0ur opinion:

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The Panasonic DMR-EZ48VK DVD recorder is capable of receiving both digital and analog broadcasts. Even when digital signals drop out because of interference with direct signal access, which makes the picture either disappear or become filled with block noise, the Digital Tuner still produces a beautiful picture. Just slip the SD card into the slot or use the cable to connect the camera to the USB terminal, and you're ready to enjoy a spectacular big-screen slideshow with family and friends. You can even listen to music recorded onto a USB device while viewing your photos. Connect your Panasonic DVD recorder to a flat-panel HDTV via an HDMl cable and the TV channel setting information is automatically downloaded to the recorder. 0nce the Auto Preset Download is complete, the DVD recorder will keep whichever TV channel you're watching as its receiving channel. This means you can record the program you're watching by just pressing the Record button on the VlERA remote. With VlERALink, you don't have to worry about setting the recorder to the right channel every time you want to record something. Frequently used buttons, such as Power and 0pen/Close, are located at the top of the main unit (this makes them easier to see when the unit is placed in a rack, where you need to look down when operating it). SD lmage File Format - JPEG conforming DCF lmage File Number of Pixels - 34 x 34 to 6,144 x 4096 lnputs and 0utputs - 2x LlNE (pin jack) Analog Audio (2 Ch) lnput, 2x Line (pin jack) Video ln, DV lnput Terminal, 2x S Connector S-Video ln, Built-in SD Card Slot, 1x LlNE (pin jack) 2ch Audio 0ut, Component Video 0ut (Y, PB, PR) 1080i/720p/480p/480i, 1x S Connector S-Video 0utputs, and 0ptical Digital Audio 0ut (Dolby Digital, DTS, and PCM), 2x LlNE (pin jack) Video 0ut Dimensions - Height 3-5/16 x Width 16-15/16 x Depth 13-5/8 Weight - 11.90 pounds








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Buyer's feedback: - * be aware of this ...
Be aware of something not spelled out clearly in the instructions: If you try to CHANGE ANYTHING WHILE IT IS ALREADY RECORDING - it will lock up and you may spend hours [like I did] trying to figure out how to re-set it. I was nearly convinced that mine was permanently broken until something [I don't know what] finally worked on the third day of trying.
So, beware, there is no turning back once the recording starts.
Also, if the power goes off, you may get a reading that your disk needs to be reformatted...if you do, it will erase whatever you have recorded. If you just open the tray and re-insert, it should be fine. [It is clearly spelled out in the manual that if you want to use the same disk in an other machine, it may or may not work, and you WILL need to format first.]
Overall, I rate this machine as finicky. Perhaps they all are and I just don't know about it. All I had ever recorded with in the past was a VCR and it was a workhorse of a machine compared to this.
Be prepared to exercise patience when using this piece of equipment - read the manual front to back - it's not very intuitive.

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Buyer's feedback: - DVD VCR Combo
I have the EZ475VK and I love it. Fully expect that this model will be just as good.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Not worth the money or hassle. ...
I've got a great new 1080p HD TV, a decent surround stereo set-up, and an HD cable box with DVR. But the DVR was running out of space, and I wanted to save some of the shows and movies I recorded. So, basically I wanted a unit that could record from my cable box/DVR, but I also wanted a unit that could upconvert DVDs to 1080p to take advantage of the new TV -- and convert old VCR tapes to DVD. After a lot of reading and research, I bought this one.

First, the unit has an HDMI out, which is great. However, for some reason, Panasonic recommends that if you connect the unit to a TV (or stereo) using the HDMI, you also connect component cables, which sort of defeats the point of getting rid of cable clutter. Well, you don't need to; the playback works as supposed to without it. (And contrary to what the first tech rep told me, the VCR WILL playback over the HDMI cable if that's your only output.)

Depending on your stereo, you may find the lack of a digital coax audio out a bit frustrating; since my stereo has only digital coax for DVD input, and the unit has only digital optical, I need to run the audio through the HDMI to the TV, then run a digital cable from the TV to the stereo, so there's a slight time lag between sound and picture. If you output sound through the TV speakers this won't be a problem. (You could also hook up the digital optical to another input you're not using, like TAPE input, but then you don't get full audio features, at least on my stereo.)

A much bigger problem is the video input. There is no component input (let alone HDMI input). So, if you have Tivo'ed or DVR'ed an HD show, the best you can do is send it via S-video to the Panasonic recorder (then you need separate L/R analog audio cables as well). (If you don't have s-video, you can use the composite or RF, which is what..1970s technology?) I know DVD recorders can't record HD, but still, there's no reason to make us downgrade the signal that much. (I recorded to DVD+RW; they're cheaper then VCR tapes and much better, so why record to VCR?!)

That brings me to the DVD recording. Once you figure out the menus and system, it's pretty easy. BUT, after 1/2 hour on the phone with Panasonic tech support, even they couldn't explain why it was converting full-screen recordings (on my DVR) to letterbox format on the DVD. Turns out it just does this with HD channels; if you're recording digital (non-HD) then it doesn't do the letterbox trick. But that annoyance is making me look for a new unit.

That being said, it records double layer (DL) DVDs, which buys a lot of extra recording time without sacrificing quality. And the (nearly) one-touch VCR-DVD dubbing is nice (though I think all brands now have this). Unfortunately, so far the EZ48 does a lousy job of upconverting pre-recorded DVDs. It's 1080p upconversion of DVDs does not approach the quality or resolution of similar programming on native HD channels (in lower resolutions of 720p and 1080i).

I tried dubbing one VHS tape to DVD. It produced a horrible scratching sound, not present when I play the tape in my old Sony VHS machine. If you're going to buy a unit to convert VHS to DVD, it should play VHS tapes in better quality (the Sonys have 4-head units).

Finally, when I went to turn the unit off, it did -- then turned right back on. After 5 minutes of turning it off, watching it say "BYE" then watching it turn on again, I just unplugged the damn thing. Happened again today. Tech support was not particularly helpful with this one. (Then again, tech support also insisted the first time I called that the 4:3 TV settings were important, even though I have my unit outputting via HDMI to a 16:9 TV. At least today's tech support acknoweldged the woman yesterday was wrong.)

This unit definitely has some problems. So far, I haven't seen that it's worth the money to do what its competitors can do (most for less money) -- although few others can record to DL DVDs. So, looks like I'm biding time until someone comes out with a Blue-ray that records DVDs, has HDMI input for Tivos and DVRs and both digital optical and coax outputs, and turns off and stays off....

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Buyer's feedback: - Returned due to frequent lock-up
When it works, it is beautiful. The picture is great, the colors are very true, the tuner is extremely good, and it has a really nice zoom feature which will expand a letter-box screen to full-size without distortion.

If this machine were more reliable, it would be a hands-down keeper. Unfortunately, it is so prone to completely locking up that I lost all faith in in and returned it. The only way to recover from a lock-up is to unplug it and re-plug it back in and allow it to power back up. I missed too many scheduled recordings and so, sadly, gave it back. The lock-up problem seems to be an issue across all of Panasonic's latest recorders. I returned a DMR-EZ47 for the same reason. I had hoped the 48 would have fixed some of the problems, but no.

So now I have bought the Philip 3576 HD/DVD recorder which is simpler and much, much more reliable. Unfortunately, its colors are not as good and the various disk activities for DVD are maddeningly slow. But, it's probably about as good as there is right now.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Capable Unit ...
Upconversion is fine, individual functions are good. Not suitable for integration into a universal remote or control system due to non-discrete commands for sources (4 types) it is a toggle that sequences between VHS, DVD, Memory Card, and USB. There is currently no way to select one of the four, you have to cycle through. Hopefully they will come out with a firmware upgrade for this.