Panasonic DMR-ES25S DVD Recorder with DV Input with HDMI and SD Card Slot

Panasonic DMR-ES25S DVD Recorder with DV Input with HDMI and SD Card Slot
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Product Description
With the Panasonic DMR-ES25 Diga DVD Player and Recorder, you'll enjoy more flexibility when it comes to your digital media. It's got multi-format recording and playback tools, allowing users to play and record to multipl disc formats. The new HDAVI-Control makes it easier than ever to control your DVDs without multiple remotes, and the HDMI connection and allows you to connect multiple components without the mess of wires. When connected to any HDMI-compatible screen, the DMR-ES25 converts video to 720p or 1080i, for a beautiful image that almost jumps out of your TV. The DV input and multi-drive recording and playback let you record & play back DVD-Audio & Video, CD audio, CD-DA and MP3/JPEG discs. With its easy operation and versatility, the DMR-ES15K offers you the DVD player and recorder you need to complete your home entertainment center. HD resolution up converter changes images to 720p and 1080i Transfers content from a DV camcorder or SD card in just one step Auto DVD-R Finalizing Task-oriented GUI menu for easier use and completion of DVDs Simultaneous playback and recording Chasing playback tool allows you to watch the start of a program while you're still recording it VCR Refresh Dubbing with advanced DNR DV auto recording and playlist creation Built-in SD card slot and SD viewer for JPEG images Records using MEPG-2 compression, for up to 8 hours of video on one disc VBR recording for optimized bitrate depending on type & length of recording Time base corrector for stable, natural images HDMI Front A/V input Inputs - 2 S-Video, 2 Component, 2 SCART, 2 line in 1 line out, 1 Optical, 1 Component, 1 S-Video, 1 Composite Playable formats - DVD-RAM, -R/RW, +R/RW, DVD Video, VCD CD-R/RW, MP3 CD Recording formats - DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW Dolby Digital 2-channel audio recording
Amazon.com Product Description
Record your home movies and your favorite TV programs easily to DVD disc with the Panasonic DMR-ES25S progressive scan recorder/player, which provides ultimate flexibility in recording media options. It also includes an HDMI digital audio/video output, which can "up-convert" standard DVD movie discs to near HD resolution. Where standard DVD players (even progressive scan models) provide just 480 lines of resolution, the DMR-ES25S up-converts the picture up to 720p and 1080i high-def video formats--taking full advantage of your HD television's sparkling resolution. (Note that your TV must have an HDMI connection; HDMI cable not included.)

Choose from a full spectrum of recordable DVD media--write-once DVD+R and DVD-R discs or rewritable DVD-RW/+RW and DVD-RAM discs. (For temporary storage, such as your favorite weekly shows, DVD-RAM discs are a great choice as they can be rewritten more times than DVD-RW/+RW discs.) It's easy to record TV programming with the built-in analog TV tuner with RF pass-through and seven-day TV Guide electronic programming guide. In addition to standard DVD movie and CD audio discs and its compatible recordable formats, the DMR-ES25S can play back CD-R/RW, dual layer DVD-R/+R, and VCD disc formats as well as JPEG, and MP3 digital formats. You can also view individual images and photo slideshows using the integrated Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with JPEG and TIFF file formats).

Panasonic's Time Slip function consists of two features designed to give you added flexibility and control when making DVD recordings: Chasing Playback and Simultaneous Record & Play. With Chasing Playback, you don't have to wait for an entire program to be recorded before watching it from beginning to end. This feature allows you to watch a program that's currently being recorded from any point that's already been recorded--while continuing to record the live program in progress. Simultaneous Record & Play allows you to record a program onto a disc while simultaneously watching any other program that's previously been recorded on the same disc.

You can set your recorder to one of five different recording speeds, each varying in recording quality and length. EP mode yields the most recording time, LP & SP modes provide less recording time with higher quality recording, and XP mode gives you the highest quality recording. There's also the FR (Flexible Recording) mode that lets you record with the best picture quality possible for the recording time and remaining space on the disc.

The Direct Navigator feature makes it easy to find a previously recorded program on a disc. A list of recording dates, times, channels and (user-entered) titles are shown on screen. With the Playlist Playback function, you can perform simple non-linear video editing using, such as rearranging the order of scenes, skipping over unwanted scenes, or copying selections

Jump directly to any spot on a disc and begin playback or recording right away with the Rapid Random Access function when using DVD-RAM discs. Even if there is no sequential area of empty space available, this DVD recorder can record data on available space throughout the rest of the disc. You will also avoid searching for a blank spot to start recording, or accidentally recording over desired material.

Enjoy a great picture on you flat screen LCD or plasma HDTV using the component video output, and immersive surround sound via the optical digital audio output for Dolby Digital and DTS home theater effects. It also offers a FireWire port (also known as IEEE1394 or i.Link) for direct connection to a digital video camcorder, enabling you to download footage directly to disc. The full lineup of video and audio connections includes:

RF Input: 1
Composite video/audio input: 2 (1 front)
Composite video/audio output: 1
S-Video input: 2 (1 front)
S-Video output: 1
Component video output: 1
HDMI audio/video output: 1
Digital audio output: 1 optical

Tech Talk
HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. It provides up to a 5 GB per second bandwidth for transmitting pure digital video and audio signals with no degradation in the transfer. It can carry up to eight discrete audio channels, making it compatible with 7.1-channel surround sound systems. Signals are encrypted with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) to prevent recording. HDMI is fully backward-compatible with most DVI connections .

Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.

High Definition Formats: The most common high-def (HD) video format is 720p, which displays video at 720 vertical by 1280 horizontal pixels. The "p" denotes that it is progressive scan, meaning that all video lines are filled at the same time. The 1080i format displays video at 1080 vertical by 1920 horizontal pixels, and the "i" means that it is interlaced (the old-school way of presenting video where the screen scans the odd-numbered video lines first, then the even-numbered lines). The 1080p format has the same pixel resolution as 1080i, but it is a progressive scan format and thus has a constant vertical resolution of 1080 lines.

What's in the Box
DVD recorder/player, remote control (with batteries), AV cable, RF cable, power cord, one DVD-RAM disc, printed operating instructions

Average customer rating: 4.0

avoid at all costs
Easy to use and reliable but getting outdated
Fast and reliable
Warning: Don't buy this miserable piece of crap
Warning!!!! Slow, expensive, miserable service from Iomega

Listmania:

MY Mac
THE COMPUTER

Iomega Zip 250 MB USB External Drive (PC/Mac)

Manufacturer: Iomega
Product Group: CE
Binding: Electronics
ASIN: B0000300QN

Related Categories:

Drives & Storage

Disk Cartridge Drives

Drives & Storage

Zip Drives

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Amazon.com Product Description

The Zip 250 USB drive offers an ultrathin, mobile design that meets the high-capacity storage needs for both PC and Mac users. At an inch thick and weighing just under a pound, the Zip 250 USB drive can accompany the most demanding mobile computer user. Connect the drive conveniently with the industry-standard USB port. Mobile users can connect with a host-powered PCMCIA interface.

Product Description

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology is the emerging standard for connecting anything to your computer. This state-of-the-art interface makes good on the long-touted promise of simple plug-and-play capability, moving beyond traditional limitations and annoyances of the SCSI or parallel port interfaces. Now, USB-equipped Macintosh and PCs running Microsoft Windows 98 can begin utilizing USB advantages available from the sleek translucent blue Zip USB drive.

Customer Reviews:

avoid at all costs.......2005-03-22

This is what happaned when I tried to use this drive on an otherwise stable Windows 2000 system:

The Iomega Tools installer demanded an immediate restart as soon as it completed.

The system hung on restart and had to be power-cycled.

A new item called 'active disk' appeared in the system tray on successful restart. There was nothing indicating it had anything to do with Iomega at all.

The Iomega entry on the Programs menu had nothing in it but a couple of web links ('help' and 'update').

I was able to read a pre-recorded Zip disk with no problems, however, when I tried to eject the disk (using the right-click menu item), Windows flung a bunch of panicked popups, yelling at me for disconnecting hardware without going through the "safely disconnect hardware" interface -- it basically acted as though I'd unceremoniously yanked out the USB cable while the drive was still spinning. Then it vomited up one of those always-delightful "Unrecognized exception" error popups, and promptly hung.

When I used this drive with an OSX system, every time I tried to eject a disk, the drive spun for over a minute before spitting out the disk.

This is all mysterious. I never had these kinds of problems with the SCSI Zip drives.

In any case, at $10 a pop, the Zip media format has been effectively eclipsed by writable CDs and DVDs.

Easy to use and reliable but getting outdated.......2004-04-11

--I've used one of these for the last two years to back up files and store photos, and I can't recall a single technical problem with it. After reading some of the problems with other electronic gear rated on Amazon, I can't believe this device has been so reliable. When discussing burnable CD's, words like "coasters" or "frisbees" often arise, and reviewers often curse software editing, but I don't think I've ever lost a photo or a data file on a Zip (although you'd better not forget your password if you protect your files). We haven't dropped ours or sat on it, like some other reviewers have done with theirs, but it has done over 20,000 bumpy miles in a Recreational Vehicle and we live in a dusty climate, and the drive has always performed flawlessly. The Zip is also as simple to use as an anvil. We bought it because it editing photos was said to be easier than with a CD, and we weren't disappointed.
--I may, however, be shifting over to a CD in a short time as my photo collection has grown (I sure won't throw away my Zip but may limit its use to photo editing). For one thing, I'm not sure how long the format will last and I'm not sure I want a bin full of files without a backup system in case this one ever does break. The discs are far bulkier than a CD, and they are getting expensive. It's also pretty tough to share files or transfer data to another computer, unless the partner has a 250 Zip.
--I rate this product highly, but it has become somewhat outdated. I would recommend it as a very decent backup system for files and some photos, or as a photo-editing device, but if you have tons of photos you may want a CD or DVD. Hope this helps.

Fast and reliable.......2001-07-16

I've got my Zip 250-USB running on a 1Ghz Pentium 3 with Windows ME and had no trouble getting it installed. Have not had any system locks, either. It's much faster than my old Zip 100 that ran on the parallel port, though the 250-USB reads Zip 100 disks with no problem (though slower than 250 disks). I'm using Iomega's Quik Sync back-up software and it's great to have it operating automatically in the background, without me having to remember to do it.

When I bought mine, the USB-powered version was not yet available, so mine uses an AC power adapter. The USB-powered version would be nice to have for running on my laptop.

Warning: Don't buy this miserable piece of crap.......2001-02-10

Do you like really slow, worthless drives that crash your computer and corrupt your data? Do you enjoy spending hours on hold waiting for someone at technical support to pick up? Do you like wasting hours reinstalling software that is filled with bugs? Do you like losing work because aback up system hasn't worked properly? If so you'll love Iomega products. Spare yourself hours of misery and much regret and buy something else, anything else but don't buy this miserable piece of crap.

Warning!!!! Slow, expensive, miserable service from Iomega.......2001-02-10

All you need to know is that this drive is expensive, slow and that service and technical help when it goes wrong from Iomega is utterly miserable. Avoid this product unless you like spending hours on hold or you like your technical help from incoherent morons. Avoid this like the plague.

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