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Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder with DV Input
By: Panasonic Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 134
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 On: 2008-09-08
Ive owned several DVD recorders, (Sony, LG) and have had problems with all of them except the Panasonic DMR-ES15S. In fact, I have been so satisfied with its performance that I presently own 3 of them. The last one I purchased was well after Panasonic had upgraded its dvd recorders to a newer model. I patiently searched on line until I was able to purchase another DMR-ES15S. It may not have the most attractive design, however if you are looking for reliable & dependable dvd recorder, I dont think there is a better dvd recorder on the market. And the DMR-ESA5S capability to record in DVD-RAM, sets it head and shoulders above its competitors. Great product, you cant go wrong with this purchase.
 On: 2008-09-08
Had this unit for over 2 years now, its been good to me, with the exception of one "U61" error, which forced me to take in for repairs.
I was not pleased.
But, overall, it has worked great. The price is a bit prohibitive nowadays though- if you look around here on Amazon, or other sites like newegg etc, you can see more advanced units for much less- ones that upconvert regular DVDs to more HDish quality, etc.
Overall, I am very pleased with the unit I bought, but Im looking to move onto something a bit newer (but still cheaper than Blu-ray, because Im a big cheapo still), and you might consider doing the same.
On: 2008-08-18
had it for a while now, recorded more dvd music vidoes that i can count
paid for itself months ago. i bought this for one purpose, to save any
video and audio that i feed into it, i cant say about the features i only
use record. play . stop .and finalize done.
 On: 2008-07-28
There is not a lot to add to what others have said about this unit, except to let anyone know buying this unit that there are a lot of units failing out there. I liked the unit, but it only lasted about 18 months. I got the U61 failure code and it is a physical failure of the DVD unit. You can put it into Google with the model DMR-ES15 (or other Panasonic models)to understand more about the problem. If you are happy paying the going price for a DVD recorder with nice features, but having it last only about 18 months then buy it. Do not buy the unit thinking that it is an isolated problem.
 On: 2008-07-26
I was very surprised at how quickly we started having serious problems with this DVD recorder/player. It is currently in the recycling heap. Too bad, we have always had great luck with Panasonic products.
On: 2008-07-24
DO NOT BUY THIS UNIT! I had one to quit working after a week, one to quit after 3 weeks and one to quit after 5 months. This model is not made to last. Each time it made the same sound and after that it would not read a disc.
On: 2008-06-01
OK, this probably will not save many people at this point since this unit has been surpassed by newer models. I am now frightened to even consider a Panasonic DVD Recorder. I purchased this unit and let it sit unopened for about six months due to other priorities in my life....major mistake. I started using it in October of last year (2007). It performed reasonably well I thought - a couple of minor issues but functionally it did what we wanted, which was to emulate our old VCR that we had disposed of (another Panasonic product BTW that lasted 10 years with no issues). In May of 2008 my wife indicate a code has come up on the display. I tried resetting the power and when that didnt work I did a Google of U61 and Panasonic DVD Recorder - I advise you to do the same. The issue is rampant across several Panasonic models. Also there is a U99 error that seems prevalent on certain units as well. Cost to buy this unit for me was about $120 plus shipping on sale. Cost to fix? Way over $200....what to do? Well, I guess the VCR is an option but it is ridiculous that a unit only lasted about 8 months and probably only made 40 recordings during that entire time. Bottom line is that I will be looking for a different manufacturer to replace this unit and I am terribly disappointed that Panasonic did not either recall or warranty this particular problem or at least offer an acceptable repair rate for something that is obviously flawed.
On: 2008-05-30
After the first problem (error U66 and U88) I have with this DVD it didnt recorder again on the same DVD-/+RW I had to use a new DVD-/+RW every time.
Now I cant use the DVD anymore I get the error U61 over and over and the technical support told me to send the DVD for an evaluation which costs $52.50 1/3 of what I paid on it. Besides I have to send it to Illinois and Im in Austin. Thats just ridiculous!!!
If you have it already good luck!!! If you dont have it dont waste your money!!!
On: 2008-04-29
Panasonic DMR-ES15 has great features. But if the unit stops working
after just a few months of use, then what good is that ? And I bought
this unit brand new.
If youre thinking of buying a Panasonic DVD recorder, do yourself a favor and search the internet for this "U61" error on Panasonic
DVD recorders so you can get an idea of just how many people have
experienced this problem. It appears its only a matter of WHEN the
DVD recorder will fail, not IF.
I researched this unit, but having owned other Panasonic products
in the past, I foolishly focused on its features.
On: 2008-04-27
After transferring 600 VCR tapes to DVDs this machine cant wait for more work. The copies it produces are fantastic, 4 and 6 hour speeds will surprise you in a very good way. The ease of use is very friendly,and it doesnt matter what format you are playing back on this unit, it embraces them all happily.I bought another ES15S so as to have in reserve and to double up on copies of years of family made VHS tapes to share. It remains cool, a bit slow to open its dvd drawer, but I will gladly wait another 10 seconds for what this machine does for my collection and playing bought or rented new DVD movies. Using component connections to my HD tv inproves the clarity and resolution at least 40% more, so playback is in the same league as recording. I have VCRs that are 24 years old made by Panasonic, with years of proper care and cleaning, they are feeding in HiFi to the ES15s which is proving again,Pansonics are made like tanks and the technology which goes into their products like the ES15s are in the same class and innovative progression as any high end elctronic manufacturers. Buy this machine,buy 2, it is a winner. Mike Kasten, Los Lunas New Mexico.
On: 2008-04-18
I bought this hunk a junk 1yr and 13 days ago. When I first bought it I thought I would really put it to use. Turns out that I barely used it at all. I bought a PS3 about the same time and watch HD movies more than anything. I used the panasonic to burn some shows on a RAM disc about 12 to 15 times. I rarely used it to watch movies. All together It maybe burned 20 shows and movies from tv and played about 10 movies. 13 DAYS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IT STOPPED READING THE DISCS!!! Now I know electronics fail now and then, thats not my problem. My problem is that Panaonic wont budge an inch on he 13 days over the warranty. I have DVD players that are 5 yrs. old and are still going strong. This thing was mildy used and took a dump. VERY DISAPPOINTED! I DO NOT RECOMMEND!
On: 2008-04-11
My first Panasonic DVD recorder was the DMR-30. I was able to record over 2000 DVDs before it died. The editing feature was also good. My second DVD recorder was this model. It unfortunately did not last half as long before breaking. It also had an editing feature. When I tried to buy another Panasonic DVD recorder I found that all of the current models had no editing mode which makes it worthless if you want to eliminate commercials from a recording. So I bought another recorder that was the same model as my old one at a greatly reduced price. I only gave it 4 stars because it does not have what it needs to record programs when that February 2009 eliminates analog broadcasts. I am hoping that it will work with my cable which is digital. I also gave it 4 stars because I dont know how long it will last. Using the features may seem daunting but once you figure out how to do it, it is really easy. This comes from a very technically challenged female.
On: 2008-03-30
Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD. I bought this DVD Recorder to replace my Phillips DVD recorder which gave me enless problems.I bought this product based on the good review customers gave it. The set up was easy and the recording is excellent. This product is much, much better than the Phillips I discarded. Tyrone.
On: 2008-03-28
This unit makes very clear recordings.
We use it in LP mode to record 2 separate subjects on one disk.
Sold to me without the remote control, however any Panasonic
Recorder remote works with it.
On: 2008-03-14
I gave this unit two stars because I feel it is just barely adequate. After having just "lost" four hours of recorded programs (the last four episodes of Survivor) because the damn thing decided it wanted to "unformat" the DVD disc, I felt I had to let others know. This is not the first time this has happened. Obviously it cannot be depended upon. Further, it really is not user friendly with easy to understand options presented to make it function. All in all I would not buy this unit again, nor recommend it to others, and am unlikely to replace it with another Panasonic DVD recorder.
On: 2008-02-23
After reading the negative reviews, I was somewhat cautious about buying this machine. However, I recently acquired a DVR and wanted to save my recordings, and I was hoping for an inexpensive, but quality product.
The Panasonic DMR-ES15S filled my bill. It installed easily and works smoothly. The instructions were easy to understand, and within 5 minutes I was storing my shows. I felt like the on-screen prompts were somewhat simplified... I thought pretty much idiot proof, and it alerts you when you are about to delete or permanently store a DVD. I feel like an added bonus is that it will also format your DVDs to the desired format (you dont have to pick and choose, it will just do it upon waiting for your prompt), and finalizing the disk will let your DVD play on most machines. That saves you the problems about worrying if this machine only works with DVD-R, or DVD+R formats.
Ive found little difference in video quality between the recording modes: 1, 2, 4, and 8 hours. I personally record most everything on 4 hour, and the playback quality is exceptional. Ive recorded over 200 hours of programming now and have had no problems, and I learn a few more "bells and whistles" about this machine as I go. Simple things like: Changing the thumbnail on your presentation menu. Dont worry, this is an extra, and you dont need to do anything about it for this machine to perform for you.
The ONLY problem I had with this machine was within the first 5-6 recordings. Every 5-6 minutes or so, I would see a quick blue flash on the playback. If I had saved my recordings, I probably would have re-recorded them. However, after the first few times, this annoyance quit, and Ive had no problems since.
Ive also found out that this machine will serve as I slide projector for JPEGs and play internet movies, too, but the drives runs continuously (it howls!), so I dont do this very often.
On: 2008-02-23
This is absolutely the worst video equipment of any kind that I have ever purchased. This recorder lasted exactly three(3) months before it stopped functioning altogether.
Firstly, the discs I recorded on this recorder were not recognized by any of the six(6) other DVD players I tried them on. To make matters worse, this recorder didnt eveven recognize the discs it recorded. Store bought DVDs were a no-go as well. When I attempted to play theses DVD movies, the machine would make a grinding sound, and the display would say, "No Disc".
As I was still on warranty, I sent the recorder to Panasonic for repairs...and the downward spiral continues: They have had my recorder now for THREE MONTHS. Thats right, THREE(3) MONTHS and they cant tell me ANYTHING other than it is at their facility WAITING to be repaired! Stay away from Panasonic; its a bad deal all the way around.
On: 2008-02-16
On screen menu not very user friendly.
Functions take a long time to program.
Unit freezes up sometimes(while programng or ejcecting discs)
and you have to unplug it for the functions to reset.
I think its a tempermental product.
Discs sometimes dont play on other machines
even if "finalized" correctly.
Not really pleased with this purchase.
Picture quality is very good however.
On: 2008-02-13
Hmmmmmm, because Im far better at ordering than reviewing, I cant remember how long Ive had my Panasonic, but probably more than a year. The first thing I do when Im forced into upgrading an electronic device is grab some coffee, sit with the instruction manual, take an Advil when the inevitible headache overwhelms me, and wish someone would invent something that does what I want, rather than what I tell it to do. This Panasonic does that! This is the easiest new piece of electronic gadgetry Ive probably ever purchased. I, dumber than the proverbial hairball about all things electronic, went from 0 to 120 MPH in less than five minutes with this DVR. If it breaks, Ill probably buy another Panasonic because it works just like I want it to work. What more could I hope for?
On: 2008-02-13
I agree with some of the more negative reviews of this machine. I have had the machine for about a year and my experience is similar to some of the horror stories in the other reviews. This machine has worked well when it has worked. But it is far to hit-or-miss. I do a lot of recording. I use this unit for recording only, so that is what I will comment on.
Very often, after something was recorded, the machine will refuse to write the title and/or will not finalize the newly recorded disc. At first, I thought it simply balked at certain brands of blank DVDs. But I have a Panasonic ES-10, which has consistently processed the same disc, rejected by the ES-15, without any problems. It particularly disliked TDK and Memorex. Sony--across the board, on DVD recorders and in PC burners--have worked well. But this ES-15 even choked on Sony discs. Sometimes, the machine would reject a disc outright (determining that the disc was "unsupported") after inserting a blank disc for recording. And this behavior was NOT brand specific. I tried reinserting the disc, but this did not work. As I found with finalizing discs, I have put a supposed "unsupported" disc into the older ES-10 and it worked just fine.
The bottom line is that I would NOT recommend this machine to anyone. There are probably better ones out there now, although I have had VERY good performance from a so-called "lesser" Panasonic machine--the ES-10.
On: 2008-02-02
This thing is probably the worst DVD recorder Ive ever had. It works, but thats about it. The interfaces are all horrid, the remote, and the menuing system. I cant say how hard it was to navigate the menus. And what, no eject button on the remote -- unforgivable! The video was horrible, and the DVD-R discs were not compatible with all my standard players. Also, I got bars on the sides of the video I was recording and couldnt get rid of them no matter what I did. Im guessing that the HDMI output told the unit it was 16:9 and so the DVDs were ALL recorded with this buffer (left and right bars), and it didnt matter that the input was 4:3 or 16:9. Also in case youre wondering, I had the bars even playing the discs on a standard 4:3 system (both DVD player and TV). We gotta start getting the word out on these DVD recorders, they all seem to have problems and this one definately does. Can I give it -0- stars?
On: 2008-01-26
I have three of these, I wanted to have all of them compatible with each other and out of the three one has died, completely and the other two are giving me a great deal of trouble. I purchased all three at different department stores, Sears best buy and circuit city and I can say there is no prejudice when it comes to retailers these panasonic dvd recorders are bad across all of them. I was told by Sears employee that they are so bad that they stopped carrying them. This particular model stopped recognizing its own discs that it recorded itself! Thats how the problems start and from there they get progressively worse. I have had a drive replaced in my number two model and the one in my number three model died, if your are counting thats three bad drives, The Circuit city repair bill for Third was over $500, thats right FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS! I didnt even pay that much for the drive itself! Thank God for the extended warranty. When I explained to the clerk that I would like a replacement he said they wont allow it for these models, due to numerous problems. I knew I should have paid more and gotten the Pioneer. Well you live and you learn.
On: 2008-01-10
Although I have not used this product alot, I have had no issues with it and it seems to function very well. It looks nice and records how I expected it would.
On: 2008-01-10
Bought this unit almost a year ago. Had all the features I wanted and it worked great for about four months. Then it started ruining DVDs while burning them. Repairs were covered under warranty but had to wait about a week for parts. The problem (as I understand it) was in the circuit board that controls the drive.
Time passes...about four months. And the exact same problem arises again. Still covered under warranty and have to wait again about a week for parts.
That was almost four months ago. So guess what the unit started to do today? I think I have one week left under warranty protection.
In summary, unit will have had the exact same three major problems in a year and ruined dozens of disks and lost countless recorded programs.
In four months, I expect the fourth problem incidence will occur then this unit will be heading for the trash heap. Lemons like this unit greatly contribute to the problem of being a "throw-away society."
On: 2008-01-09
Bought this unit almost a year ago. Had all the features I wanted and it worked great for about four months. Then it started ruining DVDs while burning them. Repairs were covered under warranty but had to wait about a week for parts. The problem (as I understand it) was in the circuit board that controls the drive.
Time passes...about four months. And the exact same problem arises again. Still covered under warranty and have to wait again about a week for parts.
That was almost four months ago. So guess what the unit started to do today? I think I have one week left under warranty protection.
In summary, unit will have had the exact same three major problems in a year and ruined dozens of disks and lost countless recorded programs.
In four months, I expect the fourth problem incidence will occur then this unit will be heading for the trash heap. Lemons like this unit greatly contribute to the problem of being a "throw-away society."
On: 2007-12-17
I purchased the ES-15, loved the features, but I do expect the thing to actually last past nine months. It started with some funky, chunky sounding noises. When Id put in a disc, newly blank, one to add to, or a finalized one, it actually sounded like it was eating the disc. Similar to that grinding sound a vcr makes when it eats a tape. I wound up throwing about 10 discs that it randomly corrupted. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didnt. Then, it finally just got worse and died completely. Off to the authorized service center. Quick fix, right? Oh, heck, no.
After an extremely long run around with Panasonic about taking the recorder to an authorized service center (found the info on their website) and finding out that, of course, youre not supposed to do that, send it directly to Panasonic instead. Why would they put information like that on their website? That might help their consumers. So, its in the shop for 3 months. Panasonic gave up on repairing the POS and offered to replace it with the ES-17. Thanks a lot. (thats sarcasm in there).
ES-17 has been stripped of the features that were so great about the ES-15. And, less than 6 months later, the same problems are happening. Im currently researching other manufacturers and will certainly NEVER buy any Panasonic products again, not just the DVD-Recorders.
On: 2007-12-16
I purchased the ES-15, loved the features, but I do expect the thing to actually last past nine months. It started with some funky, chunky sounding noises. When Id put in a disc, newly blank, one to add to, or a finalized one, it actually sounded like it was eating the disc. Similar to that grinding sound a vcr makes when it eats a tape. I wound up throwing about 10 discs that it randomly corrupted. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didnt. Then, it finally just got worse and died completely. Off to the authorized service center. Quick fix, right? Oh, heck, no.
After an extremely long run around with Panasonic about taking the recorder to an authorized service center (found the info on their website) and finding out that, of course, youre not supposed to do that, send it directly to Panasonic instead. Why would they put information like that on their website? That might help their consumers. So, its in the shop for 3 months. Panasonic gave up on repairing the POS and offered to replace it with the ES-17. Thanks a lot. (thats sarcasm in there).
ES-17 has been stripped of the features that were so great about the ES-15. And, less than 6 months later, the same problems are happening. Im currently researching other manufacturers and will certainly NEVER buy any Panasonic products again, not just the DVD-Recorders.
On: 2007-12-13
this is so easy to use and the price was really good we were really suprised at the ease of use
On: 2007-11-23
I used this unit for about 8 months and loved it. I ended up buying the similar Panasonic DMR-EZ17 for the digital tuner. Now I appreciate all the features of the ES15 that the other doesnt have. The ES-15 is idiot proof. No need to remember to turn the power off so itll record, it just records. If youre watching something on the disc, it warns you and starts recording. When setting up future programs to record, the unit indicates by blinking that there is a time conflict if you overlap 2 programs. When searching forwards and backwards the unit displays where you are minute/sec. wise. None of these things are true on the EZ17. I use only DVD-RAMand had no problems, although I havent tried to format it and play it on other players.
On: 2007-11-12
This recorder works well and costs much less than comparable newer models. We use it to record on DVD-RAM discs to time shift programs from our DirecTV system. We record and then erase programs on the RAM disk, just like a TIVO system without the monthly fees.
On: 2007-11-12
Wanted to wait several months before commenting on my purchase. I had the ridiculous idea it might give me a problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. This unit is bullet-proof. The menu is user friendly and intuitive, and setup is mere childs play. The only down side that I can find is that the audio becomes slightly (did I say slightly?) scratchy when you go in to the extended record mode (6 hrs). This is barely noticeable, as is the slight pixelization. Some of the features for editing are only available when using a DVD-RAM but, then again, that is what the manual says up front so, no surprise there. More bells and whistles than youll ever likely use, and the front AV inputs make copying from a video camera a snap. All in all an excellent unit, just buy it and enjoy !
On: 2007-11-05
We received quickly and more than expected features. All at a better price than Walmart!
 On: 2007-11-05
I bought this product to record video footage off a camcorder. Somehow the firewire connection is getting the audio screwed up. It was only later that I realised that this can record to DVD-RAM. The price for this was a real deal. I havent tried burning anything with it as yet, so I hope I can modify this review.
On: 2007-10-28
The Panasonic performs as expected and as advertised. It seems to be a well constructed, high quality recorder. The recordings Ive done so far have all been of good quality. The timer is easy to use. No problems in the first month. So far, I would recommend it.
On: 2007-10-17
I recently purchased this player through Amazon, but from a source that offered a lower price (cabo-wabo, $139). It took two phone calls to Panasonic to connect the unit to my Direct TV receiver and TV. I dont do well with those diagrams, and the first tech with whom I spoke obviously didnt either. Navigating three remotes (Sony TV, Direct TV, and the Panasonic DVD Recorder) is a pain initially, and still inconvenient after you get the sequence. I suspect that there is no way around it since inputs vary and I prefer turning off the recorder rather than receive the tv signal through it. That said, using the recorder is quite easy. You have to format the dvd disk (takes about a minute), and to record what you are watching requires pressing one key. I used Memorex DVD +RW disks. Timed recordings are limited to the first 135 channels--if I recall the number correctly, so if you want to record something on a higher channel, you have to be watching it or at least have it on. After recording, you are given the option of making the dvd playable on other dvd players. Takes about 3 minutes. Using the 2-hour recording mode, the quality of the recording is excellent. I confirmed that the recording can be played on another player. I also viewed a commercial dvd movie with no problem. I have yet to try a timed recording, nor used the unit to play mp3s or view jpegs. It does do more than record and play tv programs. All in all, once connected and having your remotes figured out, this is a great product for the price. I have found Panasonics customer service to be generally very good.
On: 2007-10-08
I purchased 4 of these recorders at once. The first unit is still working after a month of intensive recording. The second unit broke down after 3 weeks. Unit no longer recognizes any sort of blank media - even the dvd-ram disc from panasonic. Plays cd discs,and cant even play commercial dvds at times. I replaced this second unit with the 3rd unit I had purchased today. Only time will tell what happens next. From reading reviews from other buyers it seems most of the electronic companies are turning out faulty recorders. I chose Panasonic, but it goes to show you no brand is immune from lemons. I have a Sansui recorder I bought 4 years ago, and still going strong. Go figure.
On: 2007-09-26
I purchase this dvd recorder because it had great reveiws and now I am so happy I did. The quality of this dvd is excellent for the price I paid. $90 bucks with free shipping. I do admit I had a hard time setting it up to my other equipment such as vcr,and so. This unit was connected thru my satellite receiver, vcr and stereo receiver with speakers.But after connections, using this unit was very easy. I was able to record my favorite tv shows and record my vhs tapes to dvd discs. The recorded playback and other dvd plays very well.The only problem was, I couldnt find any panasonic dvd-ram/dvd+rw discs in the stores. So i purchase the sony dvd-rw disc and so far, they have been working fine.I also used the enclosed dvd ram included in the package. So If your looking for a dvd recorder thats inexpensive but has great qualities and features. Dont look no more.This is the one.
On: 2007-08-26
This little dynamo is a fantastic unit. Ive been using it to convert all of my old videos and it is a flat out work horse. Panasonic has made this recorder simple to use and it records on most any of my DVD media. Thanks Panasonic for a great DVD recorder. And my old home movies thank you too.
On: 2007-07-25
I have finally succesfully set this up with my TV, Cable Box, and Receiver. It appears to me that I am not able to get any channel higher than 125, is that correct?? My cable box channels go all the way through the 400s......
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
On: 2007-07-23
I have been using the DVD recorder for about a month. I no longer have to worry about my family movies (on 8mm and VCR)from disappearing off the tape. Started recording the 1st day I set it up and have had no problems. Have managed to record from my old camcorder, VCR and even off my DVR from the cable box, with little or no help from the instructions. Since I have the DVR cable box, I dont have to worry about scheduling shows to record. I just record them directly from the DVR box. The best feature of this unit, is the flexable recording feature. If you think about the old VCR tape speeds, you will remember if you set it at 2 hours, your quality was at its best, if you used the 4 hour format it was okay and if you used the 6 hour format, you were very disapointed. When you need to record more than 2 hours, but less than 4 hours, the flexable recording allows you to set the time (i.e. 2 hours, 30 min) and will utilize the whole disc to give you the very best possible quality. With my home movies, I have not tried to edit them and have been recording them exactly as they appeared on my old tapes. In the near future, I will try to edit them utilizing PC Software on my computer. And if your a movie buff that has movies on VCR tapes that are not available on DVD, I have had no problem converting them to DVD. Im sure once I read the instruction book, Ill be doing a lot more with this unit. I highly recommend the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder.
by: ellisgodard On: 2007-07-20
I spent hours and hours researching DVD recorders, reading scores (if not hundreds) of reviews, which typically contradicted each other, even on such matters as technical specifications and capabilities which one should expect to be a matter of fact and not subject to dispute, or repeated misrepresentation. I started by scouring Amazon and other sites for reviews, stumbled upon a comparison chart at one review site, built an Excel spreadsheet (sorry, Im a data geek) from that, expanded it to include more models (rows) and variables (columns) than Ill admit, and am confident that, not only given my specific needs but given the various feature sets and price points, that the Panasonic ES15S is a superior choice both functionally and financially.
I needed a DVD recorder for two primary uses: archiving childrens shows from a PVR (aka DVR, the cable/satellite box with a hard drive that allows you to record shows - Tivo is one brand, I have DishTV), and archiving Mini-DV tapes of family movies from a camcorder (both for storage and possibly for later editing on a PC). Ive accomplished both so far, within hours of opening the box, with cheap DVDs and no problems with formats or other players (all contrary to other reviews here).
Ive successfully recorded to DVD-RAM, -R, -RW, +R, and +RW, using three different brands, and been able to play all of them on two other players - a Sony (which I wont recommend) and a Phillips DVP642 (which is a godsend, that should be in every home, and so cheap you could put one in every room!)
If you have the money to spend (perhaps 2-3 times as much), there *are* DVD Recorders within reach now that include a hard drive (look for 120GB or more at this writing) that will allow pre-burn editing, so that the edits you make will appear on other DVD players. (Thats not necessarily the case with many recorders with editing features whose results may or may not appear on other machines. Note, however, that I havent tried using this machines editing features yet, so am unsure whether they will translate elsewhere - but Im confident given my scenario, as noted above, that Ill have no problems.)
And if you need HDMI (or otherwise digital) input to your TV, this isnt quite right for you. (For either of those needs, I would have gone with the Toshiba R600, whose only knocks are the kind of nonsense I see about this player and which I know from experience may be garbage). But I dont have HD, dont need upconverting for either of our TVs, and wanted the option to check out use of a tuner and VCR-like scheduled recording, which the Toshiba doesnt offer. (The tunerless nature of the R400 and R600 are likely a huge advantage given vast complaints about built-in tuners on DVD recorders. But the Panasonic Tuner is optional, upon initial startup or reset to factory settings, and is therefore completely avoidable.)
But if, like me, youre not yet to HD, and you mostly want to archive shows (beyond your PVRs capacity, or for use on other players such as in the car on or a laptop) or edit using a computer (which will more functional and user-friendly than any remote-control-driven editing process anyway), THIS is the one you want. You can stop reading now. Click "buy" and go have a glass of wine. :)
On: 2007-07-12
I just want to share with everyone how happy I am with these purchase.
Its everything it says it is. Love the fact that I can record TV programs
on a DVD so easily. Love the price, specialy on a brand that I trust.
Its got better reviews that the Sony recorder.Try it yourself.
On: 2007-07-05
I actually have question about this product. I know this a DVD recorder but can it be used to record live TV also like TIVO?
Thanks.
On: 2007-06-12
I purchased this item a couple months ago and, after recording a number of programs off of TIVO, live television, and my video camera, am delighted to report that it works very well. Unlike quite a few recorders out there, the Panasonic ES series seems to be the most reliable device for recording discs that can be played on other DVD players, portables, and computers.
The quality of recordings ranges from excellent (1 and 2 hour), good (4 hour), to usable but not the greatest equivalence of a VHS SP recording (6/8 hour). Startup menu features make it simple to create chapters and titles although this feature is nowhere near customizable in the way most DVD author software allows on a PC/Mac. The ability to write to most media types and brands of media is also very nice. Lastly, having a front input bank makes it easy to connect a digital or video camera but keep in mind that this is not an editing deck so laying out a timeline, cuts, or audio tracks isnt an option.
Great value, good build quality, and high compatibility makes this a five-star product.
On: 2007-06-05
So far its worked fine - its easy to program (just like an "old-fashioned" VCR) and then records onto DVDs now that VHS tapes are passe. And no rewinding of course. It plays DVDs fine.
On: 2007-05-30
Note: addendum added Thu Jun 07/07 at 12:50
Note: (Jun 09/07)it appears that this item has been discontinued and is no longer widely available.
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For those of you who hate the ES15, I feel your pain. My first one was a frustrating dud; I exchanged it and the second one worked perfectly . . . well, almost. After a while the "Delete" feature stopped working, but a firmware update disk from Panasonic fixed that (it arrived in just three days). Panasonics tech support has been excellent, outstanding even (as has Toshibas if you need to know).
IMO this S15 is decidedly at the top of the current crop of DVDRs because it has more features and they are more sensible and better laid out than most. It has some nice tweaks up from the S10 but a few (small) backward steps. Graphics and fonts should be better. Remote layout and balance are poor (but who doesnt use a learning remote to get a sensible layout?), no Open/Close button. Console display improved from S10. Good timer features: logical layout, can choose to execute an event or not (great feature but cumbersome to set), phrase list (for titles, a great time saver for me), can do disk and event titles before recording an event, shows alert if inadequate time remains on disk, . . . and more. Has 16 timer slots, I would like 24 or 32. Very bad: thumbnails are too small (eight per page, should be six, four even better). Cant set to go to Top Menu after each title when playing. Cant choose more pleasing title page color(s). Chapter marks should be set during recording. Sometimes two menu steps are used when one or a button would do, or a menu step or two is required even though theres a button on the remote that will do that very thing. Some menu items are redundant. But overall the menu layout is sensible and user-friendly. Though some things could be better, I dont see anything thats completely stupid (as is the case with some, if not most, other brands).
It can remain off or on (output to TV) during timer events, a nice feature. If you want to use two or three of them in the same room, three code sets are available. This may be a good idea because RW (unfinalized) will not transport at all to other brands and RAM disks can be problematic. Wish all manufacturers had gotten together on standards way back when; my experience is that only a finalized (R or RW) disk transports reliably between brands.
So far it has not misfired on a timer event and has done well with all disk flavors that I use: -R, -RW, -RAM (the -RAM was reliable Panasonic to Panasonic only, not reliable Panasonic to Toshiba & reverse). One RAM disk is included.
My advice (I know you just couldnt wait to hear it): when it works, this is a very good machine compared to everything else, at least its "the best of a bad lot." To try it, buy one from a nearby reliable vendor that has a generous, no questions return policy.
Another way to sum it up: When its good, its very good; when its bad, its very, very . . . well . . . you know.
Short comparisons:
Toshiba R400: woefully short on features. No thumbnails, title editing is water drip torture, remotes labels are essentially useless (very small, about 1/16") and - now get this - a somewhat dark gray on black. Time Remaining display on timer setup screen is completely wrong except for the first event on a new blank disk. Cant see front inputs from above even with unit at shoulder height. Cant name a disk. No power backup (only 5 seconds). If you use the auto-finalize feature you cant do titles. Graphics and fonts much better than most (including the S15), very clear and pleasing. Panel display is very poor (a lower-case "a" looks like a reversed "6." Remote layout is at best fair, balance good. Do note that it does not have a tuner (if you need one, I dont). Overall it was a big disappointment, I took it back. Toshiba had a real good thing in the D-R4 but have done an admirable job in improving it from almost outstanding to mostly stupid.
Sony: didnt try them, just what I read. No pause button and that stupid up-down timer settings (and slow, about one second per minute so Ive read). I didnt try the Sonys because of those two features (no pause button on a machine that should dub selected clips from your VHS - a real genius of a design feature, yes?). Do read about this in reviews on Sony.
Tried a Samsung last year, very short on features and overall a miserable design. Dont know about any others.
Addendum: Just purchased a second ES15, it works perfectly. Had a minor defect in the remote, Panasonic is sending a replacement at no cost and I dont even have to ship the defective one to Panasonic. Outstanding!
Note: an advantage to having two machines of the same brand is that you dont have to finalize anything to play a recording made by one in the other; this was my solution to "using DVDRs like VCRs." The -RW disks fill my need perfectly in this scenario, almost as convenient as VHS tapes.
Addendum Thu Jun 07/07: Yesterday I purchased a third ES15 (dont ask . . . well, if you must know, I have very complicated viewing habits). This morning I gave it a comprehensive test drive and it works perfectly (as does the remote).
If you use a learning remote and have access to an older remote (eg ES10), you can set up an "Open/Close" button, makes life more better. (The Sony RM-VL600 Learning Remote is worth a look if you dont have something already.)
Related info: see my post "Disk Stuff 101"
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On: 2007-05-28
After weeks of research I purchased the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder last February, but came very close to throwing it into the trash shortly afterwards. This compact machine is full of fantastic features and I was extremely pleased with it for awhile. I even bought a Panasonic DVD-S52S DVD Player to use in another room with the DVD disks I hoped to make with the recorder. I was committed to moving from the old VHS tape recording technology to the more contemporary DVD equipment.
I used the proprietary DVD-RAM disks to schedule/record TV shows from my cable service for their versatility and advantages over the more common DVD-RW and DVD+RW disks for recording. This was a "no brainer" choice of recording media since the Panasonic DVD system offers so many advantages when using DVD-RAM disks and they can be used over and over thousands of times. I bought a dozen of them even though the recorder can handle a wide variety of other disk formats.
Eventually I started to notice that my recorder was having difficulty recognizing the RAM discs. I blew a number of recordings and saw frequent error messages advising me of some vague problem and that I should try a different disk. I unsuccessfully followed a number of instructions in the owners manual in order to solve that problem. Everything else on the machine was working just as it should and I couldnt believe the brand new RAM disks I was using were faulty.
I telephoned the Panasonic support line and also contacted the support service online, but received no help at all. I was told to take my machine to an authorized service center for repair. Because the closest approved shop was miles away that didnt appeal to me very much.
I continued to doggedly search for a solution or a work around and finally discovered a fix. It occurred to me that this DVD recorder and others for that matter were inherently somewhat slow to read disks. I had the Quick Start function engaged on my recorder and got to thinking that such a speedy boot up (one second) might not give the machine enough time to do what I had programmed it to do. I turned off the Quick Start feature and the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder began to work perfectly. It was just a matter of using the Setup Menu to cancel the Quick Start function. It isnt all that essential anyhow. I dont know if anyone else has encountered the difficulty I had with the DMR-ES15S, nor do I know if my simple discovery will work for others, but it was certainly an easy and effective resolution in my case.
After a month of frustration, tinkering and getting the recorder back to behaving properly I am now extremely happy with it. The price was right, the quality of construction seems good and the number of features the unit has is unbelievable. I recommend this recorder as a great way to enter the world of making DVDs at home.
There is a newer model of this machine available now (the Panasonic DMR-EZ17S DVD Recorder), but it is somewhat more expensive. I doubt that it is a significant improvement over the DMR-EZ15S that I have been describing.
On: 2007-05-27
After weeks of research I purchased the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder last February, but came very close to throwing it into the trash shortly afterwards. This compact machine is full of fantastic features and I was extremely pleased with it for awhile. I even bought a Panasonic DVD-S52S DVD Player to use in another room with the DVD disks I hoped to make with the recorder. I was committed to moving from the old VHS tape recording technology to the more contemporary DVD equipment.
I used the proprietary DVD-RAM disks to schedule/record TV shows from my cable service for their versatility and advantages over the more common DVD-RW and DVD+RW disks for recording. This was a "no brainer" choice of recording media since the Panasonic DVD system offers so many advantages when using DVD-RAM disks and they can be used over and over thousands of times. I bought a dozen of them even though the recorder can handle a wide variety of other disk formats.
Eventually I started to notice that my recorder was having difficulty recognizing the RAM discs. I blew a number of recordings and saw frequent error messages advising me of some vague problem and that I should try a different disk. I unsuccessfully followed a number of instructions in the owners manual in order to solve that problem. Everything else on the machine was working just as it should and I couldnt believe the brand new RAM disks I was using were faulty.
I telephoned the Panasonic support line and also contacted the support service online, but received no help at all. I was told to take my machine to an authorized service center for repair. Because the closest approved shop was miles away that didnt appeal to me very much.
I continued to doggedly search for a solution or a work around and finally discovered a fix. It occurred to me that this DVD recorder and others for that matter were inherently somewhat slow to read disks. I had the Quick Start function engaged on my recorder and got to thinking that such a speedy boot up (one second) might not give the machine enough time to do what I had programmed it to do. I turned off the Quick Start feature and the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder began to work perfectly. It was just a matter of using the Setup Menu to cancel the Quick Start function. It isnt all that essential anyhow. I dont know if anyone else has encountered the difficulty I had with the DMR-ES15S, nor do I know if my simple discovery will work for others, but it was certainly an easy and effective resolution in my case.
After a month of frustration, tinkering and getting the recorder back to behaving properly I am now extremely happy with it. The price was right, the quality of construction seems good and the number of features the unit has is unbelievable. I recommend this recorder as a great way to enter the world of making DVDs at home.
There is a newer model of this machine available now (the Panasonic DMR-EZ17S DVD Recorder), but it is somewhat more expensive. I doubt that it is a significant improvement over the DMR-EZ15S that I have been describing.
On: 2007-05-22
I found the manual poorly writen for me to understand.I also could not comprehend how to use the disc to rerecord.The old VCR was easy to use.I am sorry I ever bought the unit.All I wanted to do was record different programs to watch later in the evening.Maybe there are some other DVD recorders that are easier to use.
On: 2007-05-19
I found this product easy to use and of great quality when I copied my TV show to dvd. I want another one for another room/tv.
On: 2007-05-17
I purchased the DMR-ES15S because of the seamingly good reviews. However, my unit arrived and it was dead. Plugged it in and nothing, wouldnt even turn on. Called Panasonic and they sent me to a repair shop. Repair shop said Id have better luck returning it as that particular model has "lots of problems". I told repair shop about all the good reviews on it, and they replied, "yea, when they DO work..."
On: 2007-05-16
I purchased the DMR-ES15S because of the seamingly good reviews. However, my unit arrived and it was dead. Plugged it in and nothing, wouldnt even turn on. Called Panasonic and they sent me to a repair shop. Repair shop said Id have better luck returning it as that particular model has "lots of problems". I told repair shop about all the good reviews on it, and they replied, "yea, when they DO work..."
On: 2007-05-15
bought this unit from a wal mart...remote has no affect on unit...was cent a CD that was to repair the problem which the very unhelpful customer service reps sent me....now am waiting for shipping the unit back after sybil in customer service was to send me a new remote...that afterwaiting a week i finally called to find had been back ordered then the tech guy said the new remote would not solve the problem...had unit for almost a month when will i have a unit that works???? panasonic customer support is terrible..whats bad is the tech guy did tell me they knew they had these units on the shelf with a glitch in them...wish i had know id bought another brand for sure....i bought unit around april20th 2007....will update this when they finally have me a unit to replace this one that works....if you have problems with any panasonic product...please call panasonic and give these customer service people hell
On: 2007-05-15
Works great so far. It needs a door open and close on the remote. But we
can get by without it. It took several hours to learn how to use it. I
have made 25 movie dvds with very few coasters.
On: 2007-05-12
Have had this DVR for a month now and am very happy with it. Records and plays high-quality images and has user-friendly controls. Have not tried the DVD-RAM capability yet but it sounds interesting. (They include a blank DVD-RAM to get started with.) Much cleaner playback than the Philips play-only unit I replaced, and its easier to operate. A 5-star item.
On: 2007-05-10
Worked like a charm. Picture quality is great with even regular 2 hour SP. Highly recommended after bad experience with sony dvd recorder (RDR-GX330)
On: 2007-05-09
I am tech-savvy, and read reviews for this product before buying, and was somewhat hesitant to buy this item due to the unpopular reviews. However, after researching the options, I decided to risk it because this unit seemed like the best prospect for what I wanted - all things considered. I am glad I did. I have been using the system daily for a week, and am here to say the reviews were not entirely accurate. I am finding the unit VERY user-friendly with an effective remote and good performance. The controls are straight-forward on the remote, and labelled sensibly. The unit allows speed control of recording from 1 hour (best) to 6 hours (good), and records from the TV or VCR very effectively. I have programmed it for late-nite TV recording that has worked perfectly. I have transferred VHS tapes onto DVD without problem. The unit allows you to view the newly-recorded DVD content without finalizing the disc as long as you view it using this unit. Once finalized, I have had no problem playing the disc using my other TVs, computers, and surround systems. I recommend this unit without hesitation, and would buy it again without reservation.
On: 2007-05-08
The instructions and the procedure to perform the functions of this unit are not clear or easy. My patience and the learning curve are not the same. Everything seems to work however and the picture quality matches the TV I have and even comes in m9re clear with the DVD connected.
On: 2007-05-08
see above. I like it. Its easy. It wasnt expensive.
On: 2007-05-07
I find this unit does the job.
The menus are a bit confusing.
It is an easy way to convert your old vhs to dvd , and the quality is great
I would recommend it , but check the sales locally , It went on sale at Best Buy right after I got it for $10 less than Amazon.
On: 2007-05-07
Very basic unit. Easy to setup and use. Great unit for the price. Recording TV programs is very easy with this unit and I love the DVD-RAM media.
On: 2007-05-06
I find this unit does the job.
The menus are a bit confusing.
It is an easy way to convert your old vhs to dvd , and the quality is great
I would recommend it , but check the sales locally , It went on sale at Best Buy right after I got it for $10 less than Amazon.
On: 2007-05-03
This is by far the best DVD-Recorder I have ever owned. I use this unit to play my music CDs & movie DVDs and of course to record many shows & movies from my satellite TV. It is very easy to operate and creates great quality DVDs that are four hours in length or less. When recording in longer formats (6-8 hours), the quality is extremely poor (I will not make that mistake again).
My favorite feature of this recorder is the flexible recording allowing me to enter the amount of time to record, say for a movie on TV (for example, 2hr18minutes), and the recorder will record the movie using the entire disc (finalizing the disc and leaving zero minutes of record time at the end of the disc) resulting in a high quality recording.
Another feature I like to use is pressing the record button multiple times after I start recording something. Each time you press the record button, the recorder will put a 30 minute timer on the event it is recording. I normally will record my TV shows (like The Riches) onto my satellite DVR and then transfer them to my DVD-recorder. I will then start my show on the DVR, press record on the DVD-recorder and then press the record button two more times to put a timer to record for one hour. By doing this, I dont have to be by my recorder to stop it after the show is over. Also, by using this technique the DVD disc is not finalized so that I can continue to record more shows on the same disc.
I have owned this recorder for a couple of months and have burned nearly a spindle of a hundred discs and have not experienced one unsuccessful recording. I have only created one bad disc (makes a great coaster) and that was when I tried to record for six hours and the visual quality was horrible (like watching a movie without your glasses, if your vision is poor like mine).
On: 2007-04-29
Im about to return my second unit - one from Amazon and one from Best Buy. They both have the same problem and I was wondering if anybody else has experienced it. Im very happy with the recording capability of this unit. The playback quality is also much better than my old player. However, for some of the newer commercial DVDs that I try to play, the unit freezes at the warning about illegal duplication. No matter what I try, I cant get the movie to play. The same movies work fine on my old player - a very old Toshiba model. I dont know if this is related to some of the new anti-copy algorithms, but it is very annoying.
On: 2007-04-28
Ive had the DMR-ES15S for 3 months now and it is a great, easy to use Digital Video Recorder. It plays and records on DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW. The RAM disk which is included is just like a 4.7 GB mini hard drive; record and erase at will into the 1,000s of times on a single disk. Most of the really cool features are available only on the RAM media but so what? Thats to be expected and they are too numerous to go into but check them out.
I havent had any issues with disks not working. I had previously purchased generic DVD+R from COMP USA 100 for $19.99 and they work great, no problems. You do have to finalize each disk before it will play on other DVD players but that is also a piece of cake and normal with other recorders as well. DVD+R/RW are reusable and dont create 20 cent coasters when you finalize them, just reformat and reuse.
The finalized DVDs present a graphic menu of each show recorded on the DVD to select from. Whichever one your cursor is on actually starts playing in it own little window with sound as a preview, very cool. When recording you can enter the title of the show and save it off to a list so you dont have to keep reentering it. Date, time and channel are all displayed for each show so there is no guessing which show you are watching.
I like the remote because it has SEPARATE volume and channel buttons for your TV so no messing around switching the remote back and forth between Recorder and TV, I really like that feature! The return you get for the price you pay makes this easily a worthwhile purchase.
Comparing to a VCR, the commercial skip and time slip features pay for themselves in about the first hour of use! Either in 1 minute increments or multiple through time skip, you can instantly blast through 4 minutes of commercials during an episode of "Lost" in 1 second and get back to enjoying the show. How much is that worth?
OK, so I dont look like a Panasonic salesman, the tuner itself on this DVR was not quite as good as the one on my TV. The picture just wasnt quite as sharp but still very good and I have no complaints. This may be unique to the DVDs Im using or my cable signal, I dont know for certain.
On: 2007-04-27
I just got this machine and have not even used it but after reading the reviews here, I knew I had to test it. Just wanted to say I got this recorder at 6th Ave Electronics in West Paterson on route 46 in NJ in store for only $98.00 ! They have like 20 sitting right on the floor. Get em before they go off sale!
On: 2007-04-25
I purchased this recorder with the plans of having to switch out my current DVR for a new HD DVR. I wanted to archive some of the content I had yet to watch, or just wanted to keep, and for that purpose, this has been great. I have created numerous archives and the general interface created for these archives is great. The DVD-RAM disk that came with the unit has allowed me to play around and learn without wasting a bunch of DVD-R disks and I was easily able to compare/contrast recording quality settings.
Unfortuneately, this product, and possibly all products of this nature, have some issues that have been frustrating for me. In order to record from my DVR, this unit had to be placed in between the DVR and TV. Like a VCR, there isnt any sort of play-through feature that would allow me to watch the DVR with the recorder off. I acknowledge that this is also a limitation of my DVR because I do not have multiple outputs, but I dont expect many do. This leads me to my second problem, everytime the unit is turned on, it attempts to play whatever is in the tray, I have not found an option to disable this.
On: 2007-04-16
I went to Best Buy to buy the Panasonic DMR-ES15S ... and saved $20 (sorry Amazon!). Initial setup is easy using the GUI menus (it took approx. 5 mins!). I found that the 50-page Owners Manual covers all features in detail. But, if you STILL need info, Panasonic provides an "800" number to speak to a live person.
This is a wonderful product ... and at this price, you cant go wrong!
On: 2007-04-15
I have used this DVD recorder for a few weeks and it has been nothing short of excellent, knock on wood. Recording from my VCR to DVD is exremely easy and there is a feature that supposedly reduces the background noise/static that comes from a VCR when transferring VHS to DVD.
They give you a free DVD RAM disk PANASONIC DVD-RAM Disc For Video Recording - LMAF120LU/ 3 which is rewritable up to 1,000 times. The manual is clear and the installation instructions are very easy to follow. One thing you will notice is that any of the advanced features are pretty much only accessible if you are using a DVD RAM disk not the other formats.
Regular DVD playback is great, however the player part lacks some of the advanced features of other players, i.e. zoom.
I would recommend this DVD Recorder if you are considering an alternative to a DVR box from your cable company. Its not as easy to use as a TIVO or DVR however it is user friendly if you are familiar with recording and programming a VCR.
If you figure that your cable company will charge you approximately $10 a month extra to rent a DVR and TIVO is $14.95 a month, at $120 for this unit, after a year you will pretty much break even if you compare it to a DVR or TIVO and you own the player/recorder.
My only gripe is that it is kind of wide and compared to my other DVD player it stands out. Also you must finanlize DVDs before playing them in other players. I also would have preferred if they would have included another RCA/video cable as you do need 2 of them if you plan on using your cable box with the DVD recorder. I dont use the DVD recorders tuner.
On: 2007-04-13
I wanted a dvd recorder to back up family videos and record my favorite tv shows to save for viewing for many years to come. My lite-on died, it gave me good results for 2 years. I have a friend who got this ES15 panasonic recorder. I bought it and I am blown away, it is fast, as most dvd recorders are slow, when you hit record it records right away, instead of initializing for 1 minute. The quality is great, no loss of original signal, from TV or from a VCR. When you finalize the disc, it plays on every machine I have tried. Cant ask for better.
On: 2007-04-13
I waited to buy a video disc recorder because I had read earlier models did not record well past two hours. Since, I like to time shift sports (like baseball) that take as much as 4 hours I stuck with a VCR.This model records well past 4 hours; in fact even better than a good VCR. So far, Ive used the included DVD-RAM and Imation DVD-RWs with no problems.
On: 2007-04-12
After having 3 different DVD recorders from different manufacturers, I have to say this one is the best Ive tried so far.
The menu is quicker than most other dvd recorders, the response of the system, the reliability. With other recorders like philips I always had trouble with the appliance freezing up and wasting a good DVD. I dont have any single problem nor complaint with this one.
The users interface is very intuitive, it reads and writes many DVD formats, even DVD RAM. I love the flexible recording feature that allows me to fit a 90 min. movie to a full DVD without wasting space. Gotta love the title editing, thumbnail settings, play while recording with DVDRAM, the lenght of characters when renaming a title... simply love the product.
From now on Ill pay more attention to Panasonics products if theyre as good as this one.
On: 2007-04-12
Ive had this dvd recorder for 4 days now and Im very happy with it so far. Its played everything Ive thrown at it so far. I have a lot of movies recorded on Imation DVD+RW disks and it played them all well. Ive read where theres been compatability problems with some +RWs and +Rs but that hasnt been a problem for me. It played all my movies I have recorded on Memorex DVD+R media as well. Timer recordings work flawlessly as well, but I recommend avoiding the 8 hour mode unless you really dont care about viewing a bit of grain and pixelation. Featurewise, it sure beats my ILO DVDR04 but you cant copy anything that is copyrighted. So if you plan on copying some movies you bought on VHS then that may be a problem unless you can buy optional hardware to remove the copyright feature. All in all this is a fantastic little dvd recorder. It easily replaces my VCR for timer recordings.
On: 2007-04-11
The Panasonic DVD recorder works very well, easy to set up, easy to use. Id highly recommend the product to any one interested in buying a DVD record..
On: 2007-04-10
After reading all the positive reviews on this Panasonic DVD recorder, I bought one. The first couple of DVDs burned properly--- then I started having trouble with images freezing when I played them back on other DVDs and the machine suddenly shutting down in the middle of a recording session. Another reviewer had this same problem and like him, I lose about 1 in 5 discs. Panasonic customer service placed the blame on the disc but I use Taiyo Yuden. I bought some Sony DVDs just to see if I had a bad lot of the Taiyo Yudens but the same problem occurred. While the machine is easy to use, having pictures freeze is unacceptable. Overall I like Panasonic products but Im not getting a satisfactory resolution to the problems Im encountering with my recorder. For other consumers out there interested in this model, be aware that youre taking a chance on getting a lemon. I inadvertently gave this product four stars when I intended it to be 2 stars.
On: 2007-04-10
This recorder is easy to set-up and use. Panasonic customer support is just a phone call away if a question arises. I bought this recorder primarily for converting old VHS tapes to DVD. I initially bought premium Taiyo Yuden DVDs for recording but got several failures. Returned them for an exchange. I also tried Sony DVDs and got two burn failures out of 6 attempts. Panasonic claims it is not the DVD recorder but the DVD media. Would be more satisfied if I could find a reliable DVD.
On: 2007-04-10
I am very happy with this recorder, which I bought for $120, free shipping and no tax. But I found there to be much confusion about its features and abilities when I was researching this purchase, so let me clear a few things up.
Basically, if you use DVD-RAM discs, this recorder can do just about anything youd want to do with a DVD! You can divide the titles, set your own chapter breaks, delete chapters of your choosing (such as commercials), choose the frame you want to represent each chapter in the menu, edit the titles, edit the disk title, and re-record on the same disc 100,000 times. The HUGE minus is that the DVD-RAM format is only reported to work in 5% of the recorders. Based on my research, I would assume that unless the DVD player is a Panasonic, then you should assume that DVD-RAM will not work. Ive tested the DVD-RAM disc in a Zenith DVD player, a Yamaha DVD player, a Magnavox DVD player, a Sony Playstation, a Dell laptop computer, and an HP laptop computer. The DVD-RAM format worked in none of these.
After that, Ive burned a dozen or so DVD discs on DVD-R discs. These discs are supposed to have the broadest compatibility and in my research they worked in ALL of the previously mentioned players and PCs. However, you MUST "finalize" the disc, which disables all future edits to the disc while enabling it to be played on other players. I suspect reviewers that have reported poor compatibility have skipped this step. This feature is refered to in the manual, but it was still hard to find. The reviewers that say the documentation is poor are absolutely correct. Everything is in there, but even after you read it, it can be hard to find the features in the manual.
The minus to the DVD-R discs is that you can only select the icon that will represent each title, set the text of each title, and set the text of the disc title. You CANNOT set your own chapter breaks or delete specific chapters. This is the key feature to being able to edit out commercials. You can also only delete whole titles, and the disc space is not recovered even though the title is deleted. With DVD-R, each instance of pressing the record button followed by a stop is recorded as a separate "title" with its own entry on the DVD menu. When the disc is finalized, chapters are automatically inserted about every five minutes, but there is no "chapter menu" created on the finalized disc.
In short, the DVD-RAM discs give amazing flexibility, but they are more expensive and the compatibility is nearly nill. The DVD-R discs are broadly compatible, but with limited editing features. According to the guidebook, using a rewritable disc -RW or +RW only allow you to delete and recover the space if the LAST title is deleted, otherwise they are identical to -R. Only -RAM discs have the extensive features.
Overall, I can work with these issues. I have a Dish Network DVR that holds my initial recordings. I most often am wanting to save my sons programs to DVD to free up space on the DVR and allow him to watch his favorite television shows in the car. To do this, I insert a blank disc and select if I want it to hold 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours of programming (I usually use 2, and havent really compared the resolution of the various time settings). I then select play on the Dish Network DVR and simultaneously press record on the DVD recorder. Since his shows are usually 30 minutes, I utilized a handy feature of the DVD recorder, by subsequently pressing the record, the recorder will automatically turn off after 30, 60, 90, etc. minutes. Thus I dont have to babysit the recorder to turn it off at the right time. After I record four 30 minute shows on a DVD-R set to 2 hours of recording time, I then pick which frame I want displayed as the icon for each episode and type in the titles of each episode. I then Finalize the disk and I now have a disc that works in all our DVD players that starts with a menu of four television shows which are divided with 5 minute chapters.
I have NOT tried to direct to Mini-DVD link (firewire) but will soon. I also have NOT tried the online TV Guide recording feature. But it appears that with DVD-RAM discs this recorder might work much like a DVR. Note that the recorder comes with one DVD-RAM disc, so you can do your own compatibility tests without buying and -RAM discs.
This is ALLOT of recorder for $120. But if you really want to edit out commericials and store in a compatible format, you probably need to shop for a recorder with an integrated hard-drive that will cost 3-5 times as much money.
Good luck on your purchase.
On: 2007-04-10
So far, I have played more dvds on this than I have recorded. I dont know why so many say its not intuitive to use to play discs. Its just like any other dvd player to me. I have a lot more experimenting to do with recording before I feel like I can take advantage of all the recording it has to offer. Ive transferred a couple vhs movies to dvd. Thats rewarding! Its easy to use, just like a vcr. You pop in a dvd, close the tray, hit record, and viola! It records the program!
Ive had the machine about a month. Im very happy with it. It looks good, it was cheap, the remote works well. Its true the remote doesnt have the quickie button for subtitles. And finding out time remaining isnt as easy as with other players. But, it records!!
oh. I did have a hard time setting it up with the cable box and tv and vcr. that took some experimenting. the way it shows you in the manual wouldnt play all my digital channels from the cable box. that was a headache. but, if id listened to my intuition instead of the manual, i would have gotten it right.
On: 2007-04-09
this panasonic DVD recorder is very easy to use and is just what I wanted
On: 2007-04-09
I am very happy with this recorder, which I bought for $120, free shipping and no tax. But I found there to be much confusion about its features and abilities when I was researching this purchase, so let me clear a few things up.
Basically, if you use DVD-RAM discs, this recorder can do just about anything youd want to do with a DVD! You can divide the titles, set your own chapter breaks, delete chapters of your choosing (such as commercials), choose the frame you want to represent each chapter in the menu, edit the titles, edit the disk title, and re-record on the same disc 100,000 times. The HUGE minus is that the DVD-RAM format is only reported to work in 5% of the recorders. Based on my research, I would assume that unless the DVD player is a Panasonic, then you should assume that DVD-RAM will not work. Ive tested the DVD-RAM disc in a Zenith DVD player, a Yamaha DVD player, a Magnavox DVD player, a Sony Playstation, a Dell laptop computer, and an HP laptop computer. The DVD-RAM format worked in none of these.
After that, Ive burned a dozen or so DVD discs on DVD-R discs. These discs are supposed to have the broadest compatibility and in my research they worked in ALL of the previously mentioned players and PCs. However, you MUST "finalize" the disc, which disables all future edits to the disc while enabling it to be played on other players. I suspect reviewers that have reported poor compatibility have skipped this step. This feature is refered to in the manual, but it was still hard to find. The reviewers that say the documentation is poor are absolutely correct. Everything is in there, but even after you read it, it can be hard to find the features in the manual.
The minus to the DVD-R discs is that you can only select the icon that will represent each title, set the text of each title, and set the text of the disc title. You CANNOT set your own chapter breaks or delete specific chapters. This is the key feature to being able to edit out commercials. You can also only delete whole titles, and the disc space is not recovered even though the title is deleted. With DVD-R, each instance of pressing the record button followed by a stop is recorded as a separate "title" with its own entry on the DVD menu. When the disc is finalized, chapters are automatically inserted about every five minutes, but there is no "chapter menu" created on the finalized disc.
In short, the DVD-RAM discs give amazing flexibility, but they are more expensive and the compatibility is nearly nill. The DVD-R discs are broadly compatible, but with limited editing features. According to the guidebook, using a rewritable disc -RW or +RW only allow you to delete and recover the space if the LAST title is deleted, otherwise they are identical to -R. Only -RAM discs have the extensive features.
Overall, I can work with these issues. I have a Dish Network DVR that holds my initial recordings. I most often am wanting to save my sons programs to DVD to free up space on the DVR and allow him to watch his favorite television shows in the car. To do this, I insert a blank disc and select if I want it to hold 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours of programming (I usually use 2, and havent really compared the resolution of the various time settings). I then select play on the Dish Network DVR and simultaneously press record on the DVD recorder. Since his shows are usually 30 minutes, I utilized a handy feature of the DVD recorder, by subsequently pressing the record, the recorder will automatically turn off after 30, 60, 90, etc. minutes. Thus I dont have to babysit the recorder to turn it off at the right time. After I record four 30 minute shows on a DVD-R set to 2 hours of recording time, I then pick which frame I want displayed as the icon for each episode and type in the titles of each episode. I then Finalize the disk and I now have a disc that works in all our DVD players that starts with a menu of four television shows which are divided with 5 minute chapters.
I have NOT tried to direct to Mini-DVD link (firewire) but will soon. I also have NOT tried the online TV Guide recording feature. But it appears that with DVD-RAM discs this recorder might work much like a DVR. Note that the recorder comes with one DVD-RAM disc, so you can do your own compatibility tests without buying and -RAM discs.
This is ALLOT of recorder for $120. But if you really want to edit out commericials and store in a compatible format, you probably need to shop for a recorder with an integrated hard-drive that will cost 3-5 times as much money.
Good luck on your purchase.
On: 2007-04-06
A Great DVD recorder,For the price from Amazon with free shipping you cant go wrong. The quality of the of The DVDs I have made I do not think you can beat. Thankyou Panasonic
On: 2007-04-01
DATE: 09/29/2007
RE: Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder with DV Input
This product suffered the identical component failure five times in 15 months. I had a 1 year extra service contract and the product generated a U61 error code nearly every 3 months. The contract has expired and the unit has also expired.
Error code U61 involved the component related to the drive itself. You can hear the drive pickup struggling and failing to find its place upon failure.
I paid $159.99 for the DVD recorder.
Each time, the same part failing was the "DVD RAM Unit" at a cost of $239.44 per part. Labor amounted to about $55.00. The unit had been repaired locally and at the Panasonic service location (which required shipping and waiting, of course).
I got my moneys worth only in the sense that the unit and service contract cost about $200.00 and the additional repairs raised the whole cost to $1157.76. If I repaired it again with my own money, the total cost would be $1452.20. And come the end of the year?--you get the idea.
I used the unit every day in a home setting. The unit seems to approach failure when burning dvd+r disks, but allows the use of dvd+rw disks until the final failure occurs (with a dvd+r disk). Failed "finalization" of dvd+r disks are the first warning signs, if you get warning signs.
My experience with four separate brands of DVD recorders is that they ALL are not built to survive daily home use, but this unit was the leader in failures per year by far.
I have a stereo unit that I purchased in 1989 and it all works except the cassette tape drives.
A school friend of mine bought a stereo system in 1976 and it all still works.
Planned obsolescence once referred to the auto industry. No more.
Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder with DV Input
06/2006 Bought
08/2006 Failed and Repaired
12/2006 Failed and Repaired
03/2007 Failed and Repaired
04/2007 Failed and Repaired (yes, 1 month to next failure)
09/2007 Mourned and Buried
On: 2007-04-01
After nine months of daily recording/playing use, the unit failed three times--basically every three months. Part costs alone if without the one year warranty were $600-$700. Essentially, complete DVD drive/board units had to be replaced each time. When the unit works, it is fine for the price, but I dread the prospect of end-of-warranty.
On: 2007-03-30
The Panasonic DVD recorder will record both DVD- & DVD+ format and can be played on other DVD players. On the extended mode 8hrs it looses some quality but it is acceptable. Much to my surpriseI found that the recorder held its programing through a lengthy power outage, VERY GOOD!
On: 2007-03-28
I just received this recorder and Im totally amazed with the ease for setting it up and recording. Im not very technology-oriented and I was able to connect it to my TV and TiVo, and start recording in less than an hour. I still need to sit down and read the instructions for the fancier settings and functions, but for simple recording -which is my purpose for this- its so easy and good quality... also, its pretty. Im super happy with it, so Ill definitely recommend it!!!
On: 2007-03-27
I purchased a first gen Panasonic recorder (DMR-ES10) about two years ago and gave it extremely heavy use until it started acting up recently. Bought the ES15 as a replacement, figuring the newer entry level product would be at least comparable. Boy, was I wrong.
I was extremely happy with the ES-10, and between recording movies off of digital cable and using the chasing playback feature to watch a bunch of sports while skipping commercials/halftime, etc. recorded shows had to be more than half of my TV time.
My comments are in comparison to the first-gen ES-10 I loved:
ES15 is the same:
Same outstanding picture quality. Even LP mode is almost DVD equivalent on an HDTV, and SP is DVD quality. The most important feature, for me at least, wasnt decontented on this model.
ES15 is better:
Smaller size, probably 1/3 smaller.
Time slip function is simpler.
Chasing playback feature now blocks the recorded feed while it gets ready to start from the beginning. On the ES10, the live show would show for a few seconds while the unit was kicking in. If you werent careful you could catch the live score of a game you wanted to watch from the start. This is no longer a problem and is a great improvement.
Scheduled recording no longer requires the unit to be powered down to begin.
ES-15 is worse:
This model is unbelievably sluggish. Functions take three to four times longer to kick in than on my ES-10. Dont let this slug take its time, and multiple instructions cause it to freeze, necessitating a power-down.
All functions, even simple playback, must go through the direct navigator screen or stopping play will freeze the unit. You can no longer just pop a disc in and hit play---truly a stupid change.
The remote has less features than the ES-10. Since the ES-10 remote, and its extra functions, work on the ES-15, Im using it. One example of cost cutting stupidity---the ES-15 remote has no open-close button for the disc tray. My office mini-stereo system (60 bucks) has an open-close button on the remote.
The unit display is less informative when recording or playing back content.
In summary, the ES-15 is a very frustrating product. Ultimately, because the picture quality and chasing playback functions remain outstanding, Im OK with my purchase, but its clear that Panasonic decontented to hit a price point with this unit. The units sluggishness has to be seen to be believed. This is the first Panasonic product Ive ever purchased that has left me unsatisfied, and it might be the first second generation electronics product Ive ever purchased from a name brand that is noticably poorer than its first generation counterpart.
My advice, since Panasonic has the best recording quality and features amongst DVD recorders----wait for the new models due out this summer and see what Panasonic, and others, have to offer.
On: 2007-03-26
PROS:
-Records very well on DVD+R and DVD+RW discs.
-Flexible Recording Mode is very useful.
-Title editing is intuitive and easy to use.
-Picture quality in 1 and 2 hour modes is excellent.
-Great price for a quality Panasonic product.
CONS:
-Each new disc must be formatted manually.
-No 2 1/2 or 3 hour recording modes.
On: 2007-03-26
Very easy to operate, I love that I can record and watch at the same time. Its so easy to find what shows are on the dvd without having to forward and rewind. Its just wonderful!
On: 2007-03-24
Having the clock set to automatically set itself (syncs to a pbs station time signal) does not work on this unit any more because the government changed the start of the daylight savings time from April to March. I contacted panasonic about this and they said that the clock would have to be set manually as the automatic setting is hardwired and cant be changed.
On: 2007-03-21
I had this for a while, recorded some stuff, and it worked perfectly. Unfortuantely, I am at a school where all the power cords are unplugged over breaks. Unplugging it while it was on caused a clock reset- now it constantly asks me to set the clock.
However, there is no menu button on the unit (a major design flaw in my opinion), and ALL remote button presses only cause the display to say "SET 1." So, I cannot use the remote, and there is no menu button on the unit, so I cannot preschedule recordings, fix the clock, or anything.
After this fiasco, I realized that I have no real desire to record stuff. Even WITH prescheduling you have to always remember to change discs, etc. So, Im just getting a DVD/VCR combo.
As long as you make sure the unit is OFF when you unplug it, there should not be problems. And other than this one design flaw, this unit is perfect. So if recording is your cup of tea, this is a good choice.
On: 2007-03-20
This recorder does what its manufacturer says it will do.
Not being all that confident in my ability to follow the setup and operating instructions in the manual, I used the web site included and also the tech support 800 number to set the recorder up and then to use it.
I also liked the wiring diagrams that were available on the Panasonic web site for each kind of audio visual setup one might have or choose to have: TV, recorder, VCR, cable without a cable box, etc. These diagrams were more clear than how they were shown in the manual that accompanied the recorder. "A picture is worth a thousand words"
Lastly, their tech support people were quickly available when called on the 800 number and were courteous, patient, helpful.
To me, none of this technology is self-evident or instinctive; I need all of the help I can get.
On: 2007-03-19
Great buy. Dont know why this was so cheap. Takes Dvd ram, +r&rw, and -r&rw.
On: 2007-03-16
I returned a Philips DVDR3400 to get this Panasonic DMR-ES15, and that was the smartest thing I have done in a long time. The reliability, remote control, and ease of use on this unit are fantastic. Mechanical DVD tray opening is smooth and quiet, button feel is excellent with instant response, it records on any disc I have tried, and it comes with a DVD-RAM disc. I mention these things because they are ALL the exact opposite of the Philips unit.
On: 2007-03-16
This is a FABULOUS dvd player and the fact that its a recorder as well makes it even better. I love being able to record my favorite tv shows this way. The system is fairly easy but a little more tricky than a normal vhs recorder. Highly recommend!! I am even thinking of getting another one.
On: 2007-03-15
I found this DVD recorder very easy to setup and use. The manual is great help also. This recorder can use many different kinds of media, and playback quality is excellent too. I highly recommend it.
On: 2007-03-15
good product at the a savings
On: 2007-03-14
i bought this last summer w/high expectations and those have been met.
this is a million times better than recording on a VCR, if you edit bits you dont want recorded it looks professionally done, not like a VCR w/all the tracking lines when recording is resumed.
i use mine to record old vhs tapes, home movies, back-up dvds for my kids, and the tv. (you need an external piece to record store bought vhs/dvds)
ive heard people say that you have to get certain brands to work on this, that is a fable.
i use DYNEX dvd-rs (best buys brand)because theyre usually the cheapest, and the quality is the ABSOLUTE SAME as sony, fuji,etc.
most people dont realize that generic dvd-rs/cd-rs are made in the same factories that the big brands are made in....its the same thing w/different packaging.
of course youre going to get some coasters w/generics, youre going to get those with ANY brand...sometimes there are just bad batches.
dont let anyone lead you to believe otherwise.
back to the recorder.....ive not had one problem with this, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
On: 2007-03-13
This is my first DVD recorder. It was easy to set up and use. Im just recording tv shows to watch later and playing an occasional DVD from the store. I love being able to put titles on the shows that are recorded.
On: 2007-03-11
So far so good. I am not a huge electronics know-it-all. However, I have been able to navigate through the steps for recording. I have recorded television programs, set timers for programs, and transferred VHS home videos to DVD. I have much more to learn, like recording from a camcorder,setting chapters and titles. I am thrilled that I made this purchase, and I cant wait to get into the editing, and all of the options available on this DVD Recorder!
On: 2007-03-09
The DVD Recorder is easy to operate, lost of input options. Hardly likely that your deveice will be unable to connect. If you want a nice easy to operate efficeint DVD Recorder, this is the one.
On: 2007-03-08
In the adv. I was told it had tv guide.It did not.
On: 2007-03-06
Ive owned the recorder for 2 weeks and have burned 30 or so dvds. There were no errors in burning. Ive not had any compatibility issues. I tested the dvds on my Macbook and a Sony dvd player. Ive also made several copies of burned dvds using Toast Titanium on my Macbook. Again, I experienced no problems.
Ive been researching recorders for several years and finally decided to purchase one. In the past I would read glowing reviews of X recorderer only to find that the recorder was perpetually out of stock or discontinued.
Im quite pleased with this purchase. I was not looking for a lot of bells and whistles, only quality burning and reliability. Ive connected the machine to a VCR (for transfering old VHS tapes) and to my Verizon FiOS box for cable broadcasts. No problems.
If youre looking for dvr qualities like scheduled recording (see TiVO) beware if youre using a cable box like Verizon FiOS. The recorder will capture video at a scheduled time but I could not get the recorder to change the cable box channel. So, like with VCRs, youll have to have your cable set to the channel you want to record.
If you us a DVD-RAM you have many more editing options available on the recorder. I have not and do not intend on using DVD-RAM, so Ive not been able to verify/review the extra editing options, like specific chapter making in the video. I simply edit using the PAUSE button. It works for me. I have a quick reaction time, lol.
Id recommed that anyone interested in this machine visit the Panasonic website. You can download the manual for the product. Read through the options available to each media, i.e. DVD-RAM, DVD+R, DVD-R, etc.
Finally, I could not recommend more highly the media that Im using. Taiyo Yuden DVDs are the best in the industry. Its what the professionals use. Given that Im transferring 20 year old VHS tapes and subsequently throwing the VHS away I want to be sure that the DVD media will stand up over time. Supermediastore and Rima (online retailers) are suppliers of authentic Taiyo Yudens. Beware - there are fake Taiyo Yudens out there. Id recommend reading about this brand of dvd media. Ive made over 30 dvds and have not made a single "coaster" (dud).
In conclusion. If youre looking for a reliable, entry level recorder think about this model.
On: 2007-03-02
- Remote does not have direct buttons for changing subtitles/audio/angle etc. So yes I would agree with the reviewer who said that this unit was not creating for PLAYBACK.
- Most important thing, it DOES NOT have TV GUIDE, as advertised by Amazon. TV GUIDE functionality, according to panasonic, is available on Harddisk based DVR models.
- The menus that appear on the screen, its like working on an old PC with MS-DOS operating system, its not a great experience.
- Since I bought this only to transfer DV tapes etc I am rating it at 4. And also because of its low cost and good quality DVDs generated.
On: 2007-02-24
I OWNED THE DMRES15 FOR A YEAR AND I LOVED IT. EASY TO USE. RECORDS ON DVD MINUS AND PLUS. USED IT VERY OFTEN TO TRANSFER FAMILY VCR TAPES. AND I HAVE DIRECTV AND VCR. I USE EP [8 HOURS]. SO WHEN IT QUIT AFTER A YEAR. I BOUGHT DMRES15S. IT HAS THE SAME SET-UP AND EASE AS THE DMRES15. THE REMOTE FOR THE DMRES15 EVEN WORKS WITH DMRES15S. NOW I HAVE A BACKUP REMOTE. I THINK THE REASON IT QUIT IS I SET A VCR ON TOP. VERY GOOD PRODUCT.
On: 2007-02-24
Trabaja solo con dvds pero lo hace de manera excelente sobre todo me gusto la parte de edicion del dvd en el propio equipo
Ingeniero, Cesar Perez Maracay, Venezuela
On: 2007-02-19
I have had this unit for 3-weeks. It will not let me add in the channel and captions settings of the manual on page 16 of the units manual. It will not learn the channels automatically. It should be note worthy that I had a local electronics store (Circuit Citys Firedog) do the set up and installation. The unit also when turned on flashes "U71" in the viewing screen. However the manual says nothing of what that means. Thier tech support has been unable to help me as well. I am simply going to have to purchase another brand unit to replace this piece of _ _ _ _.
On: 2007-02-15
This is one nice DVD burner,
well worth the money, in fact,
a BARGAIN at these prices. I was
going to but a higher priced model
til I read the reviews on this one,
and I am glad I switched to this one.
I especially like the DVDRAM feature
which allows watching from the beginning
at the same time while recording a program.
On: 2007-02-13
THIS RECORDER IS GREAT. NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. IT IMPROVED THE PICTURE QUALITY OF THE VHS TAPES I PUT ON DVDS. IVE BEEN USING DVD+Rs AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM PLAYING THEM IN ANY DVD PLAYER. THE DVD PLAYER I BOUGHT BACK BEFORE RECORDABLE DVDS WERE INVENTED PLAYS DVDS BURNT IN THE PANASONIC DMR-ES15S. THIS IS A GREAT VALUE. THE BEST $130 IVE SPENT IN A LONG TIME. YOUR VHS TAPE MACHINE IS OBSOLETE--THIS DVD RECORDER/PLAYER IS AN EXCELLENT VALUE!
On: 2007-02-12
This is an awesome unit that I used to transfer my family movies from the Camcorder to DVD using the DV input. It worked great with most of DVDs especially the DVD-R and DVD RAM. This unit is great for the price!
On: 2007-02-06
I bought two of these recorders before Christmas; one for myself and one as a present for my son. Ive had great success with an earlier Panasonic recorder with a built in hard drive, so I decided to give this one a try. My recorder has worked flawlessly. The timer recording setup is very easy to program and recording quality is excellent in XP, SP and LP. Keep in mind that I am using the recorder with an analog TV, so Im not sure how the quality will be with newer digital TVs. The recorder does have progressive scan, however.
The only drawback has been the second recorder that I purchased for my son. Apparantly, the recorder would not play audio, so it became necessary to return it to JR Music (an Amazon partner) for an exchange. Its been a couple of weeks and were still waiting...
On: 2007-02-02
I purchased this to record videoconferences from our polycom videoconference device. This unit does a great job. After a bit of setup, you just put in the disc and hit Rec. You hit stop when youre done and then you finalize.
My only quibble is that you have to go about 3 levels deep in relatively non-intuitive menus to find the finalize disc command. Other than that, it performs as advertised.
On: 2007-01-27
This one is a beauty. Like most manuals these days, the one that comes with this unit will scare the hell out of you. Dont be discuraged. Get a couple of blank DVDs and practice. This DVD is ideal with TIVOs that already have a hard drive. It will play your JPEG Picture CDs like a champ with no fuss.
Take it from al old time electronic nut with ov 65 years of experiemce....for the price, this Panasonic is a winner all the way.
On: 2007-01-27
We bought this product because our daughters love a half a dozen or more childrens programs (Dora, Blues Clues etc...). We recorded them for a while to our DVR, but the drive was getting so full we couldnt record other shows. Also, we couldnt travel with the videos stored on our DVR so we would end up buying the videos ($12 to $14 a pop) at the store. We now just record them direct to disk, and each disk will hold up to 12 different shows. The Panansonic DMR ES15S has paid for itself a hundred times over. We love how easy it is to program, and I especially love the menu it creates on every disk, so that program navigation is a breeze. I would highly recommend this product. It works, and it works well!
On: 2007-01-20
This replaces a Coby which had limited use and a bad habit of recording the alternate audio track which could not be disabled. This unit has all I would need until the HD units become more affordable.
On: 2007-01-19
I have owned my DMR-ES 15 S for about five months now and Im very pleased with its performance, particularly given its price point.I have owned one other DVD recorder (Ilo-sold through Wal-Mart)and have used others at my work, and this machine is superior to all in the price range and the equal of the most expensive ($700!) ones. Although the unit has a rather retro look to it, is compact and easy to use, and the remote control is highly functional and also controls most TVs. Fundamental for me was the recording quality in SLP mode, and I have not been disappointed. Despite some increased pixilation, the quality of the image is very close to the highest level of quality and this quality is maintained whether recording off air or from another input, such as a VCR or a camcorder. Audio quality is also very good. Playback on other machines was another crucial feature for me, and although the process to prepare discs for playback on other machines is a little cumbersome, I have had no issues with playback elsewhere as I have on similarly priced models and even more expensive ones. another nice feature is the ability to create detailed titlesrather simply using the remote. Again, in comparison to other models I have used this is much easier on the Panasonic. The build quality of the unit seems sound as well. On the whole,I highly recommend product!
On: 2007-01-19
This DVD recorder works great! The quality of the recordings, whether it be from TV or dubbed from a VHS tape, is outstanding! I recently dubbed a VHS tape consisting of old 8mm film clips that had been transferred and although I know this is hard to believe... the DVD was cleaner and brighter than the original transfer onto VHS! I love the DMR-ES15S editing capabilities! It allows me to separate recordings to multiple titles if I wish, and/or edit out unwanted commercials/sections. Great piece of equipment! As always with Panasonic great bang for the buck!
On: 2007-01-16
The interface for recording programs is pretty nice, and the playback function ***for the disks you record*** is clean and straightforward.
But the playback function for commercial DVDs -- the kind you buy or rent -- is AWFUL. Getting to the DVD menu is cumbersome & non-intuitive (do NOT lose the manual!!), and its really hard to use alternate dubs (e.g., if you want to watch an Italian, Japanese, or French movie in the original & see subtitles), and getting the subtitles and alternate sounds to work at the same time is... beyond me.
Its like this: when I watch something Ive recorded, Im pretty happy with the unit, its really entirely satisfactory. When I watch something from my library of commercial DVDs, I lose more of my already thinning and graying hair. Very unsatisfactory. Makes me think seriously about buying a $79 Sony or Panasonic DVD player to dedicate to commercial disks, because who needs the grief of playing them on this machine?
It just chaps my hide, because the function & interface for disks the unite has burned is quite good... why couldnt the engineers & product marketers have spared some thought for use as a player? My ambivalent feelings toward the machine dont sit easily.
On: 2007-01-15
This product is reliable and simple to use. Ive had other DVDR devices and they did not work well nor were as easy to use. For the money, this is a great choice.
On: 2007-01-11
I really like the DMR-E15S alot. The only thing that I dont like, but is no real problem that I am getting use to, is - There is no open/close button on the remote. Other than that small item, I like it very much. I also have a Sony and I think the picture is brighter and clearer set on the fine picture setting. I like the use of DVD-RAM discs because I dont have to finalize them to play them on my Panasonic Portable DVD-Player. You get a lot of features for the cost. I hughly reccomend the DMR-ES15.
On: 2007-01-09
I have recorded about 30 hours of home movies from VCR tapes. It has worked very nice. The instructions were very easy to follow and the recorder can use either DVD+R or DVD-R.
On: 2007-01-09
This is a very good unit for recording your favorite TV programs onto DVDs. Its very easy to operate and does a decent job. There are four speeds to operate the unit and the faster it is connected the clearer the picture. I have been using the speed that allows 4 hours of recording time on a disc and Im very disappointed in the picture clarity. There is a lot of color bleeding and it becomes rather disturbing to watch. I recommend only using the higher speed settings but then you are youre eating up disc space but if you dont you might as well be recording on VHS.
On: 2007-01-07
When I am recording it all of a sudden says it must shut down and power up again. Well shuts down after long grinding noises, starts up and shut down again it does this about 4 times in a row. It destroys about 1 out of every 5 discs. I am using Verbatim DVD-Rs. It makes them so you can not record or name titles to them or play them in any other machine except in it. What a waste of money!
It also makes a lot of noise which is very annoying when playing a store bought DVD.
No eject button on remote and takes anywhere from 20 to 45 seconds to eject a store bought movie. If you have to finalize a disc you just recorded it takes up to 5 minutes.
Should be 1 star, but I will give an extra star because of how nice the menu system is and the 1 second record...
****UPDATE*****
Well, I am on my second unit and I am getting the same problem on this one. Panasonic must have NO quality control what so ever!
If I could change this to no stars I would.
On: 2007-01-05
I did a lot of research into a DVD recorder, and there are a lot of negative reviews out there. I have had had this model for about a month, and am very happy with it. I only want it for simple activities, like recording shows both from my TiVo and from an attached VCR, not for complicated editing or titling. So far everything has gone smoothly. There were a couple of things unique to DVD recorders that I needed to learn, but now that I have, I have found this very easy to use. I highly recommend this.
by: arckac On: 2007-01-04
I would actually give this product 4.5 stars as the remote does not allow you to open and close the tray.
With most recorders, those who will record a movie that is just over 2 hours has two choices to record at the two hour speed. Cut part of the movie or record at a 4 hour speed. (I wonder why manufacturers do not include a 3 hour record speed) This unit will allow you to use the entire disk at the speed of your choice using Flex Record. If your movie is 2 hours and 15 minutes that is the time you can use to ising flex reording.
One other thing I would like to do is combine chapters using dvd-r disk. I not sure this can be done.
The playback is as good as the original. There are several good deals on this recorder thoughout the internet. Therefore seach around. currently, 6th ave electonics is selling this for $118.
On: 2007-01-01
Excellent piece of equipment!
It took only half an hour to figure out the system and start recording our first VHS cassette. Just hook-up a video signal via RCA cables, select the recording speed, and press record. There are simple steps for first formatting and last finalizing. Several sessions/movies can be recorded and arranged/deleted before finalizing. Here, also simple cutting into chapters is possible which then show on the main menu when inserting the DVD. Otherwise, it will just start to play the movie.
You still cant copy copy-protected media. If its protected, youll get garbage on your discs and youll have wasted your time. That goes for Macrov | | |
