Advice on Panasonic E95 please ...

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,rec.video.dvd.tech,uk.rec.video.digital,rec.video.dvd.players (More info?)

"CJB" <chrisjbrady03_nospam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1113386291.933999.78500@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Please can someone advise on the Panasonic E95 with 160Gb harddrive. I
bought this in Tottenham Court Road in London for £399 (discounted
from £800 !!!). Hmm - I wondered why. Aha - now I've found out.
You can't get the Panasonic DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs!! I trawled the
entire length of TCR and no-one had any - none - zero - zilch.
And Panasonic advise on not using any other manufacturers. The only
source seems to be the online 'shop' on the Panasonic web site.

Secondly I can't find where to get the PC card so that I can use the
E95 to process images from my Fuji Xd card. Does anyone know what the
card is and where I can get one. The Panasonic online 'shop' does
not sell them, and the instruction manual says nothing.

Thirdly I need a fully wired 21 pin scart cable but when I search for
this on the Panasonic online 'shop' it comes up with zero records.
They obviously don't sell them even though they recommend them!!

Sending emails to Customer Service have failed since their web site
contact form page has a bug in it. Written letters to Customer Service
have been ignored to date.

I hope the E95 is not as bad as their Customer Service.

Incidentally has ANYONE got a E95 and actually been happy with it. Like
what are its plus points and minus points?

Many thanks - CJB

=======================

I've had nothing but good experiences with a Panasonic E80 and an E100 here
in the USA. My non-technical wife quickly learned to use them too and we
have made many DVD's from all sorts of media, Beta, VHS, LD, other DVD's and
commercial Cable. For lecture/demonstrations I have put sound on alone too,
dubbing from FM radio, CD'd, audiotape etc.

To date I have yet to use a Panasonic DVD-R. I buy my DVD's by the hundred
from an online supplier. My last batch cost 35c each and I get fewer duds
than from store-bought media. I've had no use for DVD RAM disks although I
have a pile of samples from Panasonic. The machines will not read or burn
DVD+R.

The units work so well I've virtually given up my PC setup (Canopus
capture - Sony 510a burner). All my connections into the Pannies are analog
IN, either RCA or S or Co-axial (RF). There are three ports L1, L2 and L3.
All L1 IN connections are from my integrated amplifier/receiver and I pass
the OUT signal through it too. L2 is direct from another DVD player with the
video signal passing through a video enhancer, L3 is direct from a Beta VCR,
also video enhanced. SCART is not particularly used in North America so I
can't comment.

In conclusion I like my Pannies because of ease of use particularly for the
non-expert, because of their versatility and because of their tolerance to a
wide variey of media with few coasters.

Why you would want to connect a PC I don't know, in any case, can't you use
analog out? The Pannies do their own Digital conversion. Denzil.

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,rec.video.dvd.tech,uk.rec.video.digital,rec.video.dvd.players (More info?)

Plenty of DVD-RAM media out there - search the web and you will find dozens
in the UK. Maxell media is just as good as Panasonic. Verbatim RAM disks are
Panasonic. Expect to pay around £2.80 for single side.

Stewart
"Denzil Hathway" <hathway@cox.net> wrote in message
news:Aoe7e.38880$Xs.18782@fed1read03...
>
> "CJB" <chrisjbrady03_nospam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:1113386291.933999.78500@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Please can someone advise on the Panasonic E95 with 160Gb harddrive. I
> bought this in Tottenham Court Road in London for £399 (discounted
> from £800 !!!). Hmm - I wondered why. Aha - now I've found out.
> You can't get the Panasonic DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs!! I trawled the
> entire length of TCR and no-one had any - none - zero - zilch.
> And Panasonic advise on not using any other manufacturers. The only
> source seems to be the online 'shop' on the Panasonic web site.
>
> Secondly I can't find where to get the PC card so that I can use the
> E95 to process images from my Fuji Xd card. Does anyone know what the
> card is and where I can get one. The Panasonic online 'shop' does
> not sell them, and the instruction manual says nothing.
>
> Thirdly I need a fully wired 21 pin scart cable but when I search for
> this on the Panasonic online 'shop' it comes up with zero records.
> They obviously don't sell them even though they recommend them!!
>
> Sending emails to Customer Service have failed since their web site
> contact form page has a bug in it. Written letters to Customer Service
> have been ignored to date.
>
> I hope the E95 is not as bad as their Customer Service.
>
> Incidentally has ANYONE got a E95 and actually been happy with it. Like
> what are its plus points and minus points?
>
> Many thanks - CJB
>
> =======================
>
> I've had nothing but good experiences with a Panasonic E80 and an E100
> here in the USA. My non-technical wife quickly learned to use them too and
> we have made many DVD's from all sorts of media, Beta, VHS, LD, other
> DVD's and commercial Cable. For lecture/demonstrations I have put sound on
> alone too, dubbing from FM radio, CD'd, audiotape etc.
>
> To date I have yet to use a Panasonic DVD-R. I buy my DVD's by the hundred
> from an online supplier. My last batch cost 35c each and I get fewer duds
> than from store-bought media. I've had no use for DVD RAM disks although I
> have a pile of samples from Panasonic. The machines will not read or burn
> DVD+R.
>
> The units work so well I've virtually given up my PC setup (Canopus
> capture - Sony 510a burner). All my connections into the Pannies are
> analog IN, either RCA or S or Co-axial (RF). There are three ports L1, L2
> and L3. All L1 IN connections are from my integrated amplifier/receiver
> and I pass the OUT signal through it too. L2 is direct from another DVD
> player with the video signal passing through a video enhancer, L3 is
> direct from a Beta VCR, also video enhanced. SCART is not particularly
> used in North America so I can't comment.
>
> In conclusion I like my Pannies because of ease of use particularly for
> the non-expert, because of their versatility and because of their
> tolerance to a wide variey of media with few coasters.
>
> Why you would want to connect a PC I don't know, in any case, can't you
> use analog out? The Pannies do their own Digital conversion. Denzil.
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,rec.video.dvd.tech,uk.rec.video.digital,rec.video.dvd.players (More info?)

CJB wrote:

> Please can someone advise on the Panasonic E95 with 160Gb harddrive. I
> bought this in Tottenham Court Road in London for £399 (discounted
> from £800 !!!). Hmm - I wondered why. Aha - now I've found out.
> You can't get the Panasonic DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs!! I trawled the
> entire length of TCR and no-one had any - none - zero - zilch.
> And Panasonic advise on not using any other manufacturers. The only
> source seems to be the online 'shop' on the Panasonic web site.
>
> Secondly I can't find where to get the PC card so that I can use the
> E95 to process images from my Fuji Xd card. Does anyone know what the
> card is and where I can get one. The Panasonic online 'shop' does
> not sell them, and the instruction manual says nothing.
>
> Thirdly I need a fully wired 21 pin scart cable but when I search for
> this on the Panasonic online 'shop' it comes up with zero records.
> They obviously don't sell them even though they recommend them!!
>
> Sending emails to Customer Service have failed since their web site
> contact form page has a bug in it. Written letters to Customer Service
> have been ignored to date.
>
> I hope the E95 is not as bad as their Customer Service.
>
> Incidentally has ANYONE got a E95 and actually been happy with it. Like
> what are its plus points and minus points?
>
> Many thanks - CJB
>

The DMRE95 is a good recorder which you should find easy to use. You can
use any brand of DVD disc in there, Panasonic just prefer you to buy
their own.

Try a computer store for the memory card, although make sure its
compatiable both with your camera and the Panasonic (cant remember what
type of card Panasonic use, think its SD).

A good quality, fully wired scart is always a bonus so that you can make
the most of the unit and get the best quality. Some cheaper scarts dont
allow you to get a full RGB signal and will only give you the lower
quality composite connction. You can pick up a decent scart for about
£10-20+ depending on how much you want to spend! Places like Richer
Sounds have these (they have a store just off Tottenham Court Road).

Dont expect any helpful reply from Panasonic, theyre useless! Try and
get through on their support line - most of the time it just tells you
to ring back later!

Overall you should be happy with the DMRE95 as its a good piece of kit!

HTH

Stephen.

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,rec.video.dvd.tech,uk.rec.video.digital,rec.video.dvd.players (More info?)

"CJB" <chrisjbrady03_nospam@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1113386291.933999.78500@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

<snip>

You can't get the Panasonic DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs!! I trawled the
entire length of TCR and no-one had any - none - zero - zilch.
And Panasonic advise on not using any other manufacturers. The only
source seems to be the online 'shop' on the Panasonic web site.

<snip>


Panasonic branded dvd-ram discs are available from Argos (code 534/3913
£12.99 for 5) and Dixons in the high street. Also from Costco (£15 for 10
but that may have been a special last time I went).


Even cheaper if you check the web shops. Blankdiscshop have dvd-ram (but not
Panasonic branded). http://www.blankdiscshop.co.uk/acatalog/dvdram.html
£14.99 for 10 plus p&p and VAT. That's probably beatable.