Re: I just bought a Panasonic DMR-EZ27 - anyone else?

On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:41:28 -0400, "Captain Midnight"
<Notany@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Les" <LESnospam@%%mon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:nd4uc35n29b9mfmfg698gr7bjoj6amqop8@xxxxxxxxxx
On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:45:41 GMT, xeaglecrest@xxxxxxx wrote:

Les wrote:

On Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:21:23 GMT, xeaglecrest@xxxxxxx wrote:

slaphappy13@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hello folks,

I finally made the leap from VHS to DVD recording yesterday &
picked
up the Panasonic DMR-EZ27 DVD recorder at Best Buy.

My purpose is to use the double layer discs to "archive" old VHS
tapes.
The rewritable discs I plan on using for just everyday taping of
cable TV shows.

The problem is, I cannot create any chapters. I believe it's because
I
finalized the the disc right after it was done recording.

Chapters are automatically recorded on +/- R/RW discs at preset
intervals
depending on the disc used. The manual has a list.

Not on mine either! Usually this is correct for most DVD recorders,
the Panasonic EZ27 doesn't do this and there is no option to allow it.
The manual states you can add chapters AFTER recording (obviously
before finalising) and it goes on to explain how you do this, but this
doesn't work either, even when followed word for word.

Hopefully it's something stupid, but if any one else knows how to add
chapters I'd also be keen to find out?

Page 18 & 31 of the Manual. Chapters can be added only to RAM discs.
Chapters are automatically added at a predetermined intervald to all
other discs.
-Bill


Managed to suss that out after messing around with the darn thing all
day. One down side already. The other was that sometimes copying your
own VHS archive flags up a copyright protection message and it stops
copying!!! The DV input is also very poor for copying from a VHS, it
keeps putting up a grey screen for a few seconds, which comes out in
the copy!

I got this to replace an old lite-on 3005 that done everything without
a fuss, and I'm starting to regret it.;



The Macrovision problem may be problems with the tape itsself and require
filtering. It'll only get worse. Some devices are more sensitive to it than
others though. The gray screen is probably the Macrovision too.

Nice looking item, easily installed and very promising with lots of
connection possibilities. I purchased this to record my old VHS/MiniDV
collection on to DVD, sadly it's not easy. The DV input keeps flashing
a grey screen on the recording every few, random moments. That's OK
I'll go for the Svhs connection then. Nope, that's no good either, it
flashes up random "copy protected" messages concerning my home made
video snaps, and stops recording! So finally I have the RCA inputs, ok
so it's only VHS so the quality shouldn't matter that much. That works
but you cannot put your own chapters in, for some obscure reason you
can only do that on RAM discs!! So now all I have is a DVD recorder
where all I can do is record a 3 hr tape in one hit and keeping my
fingers crossed tightly!! Horrible.
Finally the recorded DVDs seem to only come out in 4.3 which is a
nuisance.

I had a cheap Lite-On before and that was much easier and far less
hassle.

I contacted Panasonic about the problems and they basically said
sorry, that's the way it works.

The Freeview section and guide are excellent, making future timer
recordings very easy indeed. Well impressed with that side of it. You
can even switched the machine off and it remembers it's timer settings
days later.

I thought I'd go for a quality item this time as Lite-On are going
down the pan, and I have been bitten. In future I'll just buy cheap
and it wont hurt so much.

Very disappointed with this purchase from DABS but unfortunately the
returns procedure is so long winded it means I am stuck with it. It
wasn't available from Amazon at the time or I would have bought it
from them, as their returns service is a healthy 10/10.


digitalfaq.com

The chapter thing sounds like a good reason to use a PC.

I spent years messing around with PCs and video, real hard work. It
was a blessing when the standalone DVD recorder came, for simplicity
alone and I really don't want to go back.

Half DVD(352X480) is more than enough resolution for VCR tapes. Put 4 HRS on
a SL DVD. That's as much as I could stand to watch at one time :). The
premium to put them on DL isn't that great anymore but even less is known
about them for archival use. nomorecoasters.com brings up a page on
digitalfaq.com that discuses disc quality. I have Memorex SL DVDs, ~ 2years
old, that don't read in my new drive. Need to resurrect the old drive to see
if they're totally gone. Other brands I've used are fine, so far, but have
switched to Verbatim. Whatever is used keep backups.

I never realized that, must check my old DVDs. It makes sense I guess,
but having said that I'd have thought Memorex would be good!

Hard drive storage is
cheap enough now to use for backup, or use and the discs for backup. I have
a network media player that plays the files from a HDD just like they were a
disc(menus) but no handling. Kind of lessens the need for DL too.
YMMV

Just out of curiosity what would the current procedure be for putting
VHS onto HDD to use, and to archive?

Then again with DVDs you only lose 5gb or one film, with HDD you
could risk losing the lot so is it that good?
.

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