Opinions on Panasonic DMR-E20 Standalone DVD-Ram/DVD-R recorder

[Lenny Nero]

Tripod.com is screwing up wont link to images anymore and tripod.co.uk is down so I left them at their original server, just click on them.

http://www.sonriausa.com/ebay/dmr-e20-frentegde.jpg
http://www.sonriausa.com/ebay/dmr-e2...epainelgde.jpg
http://www.sonriausa.com/ebay/dmr-e2...eabertogde.jpg
http://www.sonriausa.com/ebay/dmr-e20-atrasgde.jpg


Check out the specs on official site: http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/s hop/templates/rect_template.asp?ModelId=12374&show_all=false&product_exists=True&active=1&ModelNo=DMR-E20S

Does anyone own this yet? I'm planning on buying it. I've thoroughly compared it to Pioneer's and Philips new models and the only difference is they offer a firewire i1394 link useful for progressive DV camcorder users. They are also 500-1500 as expensive, DMR-E20 retails for $1499 and you can get it for about $730
Do not buy it for 800+ on ebay thinking it's a steal as many others do.

All of them support DVD-R which you can play any standard DVD player, Pioneer and Philips went with DVD-RW which you can rewrite, while Panasonic with DVD-Ram format which is also rewritable only you can also edit it in real time on a PC as it's basically data storage format, like an HD
DVD-R can also be rewritten and material added as long as it's not finalized yet, plus already playable so you can take your time.

Oh, none of them have an optical in, so we will have to use analog audio, only 2.0
I don't care about them not having DD/DTS decoders built in or not being progressive as we all have our recievers and virtual headphones that have their own decoder chips and got our players where we can play a progressive disc if needed, plus most stuff won't be progressive anyway, we will use it to transfer our old LDs and VHS onto DVD, etc.
There are lots of features to discuss

So, what're your opinions on it, a useful thing to record your fav TV shows and never have to wonder "Will they release it out on DVD and will it be in season by season boxsets or 2 episodes a disc, pan&scan, at $34.99 and once in sixth months or not?"

------------------
"All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun." - Jean Luc Godard

[This message has been edited by Lenny Nero (edited 11-25-2001).]