Panasonic DMR-EA18K

• Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 8 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  Easy to use, great widescreen video quality

  by Metaspherz on January 26, 2009

  Pros: The remote
  Zoom
  HQ widescreen recording with all media
  DVD-RAM recording
  Double Layer disc recording
  HQ 2 hour recordings
  USB music and pix
  SD cards compatible
  FireWire port
  S-Video in front and back
  CD and CDrw playback

  Cons: no eject on remote
  no component in
  HDMI out ony
  price might be a bit high
  no Divx playback
  no hard disc recording
  no tuner
  Some computer recordings cause the unit to freeze and require an unplug and restart meaning the clock must be reset

  Summary: After trying and returning lesser DVDR units (some more expensive too) I am more than thrilled at the quality of the recordings I've made. Widescreen recording IS possible in ...

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  Summary: After trying and returning lesser DVDR units (some more expensive too) I am more than thrilled at the quality of the recordings I've made. Widescreen recording IS possible in every DVD format using a S-video cable if your cable box allows it. My cable box allows me to set the aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9 (or 480P, 720P, 1080i/P) Yes, those pricey HDMI and component cables are only allowed for video out, but not video in. I almost didn't buy the Panasonic DMR-EA18k DVD recorder because of the 2 star review that claimed that HQ widescreen recording was possible only using RAM Discs. Wrong, despite what the manual says. I've used DVD-/+R, DVD-/+RW and DVD-R DL discs with excellent widescreen results. I record widescreen programs off of Comcast Cable's HD DVR with HQ results. Here's how: connect the S-video cable to the S-vid out on the cable or satellite DVR then connect the other end to the S-video in on your HDTV. Choose whichever recording mode you like from 1 hour to 6 (8 hours with DL discs ) 1 to 2 hours has the best quality IMO. Make sure the aspect ratio is 16:9 and the 720P or 1080i/P is correct. Choose the program you want to save and then press the record button on the remote or the unit itself. Be sure to press pause to filter out commercials and unwanted programing then press pause again to restart recording at the proper time. I use the HDMI out from the DVDR to the HDMI in on the TV (no audio cable needed, of course). This connection upconverts the 480i/p standard TV output as well to look even more fantastic on a HDTV. The EA18K also upconverts homemade DVDs and TV signals using the component cables (though not commercial DVDs). Most other DVDR's don't do this directly for TV programs using HDMI or component cables! That's a major plus in my book. I have not tried to record directly from the TV.
  To review my connections, the Panasonic EA18k is connected to the HD cable box using the S-video cable and RCA composit audio cables with HDMI connected to HDMI 2 on my TV. DVDR must be turned on to view TV when not recording. On my TV's HDMI 1 I have a direct connection to the HD cable box HDMI out to get the full 1080P viewing experience when not recording.

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  8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 4 stars

  A dvd recorder that will not record widescreen to dvd-r

  by Kevin_Mayfield on October 9, 2008

  Pros: Good recording and playback quality. Loaded with great features.

  Cons: Will not record in widescreen format to anything except to a dvd ram disc.

  Summary: This product could have been the bang for the buck dvd recorder if Panasonic had not left out the one thing that most people will want in a dvd recorder; ...

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  Summary: This product could have been the bang for the buck dvd recorder if Panasonic had not left out the one thing that most people will want in a dvd recorder; the ability to record widescreen broadcast to a dvd-r disc in this era of widescreen viewing.

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  4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Excellent overall. Slow to start playing content.

  by on November 22, 2008

  Pros: Tons of options. Upconverting looks wonderful whether it's a DVD or recording from HDTV via DVR. Clear manual.

  Cons: Put in a CD to listen to music and it takes about 30 seconds before you hear anything and then it comes in partway through the song. This could be due to my home theater setup, but it seems they could have optimized the start up process more.

  2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 5 stars

  Outstanding Video Quality? I think not.

  by umdala on August 25, 2009

  Pros: Nice features and an overall nice design.
  East of programming.

  Cons: Seriously - this is not that much better than VHS.

  Summary: Unless there's something I'm missing, or I just have higher expectations, I'm very dissapointed with the quality of recordings. I have an HDTV (and yes, my DirectTV ...

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  Summary: Unless there's something I'm missing, or I just have higher expectations, I'm very dissapointed with the quality of recordings. I have an HDTV (and yes, my DirectTV is HD) and it never looks all that great unless I'm in the fastest recording mode. Even then, it's not all that great. I'm open for suggestions, but as it stands now, saying this device has outstanding recording quality is a huge stretch.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 1 stars

  DON"T DO IT...

  by Tongabound on May 14, 2010

  Pros: Good picture quality, nice features others don't offer, nice design.

  Cons: VERY poor quality, loud, slow loading dvd's, confusing screens

  Summary: Sent back twice in six months. Will not buy another Panasonic DVD Recorder. Very disappointed that it received high ratings.
  This unit has a software problem that runs across all ...

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  Summary: Sent back twice in six months. Will not buy another Panasonic DVD Recorder. Very disappointed that it received high ratings.
  This unit has a software problem that runs across all models. My father has the EA48 and has the same issues.
  It ruins every DL DVD I record. Unit resets for no reason and ruins DVD that was being recorded, Unit spontaneously shuts off ruining DVD that was being recorded.
  I have too many CON's to mention.
  This units does record a great picture, has many novel features, but these are all outweighed by it's poor design and tendency to ruin DVD's.
  I had a SONY DVD recorder prior to this unit. It lasted three years and recorded hundreds of DVD without problem. I think I will go back and get a SONY.

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• 5 stars

  Worked for 2 years

  by loessn on February 7, 2010

  Pros: Recorded dvd's ok and had an imput for my camcorder

  Cons: After 2 years it would not open the tray, cost to repair exceeded value of the box, replaced with another brand and bought the warranty. Really just junk from China.

  Summary: Short life span, poor quality.

  Summary: Short life span, poor quality.

• 3 stars

  Died one week after warranty

  by tkachuk on December 15, 2009

  Pros: Burned relatively well for the short number of dvd's burned. The results were generally excellent with high quality.

  Cons: Stopped functioning after about 40 dvd's. Had it for 54 weeks (hence no warranty) but I know how many dvd's because I started with a sleeve of 100. I used Taiyo-Yuden disks that have received good reviews.

  Summary: It is unacceptable to have product failure of this type after such short use. I spoke with a {anasonic representative who indicated that out of warranty is exactly the one ...

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  Summary: It is unacceptable to have product failure of this type after such short use. I spoke with a {anasonic representative who indicated that out of warranty is exactly the one year. Their offer to give me a refurbished unit for $140 plus shipping plus my return of the old unit is a joke considering that the unit is sellinf for $157 at Amazon with free shipping and no requirement that I pay to return an old unit. I have been loyal to Panasonic but that will stop now.

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• 4 stars

  Excellent playback quality, nice set of features.

  by Mr_Gray on September 11, 2009

  Pros: Good playback quality on standard DVD's to a HDTV. Nice to have the USB connection. Simple controls, not cluttered. Works well with the Viera Plasma TV.

  Cons: Doesn't have the ability to record wide-screen with a DVD -R. How stupid is this. It reads just about anything you put in it, but as a DVD recorder, skip it.

  Summary: Not worth purchasing. As a player, it's so far overpriced as to be laughable. As a recorder, it's single biggest flaw makes it of no value as a ...

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  Summary: Not worth purchasing. As a player, it's so far overpriced as to be laughable. As a recorder, it's single biggest flaw makes it of no value as a DVD recorder.

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