Panasonic DMR-EX98V 250GB Storage, Integrated VCR, Upscaling DVD Recorder Reviews

+ Good picture for DVB and DVD. Good CD sound quality which was supprising.

- Not multi-region and not easily hackable. Could have got multiregion from another supplier.

+ Reasonably simple to operate. Read the manual a few times because this is a complex bit of kit. keep the manual handy, maybe make an idiot card.

- None so far.

+ For a machine that does about eveything i found it quite easy to use, the owners manual is easy to follow which for me is very good as modern technology is leaving. (I am over seventy years of age)

- It may sound corny but i just cannot think of anything bad.

+ Reviewer left no comment

- The HDD drive is a waste - when you record onto hard drive you can't watch any other channels !!!

+ Excellently designed product with a high specification. If it is as reliable as other Panasonic equipment which I have owned I will have no justification to complain.

- None anticipated

+ Makes transferring VHS video to DVD or hard disk simple with good results. In built digital tv tuner works well. Good selection of inputs and outputs.

- Fairly steep learning curve initially as there are so many options and features. There is no analogue tv output so you cannot pipe the signal around the house to other tvs in other rooms.

+ All in 1 home audio visual entertainment system which allows you to view, enjoy, back-up or copy most types of multi media formats, ie sd cards, usb sticks, external hard drives, dvd's and cd's and also has a built in freeview tuner, basically it is an all singing and dancing piece of equipment. The main reason why I bought this for, was to transfer and archive old vcr tapes on to dvd, it works a treat!

- You cannot directly connect the RF cable to the back of your TV, my mum currently has an old panasonic made which has no scart, so has to be played via the VCR, defeating the object of space saving, if you want to get rid of the old vcr.

+ Panasonic matches the Tv. Value for Money. Does what it says. Easy to understand instructions to follow. Have confidence in Panasonic.

- Feel the machine is slow when firing up. If you are on the last minute, to do a recording, it can get a little frustrating. We also have an earlier Panasonic DVD/VHS tape recorder (No Hard drive on this one), had this one 12 months, so its not that old. We thought the discs would be compatable for both machines (without finalising) they are unfortunately are not.

+ this machine performs very well and the picture quality is second to none.

- Having to manually change the settings on the remote to play a dvd,vhs or hardrive is frustrating.

+ Would buy it again without hesitation. Easy to use and menu driven, my wife can use it!

- If you update the list of stations you lose the programs you have set for future recording. You have to re-enter them. Mildly irritating.

+ This is my 4th Panasonic HDD/DVD recorder, I am currently running 3 of them. I have experience of models from other manufacturers, but nothing compares to the clarity and ease of use of the Panasonic operating system. This is a highly versatile, quality product.

- The incorporation of advertising on the EPG is the only bad point about this product. It is an annoying and pointless intrusion, and will irritate every purchaser of this model. Why do Panasonic allow this senseless inclusion?

+ Best point about this unit is having VHS, HDD & DVD all in one box. Very neat unit and easy to use having had a previous Panasonic HDD - controls very easy to use. Not been able to fathom out the recording from VHS to HDD yet but trying.

- Manual not very easy to follow (jumps from page to page). Does not supprt Picture in Picture and when connected to TV direct will not allow you to veiw another station other than the one you are recording - so no different to my previous Panasonic HDD model.
When using Guide/EPG to select programmes to record it is fairly slow taking commands.

+ IT IS VERY EASY TO OPERATE. IT IS NEAT AND RESPONSIVE. IF RECORDING FROM THE GUIDE, YOU CAN ALTER THE TIME A PROGRAMME STARTS FROM IT'S ORIGINAL STARTING TIME TO SAVE MISSING THE BEGINNING OR SIMILARLY ADD A FEW MINUTES TO THE END TO STOP MISSING THE END! THE RECORDINGS ARE PIN SHARP.

- IF YOU DO A SEARCH TO FIND MORE FREEVIEW PROGRAMMES IT WIPES OFF ANY PROGRAMMES SET TO RECORD IN THE FUTURE. YOU CANNOT DELETE A PROGRAMME YOU HAVE SEEN IF THE MACHINE IS IN THE PROCESS OF RECORDING.

+ Works really well especially copying video tapes to DVD
Very good picture quality

- Resolution of graphics on the TV guide not very sharp
Advertisements on the guide get on ones nerves

+ I've an older Panansonic VHS/DVD and bought the newer version becuase I loved the older version so much. The new model, with improved features, was bought for the main room. The older VHS/DVD is still working well in another room and hasn't let me down. Smart, nice to look at and very,very easy to use and has all the features I want. I've had other VHS/DVD's in the past but none have come close to matching the Panasonic. I've never bought the same model of anything twice ( Washer, TV etc) I've always tried different manufacturers just in case I was missing out but the Panasonic VHS/DVD ticks all the boxes and I can't imagine straying away from Panasonic now - I'm hooked!

- None that I've found and I bought it because the older version had no bad points that I could find.