Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder with DV Input

Average customer rating: 4.5

Simple and easy operation with excellent results.
Does what it's supposed to.
All's Well that Ends Well: DMR-ES15
Give it a Chance
poor manual and to many buttons

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DVD Players

Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder with DV Input

Manufacturer: Panasonic
Product Group: CE
Binding: Electronics
ASIN: B000F4C2AM

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Amazon.com Product Description

Record your home movies and your favorite TV programs easily to DVD disc with the Panasonic DMR-ES15S progressive scan recorder/player, which provides ultimate flexibility in recording media options. You can choose write-once DVD+R and DVD-R discs or rewritable DVD-RW/+RW and DVD-RAM discs (the latter being a great choice for temporary storage of recorded material as it can be rewritten more than DVD-RW). It's easy to record TV programming with the built-in analog TV tuner with RF pass-through. In addition to standard DVD movie and CD audio discs and its compatible recordable formats, the DMR-ES15S can play back CD-R/RW, dual layer DVD-R/+R, and VCD disc formats as well as JPEG, and MP3 digital formats.

Panasonic's Time Slip function consists of two features designed to give you added flexibility and control when making DVD recordings: Chasing Playback and Simultaneous Record & Play. With Chasing Playback, you don't have to wait for an entire program to be recorded before watching it from beginning to end. This feature allows you to watch a program that's currently being recorded from any point that's already been recorded--while continuing to record the live program in progress. Simultaneous Record & Play allows you to record a program onto a disc while simultaneously watching any other program that's previously been recorded on the same disc.

You can set your recorder to one of five different recording speeds, each varying in recording quality and length. EP mode yields the most recording time, LP & SP modes provide less recording time with higher quality recording, and XP mode gives you the highest quality recording. There's also the FR (Flexible Recording) mode that lets you record with the best picture quality possible for the recording time and remaining space on the disc.

The Direct Navigator feature makes it easy to find a previously recorded program on a disc. A list of recording dates, times, channels and (user-entered) titles are shown on screen. With the Playlist Playback function, you can perform simple non-linear video editing using, such as rearranging the order of scenes, skipping over unwanted scenes, or copying selections

Jump directly to any spot on a disc and begin playback or recording right away with the Rapid Random Access function when using DVD-RAM discs. Even if there is no sequential area of empty space available, this DVD recorder can record data on available space throughout the rest of the disc. You will also avoid searching for a blank spot to start recording, or accidentally recording over desired material.

Enjoy a great picture on you flat screen LCD or plasma HDTV using the component video output, and immersive surround sound via the optical digital audio output for Dolby Digital and DTS home theater effects. It also offers a FireWire port (also known as IEEE1394 or i.Link) for direct connection to a digital video camcorder, enabling you to download footage directly to disc. The full lineup of video and audio connections includes: <ul>

RF Input: 1

Composite video/audio input: 2 (1 front)

Composite video/audio output: 1

S-Video input: 2 (1 front)

S-Video output: 1

Component video output: 1

Digital audio output: 1 optical </ul>

<b>Tech Talk</b>
Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.

<b>What's in the Box</b>
DVD recorder/player, remote control (with batteries), AV cable, RF cable, power cord, one DVD-RAM disc, printed operating instructions

Product Description

The Panasonic DMR-ES15K Diga DVD Player and Recorder is a new generation of DVD recorder, for modern home theater. Taking what worked well in previous models and improving them, it also includes new features that make everyday DVD recording simpler than ever. The HDAVI-Control allows you to connect multiple components without the mess of wires and remotes that you'd normally face. The DV input and multi-drive recording and playback let you record & play back DVD-Audio & Video, CD audio, CD-DA and MP3/JPEG discs. With its easy operation and versatility, the DMR-ES15K offers you the DVD player and recorder you need to complete your home entertainment center. VCR Refresh Dubbing with advanced DNR Transfers content from a DV camcorder in just one step Auto DVD-R Finalizing DV auto recording and playlist creation Task-oriented GUI menu for easier use and completion of DVDs Simultaneous playback and recording Chasing playback tool allows you to watch the start of a program while you're still recording it Records using MEPG-2 compression, for up to 8 hours of video on one disc VBR recording for optimized bitrate depending on type & length of recording Time base corrector for stable, natural images Front A/V input Inputs - 2 S-Video, 2 Component, 2 SCART, 2 line in 1 line out, 1 Optical, 1 Component, 1 S-Video, 1 Composite Playable formats - DVD-RAM, -R/RW, +R/RW, DVD Video, VCD CD-R/RW, MP3 CD Recording formats - DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW Dolby Digital 2-channel audio recording

Customer Reviews:

Simple and easy operation with excellent results........2007-06-12

I purchased this item a couple months ago and, after recording a number of programs off of TIVO, live television, and my video camera, am delighted to report that it works very well. Unlike quite a few recorders out there, the Panasonic ES series seems to be the most reliable device for recording discs that can be played on other DVD players, portables, and computers.

The quality of recordings ranges from excellent (1 and 2 hour), good (4 hour), to usable but not the greatest equivalence of a VHS SP recording (6/8 hour). Startup menu features make it simple to create chapters and titles although this feature is nowhere near customizable in the way most DVD author software allows on a PC/Mac. The ability to write to most media types and brands of media is also very nice. Lastly, having a front input bank makes it easy to connect a digital or video camera but keep in mind that this is not an editing deck so laying out a timeline, cuts, or audio tracks isn't an option.

Great value, good build quality, and high compatibility makes this a five-star product.

Does what it's supposed to........2007-06-05

So far it's worked fine - it's easy to program (just like an "old-fashioned" VCR) and then records onto DVD's now that VHS tapes are passe. And no rewinding of course. It plays DVD's fine.

All's Well that Ends Well: DMR-ES15.......2007-05-30

Note: addendum added Thu Jun 07/07 at 12:50

Note: (added Jun 12/07)I confirmed with Panasonic that this -ES15 is discontinued and I find that it is no longer widely available. My experience with these units tells me that it's a good thing to have Panasonic's Firmware Update Disk on hand; it has corrected several small but vexing problems and is better than having to return a machine that you like. The disk is P# DMR-ES15 U5-319, available from Panasonic Tech Support (which continues to be outstanding).
- - - -

For those of you who hate the ES15, I feel your pain. My first one was a frustrating dud; I exchanged it and the second one worked perfectly . . . well, almost. After a while the "Delete" feature stopped working, but a firmware update disk from Panasonic fixed that (it arrived in just three days). Panasonic's tech support has been excellent, outstanding even (as has Toshiba's if you need to know).

IMO this S15 is decidedly at the top of the current crop of DVDRs because it has more features and they are more sensible and better laid out than most. It has some nice tweaks up from the S10 but a few (small) backward steps. Graphics and fonts should be better. Remote layout and balance are poor (but who doesn't use a learning remote to get a sensible layout?), no Open/Close button. Console display improved from S10. Good timer features: logical layout, can choose to execute an event or not (great feature but cumbersome to set), phrase list (for titles, a great time saver for me), can do disk and event titles before recording an event, shows alert if inadequate time remains on disk, . . . and more. Has 16 timer slots, I would like 24 or 32. Very bad: thumbnails are too small (eight per page, should be six, four even better). Can't set to go to Top Menu after each title when playing. Can't choose more pleasing title page color(s). Chapter marks should be set during recording. Sometimes two menu steps are used when one or a button would do, or a menu step or two is required even though there's a button on the remote that will do that very thing. Some menu items are redundant. But overall the menu layout is sensible and user-friendly. Though some things could be better, I don't see anything that's completely stupid (as is the case with some, if not most, other brands).

It can remain off or on (output to TV) during timer events, a nice feature. If you want to use two or three of them in the same room, three code sets are available. This may be a good idea because RW (unfinalized) will not transport at all to other brands and RAM disks can be problematic. Wish all manufacturers had gotten together on standards way back when; my experience is that only a finalized (R or RW) disk transports reliably between brands.

So far it has not misfired on a timer event and has done well with all disk flavors that I use: -R, -RW, -RAM (the -RAM was reliable Panasonic to Panasonic only, not reliable Panasonic to Toshiba & reverse). One RAM disk is included.

My advice (I know you just couldn't wait to hear it): when it works, this is a very good machine compared to everything else, at least it's "the best of a bad lot." To try it, buy one from a nearby reliable vendor that has a generous, no questions return policy.

Another way to sum it up: When it's good, it's very good; when it's bad, it's very, very . . . well . . . you know.

Short comparisons:

Toshiba R400: woefully short on features. No thumbnails, title editing is water drip torture, remote's labels are essentially useless (very small, about 1/16") and - now get this - a somewhat dark gray on black. Time Remaining display on timer setup screen is completely wrong except for the first event on a new blank disk. Can't see front inputs from above even with unit at shoulder height. Can't name a disk. No power backup (only 5 seconds). If you use the auto-finalize feature you can't do titles. Graphics and fonts much better than most (including the S15), very clear and pleasing. Panel display is very poor (a lower-case "a" looks like a reversed "6." Remote layout is at best fair, balance good. Do note that it does not have a tuner (if you need one, I don't). Overall it was a big disappointment, I took it back. Toshiba had a real good thing in the D-R4 but have done an admirable job in improving it from almost outstanding to mostly stupid.

Sony: didn't try them, just what I read. No pause button and that stupid up-down timer settings (and slow, about one second per minute so I've read). I didn't try the Sonys because of those two features (no pause button on a machine that should dub selected clips from your VHS - a real genius of a design feature, yes?). Do read about this in reviews on Sony.

Tried a Samsung last year, very short on features and overall a miserable design. Don't know about any others.

Addendum: Just purchased a second ES15, it works perfectly. Had a minor defect in the remote, Panasonic is sending a replacement at no cost and I don't even have to ship the defective one to Panasonic. Outstanding!

Note: an advantage to having two machines of the same brand is that you don't have to finalize anything to play a recording made by one in the other; this was my solution to "using DVDRs like VCRs." The -RW disks fill my need perfectly in this scenario, almost as convenient as VHS tapes.

Addendum Thu Jun 07/07: Yesterday I purchased a third ES15 (don't ask . . . well, if you must know, I have very complicated viewing habits). This morning I gave it a comprehensive test drive and it works perfectly (as does the remote).

If you use a learning remote and have access to an older remote (eg ES10), you can set up an "Open/Close" button, makes life more better. (The Sony RM-VL600 Learning Remote is worth a look if you don't have something already.)

Related info: see my post "Disk Stuff 101"
- - - - -

Give it a Chance.......2007-05-28

After weeks of research I purchased the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder last February, but came very close to throwing it into the trash shortly afterwards. This compact machine is full of fantastic features and I was extremely pleased with it for awhile. I even bought a Panasonic DVD-S52S DVD Player to use in another room with the DVD disks I hoped to make with the recorder. I was committed to moving from the old VHS tape recording technology to the more contemporary DVD equipment.

I used the proprietary DVD-RAM disks to schedule/record TV shows from my cable service for their versatility and advantages over the more common DVD-RW and DVD+RW disks for recording. This was a "no brainer" choice of recording media since the Panasonic DVD system offers so many advantages when using DVD-RAM disks and they can be used over and over thousands of times. I bought a dozen of them even though the recorder can handle a wide variety of other disk formats.

Eventually I started to notice that my recorder was having difficulty recognizing the RAM discs. I blew a number of recordings and saw frequent error messages advising me of some vague problem and that I should try a different disk. I unsuccessfully followed a number of instructions in the owner's manual in order to solve that problem. Everything else on the machine was working just as it should and I couldn't believe the brand new RAM disks I was using were faulty.

I telephoned the Panasonic support line and also contacted the support service online, but received no help at all. I was told to take my machine to an authorized service center for repair. Because the closest approved shop was miles away that didn't appeal to me very much.

I continued to doggedly search for a solution or a work around and finally discovered a fix. It occurred to me that this DVD recorder and others for that matter were inherently somewhat slow to read disks. I had the Quick Start function engaged on my recorder and got to thinking that such a speedy boot up (one second) might not give the machine enough time to do what I had programmed it to do. I turned off the Quick Start feature and the Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder began to work perfectly. It was just a matter of using the Setup Menu to cancel the Quick Start function. It isn't all that essential anyhow. I don't know if anyone else has encountered the difficulty I had with the DMR-ES15S, nor do I know if my simple discovery will work for others, but it was certainly an easy and effective resolution in my case.

After a month of frustration, tinkering and getting the recorder back to behaving properly I am now extremely happy with it. The price was right, the quality of construction seems good and the number of features the unit has is unbelievable. I recommend this recorder as a great way to enter the world of making DVDs at home.

There is a newer model of this machine available now (the Panasonic DMR-EZ17S DVD Recorder), but it is somewhat more expensive. I doubt that it is a significant improvement over the DMR-EZ15S that I have been describing.

poor manual and to many buttons.......2007-05-22

I found the manual poorly writen for me to understand.I also could not comprehend how to use the disc to rerecord.The old VCR was easy to use.I am sorry I ever bought the unit.All I wanted to do was record different programs to watch later in the evening.Maybe there are some other DVD recorders that are easier to use.

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