinks from an hour to 42 smooth minutes.
This one WORKS!
10 Panasonic DMR-E100HS
I purchased the E100HS primarily to archive many years of vacation videos. I decided I needed a large hard disk drive to do all the necessary editing before writing them to DVD. All in all, it works as I had hoped.
However, I am gradually starting to use it as a VCR, as well, time shifting TV programs, even viewing the beginning of a program before the end has been recorded. Picture quality for this is great and it's nice to know that if I really like the program, it can be stored on a DVD with or without editing.
I am disappointed that the Panasonic DMR-E100HS doesn't have a Firewire input so that my newer digital videos must be copied with an S cable. There is a noticable loss of quality (to me, anyway) from the original digital tape, even when recorded at best quality (XP). I have been recording all my archived videos at XP to assure no loss of quality, but this speed allows only one hour per DVD, which adds up to lots of disks. Even at this speed, the DVD does not quite match the digital original.
Some small gripes: the on-screen counter to indicate the lengths of video segments stored on the hard disk displays length only in minutes. When you are trying to fit lots of separate video segments on a disk, one-minute intervals are not nearly precise enough.
Also, the menus that you can create for your DVDs scrunch up the titles into little rectangular boxes that cut off words in each title, turning them into nonsense. What would it have taken to format the titles into lines instead of boxes?
FInally,there is the price.
But, overall, I am very happy with this product.
By the way, I originally bought the E80, which has a smaller hard disk, but I had to return it when something went terribly wrong and it began to write garbled copies to my DVD blanks just a week after it arrived. The E100 has been completely reliable.
11 Product Info is misleading
I bought this unit based on information ...., which states the DMR E100HS's ability to read images and video from analog VHS, DV connections, SD or microdrives etc...however all is not true, which I would have known sooner, if I had downloaded the manual.
Basically the only way it can read MPEG4 videos on SD [not pc cards]is when the unit has actually written the file itself. It can only read JPEG-TIFF stills from pc or SD cards. The only way to import any video into the HHD for editing is by connecting VHS, S-VHS, or a direct feed from your digital camera, or TV.
The unit it easy to work, and does a nice job with the DVD's from VHS. You can also hook it up to your TV and record shows onto the HD.
However, I would advise anyone interested in this unit to download the manual and read carefully so you undestand it's limitaions BEFORE you spend the money.
12 Pros & cons
Pros
- Good compression quality in real time
- Burn upto 6 hours of video on one DVD-R
- Fast forward upto 100x while diving and shorting programs
- DVD-R has good compatibility with all of my DVD players
Cons
- Cannot record date/time information with DV connection
- Cannot dubbing finalized DVD back to HDD to burn more copies
- Cannot play DVD+R and DVD+RW (I couldn't play them on other players either)
13 So far so good ....
Just as expected. Works great and I found the manual to
this quite complex machine easy to understand.
Just a few observations:
1. It is not in the spec but the unit DOES have an RF
output. BUT, you cant get DVD playback through there!
2. Since Panasonic VCRs have automatic advert removal I
assumed "cm skip" on this machine would do the same.
It doesn't. I just skips forward one minute.
A great machine.
14 Don't let the other reviews scare you!!
This Piece of equipment is excellent. The manual is only difficult in the details. You have to do a little cross referencing to find specifics, but it's not that bad. Don't let the other reviews scare you. Set-up is a breeze and you can be recording dvd-rs almost immediately. The picture quality is excellent and it's so great to do all the burning in real time or faster (high speed dubbing is one of the items you need to dig in the manual for). This is so much better than burning discs on a mac or pc. No problems with out of synch audio or discs that won't burn properly. Get this item. You won't regret it!
15 Why didn't someone invent this Sooner?
This machine just made all my other 4 VHS Recorders obsolete! I have Satellite-Dish, Cable-TV, 1 security videocameras, and my Sony DV Portable Rec/Player connected full-time to this machine! And it works like magic. Everything is a snap, if you follow my advise: Download the User-Manual in advance, and start reading it so you know how to handle the machine the moment it arrives at your home.
I did that, and using high-light markers, I've converted the nerd-like Manual into a very useful one.
Why didn't someone invent this machine in the 80's or 90's? I am in the process to dub a lot of Betamax tapes onto DVD. I also recommend to put a UPS-Power Supply on this machine, so if any power-blackout occurs, your contents are protected.
I think, we should be grateful to Panasonic, that they did NOT get into bed with that awful "Tivo" platform. If you can setup a Satellite dish yourself... then the setup for this Panasonic machine will be no more difficult.
Now, after exactly 1 week, even my wife can already handle the time-shift recording, entering title, cutting out commercials, and 'managing' the program files on the HardDisk.
Again: Download the User Manual, and read it thorougly BEFORE you purchase the machine. You will then understand it completely.
16 Compatible with 1-4x DVD-R and 1-3x DVD-RAM!!
Not only does this unit play all 5 DVD formats (DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM) but it also supports 1-4x DVD-R media and 1-3x DVD-RAM media!! This means that you can high-speed dub onto DVD-R at 4x and DVD-RAM at 3x!! I've been running this unit for a month now without any problems. If you can tolerate the high price than this unit is the one to get. Otherwise I would suggest the Panasonic DMR-E80H but it won't play back those DVD+R/RW discs nor will you obtain the 4x DVD-R speeds or 3x DVD-RAM speeds but the price is a lot cheaper.
17 Horrible
I'm 17 years old, I've never been so confused with technology. It makes me feel like a 90-year-old man! This thing is unuseable, the manual might as well be a manual for a microwave oven because it doesnt help AT ALL. It's impossible to figure out how to get the recording from the HDD to the DVD and it deleted what I told it to save and saved what I told it to delete..... This product is pure electronic EVIL!!!
18 DMR-E100HS and DV recording
The images the unit records onto its hard drive are very good. The commercial skip function is great, the manual is poor. I purchased this unit to make DVDs out of both 8mm and DV video tape. I have a first generation Canon Elura and the DMR-E100HS
does not recognize the machine - even though the recorded images are seen on the TV. The poorly written manual does state in small print that DV Auto Recording may not work with all equipment. My computer has no problem finding my Canon.
19 Great product! and love it!!
I haven't found the usability so difficult, and rather found it easy to use.
Initially, I really loved this unit.
Then, about 3 months later, it started having trouble, and hasn't worked right since. Despite a month at the "factory authorized" service center (over half-hour away!! and only open inconvenient hours), it still doesn't work right. It won't even record at all now. I am bringing my device for the 4th time tomorrow. So right now I have a _really_ expensive box that worth less than my VCR...
I've read a lot of other positive reviews, but I wish I'd never bought this thing now.
Changing from 4 star to 1 star...
20 Poor Manuals
i can only confirm, what other reviewers already said. Very poor manuals. I consider myself an Audio/Video expert, but the set-up was horrible. I "upgraded" from the Philips 985, which was a piece of cake in usage... but so far i have come to a lot of frustration. I guess i need many more hours to figure this thing out.
21 Cannot Dub from the Disc!!!
I agree with all the great things that everyone has been saying about the unit, but If you are looking forward to copying some of your own DVD to the HDD, you better think twice.
Almost at the end of a poorly written operating instructions manual, there is a small little line that says "Cannot Dub from the Disc" this should be in bold letter on the top of the box. instead the hide it in the back of the manual.
I ending up hooking my old sony DVD to the AVin, and that did the trick, so I hope this help those of you who are looking for the function that does not exist in this unit.
22 A lot of promise but no delivery
After a lot of reading, and especially because of the premium price for this recorder, I slowly committed to purchasing it. Now I can confirm another reviewer's comment about the poorly written manual and can add that Panasonic support is equally poor. It took the company 5 days to acknowledge my email requesting help with connecting the unit to a satellite receiver and answering basic questions about set-up. After 5 days of waiting all I have is an acknowledgment of my email but no answers to my simple questions. I've had this expensive recorder for 2 weeks now and can't even watch a DVD video on it. If you plan to connect this equipment to a satellite receiver, you might want to reconsider.
23 Great product, lousy manual
This is a feature-packed DVD recorder, and an excellent reason to retire your VCR. It's your only choice if you're looking for the ability to record to DVD coupled with Firewire input and a hard disk (to store and edit material). If you plan to do sophisticated editing, you'll be better off using PC or Mac-based DVD recording. But if you want the convenience of a dedicated set-top box that won't crash in the middle of a recording, this is the best choice for you.
However, if you don't already have a working knowledge of all the options and features available (various types of video filtering, setting up DVD menus, etc.), the manual and user interface are utterly cryptic. Many features and topics aren't even mentioned in the manual once.
If you want to do anything more sophisticated than using it like a VCR, plan on some trial and error (and plan on making a few coasters with your blank DVD-R media).
