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400GB DVR DVD Recorder

Thursday, September 16, 2004 | 06:55 AM

Here's the next piece of electronica set to drive Jack Valenti into a mental institution: The Panasonic DMR-E500H.

The real excitement is the machine's Specs: Its 400GB hard disk drive can record more than 700 hours of video from cable, satellite or broadcast. Any of that programming can be then burned to DVD for convenient place and time-shifting.

Its ability to "takes requests from cell phones while you are on the road" is a fun feature; More interestingly, it can be networked with other TVs and PCs in the home.

Selected SPECS for the Panasonic DMRE500

Plays pre-recorded DVD's, CD's, MP3s
Built in analogue TV tuner
Ethernet connection for networking
DVD-Audio (5.1) playback, Built-in Dolby Digital and DTS Decoders

Internal 250GB HD or 400GB HD for time shifting

Records DVD-RAM & DVD-R Video Blank Media
Single layer 4.7GB DVD-R system and DVD-RAM 4.7Gb systems
Real-time recording: MPEGII compression (8 hours per disc)

Playback programs recorded to DVD-RAM or HDD while watching another program on DVD-RAM or HDD

High speed transfer to and from HDD to DVD-RAM
Non-linear editing to transfer to DVD-RAM and from DVD-RAM to HDD
Playback while recording even at high bit rates (HDD and DVD-RAM)

Flexible recording mode allows you to manually time for recording and the player will set the best possible bit rate for that time, say 1 hour 15 minutes to fill a disc

daddy wants one . . .

Sources:
The Panasonic DMR-E500 DVD-R / DVD-RAM / HDD Recorder
http://www.avland.co.uk/panasonic/dmre500/dmre500.htm

Honey, did you remember to call the DVD recorder?
By Ed Frauenheim
CNET News.com, September 8, 2004, 6:10 PM
http://news.com.com/2100-1041-5357834.html

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Comments

Wow. Cool. I wonder what the early-adopter special pricing on that unit will be.

As a lower cost alternative, look at the Toshiba RD-XS32. You can get this delivered to your door from Amazon for a titch over $389.

Posted by: Mike | Sep 16, 2004 2:54:32 PM

jack valenti just retired i think :D but cool nonetheless!

Posted by: glory | Sep 16, 2004 9:07:12 PM

Of course, the original mac daddy in this space is the Pioneer DVR-57H -- DVD Recorder Player with 120GB Hard Disc Record and TiVo

You can also scare up the Pioneer DVR-810HS DVD Recorder with TiVo Basic Service for a mere $599.99

An also ran is the Panasonic DMR-E85HS is a Progressive Scan DVD / DVR -- Its a $100 more than the Toshiba, but has a 120 GB Hard Drive Recording.

Posted by: Barry Ritholtz | Sep 16, 2004 10:41:00 PM

I got the DirecTV/Tivo unit (after rebates was almost free as a new DirecTV subscriber--digital cable kinda blows IMO) and just recently added a Pioneer DVR... the 220 model I think--pretty basic, but works just fine and only $279 (can probably find for less than that online). Pretty slick. I can program to record using Tivo and then if it's worth keeping, I can dump it to dvd. Not at all complicated, either. Slick, slick, slick! Pretty cheap, too. Now once those flat-screen TVs come down a bit more and I can replace my big ol' 32" Sony... I'll never have to leave the house!

Posted by: Chibi | Sep 17, 2004 3:38:09 PM

Website setup to "Enhance" or hack DMR-E500H nothing illegal. Just trying to make this beast slightly more functional. www.digahack.com

Posted by: Andy | Oct 25, 2004 8:53:05 PM

Sorry thats http://www.digahack.com

Posted by: Andy | Oct 25, 2004 8:54:03 PM

HI THERE I AM LOOKING IN TO BUYING THE PANASONICS 700 HOUR TIVO WITH 400 EGABYTE OF HARD DRIVE SPACE BUT ALSO CONSIDERING A DEEL XPS 4 WITH 2 TV TUNERS AND 1.2TERABYTES OR A SONY VAIO-R SERIES WITH 1.6 TERABYTES FOR 2,000 HOURS OF RECORDING TIME BUT CAN I PLUG MY SONY WEGA TV INTO A PC 32 INCHER THANKS BUY BUY.

Posted by: james barselton | Feb 10, 2005 9:24:51 AM

Beware of TV Guide Onscreen (TVGOS). I've yet to get my DMR E500H TVGOS Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) to work. It is reputedly only reliable over broadcasts or analogue cable but after adhering to the manufacturer's setup instructions (24hr minumim initial download cycle with unit in stby) it still doesn't work. OEM and TVGOS troubleshooting efforts are lame. Might return this unit in short order.

Posted by: Russ | Feb 15, 2005 11:58:24 AM

WOOF!

Posted by: Fido | Feb 20, 2006 3:30:30 PM

HI,

I would like to know if is possible to use the Panasonic DMR-500H or any other modell of DVD-DVR in Africa. We have the digital/satelite TV program DSTV wich is avelable across all South African countries. Would we be able to use the PVR-s here???????
Thank you.

Posted by: Sonja | Sep 28, 2008 3:57:16 AM