f o c u s

HDD RECORDERS

PANASONIC DMR E500

Record

FOREVER
t was around four years ago that I had my first contact with a consumer DVD recorder. This unit was unashamedly expensive and I believe a little cantankerous. Not too long after coming into contact with the DVD-recorder, I was shown a hard disk recorder. If I remember correctly, this unit featured a 20 Gb hard drive. Over the next few years, the price of the two technologies dropped considerably to the point where more mere mortals could afford either a hard disk, or a DVD recorder. Naturally with convergence being the modern way of things, it was only a matter of time before companies started combining hard disk recorders and DVD reorders into a single machine. Such a machine is the Panasonic DMR E500, which features a DVD-RAM/R recorder, a 400-gig hard disk drive, a DVD audio and video player,TV tuner and the capability to read virtually all memory cards into one chassis. Other player features include the ability to store up to 709 hours of programming on the hard disk, simultaneous record and play, and one-touch record and play. Picture quality improvement functions including input TBC, 3D Y/C separation, 3D noise reduction, block noise reduction, mosquito noise reduction, and theres even a DV input. Image quality is ensured by the presence of Progressive Scanning, and a 54 MHz/10-bit Video D/A Converter. On the audio side, the Panasonic uses 96 kHz/24-bit processors. Visually, the Panasonics front panel looks relatively neat and tidy and is dominated by a large central display. Residing behind this display is the DVD tray. The rear of the unit, by necessity, looks rather busy as here you find aerial inputs and outputs, A/V inputs and outputs, and a digital

p e a k s

VERDICT Whilst a little expensive, the DMR E500 does offer over 700 hours of hard drive recording time, a DVD recorder, and a DVD-Audio player in one package. Lack of VHF tuning a little disappointing. PRICE..RSUPPLIED BY Panasonic 777
output. All connectors are however well marked and are easy to access. After unpacking the Panasonic, I hooked up an aerial, plugged a VCR into it, connected it to the A/V inputs on my TV and finally powered everything up. The player automatically looks for TV channels the first time it powers up, but instead for finding four channels, TV1, 2, 3 and e, it only found one, with this being eTV. I assumed that I had done something wrong, so set about manually tuning in stations.This was a simple task, but I still didnt find the SABC stations. I then called Panasonic to find out what I was doing wrong. It turned out that the model I was reviewing didnt have a VHF tuner and this was why I couldnt pick up the SABC stations. This meant that had I wanted to record a SABC station, I would have to connect a DSTV decoder or a VCR with built in tuner to one of the Panasonics A/V inputs and selected the station on the decoder/VCR.Whilst this was
no problem, it did mean that the player lost a little flexibility. The first performance aspect of the Panasonic that I looked at was its DVD-Video playback capability. Here it performed faultlessly and delivered superb image and sound quality. Next I set the player up to record from the internal tuner to the hard drive.To ensure that I didnt hit any snags, I read through the manual before selecting time, station - this was easy as there was only one - and recording mode. I actually tried various recording modes to check out the difference between longest and shortest recording time. Set-up proved no more difficult than it would be with an ordinary VCR. As one would expect, video quality was best at the lowest compression, but it was still more than acceptable when I used EP mode. The final aspect of performance that I wanted to check up on was how good or otherwise the systems built in noise reduction and video enhancement circuitry was. To test this, I transferred a programme from a VCR to DVD disc. After finalising the disc, I placed it into a DVD player and simultaneously started playback of the original VHS cassette and the DVD. In all aspects from video to audio, the copy on the DVD was superior to the original on the VHS tape.The noise reduction circuitry certainly worked. My conclusion on returning the Panasonic was that it performed as advertised. I was disappointed that it lacked the VHF tuner, but in all other respects I enjoyed using it. At Rthe DMR E500 isnt exactly cheap, but it does offer a whole lot of flexibility in that it plays back most discs, including DVD-Audio. It is also a superb recorder, and this is where its value lies.

1104wv31 Panasonic DMR-E500H

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Panasonic DMR-E500H
This monster of a recorder features a colossal 400GB hard disk and more features than you can shake a stick at. So is Danny Phillips in heaven?
FEATURES Records: DVD-RAM/DVD-R; plays DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW (Video mode, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RAM, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, MP3; 400GB hard-disk drive; four recording modes (XP, SP, LP, EP) with 6hr or 8hr EP mode; Flexible Recording; Home networking functions; JPEG viewer; high-speed recording (up to 64x DVD-R or 40x DVD-RAM); MPEG4 simultaneous recording and conversion; Variable Bitrate Control; Integrated Noise Reduction; Time Base Control; DV Auto Recording & Automatic Playlist Creation; Timeslip (Chasing Playback, simultaneous record & play); 1.3x Quick View; Direct Navigator with moving thumbnails; PAL/NTSC progressive scan; one-touch record & play; Playlist Playback; Relief Recording; recording mode conversion; PCM sound recording in XP; audio recording level control; CPRM compatible; dimensions: 430(w) x 79(h) x 302(d)mm SOCKETS Front: S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; DV input; PC and SD card slots Rear: 2 Scarts (1 RGB, S-video & composite in, 1 RGB, S-video & composite out); component video output; RF input/output; optical digital output; stereo audio output; 5.1-channel audio outputs; composite video output; S-video output; ethernet terminal CONTACT www.panasonic.co.uk TEST DATA DVD PLAYBACK Video jitter: 6ns (good) Signal-to-noise ratio: (composite) -68.9dB (average) (S-video) -74.4dB (very good) (component) -74.2dB (very good) Chrominance AM/PM: -70.5dB/-68.4dB (excellent/excellent) Chroma crosstalk: -51.4dB (average) Frequency response at 5.8MHz: (composite): -0.35dB (excellent) (S-video): -0.54dB (excellent) (component): -060dB (very good) Audio jitter: 202.7ps (very good) RECORDING Chrominance AM/PM (SP): -59.0dB/-56.3dB (very good/very good) Frequency response: EP: 0.03dB@ 2MHz (excellent) LP: 0.04dB @ 2MHz (excellent SP: -0.70dB @ 4MHz (very good) XP: -0.73dB @ 4MHz (very good) For a full explanation of test data, see page 128
he DMR-E500H could be the closest youll come to the ultimate recorder. Not only is it equipped with all the fancy tricks and gimmicks youd expect from a Panasonic DVD-RAM recorder but its also the first model to boast home networking capabilities. This allows you to access files stored on its hard disk from your PC or from a second DMR-E500H in another room. And at 400GB, this recorder also boasts the largest hard-disk ever seen on a DVD/HDD combi. This allows you to store up to an incredible 709hrs of programmes in the lowest quality recording mode.
DVD-Audio playback, youll also find six-channel analogue audio outputs. Finally, the set of component outputs now a common feature of DVD recorders is PAL progressive scan capable. Just one socketry gripe theres no electrical digital audio output, so amps with optical input only will require a converter.

OPERATION

If you think all this brain-blowing technology makes the DMR-E500H too complex to use, youre in for a surprise. The remote is straightforward to use, boasting a luxury brushed aluminium finish and terrific button placement. All of its functions are presented in a clear, non-intimidating manner, using a newly designed menu interface with bright colours and bold text. Only the network options are likely to cause trouble for novices, but once youve sorted your IP from your DHCP youll find this quite a novelty, if a little limited. What youll need is a PC with a Local Area Network (LAN) port, running Windows XP, Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, and Media Player 8.0 or later. Connect the DMR-E500H directly to the PC using a crossover LAN cable (or standard patch cables if youre using a hub), key the recorders IP address into your internet browser and youll access the basic-looking but functional Diga Manager website, though make sure any pop-up blockers are turned off, or you wont be able to enter. From here, you can access the DMR-E500Hs hard-disk and choose to view MPEG4 or JPEG files on your PC, or rename (but not watch) MPEG2 recordings. Alternatively, if you have a second

DESCRIPTION

With so much inside, its no surprise that the DMR-E500H is far from slimline. But no matter, snazzy hi-tech touches on the fascia, such as the mirrored disc tray flap, make up for its chunkiness. Youll also find slots for SD and PC cards on the front, enabling you to access JPEG and MPEG4 files. Whip open one of the front flaps and youll find an i.Link input, alongside standard S-video/composite/stereo audio inputs, enabling DV camcorder users to transfer footage to the hard disk or DVD with no loss of quality. Under the second flap is a cluster of basic controls. The rear is packed with connections. Most of the basics are present and correct, such as two RGB-capable Scarts. More unusual ones include the Local Area Network (Ethernet) terminal, which is crucial to the home-networking function (more on this later). And because the DMR-E500H is the first DVD recorder to offer multichannel

DMR-E500H in another room, you can hook the two up with a LAN cable and use one recorder to access files stored on the other. Playback of files is instant and slick, but its a pity you cant also copy MP3 files to the hard disk and access them via the network. There are four video recording modes: XP, SP, LP and EP. These offer between 89 and 709hrs of recording time on the hard disk, or between 1 and 8hrs on DVD-RAM/DVD-R. Theres also a Flexible Recording mode, which calculates the best possible picture quality depending on remaining disc space and length of the programme. Stored programmes are accessed from Direct Navigator, a neat graphical index that now boasts moving thumbnails (you can change the scene that is played). Its a shame that the recorder doesnt take programme information from teletext but you can enter names manually. All our favourite DVD-RAM features are found elsewhere, such as Timeslip and Playlist editing. The former allows you to play back and record simultaneously including playback of a programme while its still being recorded. The latter lets you trim unwanted parts of a recording by creating new chapters and piece them together in any sequence. The editing interface looks and performs differently to that of previous Panasonic recorders but its still slick and easy to follow. Edited playlists can be transferred to DVD or SD card (the deck converts to MPEG4 in the latter instance). Other features include high speed and Rate Conversion dubbing, and the deck can simultaneously create an MPEG4 version of
Dressed to kill, easy to use
74 November 2004 I WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESCREEN TV
Basic controls under one flap.
.and secondary inputs under another

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HDD/DVD recorder 1,300

PRODUCT

the regular MPEG2 recording, which you can transfer to SD card and replay on a portable device. Only two grumbles theres no digital tuner, which a recorder of this calibre really should have and the machine performs an annoying self check every time you turn it on.

FACT FILE

G 400GB hard disk G Ethernet connection

PERFORMANCE

From our experience of previous Panasonic Diga recorders, we expected high-quality recordings and thats exactly what you get. XP modes bitrate is higher than digital TV broadcasts, so Freeview pictures look exactly the same as the source, particularly when using RGB. And in SP, the drop down in

for home networking Timeslip MPEG4 recording High-speed dubbing PAL/NTSC progressive scan G SD/PC card slots

G G G G

A phenomenal machine, packed to bursting point with features
quality is imperceptible, apart from some hardly noticeable shimmer during detailheavy scenes. Recordings in LP and EP (in both 6hr and 8hr) modes are inevitably fuzzier and less stable, with very blocky colour gradation, but the results are tolerable and no worse than any other recorder. Pre-recorded DVD playback is also of the highest order, with the PAL progressive scan-enabled component outs delivering smooth, sharp and vibrant images to a compatible display. RGB is similarly dazzling. Inevitably, with so much technology crammed into one box, compromises had to be made somewhere. Sadly, sound quality is the victim, with DVD-Audio not scaling its usual heights and stereo CD material sounding distinctly ordinary.

WHATS GOOD

Huge hard-disk capacity; recording quality; features

WHATS BAD

Analogue tuner only; no electrical digital audio output; average sonics
PICTURE SOUND FEATURES EASE OF USE VALUE ALSO CONSIDER.
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SONY RDR-HX1000 Due out in October, this 250GB DVD+RW/-RW hard disk recorder offers the next largest storage capacity, and a 15Mbps mode for high-quality recordings. No networking though (see News October 04) Not yet reviewed PIONEER DVR-920H Another high-capacity recorder worth waiting for. Due in December, it boasts 250GB of hard-disk space, DVD-RW/-R recording and much more Not yet reviewed

CONCLUSION

The DMR-E500H is a phenomenal machine, packed to bursting point with impressive features. Were not entirely sure that they quite justify the 500 premium over the next-best Panasonic recorder, but theres no denying that the network feature is a very significant development. These advanced features arent for everyone though - if networking or a 400GB hard-disk arent for you then you might as well save your cash and opt for the DMR-E95H or E85H. That said, there are plenty more strings to the E500Hs bow, such as excellent recording quality and unparalleled ease of use, which make this the DVD recorder by which all others should be judged

OVERALL VERDICT

Panasonic takes digital video recording to the next level with this awesome machine
RGB Scarts, a LAN terminal and six-channel outputs, but no electrical digital
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