Editorial Review:

Item 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

Amazon.com Item 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:

• 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

Tech Talk
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.

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

---

---

Rating: - * Barely acceptable ...
I gave this unit two stars because I feel it is just barely adequate. After having just "lost" four hours of recorded programs (the last four episodes of Survivor) because the damn thing decided it wanted to "unformat" the DVD disc, I felt I had to let others know. This is not the first time this has happened. Obviously it cannot be depended upon. Further, it really is not user friendly with easy to understand options presented to make it function. All in all I would not buy this unit again, nor recommend it to others, and am unlikely to replace it with another Panasonic DVD recorder.

---

Rating: - * Great Purchase!!! ...
After reading the negative reviews, I was somewhat cautious about buying this machine. However, I recently acquired a DVR and wanted to save my recordings, and I was hoping for an inexpensive, but quality product.

The Panasonic DMR-ES15S filled my bill. It installed easily and works smoothly. The instructions were easy to understand, and within 5 minutes I was storing my shows. I felt like the on-screen prompts were somewhat simplified... I thought pretty much idiot proof, and it alerts you when you are about to delete or permanently store a DVD. I feel like an added bonus is that it will also format your DVD's to the desired format (you don't have to pick and choose, it will just do it upon waiting for your prompt), and finalizing the disk will let your DVD play on most machines. That saves you the problems about worrying if this machine only works with DVD-R, or DVD+R formats.

I've found little difference in video quality between the recording modes: 1, 2, 4, and 8 hours. I personally record most everything on 4 hour, and the playback quality is exceptional. I've recorded over 200 hours of programming now and have had no problems, and I learn a few more "bells and whistles" about this machine as I go. Simple things like: Changing the thumbnail on your presentation menu. Don't worry, this is an extra, and you don't need to do anything about it for this machine to perform for you.

The ONLY problem I had with this machine was within the first 5-6 recordings. Every 5-6 minutes or so, I would see a quick blue flash on the playback. If I had saved my recordings, I probably would have re-recorded them. However, after the first few times, this annoyance quit, and I've had no problems since.

I've also found out that this machine will serve as I slide projector for JPEGs and play internet movies, too, but the drives runs continuously (it howls!), so I don't do this very often.

---

Rating: - * Panasonic DMR-ES15S DVD Recorder /Player ...
On screen menu not very user friendly.
Functions take a long time to program.
Unit freezes up sometimes(while programng or ejcecting discs)
and you have to unplug it for the functions to reset.
I think it's a tempermental product.
Discs sometimes don't play on other machines
even if "finalized" correctly.
Not really pleased with this purchase.
Picture quality is very good however.

---

Rating: - * Even I, electronically challenged, had no problem with this Panasonic ...
Hmmmmmm, because I'm far better at ordering than reviewing, I can't remember how long I've had my Panasonic, but probably more than a year. The first thing I do when I'm forced into upgrading an electronic device is grab some coffee, sit with the instruction manual, take an Advil when the inevitible headache overwhelms me, and wish someone would invent something that does what I want, rather than what I tell it to do. This Panasonic does that! This is the easiest new piece of electronic gadgetry I've probably ever purchased. I, dumber than the proverbial hairball about all things electronic, went from 0 to 120 MPH in less than five minutes with this DVR. If it breaks, I'll probably buy another Panasonic because it works just like I want it to work. What more could I hope for?

---

Rating: - * ES-15, an unreliable recorder ...
I agree with some of the more negative reviews of this machine. I have had the machine for about a year and my experience is similar to some of the horror stories in the other reviews. This machine has worked well when it has worked. But it is far to hit-or-miss. I do a lot of recording. I use this unit for recording only, so that is what I will comment on.

Very often, after something was recorded, the machine will refuse to write the title and/or will not finalize the newly recorded disc. At first, I thought it simply balked at certain brands of blank DVDs. But I have a Panasonic ES-10, which has consistently processed the same disc, rejected by the ES-15, without any problems. It particularly disliked TDK and Memorex. Sony--across the board, on DVD recorders and in PC burners--have worked well. But this ES-15 even choked on Sony discs. Sometimes, the machine would reject a disc outright (determining that the disc was "unsupported") after inserting a blank disc for recording. And this behavior was NOT brand specific. I tried reinserting the disc, but this did not work. As I found with finalizing discs, I have put a supposed "unsupported" disc into the older ES-10 and it worked just fine.

The bottom line is that I would NOT recommend this machine to anyone. There are probably better ones out there now, although I have had VERY good performance from a so-called "lesser" Panasonic machine--the ES-10.