big_dog_oesd's Full Review: Panasonic DMR-EZ485VK DVD Recorder / VCR Combo
After wasting an entire weekend trying to get this product to work, I finally gave up. Panasonic's help line had no advice except to send a brand new unit to a repair center in a neighboring state. I've had many Panasonic products in the past and was generally satisfied, but this one sure changed my opinion of the company.
The digital tuner is a complete disaster, the worst I've ever encountered. It's painstakingly slow to change channels, sometimes goes in the opposite direction of the one selected, loses signal, and occasionally freezes. If you're a channel surfer, you will be frustrated beyond belief.
The image quality on a DV +R/W was not much better than on my old Sony VHS recorder. Thinking I might just "retire" it and use it on my workshop old TV not hooked up to cable, I found the picture quality on analog channels to be worse than that of the ancient tuner on that TV.
And then there's that little matter of throwing up an overheat code after only a few hours of operation. I checked the reviews on some other models of Panasonic DVR's and apparently this is a continuing issue. If you read the reviews on the EZ47 (like I should have), you'll find that the tuner problems are also commonplace.
To sum up... this unit is not worth the money. It's impossible if you're not tech savvy, and frustrating if you are.
Play and record on both DVDs and VHS tapes using the DMR-EZ485VK Progressive Scan DVD Recorder with VCR from Panasonic. It features 1080p Up-Conversio...More at Dell
Features: 1080p Up-Conversion Digital Tuner Capable Easy Operation with VIERALink Expansion of Usages Universal DesignType: DVD Recorder & VCR ...More at Newegg.com
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