Page 1 of Toshiba DR1 or Panasonic DMRE55 DVD recorder dilemma - HELP!!!

Hi all,

Am in a real dilemma here. These two DVD recorders are on at Richer Sounds for £199.99.

Here`s the two specs - which doi you think I`m best going for? All I want to do is use it like a VHS recorder for recording a few TV progs. I`ll want to keep very little i watch so it needs to be re-recordable.

D-R1 DVD Recorder/DVD Player (Progressive Scan):

Manufacturer: Toshiba
DVD Recorder: Yes
Integrated LCD Screen: No
Remote Control: Basic Remote
Audio DAC: 24 Bit
Audio Output: Digital Coaxial, Digital Optical Disc
Mechanism: Tray
General Features: Dolby Digital Support, DTS Support, Multi-Camera Angle Select, Multi-Language Select, Progressive Scan, Virtual Surround
Sound Interface Type: Audio - Line In (RCA), Audio - Line Out (AC-3 Bit Stream / PCM Optical), Audio - Line Out (RCA-style), Video - Component, Video - Composite (RCA), Video - S-Video
Media Supported: Audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, Video CD (VCD)
Number of Discs Supported: 1
Video Features: Motion Zoom (2x, 4x)
Video Output: Component Video, Composite (RCA), S-Video


Panasonic DMRE55:

Recording onto DVD-RAM (up to 16 hrs on double sided disc)
Recording onto DVD-R (Up to 8 hrs)
Time Slip function
5 Recording Modes
Playlist Playback
PAL Progressive Scan
Direct Navigator
One Touch Recording
Partial Delete and Recording

All opinions welcomed.

Cheers

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Go for the E55 for the simple reason it allows RGB in,which greatly improves your recording quality.
As long as repeated loaning out is not a priority you won`t miss the lack of -RW.
For your own use the RAM is brilliant.
For the occasional permanent recording or loaner,use a cheap -R.

cheers Bowfer.

So you reckon having RGB in long term is better than say having -RW?

Is RAM the better format than -RW?

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I went for the Panasonic. The consensus seems to be that Panasonic is a good reliable make and that RAM is better than +RW and -RW for stability, editability (if that`s a word) and for re-recording thousands of times. BUT - RAM is not very compatible. If that bothers you then don`t go for it, unless you use the -R on the Panasonic. Not got as many editing functions and it`s once only, but very compatible.

I took the decision that I hardly ever need to loan my TV recordings out so went for the E55. I haven`t tried others, but am REALLY impressed so far - makes VHS seem pre-historic! Good luck.

ps I got mine from RS for £183 (multi-region) under the price beat scheme. Don`t let them fob you off with price matching - the website says they will beat by £10 for items over £100.

Cheers Brooktop - you guys are stars.

How did you get it for £183 - you must have had a competitor price to quote? I assume they can`t be web prices if I buy from instore - the offer is only for instore.

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I found it (easily) by using a comparison site - printing it off and taking it in store (make sure the other site has a contact address and has the item in stock). They tried to `match` but I told them that the website says `beat`. The guy said that it didn`t apply to DVD recorders (hmmmm!!!) but that he was feeling generous.

HOWEVER - be aware that the E55 does NOT include an optical cable (there is no coaxial out on the E55) so had to buy one - at £20!!! I know I could have got one off the web for about a fiver, but it is a `Cambridge Audio` one and I couldn`t be ars*d shopping around - I wanted to get up and running!

If you plan to watch rewritables on any other players elsewhere in your house,or a PS2,Xbox or any other player,don`t get the Panny.This Tosh lacks RGB in,but if you have Sky+ you can use s-video.If you don`t,then composite is all thats left on a standard Sky box which is inferior to RGB,and the Panny would be the one.
Can`t you find a Pioneer at a similar price which gives RGB and -RW?
-RW can edit just as well as RAM.But it sounds as if editing is not a priority for you

This is really invaluable advice I`m getting here - appreciate all yourr advice.

Basically, for now I`ll be watching and recording on an analogue coax TV, but in the future I may upgrade my TV to one with RGB.

I will want to be able to rerecord again and again onto discs.

I would like to be able to play these rerecordable discs on other players if poss.

Therefore:

The Panasonic won`t play on other machines (why not if it`s --R/RW? I`m not bothered about it not playing on XBox or PS2)

The Toshiba hasn`t got RGB.

I`ve found a Pioneer DVR220 for £169.99 that has RGB and is -R/-RW, but it`s not multi region. That`s a problem for me. Can it be hacked?

Regarding this:

"HOWEVER - be aware that the E55 does NOT include an optical cable (there is no coaxial out on the E55) so had to buy one - at £20!!! I know I could have got one off the web for about a fiver, but it is a `Cambridge Audio` one and I couldn`t be ars*d shopping around - I wanted to get up and running!"

I don`t mind getting a cable, but can I connect the panny to my normal TV scart or coax?

Sorry if I`m coming across a bit thick here.

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Quote:
I don`t mind getting a cable, but can I connect the panny to my normal TV scart or coax?

You can connect the Panny into your TV or Video using only a Scart lead.

Even if your TV is not RGB now, any recordings that you want to keep will be so much better if recordeed with RGB, so when in the future you get a large Plasma/LCD you will really be glad you used RGB into the Panasonic.

Quote:
You can connect the Panny into your TV or Video using only a Scart lead
Will one of you E55 owners do me a favour?
1) connect up your player with scart & RF out leads if not already done so,
2) play any DVD (one you know whats playing :D )
3) put the TV back OFF AV and onto it`s tuner and retune the TV to see if you can pick up the DVD?

For some reason, I seem to have the only E50 on the planet that outputs an RF signal as well as an AV signal!!

Jimbo : oÞ (Oh, E50 owners...check it too :D)