Good DVD player (nothing else) (Panasonic DMR-EX79)

Member Name: aaronphil

Product:	Panasonic DMR-EX79
Date:	14/09/09 (130 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: HDMI Up-scaling

Disadvantages: Divx support is very picky

We bought this with our new TV and so far have not been too impressed with the recording features of the device.

So this DVD recorder should be ideal to record your programs either via FreeView using the built-in tuner or via FreeSat through our Panasonic TV. Well alas we still have not managed to get anything to automatically record any TV program. It will record programs via FreeSat or FreeView if you press record and then stop it manually after the program has finished which is a big pain in the arse. I'm sure there must be something we haven't set up properly but we followed everything in the supplied manual.
Off the negative points, let's talk about the good points of this DVD recorder. First off it does HDMI up-scaling showing DVDs in better quality and better colour. It also features Divx support, which I have yet to try out because of the precise way you have to burn the disc; my mate has a Sony Divx compatible DVD recorder and the current Divx DVDs I had worked fine in his. But for its main purpose of being able to play DVDs it does it very well.
The Viera Link feature that means you can use one remote to control TV and DVD player is a bit rubbish, most importantly half of the buttons do not work for the DVD player and because we also have a Bluray player it turns that on and controls it as well.

Overall as a DVD player it's great. It does have a big hard drive and it would be a good recorder if it worked properly. I have to say given the annoying little things and the fact we can't record things automatically I can't recommend this product very highly, however chance are we are doing something wrong and you may not have any problems at all.

Summary: All round good DVD player but not much use for anything else TBH

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