Table of contents

Operating Instructions

DVD/CD PLAYER

Model No.
Caution for AC Mains Lead/Accessories.2 Discs that can be played.4

DVD-S33

STEP 1 Connection. 6 STEP 2 The remote control. 7 STEP 3 Quick setup. 7 Operations
Basic play.8 Convenient functions.10

Dear customer

Thank you for purchasing this product. For optimum performance and safety, please read these instructions carefully. Before connecting, operating or adjusting this product, please read the instructions completely. Please keep this manual for future reference.
Playing audio (WMA/MP3), picture (JPEG) and video (DivX/MPEG4) discs.13 Changing the play sequences.14
Program play/Random play. 14

Using on-screen menus.15

On-screen menu 1/On-screen menu 2/On-screen menu 3. 15
Changing the player settings.16 About DivX VOD content.18 Region number
The player plays DVD-Video marked with labels containing the region number or ALL. Region The United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the Middle East and South Africa Asia Australia and N.Z. Number 4 Example: [The\United\Kingdom\and\Republic\of\Ireland]

Reference

Glossary/Safety precautions.19 Troubleshooting guide.20 Maintenance/Specifications.22 Index. Back cover
Unless otherwise indicated, illustrations in these operating instructions are the model for the Middle East. [Note] EB on the packaging indicates the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

RQTC0118-B

Operations
Displaying current playback condition/Repeat play/Changing play speed/ Skipping about 30 seconds forward/Quick replay/Enjoying virtual surround. 10 Making the dialogue easier to hear/Changing subtitles/Changing soundtracks/ Angle select/Still picture rotation/Zoom/Transfer mode. 11 Changing picture mode/Smoothing block noise. 12

Getting started

Caution for AC Mains Lead
(For the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and the Middle East, except United Arab Emirates) (EB and GC area code models only)
For your safety, please read the following text carefully. This appliance is supplied with a moulded three pin mains plug for your safety and convenience. A 5-ampere fuse is fitted in this plug. Should the fuse need to be replaced please ensure that the replacement fuse has a rating of 5-ampere and that it is approved by ASTA or BSI to BS1362. Check for the ASTA mark or the BSI mark on the body of the fuse. If the plug contains a removable fuse cover you must ensure that it is refitted when the fuse is replaced. If you lose the fuse cover the plug must not be used until a replacement cover is obtained. A replacement fuse cover can be purchased from your local dealer. The wire which is coloured Brown must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or coloured Brown or Red.

Accessories

Please check and identify the supplied accessories. Use numbers indicated in parentheses when asking for replacement parts. (Product numbers correct as of January 2007. These may be subject to change.) Remote control Remote control batteries (EUR7631260)
Caution for AC Mains Lead/Accessories
WARNING: DO NOT CONNECT EITHER WIRE TO THE EARTH TERMINAL WHICH IS MARKED WITH THE LETTER E, BY THE EARTH SYMBOL OR COLOURED GREEN OR GREEN/YELLOW. THIS PLUG IS NOT WATERPROOFKEEP DRY. Before use

Remove the connector cover.
[The\Middle\East,\South\Africa,\Asia,\Australia\and\N.Z.] 1 Audio/video cable (K2KA6BA00004)

How to replace the fuse

The location of the fuse differ according to the type of AC mains plug (figures A and B). Confirm the AC mains plug fitted and follow the instructions below. Illustrations may differ from actual AC mains plug. 1 Open the fuse cover with a screwdriver. [The\United\Kingdom\and\Republic\of\Ireland]
CAUTION! IF THE FITTED MOULDED PLUG IS UNSUITABLE FOR THE SOCKET OUTLET IN YOUR HOME THEN THE FUSE SHOULD BE REMOVED AND THE PLUG CUT OFF AND DISPOSED OF SAFELY. THERE IS A DANGER OF SEVERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK IF THE CUT OFF PLUG IS INSERTED INTO ANY 13-AMPERE SOCKET.
If a new plug is to be fitted please observe the wiring code as stated below. If in any doubt please consult a qualified electrician.
Sales and Support Information
Customer Care Centre For customers within the UK: For customers within the Republic of Ireland: 8333 Visit our website for product information E-mail: customer.care@panasonic.co.uk Direct Sales at Panasonic UK. Order accessory and consumable items for your product with ease and confidence by phoning our Customer Care Centre Monday-Thursday 9:00am 5:30pm, Friday 9:30am5:30pm (Excluding public holidays). Or go on line through our Internet Accessory ordering application at www.panasonic.co.uk Most major credit and debit cards accepted. All enquiries transactions and distribution facilities are provided directly by Panasonic UK Ltd. It couldnt be simpler! Also available through our Internet is direct shopping for a wide range of finished products, take a browse on our website for further details. Interested in purchasing an extended guarantee? Please call 6284 or visit our website www.panasonic.co.uk/guarantee.

Figure A

Figure B Fuse cover
Replace the fuse and close or attach the fuse cover.

IMPORTANT

The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code: Blue: Neutral, Brown: Live. As these colours may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows: The wire which is coloured Blue must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or coloured Black or Blue.

Figure B Fuse (5 ampere)

Fuse (5 ampere)

RQTC0118

CAUTION!
THIS PRODUCT UTILIZES A LASER. USE OF CONTROLS OR ADJUSTMENTS OR PERFORMANCE OF PROCEDURES OTHER THAN THOSE SPECIFIED HEREIN MAY RESULT IN HAZARDOUS RADIATION EXPOSURE. DO NOT OPEN COVERS AND DO NOT REPAIR YOURSELF. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

The socket outlet shall be installed near the equipment and easily accessible. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable. To completely disconnect this apparatus from the AC Mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from AC receptacle. [The\Middle\East,\South\Africa\and\Asia] THIS UNIT IS INTENDED FOR USE IN TROPICAL CLIMATES. [The\United\Kingdom,\Republic\of\Ireland,\Australia\and\N.Z.] THIS UNIT IS INTENDED FOR USE IN MODERATE CLIMATES.

WARNING:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK OR PRODUCT DAMAGE, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN, MOISTURE, DRIPPING OR SPLASHING AND THAT NO OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH AS VASES, SHALL BE PLACED ON THE APPARATUS. USE ONLY THE RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES. DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER (OR BACK); THERE ARE NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
DO NOT INSTALL OR PLACE THIS UNIT IN A BOOKCASE, BUILT-IN CABINET OR IN ANOTHER CONFINED SPACE. ENSURE THE UNIT IS WELL VENTILATED. TO PREVENT RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK OR FIRE HAZARD DUE TO OVERHEATING, ENSURE THAT CURTAINS AND ANY OTHER MATERIALS DO NOT OBSTRUCT THE VENTILATION VENTS. DO NOT OBSTRUCT THE UNITS VENTILATION OPENINGS WITH NEWSPAPERS, TABLECLOTHS, CURTAINS, AND SIMILAR ITEMS. DO NOT PLACE SOURCES OF NAKED FLAMES, SUCH AS LIGHTED CANDLES, ON THE UNIT. DISPOSE OF BATTERIES IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MANNER. This product may receive radio interference caused by mobile telephones during use. If such interference is apparent, please increase separation between the product and the mobile telephone.

Discs that can be played

Commercial discs
Disc Logo DVD-Video [DVD-V] Indicated in these instructions by Remarks High quality movie and music discs Music discs with video Including SVCD (Conforming to IEC62107) Music discs [CD] iR/iRW iR DL CD-R/RW
Recorded discs (Y:Available, t:Not available)
Disc Logo DVD-R/RW Recorded on a DVD Recorded on a personal computer, etc. recorder, etc. [DVD-V]2 [WMA] [MP3] [JPEG] [MPEG4] [DivX] Finalizing4

DVD-R DL

Necessary

Video CD [VCD]

(Y)3 (Y)3
Necessary Necessary Necessary5
Discs that cannot be played
Blu-ray, HD DVD, DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM, Version 1.0 of DVD-RW, DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CDV, CD-G, SACD, Photo CD, and Chaoji VCD available on the market including CVD, DVCD and SVCD that do not conform to IEC62107.

Handling precautions

Do not attach labels or stickers to discs (This may cause disc warping, rendering it unusable). Do not write on the label side with a ball-point pen or other writing instrument. Do not use record cleaning sprays, benzine, thinner, static electricity prevention liquids or any other solvent. Do not use scratch-proof protectors or covers. Do not use the following discs: Discs with exposed adhesive from removed stickers or labels (rented discs etc). Discs that are badly warped or cracked. Irregularly shaped discs, such as heart shapes.
It may not be possible to play the above discs in some cases due to the type of discs, the condition of the recording, the recording method and how the files were created ( 5, Tips for making WMA, MP3, JPEG, MPEG4 and DivX discs).
This unit can also play CD-R/RW recorded with CD-DA or Video CD format. Discs recorded on DVD recorders or DVD video cameras using DVD-Video Format. Recorded using a format different from DVD-Video Format, therefore some functions cannot be used. A process that allows play on compatible equipment. To play a disc that is displayed as Necessary on this unit, the disc must first be finalized on the device it was recorded on. Closing the session will also work.
Tips for making WMA, MP3, JPEG, MPEG4 and DivX discs
Format [WMA] Disc CD-R/RW1 Extension.WMA.wma Reference You cannot play WMA files that are copy protected. This unit is not compatible with Multiple Bit Rate (MBR: a file that contains the same content encoded at several different bit rates). Sampling frequency: DVD-R/RW: 11.02, 12, 22.05, 24, 44.1 and 48 kHz CD-R/RW: 8, 11.02, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz This unit is not compatible with ID3 tags. JPEG files taken on a digital camera that conform to DCF Standard Version 1.0 are displayed. Files that have been altered, edited or saved with computer picture editing software may not be displayed. This unit cannot display moving pictures, MOTION JPEG and other such formats, still pictures other than JPEG (e.g. TIFF) or play pictures with attached audio. You can play MPEG4 data [conforming to SD VIDEO specifications (ASF standard)/MPEG4 (Simple Profile) video system/G.726 audio system] recorded with the Panasonic SD multi cameras or DVD recorders with this unit. The recording date may differ from that of the actual date. Format [DivX] Disc Extension DVD-R/RW2.DIVX CD-R/RW1.divx.AVI.avi Reference Plays all versions of DivX video (including DivX 6) [DivX video system/MP3, Dolby Digital or MPEG audio system] with standard playback of DivX media files. Functions added with DivX Ultra are not supported. GMC (Global Motion Compensation) is not supported. DivX files greater than 2GB or have no index may not play properly on this unit. This unit supports all resolutions up to maximum of 720 k480 (NTSC)/720 k576 (PAL). You can select up to 8 types of audio and subtitles on this unit.

1: MP3 160kbps 44.1kHz 2ch
Press [TRANSFER MODE] to select the method of conversion for progressive output to suit the type of material.

[DVD-V] [DivX]

Press [AUDIO] to select the soundtrack.
Press [AUDIO] to select L, R, LiR or L R.
When playing PAL discs AUTO: Automatically detects the film and video content, and appropriately converts it. VIDEO: Select when using AUTO, and the content is distorted. FILM: Select this if the edges of the film content appear jagged or rough when AUTO is selected. However, if the video content is distorted as shown in the illustration to the right, then select AUTO. When playing NTSC discs AUTO1 (normal): Automatically detects the film and video content, and appropriately converts it. AUTO2: In addition to AUTO1, automatically detects film contents with different frame rates and appropriately converts it. VIDEO: Select when using AUTO1 and AUTO2, and the content is distorted. When the tray is opened, the setting will return to AUTO or AUTO1.

Angle select

[DVD-V] with multiple angles
Press [ANGLE/PAGE] to select the angle.

Convenient functions 11

PICTURE MODE

Changing picture mode

Press [PICTURE MODE] to select the picture quality.
NORMAL: CINEMA1: CINEMA2: DYNAMIC: ANIMATION: SOFT SKIN:
Normal images Mellows images and enhances detail in dark scenes. Sharpens images and enhances detail in dark scenes. Enhances the contrast for powerful images. Suitable for animation. Softens the skin of people in the images.

Smoothing block noise

Motion picture
You can smooth block noise and reduce the smudging that appears around contrasting sections of the picture.
Press [DNR] to select 1, 2, 3 or OFF.
1: Light effect 2: Medium effect 3: Strong effect OFF
Playing audio (WMA/MP3), picture (JPEG) and video (DivX/MPEG4) discs
1 Discs that contain both video (DivX/MPEG4) and other format (WMA/MP3/JPEG)
contents only While the PLAYBACK MENU is displayed
Select the picture in Thumbnail menu [JPEG]
1 While pictures are being displayed, press [TOP MENU] to display the thumbnails. 2 To select a picture in a group
Press [3421] to select the picture and press [ENTER]. Press [9] to skip forward page by page. Press [:] to skip backward page by page.
Press [3 4] to select AUDIO/PICTURE or VIDEO and press [ENTER].
WMA/ MP3/ JPEG DivX/ MPEG4

PLAYBACK MENU

AUDIO / PICTURE VIDEO
To select picture in other group
3 Press [3] to select the group name. Press [2 1] to select the group and press [ENTER]. Press [3421] to select the picture and press [ENTER]. Group name

Group and content number

a01_divx001 a02_divx002

4 Press [1] (PLAY) to start play.

CLEAR ALL

Clearing the program Press [1] and then press [3 4] to select the item and press [CANCEL]. Clearing the whole program Press [1] several times to select CLEAR ALL and press [ENTER]. The whole program is also cleared when the unit is turned off or the disc tray is opened. To exit the program screen Press [PLAY MODE] several times.
To exit the random screen Press [PLAY MODE] several times.

Using on-screen menus

FUNCTIONS
Each time you press the button: On-screen menu 1 (Disc/Play) ; On-screen menu 2 (Video) ; On-screen menu 3 (Audio) ; exit
Display the on-screen menus.
Items shown differ depending on the type of software.

Select the item.

Make the settings.

Press to exit.

On-screen menu 1 (Disc/Play)
e.g. [DVD-V] TITLE SEARCH CHAPTER SEARCH TRACK SEARCH CONTENT SEARCH To start from a specific item Press [3 4] to select and press [ENTER]. [VCD] This does not work when using playback control ( 19, Glossary). 11, Changing soundtracks 10, Changing play speed 10, Repeat play

On-screen menu 2 (Video)

PICTURE MODE ZOOM DNR TRANSFER MODE
12, Changing picture mode 11, Zoom
11, Transfer mode When you select AUTO the constructing method of the DivX contents is automatically distinguished and output. If the picture is distorted, select INTERLACE or PROGRESSIVE depending on which constructing method was used when the contents were recorded to disc. AUTO INTERLACE PROGRESSIVE

REPEAT MODE

A-B repeat 1 Press [3 4] to select A-B. 2 Press [ENTER] at the starting and ending points. Press [ENTER] again to cancel. 11, Changing subtitles 11, Angle select Select ON to display shooting date ON()OFF 11, Still picture rotation

SOURCE SELECT

[DivX]
SUBTITLE ANGLE DATE DISPLAY

On-screen menu 3 (Audio)

DIALOGUE 11, Making the dialogue easier to hear ENHANCER

ROTATION

ADVANCED 10, Enjoying virtual surround SURROUND

Using on-screen menus 15

12, Smoothing block noise
Changing the player settings

Shows setup menu.

Select the menu.
The settings remain intact even if you switch the unit to standby. Underlined items are the factory preset. The QUICK SETUP enables successive settings of the items in the shaded area.

DISC menu

SETTING STATE AUDIO Choose the audio language. SUBTITLE Choose the subtitle language. MENUS Choose the language for disc menus. RATINGS Set a ratings level to limit DVD-Video play. Display the current setting of the items below (LANGUAGE OPTIONS)1 ORIGINAL2 ENGLISH OTHER----3 ENGLISH AUTO4 OTHER----3 ENGLISH (LANGUAGE OPTIONS)1

VIDEO menu

SETTING STATE TV ASPECT Choose the setting to suit your television and preference. TV TYPE Select to suit the type of television. NTSC DISC OUT Choose PAL60 or NTSC output when playing NTSC discs. Display the current setting of the items below 4:3PAN&SCAN 4:3LETTERBOX 4:3ZOOM 16:9NORMAL 16:9SHRINK 16:9ZOOM STANDARD LCD PLASMA NTSC: CRT PROJECTION

(LANGUAGE OPTIONS)1

OTHER----3
PASSWORD Change the password for RATINGS ( above).
Setting ratings (When level 8 is selected) 0 LOCK ALL: To prevent play of discs without ratings levels. 1 to 7: To prohibit play of DVD-Video with corresponding ratings recorded on them. 8 NO LIMIT: To play all discs. When setting a ratings level, a password screen is shown. Follow the on-screen instructions. Do not forget your password. A message screen will be shown if a DVD-Video exceeding the ratings level is inserted in the unit. Follow the on-screen instructions. 1 Select CHANGE and press [ENTER]. 2 Enter the current password with the numbered buttons, then press [ENTER]. 3 Enter the new password with the numbered buttons, then press [ENTER]. 4 When VERIFY is displayed, please verify the password and input it again.
Output signals from NTSC discs remain as NTSC. PAL60: NTSC disc can be viewed on PAL television. [Asia]: NTSC is the factory preset. STILL MODE AUTO FIELD: The picture is not blurred, but picture Specify the type of picture quality is lower. shown when paused. FRAME: Overall quality is high, but the picture may appear blurred. VIDEO/YPbPr VIDEO OUT-SCART5 Choose the video signal format S-VIDEO/YPbPr to be output from the SCART and RGB/NO OUTPUT COMPONENT VIDEO OUT terminals ( 6) VIDEO OUT (I/P) INTERLACE Select PROGRESSIVE only if PROGRESSIVE When you select PROGRESSIVE, a message connecting to a progressive screen will appear. output compatible television. For progressive output, press [3] and then press [ENTER]. Press [RETURN] to cancel.

AUDIO menu

SETTING STATE PCM OUTPUT Check the digital input limitations of the equipment you connect using COAXIAL terminal and select the maximum sampling frequency of PCM digital output. Display the current setting of the items below UP TO 48 kHz: When connected to equipment compatible with 44.1 or 48 kHz UP TO 96 kHz: When connected to equipment compatible with 88.2 or 96 kHz Signals from copy-protected discs are converted to 48 or 44.1 kHz. Some equipment cannot handle sampling frequencies of 88.2 kHz, even if they can handle 96 kHz. Read your equipments operating instructions for details. BITSTREAM PCM BITSTREAM PCM BITSTREAM PCM ON: Adjusts for clarity even when the volume is low through compressing the range of the lowest sound level and the highest sound level. Convenient for late night viewing. (Only works with DOLBY DIGITAL) OFF Select BITSTREAM when the equipment can decode the bitstream (digital form of multi-channel data). Otherwise, select PCM. (If the bitstream is output to the equipment without a decoder, high levels of noise can be output and may damage your speakers and hearing.)

OTHERS menu

SETTING STATE REGISTRATION Displays the units registration code. JPEG TIME Display the current setting of the items below You need this registration code to purchase and play DivX Video-on-Demand (VOD) content. Select SHOW CODE and press [ENTER]. ( 18, About DivX VOD content) To change the slideshow timing 1 SEC to 15 SEC (in 1 unit) 15 SEC to 60 SEC (in 5 unit) 60 SEC to 180 SEC (in 30 unit) 3 SEC is the factory preset. BRIGHT DIM AUTO: The display is dimmed, but brightens only when you perform some operations. ON: OFF QUICK SETUP Select SET and press [ENTER]. DEFAULTS Select RESET and press [ENTER]. This returns all The password screen is shown if RATINGS ( 16) is set. values in the setup Please enter the same password with the numbered buttons, menus to the default then press [ENTER], then turn the unit off and on again. settings. 1 Language options [The\United\Kingdom,\Republic\of\Ireland,\Australia\and\N.Z.]: FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, ITALIAN, SWEDISH, DUTCH and POLISH [The\Middle\East\and\South\Africa]: FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, RUSSIAN, HUNGARIAN, CZECH and POLISH [Asia]: CHINESE TRAD. 2 The original language designed on the disc is selected. 3 Input a code number referring to the table ( 18). 4 If the language selected for AUDIO is not available, subtitles appear in that language (If available on the disc). 5 [The\United\Kingdom\and\Republic\of\Ireland] 6 [Australia\and\N.Z.] 7 [The\Middle\East\and\South\Africa] 8 [Asia] The unit switches to standby mode after about 30 minutes in the stop mode.
DOLBY DIGITAL With COAXIAL connections ( 7) DTS With COAXIAL connections ( 7) MPEG5, 6, 7 With COAXIAL connections ( 7) DYNAMIC RANGE
FL DIMMER Changes the brightness of the units display. AUTO POWER OFF

DISPLAY menu

SETTING STATE LANGUAGE Display the current setting of the items below
ENGLISH ITALIANO ENGLISH YCCKN ENGLISH
FRANAIS SVENSKA FRANAIS MAGYAR
ESPAOL NEDERLANDS ESPAOL ESKY
DEUTSCH POLSKI DEUTSCH POLSKI
Changing the player settings 17

About DivX VOD content

Language code list
Abkhazian: Afar: Afrikaans: Albanian: Ameharic: Arabic: Armenian: Assamese: Aymara: Azerbaijani: Bashkir: Basque: Bengali; Bangla: Bhutani: Bihari: Breton: Bulgarian: Burmese: Byelorussian: Cambodian: Catalan: Chinese: Corsican: Croatian: Czech: Danish: Dutch: English: Esperanto: Estonian: Faroese: Fiji: Finnish: French: Frisian: Galician: Georgian: German: Greek: Greenlandic: Guarani: 7178 Gujarati: Hausa: Hebrew: Hindi: Hungarian: Icelandic: Indonesian: Interlingua: Irish: Italian: Japanese: Javanese: Kannada: Kashmiri: Kazakh: Kirghiz: Korean: Kurdish: Laotian: Latin: Latvian, Lettish: Lingala: Lithuanian: Macedonian: Malagasy: Malay: Malayalam: Maltese: Maori: Marathi: Moldavian: Mongolian: Nauru: Nepali: Norwegian: Oriya: Pashto, Pushto: Persian: Polish: Portuguese: Punjabi: 8065 Quechua: Rhaeto-Romance: Romanian: Russian: Samoan: Sanskrit: Scots Gaelic: Serbian: Serbo-Croatian: Shona: Sindhi: Singhalese: Slovak: Slovenian: Somali: Spanish: Sundanese: Swahili: Swedish: Tagalog: Tajik: Tamil: Tatar: Telugu: Thai: Tibetan: Tigrinya: Tonga: Turkish: Turkmen: Twi: Ukrainian: Urdu: Uzbek: Vietnamese: Volapk: Welsh: Wolof: Xhosa: Yiddish: Yoruba: Zulu: DivX Video-on-Demand (VOD) content is encrypted for copyright protection. In order to play DivX VOD content on this unit, you first need to register the unit. Follow the on line instructions for purchasing DivX VOD content to enter the units registration code and register the unit. For more information about DivX VOD, visit www.divx.com/vod.

Set the unit up on an even surface away from direct sunlight, high temperatures, high humidity, and excessive vibration. These conditions can damage the cabinet and other components, thereby shortening the units service life. Do not place heavy items on the unit.

Voltage

Do not use high voltage power sources. This can overload the unit and cause a fire. Do not use a DC power source. Check the source carefully when setting the unit up on a ship or other place where DC is used.
AC mains lead protection Glossary/Safety precautions
Finalize A process that makes play of a recorded CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, etc. possible on equipment that can play such media. After finalizing, the disc becomes play-only and you can no longer record or edit. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) This is a system used for compressing/decoding colour still pictures. If you select JPEG as the storage system on digital cameras, etc., the data will be compressed to 1/10 1/100 of its original size. The benefit of JPEG is less deterioration in picture quality considering the degree of compression. MPEG4 A compression system for use on mobile devices or a network, that allows highly efficient recording at a low bit rate. MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) An audio compression method that compresses audio to approximately one tenth of its size without any considerable loss of audio quality. Playback control (PBC) If a Video CD has playback control, you can select scenes and information with menus. (This unit is compatible with version 2.0 and 1.1.)
Ensure the AC mains lead is connected correctly and not damaged. Poor connection and lead damage can cause fire or electric shock. Do not pull, bend, or place heavy items on the lead. Grasp the plug firmly when unplugging the lead. Pulling the AC mains lead can cause electric shock. Do not handle the plug with wet hands. This can cause electric shock.

Foreign matter

Do not let metal objects fall inside the unit. This can cause electric shock or malfunction. Do not let liquids get into the unit. This can cause electric shock or malfunction. If this occurs, immediately disconnect the unit from the power supply and contact your dealer. Do not spray insecticides onto or into the unit. They contain flammable gases which can ignite if sprayed into the unit.

Service

Do not attempt to repair this unit by yourself. If sound is interrupted, indicators fail to light, smoke appears, or any other problem that is not covered in these instructions occurs, disconnect the AC mains lead and contact your dealer or an authorized service center. Electric shock or damage to the unit can occur if the unit is repaired, disassembled or reconstructed by unqualified persons. Extend operating life by disconnecting the unit from the power source if it is not to be used for a long time.

No response when remote control buttons pressed. No picture or sound.
You have forgotten your ratings password. Reset all the settings to Factory Preset.
Picture size doesnt fit the screen. When playing PAL disc, picture distorted. Picture stops. The television may display incorrectly or colours appear faded.
Specific operation impossible or incorrect
It takes time before play starts. Play may take time to begin when an MP3 track has still picture data. Even after the track starts, the correct play time will not be displayed, however this is normal. This is normal on DivX video. These functions do not work with some DVD-Videos. Press [] twice and then press [1] (PLAY).
The program play function do not work.
Menu doesnt appear. [VCD] with playback control
Menu not displayed correctly.

Progressive video

There is ghosting when progressive output is on. Pictures not in progressive output. This problem is caused by the editing method or material used on DVD-Video, but should be corrected if you use interlace output. Change VIDEO OUT (I/P) in VIDEO menu to INTERLACE. (16) If the unit is connected to the television through VIDEO OUT, S VIDEO OUT1 or AV2 terminal output will be interlace. Set ADVANCED SURROUND to OFF. (10) If you have connected a digital amplifier which does not include decoder, be sure to select PCM in DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS or MPEG3 in AUDIO menu. (17) None of the audio effects work when the unit is outputting bitstream signals from the COAXIAL terminal. (7) Some audio effects do not work or have less effect with some discs. ADVANCED SURROUND does not work if you have changed the play speed. (10) There may be a pause in sound when you change the play speed. [DivX] Audio may not be output due to how files were created. (5) You cannot record WMA/MP3. You cannot record DVDs that have protection preventing digital recording. You cannot record DVDs if the recording equipment cannot handle signals with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz. Make the following settings: ADVANCED SURROUND: OFF (10) PCM OUTPUT: UP TO 48 kHz (17) 3: PCM (17) DOLBY DIGITAL/DTS/MPEG You inserted a disc the unit cannot play; insert one it can. (4) You inserted a blank disc. You inserted a disc that has not been finalized. (4) The disc may be dirty. (22) You havent inserted the disc correctly: Insert it correctly. (8) Trouble may have occurred. Turn the unit off and then back to ON. Alternatively, turn the unit off, disconnect the AC mains lead, and then reconnect it. If the service numbers fail to clear, note the service number and contact a qualified service person. You havent inserted a disc: Insert one. You havent inserted the disc correctly: Insert it correctly. (8)

The number following H depends on the status of the unit.

Sound incorrect

Sound distorted. Piercing noise comes from the speakers. Effects do not work.

Television displays

ERR H ( stands for a number.) Trouble may have occurred. The number following ERR H depends on the status of the unit. Turn the unit off and then back to ON. Alternatively, turn the unit off, disconnect the AC mains lead, and then reconnect it. If the service numbers fail to clear, note the service number and contact a qualified service person. The disc may be dirty. (22) You havent inserted the disc correctly: Insert it correctly. (8) The operation is prohibited by the unit or disc. You havent inserted a disc: Insert one. You havent inserted the disc correctly: Insert it correctly. (8) Audio has not been recorded, or recorded in a format this unit cannot playback. Video playback only is possible. (5) You inserted a disc the unit cannot play; insert one it can. (4) You inserted a disc that has not been finalized. (4) You inserted a blank disc.
ERR U11 / NO DISC CANNOT PLAY AUDIO NO AUDIO THIS TYPE OF DISC CANNOT BE PLAYED. PLEASE INSERT A DIFFERENT DISC. THIS DISC MAY NOT BE PLAYED IN YOUR REGION. AUTHORIZATION ERROR RENTAL EXPIRED

No sound

Recording
Cannot record to digital recording equipment. (Incorrect sound recorded.)

Unit displays

You can only play DVD-Video if their region number is the same or includes the same region number as the unit or if the DVD-Video is marked ALL. Confirm the region number for the unit on the rear panel. (Cover) You are trying to play the DivX VOD content that was purchased with a different registration code. You cannot play the content on this unit. (18) The DivX VOD content has zero remaining plays. You cannot play it. (18)
[Except\the\United\Kingdom\and\Republic\of\Ireland] [The\United\Kingdom\and\Republic\of\Ireland] [Except\Asia]

Troubleshooting guide 21

RQTC_0118_B.fm

Page 22

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

12:36 PM

Maintenance
Clean this unit with a soft, dry cloth
Never use alcohol, paint thinner or benzine to clean this unit. Before using chemically treated cloth, read the instructions that came with the cloth carefully. Cleaning of the lens is generally not necessary although this depends on the operating environment. Do not use commercially available lens cleaners as they may cause malfunction.

If you see this symbol

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc. and DTS 2.0 + Digital Out is a trademark of DTS, Inc. This product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and other intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited. This product is licensed under the MPEG-4 Visual patent portfolio license for the personal and non-commercial use of a consumer for (i) encoding video in compliance with the MPEG-4 Visual Standard (MPEG-4 Video) and/or (ii) decoding MPEG-4 Video that was encoded by a consumer engaged in a personal and non-commercial activity and/or was obtained from a video provider licensed by MPEG LA to provide MPEG-4 Video. No license is granted or shall be implied for any other use. Additional information including that relating to promotional, internal and commercial uses and licensing may be obtained from MPEG LA, LLC. See http://www.mpegla.com. Windows Media, and the Windows logo are trademarks, or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. WMA is a compression format developed by Microsoft Corporation. It achieves the same sound quality as MP3 with a file size that is smaller than that of MP3. Official DivX Certified product. Plays all versions of DivX video (including DivX6) with standard playback of DivX media files. DivX, DivX Certified, and associated logos are trademarks of DivX, Inc. and are used under license.
Information on Disposal for Users of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (private households)
This symbol on the products and/or accompanying documents means that used electrical and electronic products should not be mixed with general household waste. For proper treatment, recovery and recycling, please take these products to designated collection points, where they will be accepted on a free of charge basis. Alternatively, in some countries you may be able to return your products to your local retailer upon the purchase of an equivalent new product. Disposing of this product correctly will help to save valuable resources and prevent any potential negative effects on human health and the environment which could otherwise arise from inappropriate waste handling. Please contact your local authority for further details of your nearest designated collection point. Penalties may be applicable for incorrect disposal of this waste, in accordance with national legislation.

For business users in the European Union
If you wish to discard electrical and electronic equipment, please contact your dealer or supplier for further information.
Information on Disposal in other Countries outside the European Union
This symbol is only valid in the European Union. If you wish to discard this product, please contact your local authorities or dealer and ask for the correct method of disposal.

Page 24

A A-B repeat. 15 D
ADVANCED SURROUND. 10 Angle select. 11 DIALOGUE ENHANCER. 11 DivX. 5, 13, 18, 19 Dolby Digital. 17 DTS. 17 Enter number. 9 Finalize. 4, 19 JPEG. 5, 13, 19 MANUAL SKIP. 10 Menu language. 17 MPEG. 17 MPEG4. 5, 13, 19 MP3. 5, 13, 19 On-screen menus. 15 Picture Mode. 12 Play speed. 10 Program play. 14 Quick OSD. 10 Quick replay. 10 Quick setup. 7 Random play. 14 Repeat. 10 Resume play. 8 Rotate picture. 11 Setup. 16 Soundtrack. 11 Subtitle. 11 WMA. 5, 13 Zoom. 11

E F J M

(Inside of product)

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT

O P Q R

(Back of product)

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Web Site: http://panasonic.net

RQTC0118-B F0107AK1017

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DIY Editing Remote control for Panasonic DVD Video Recorders
(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Digital Video Recorders Hard-disk DVR's are both cool and useful for quick work. They also offer a simple editing (cutting out commercials, setting chapter points, joining and formatting DVD menu). Yes I used the word simple, but DVR's are far from simple devices inside. They work with mpeg2 format, they are able to split or join mpeg2 and they do it in real-time and with a good quality. You can do these things on PC, that's correct, but with DVR you don't need to reboot it, it, remove 3 pounds of spyware from it every night, download drivers or breath very quietly near it when it does capture video in fear of drop frames. Even if you do all editing on computer, these things can be a great time saver for quick work. Except they are all consumer devices and so the word hip and cool overshadow the word ergonomic. They rather put a mirror faceplate than a jog shuttle even that the production cost in China for both is about the same. But what do I expect? For $5000 more I can probably get a big-square-model with large buttons, jog-shuttle, joystick and everything to make editing easier. And maybe even a mirror faceplate for thousand extra. I have a love-hate situation at home with Panasonic DMR-E85. I like the fact that it can produce great mpeg2 quality, all in real time, partially thanks to the real time temporal NR which allows for much better compression than a software under the same bitrate. But I am always struggling with the remote. There is a quite capable MPEG editor inside with frame cutting, but this is far from no cozy editing with a mouse. This is not even editing with a keyboard. This is a true punishment for all our TV recording sins. Don't get me wrong, as remotes go, this is actually a pretty good one. For example to cut out part of recording like commercial is an

10/06/2010

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exercise worth a game console fanatic. I have to hit Fast forward to quickly find the approximate start, then press Play, hit Forward back to find the exact start of it, eventually hit pause and slow forward or Play or back to get to the spot then hit OK to set Mark In. Oh, good, I've got it. Wait a minute! That's just the In mark. I have to do all this finger-circus for the Mark out!. And again and again - all with small packed buttons on remote where my finger easily covers two of them. I have to do it constantly looking at TV with one eye and looking down on remote with the other to see if I'm not pressing something I would regret. Of course what I really need is called Jog-Shuttle. Sadly Panasonic doesn't offer any alternative remote with jog-shuttle. It is a consumer product. Jog yourself. There are some more reasonable universal remote controls and few specialized for video editing even offers a shuttle-like control such as JVC JXED11. Unfortunately you can't really train a shuttle on a device that doesn't support it so you end up with a controller that is more cumbersome than normal buttons. On the following pages I will describe step by step how I created the homebrew editing controller for the Panasonic E85 DVD video recorder. It of course apply to any other recorder.
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(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Initial process I started thinking what I want from a good remote for editing with the E85.
large buttons that are far away so I don't have to look down. jog shuttle or other control that allows forwarding, playing and pausing in one place buttons for direction controller so I don't have to switch between remote
The second question is, can it be done in a reasonable time, without a custom processor and without spending much money, preferably using a "garage sale" components? Of course, generally what I need is to replace the mini buttons on remote with a large ones. Better yet without destroying the original remote, I can get some universal one in a department store, some buttons, wires and a bit of time. I soon realized that creating a home-brew jog-shuttle with switches is simply unrealistic. Jog-shuttle has to do much more than just switch on or off. But a joystick-like controller will do the editing task as well and it can be done all with switches. My design was getting its shape. Where to get switches? A healthy number of switches with buttons cost considerably when buying new in a component store. Not even mentioned that you can't really get any good looking buttons. It is one way to go, but I still like the idea of recycling.

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Fortunately a small visit to local EB (electronic boutique) reveal the secret source of used switches, joysticks, direction pads and buttons, all in a large groups and sold for just few $. Yes, old gaming console controllers. Presumably various third party Playstation 1 are the best bet. These old third party PS1 controllers often use joysticks, but unlike the new analogue joysticks, these are done by 4-way switch. It just sits in these used controller bins and whisper "Pick me, pick me". As a bonus each controllers has also a large number of buttons, switches etc. The price often starts at $2 per controller and for a $5 you can get a luxury one. Of course the idea is to get the "clickable" controllers that have real switches, instead of the rubber pad.
Here is my pick. I got two PS1 controllers. The first is one will be used for the joystick and all the push buttons. When you are choosing the joystick, listen if it clicks when tilted to side. If it doesn't then this is analog joystick and that isn't what we want. The second controller I choose for the directional pad. This one uses rubber pad switches so we will have to use also part of its circuit board where are the contacts. Let's collect all other components. I need some universal remote control that I will disassemble. I had this one Phillips that I got a time ago from Wal-Mart, but never really used it. Then I need some universal circuit board where I will solder all the switches (RadioShack), wires (The PS1 controllers have enough high quality wires in its cable) and a box. Lot of component stores including RadioShack sell plastic project boxes.
First, I tried the Phillips remote with the E85 and noted what buttons I want to "EXTRACT" from it. These were the:
<<, >>, Play, Pause, Stop, (obvious reason), these will be wired mostly to the joystick. Chapter up/down because the Navi screen uses these to go to prev/next navi screen Directional buttons with OK and Return because everything else is done with these. The button that controls the Navi screen and Submenu and eventually Record button (because I still got one switch left from the large PS1

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controller, so why not?) With these buttons I can do all work using the new controller and I don't need to touch the original remote

(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Disassembly In this step I will try to disassemble the PS1 controllers to collect all the switches, joystick and to salvage the directional pad. Taking out the joystick is easy. It is all contained into one component After opening the controller I have to take out only four screws and the joystick is main. It will be equally easy to add it to my board. For the push buttons, this already require some de-soldering. As I de solder the board on the back around the button contacts, they basically fell down.
The PS1 controller from inside before the surgery.
The joystick controller is removed. I couldn't buy better one eve if I try.
Here are the push-buttons in The buttons are already out. the original mask.
I checked all buttons and the joystick with ohm-meter just to be sure they are all good. Checking every step is the best way to make sure the result will work without any problems. The last, most difficult part of the disassembly step, is the directional pad from the second controller. Here I have to cut out the circuit board, since the contacts for the pad are on it. Then I have to remove all the unnecessary copper lines and components so only the contacts will remain. Destroying board is much easier than making it. All what is needed is excessive heat from the solder tool and making sure the contacts stay clear.
The second controller will I removed the unnecessary Here is detailed view at be used for its directional lines and to basically have the part with contacts. pad only. only the contacts.
This is the salvage so far. A full box of buttons, switches and other goodies.
So now I have a full box of switches, push buttons and screws. I also took out the wires from the controller cable. They are thin, yet strong to sustain the controller abuse each is in different color. What can I wish more. Now is the time to look at the remote control. The following part is the most delicate.
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(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Attaching cables to the universal remote circuit board This is the most crucial step and if we don't do this step properly, there is no reason to continue. First, let's have a good look at the remote circuit board. The Integrated circuit is soldered to the copper layer. Between the two layers - copper and graphite is isolation. But there are points at which the graphite layer is joined with the bottom copper. If you look closely these are visible as small inset circles on the graphite. These are the best places to attach wires. Now let's check which contacts we need. I previously list all the buttons I like to use, now I will locate the contacts for these buttons on the graphite and locate the inset joint circles as described above. I will mark these with a marker. Obviously, since the buttons are in a matrix, many will have common wires so I will then check if I didn't mark any redundant joints. At this moment we have to pause and decide how we are going to attach the wires to the board. Firs way is to solder the wires to the joints. I must warn you, this step is only for people who have enough experience with soldering such fine elements. This is not easy task and if you are not confident or never done such things, this is not the best time to experiment. Other, much easier way is to glue the wires there! Yes, there is such thing like a special conductive silver glue or epoxy. It can be bought from radio-amateur stores or ordered online. The silver conductive glue is great invention for this application. Since the contacts on remote are graphite, the integrated circuit doesn't expect for the buttons to be 100% perfectly conductive. In fact you may be able to bridge contacts even with your skin on finger which has quite some considerable electric resistance. In both ways we have to remember that we would need to place the rubber keypad on the board when setting things up to set the remote code, then we can remove it. This means the wires cannot block any of the numbers or the device selector on top.

Here are the joints between the graphite and copper layer.
I marked the contacts I need with marker
Scratching the surface and adding solder to the joint
Soldering a cable to the joint
I choose the first method because I am confident I can do it. I spent my teen years with soldering iron in hand and soldering wires to thin layer is not the most difficult job I ever did. Again, warning, if you are not confident soldering, get a glue. Before soldering I took scalpel and scratched the top of the graphite from the joints to reveal the bottom copper layer. I took special care to be sure I am working on joints between layers, not scratching the isolation on places where these two layers must not touch. Then I had to put a bit of solder to these joints. This is difficult and it involves scratching the joint with scalpel so the copper layer is clean, using extra flux and always clean soldering tip. Never heat the joint too long. If it doesn't take the solder after few sec, stop, scratch it again, use flux, clean tip and start again. The goal is to put a bit of the solder to the joints so in next phase we can quickly solder wires to them. I prepared the wires from the PS1 controller cable. They are each different color, which is very good. I leave enough length, it is easier to cut later. Take out a very little isolation, use flux and add solder to the wires. Now
we are ready. Quickly heat the wire in the joint so they get soldered together. If you are using glue, then all this is much easier. You can actually simply glue the wires to the graphite layer, the best is in place of joints, since there is the strongest bond with the board. When all wires are there, there is one important step - to mechanically secure the wires to the board. I use for these kind of things hot glue. This is important because while the wire can have good electrical contact with the circuit board, such contact is not good mechanically. It is very easy to break the lines in board when pulling the wires and believe me there will be a lot of pulling later. I simply secured the wires with hot glue to the edge of the board. Now I took a paper and pen and by tracing the remote board I marked which two wires control which button. You will be happy to have colored wires! Before I can go further, I want to be sure I didn't destroyed the remote, so I put batteries in , put the rubber back on top to set the code for Panasonic (My Phillips used 641 code so I had to press-hold learn, press DVD and put the code). Then I took the rubber keyboard off again and tried the device on the E85 by simply touching the two wires I marked. I checked all of them if all works as planned. In my case all was all right. That means both the soldered joints are fine and I also marked the wires correctly. It is vital to do this step at this stage, because it is much harder to locate bugs later.

First wire attached.

All wires are now attached using colored cables
A detail of the soldered wires
This is the remote with both LED on wires and a battery box.
I took out the battery and took out the infrared LED and the red LED and solder them to a long wires, then solder the wires back to the board making sure I keep the correct polarity. I simply put mark with marker on one side of the led contact and same mark on the board. If you reverse polarity, you will be scratching your head why it doesn't work. So this is the most difficult part and it is done, so put it away to safe place
(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable.) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Buttons assembly. First I designed the new layout on computer in a drawing software, then tried it by placing buttons on top of my board and checking the ergonomy. The goal here is so with each hand I should be able to easily press required buttons, without actually moving the hand from position. So for example holding joystick, I should be able to press OK or Return button with thumb without removing the hand from joystick, same with the directional pad. For the joystick I designed it so left will be|<<, right will be >>, bottom will be pause and top will be play. These are the buttons that are used during editing on the E85 when I want to set mark In or Out. With joystick, I can use all 4 functions without checking my finger position. I will put a stop button above the joystick and record button to the center top where it cannot be activated accidentally.
Here I placed all the components on a board to find out the best distances.
I added wires to the directional pad board.
The buttons are soldered and Here is a detail of the joystick and directional pad the directional pad. are attached using screws
You have to also make sure you will have enough space in the box for the actual remote control board. So at this moment decide where the board will be and leave enough space there. Then I created bigger holes for the contacts of each switch and holes for the joystick screws. The conductive side of my universal circuit board will be on the reverse side and I will solder the push buttons to it. I also add some hot glue to the edges around the buttons, just to make sure the bond is strong. In previous step I salvaged the directional pad from the PS1 controller by cutting around the circuit board and removing the lines I don't need, leaving basically only the four contact pads with some lines to them. I made some holes for the wires and attached necessary wires to the lines. Again, you have to check the matrix of the buttons. In my case as it turned out 3 buttons had common wire. Then I add screws to hold the rubber pad to the little board. The four-way large plastic button will be placed on top of this sandwich and will be actually held there by the outer box so it can freely move. The next step is to mount the small board with the directional pad onto the main board. Here is important note, we will need to adjust the height later so I used longer screws.

(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable.) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 Connecting it together. When all things are in the place, now is the time to connect the universal remote spider with the boards. Since many of the wires from board will be used by more than one button, we will need additional wires. A word of advice is to use same color of wire for subsequent connections. It will be much easier to fix things later. I simply followed my paper notes since I already tested that they are correct. Note: My salvaged joystick control is done such way that if the joystick is up, the bottom push switch is ON, when joystick is moved to left, the right switch is ON etc. Just make sure you check this before you solder wires so you do not have to redo things. There are quite a few wires to be added so it become a bit messy.
All is connected together
A detail of reverse size of the board
Again, time for step testing, I added batteries, placed the rubber keypad over the remote and set the remote code for Panasonic, then removed the keypad. I moved the IR LED on front of E85 and had a deep breath. Then
tried pushing buttons and joystick. All worked perfectly. This step is then done so I used hot glue gun to attach the many wires to the board so they don't get loose when I will be fitting it to the box. This is always a good step, it saves lot of time in long run.
(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 The Box. I used the project box that is large enough to hold the board and a remote control board inside. I then measured all the buttons placements and draw the openings of the box on computer. At home it is not easy to make things to fit exactly. Remember that. Leave enough clearance around the buttons, we will cover it later. The only precise placement and size is the circle that will hold the 4way directional button, because it must fit, be loose enough so it works and make sure the button doesn't pop out. All others holes can have much higher error. So I put it on computer, printed it, cut out the holes, then placed it over the buttons to see how well I made it. It needed few corrections. Then I printed it again, secured it on top of the box and marked the centers of the holes for drill. To drill large holes is not that easy with hand-held drill, you may ask somebody who has table drill to do it for you. The only requirement is the correct directional pad hole size. All others can be larger. So for the directional pad drill smaller hole and use fine file to work it out to the correct size.

The board is attached to the bottom half of the project box
I have to make sure the height of the board can be adjusted
This is how it will be all placed inside the box.
The directional button has small pin to avoid rotating it around.
I attached the main circuit board to the bottom half of the project box with screws that allow for height alignment. Using four screws is not enough. To avoid any bending of the board when buttons are pressed, the screws have to be placed also in center and around larger buttons. I also attached the remote controller board to the bottom half. This time I used hot glue, since there will be no physical pressure on this board. It is important to have access to the original buttons so the rubber keypad can be attached and the remote programmed. This will need to to be done only occasionally so the rubber keyboard doesn't need to be attached there permanently. I will however store the rubber keyboard folded inside the box so I don't have to look for it when needed. When I do such things like this, I also always print a schematic or instructions and place them inside the box as well. In this case there is no really schematic, just bunch of wires. But the instructions how to program the remote can be a big help. After year or so there is little chance to remember what I had done, or in this case how do I need to reprogram the remote if the batteries
need to be changed. This little trick saved me previously a lot of trouble. Last thing is to drill hole to front panel for the IR LED and in top panel for the red indicator LED. I left a long wire to these LEDs so the case can open easy. Again I used hot glue to attach the LED to the plastic case.
The box is closed and buttons are added to the switches.
Here it is assembled with joystick ball.
A top view. It still needs some finishing touch, but it si already fully working
Again, time for step testing, I added batteries, placed the rubber keypad over the remote and set the remote code for Panasonic, then removed the keypad. I moved the IR LED on front of E85 and had a deep breath. Then tried pushing buttons and joystick. All worked perfectly.
(A guerrilla remote control to make editing on DMR-E80/E85/E100 just a bit more enjoyable.) The idea works for any other DVD recorders. Pages: Intro 7 The finishing touch. All what this new remote needs is some finishing touch. For start we can describe which button does what. So what we need is a face-plate. We don't need anything too fancy. A simple design, printed on a photo paper. Then I used a self-laminating sheet and simply put the printout the face to the adhesive side of the sheet.

Printed "face-plate" before cutting the holes
The mask is glued on to the box
Then I cut out the holes with a scalpel on a cutting mat and glued the mask to the top of the box. After all this I sprayed the top of box with acrylic sealer to smooth out the cuted edges, but it is of course optional. I realized that the buttons are all in different height and tilted because the original controller was curved. I used this to my advantage, make sure the tilt is placed correctly (lower edge towards me) and choose less important buttons with lower height. This is apparent for example on the Navigation and Submenu buttons.
Since some of the buttons had a writing on them, I sprayed them with Enamel (the one used for plastic models) making white, black and grey buttons. (for gray I used the balck and white).
All is done and my controller is ready for prime-time. It took me about 3 hours for two evenings from dissasembly of controllers to the final touch.
My 4 years old daughter couldn't resist and draw a picture of me working on this project. I am sitting on a chair holding the soldering iron. She is running around with a bunch of wires in her hand that she steal from my table.