Panasonic DMR-E80H (80 GB) DVD Recorder

If you are a TiVo devotee, then please exit via the doors to your right. Otherwise, read on...

I write this in the aftermath of the announcement that TiVo units will display pop-up/banner ads when users fast-forward through commercials. Add this to TiVo's policy of forcibly removing pay-per-view events from your recorder after a certain time period and you can see why many of us avoided TiVo in the first place or have avoided it altogether. A TiVo user would never admit it, but there are effective, even superior alternatives. Enough about TiVo.

The technical details of this Panasonic unit are well-chronicled below. Assuming you have a satellite or cable receiver with a timer, the only drawback to capturing your favorite programs is the need to set two timers. Of course, if you can master the functions of this unit, setting a timer is hardly a technical challenge.

Archiving content is not for everyone, but for us packrats it's a fantastic option to have, especially when the release of a DVD package of a TV series (e.g., The Sopranos) is held for up to a year after the air dates have concluded. $5-10 for blank DVD media versus $75 for the box set is a no-brainer.

Panasonic DVRs have remained under the radar with respect to commercials, ads, and/or copyright, but they do prevent dubbing from commercial DVDs or 'finalized' DVDs that you have burned yourself.

DVD-RAM is admittedly not the most popular format. I think many users eschew it in favor of the hard disk since it looks and acts the same, but I tend to use it as a quick-and-dirty method of segregating programs by genre, date, etc. On the plus side, editing on the DVD-RAM is just as responsive as HD editing.

I really don't get a lot of use out of the playlist function - that may be due to personal preference or outright ignorance - but it appears to have additional use when dubbing.

Others are correct about the inability to edit while recording, but this problem is understandable when you consider the I/O issues vis-a-vis the HD - it may be overcome in future generations.


Commercial (1-minute) skip is a great feature, but the ability to edit is even better, especially if you archive.

I generally record in EP mode and there are slight compression artifacts (pixellation) during playback, which a larger screen or an HDTV exposes even more, but it's a trade-off between HD capacity and picture quality.

As long as TV adheres to its broken-down advertising model, Panasonic and other DVR users will have the last laugh. If you want a McDonald's Value Meal (quick, disposable, easy), get a TiVo. If you prefer a multiple course meal with a wide variety of options, opt for the Panasonic.