TV & Home Theater

[HenryR]

Last January 2009 I bought a Panasonic DVD Recorder model  DMRZ-EZ48V.  It is supposed to both play and 

record DVDs discs  and video tapes. My TV is a Samsung Hi-Def TV. I have a Comcast cable box, which is also high-def.  When I bought the TV the Best Buy salesman said it would record TV  programs, but not in high-def. format.  He said only Blu-Ray would record in High-def. That was OK with me, as long as I could record in regular format. So I bought the Panasonic DVD Recorder. 

I have never been able to record TV programs  when using this DVD recorder. Never able to on DVD discs, and never able to on video tapes. Several people, including a Comcast tech and a salesman at Best Buy I spoke to very  recently (not the one in January) told me that it will never record because the DVD recorder is not high def but the cable box and TV are. So they cannot read each others' signals.

But when I call or write to Panasonic, they swear up and down that it will record TV programs on DVD discs, even though the DVD recorder is not high-def and teh TV and cable box are.  They say it can also  record TV programs on  video tapes, but  only if I record on a non-digital station, which I don't think I have. Anyway, I have never been able to get this DVD Recorder  to record TV programs on DVDs or on video tapes, despite calling many Panasonic techs and getting their tech advice the past year. I did everything they told me to do.  Nothing worked. This DVD Recorder  plays DVD discs and video tapes, but does not record in any format in any way.  Panasonic sent me a refurbished replacement of the same model last week but it still does not record. I got a knowledgable person to help me tonite and he could not get it to record anything.

I am  beginning to think Panasonic is lying to me and the others are correct - that it will never be able to record. Why is Panasonic telling me it can record if it cannot?  Why did the original Best Buy salesman in January tell me it would record if it cannot.  Any comments?

[Rrrrrrr]

How is it hooked up? Is the DVD/VCR hooked up between the cable box and tv or is it split off before the box?

My old Mistubishi VCR still can record hi def channels (as long as its not channels like **-* and under channel number 127). This is a VCR from 1995. The DVD recorder works also even though it not hi def. My DVD recorder is in line (between the box and TV). My VCR is split off and uses its own tuner so it can record another channel separately from what you may be watching.

[Detachable_Dave]

the recorder you got definately will record. i believe the only inputs that model has are rca (red yellow and white). generally, if you have a hd cable box you are using either hdmi or component (red green blue red white), so you will have to hook it up with the rca jacks instead when you wish to record. but yeah, that unit will do the trick.

[HenryR]

Here are all my connnections for the three components. How can I correct it? Please reply in English so I can understand:

Plugs connecting from TV HDMI in to cable box plug in.

Plug from wall outlet to cable box plug in.

Coaxil cable from TV Ant In to cable box RF out.

coaxil cable from DVD Recorder RF out to cable box cable in.

red and white cable from TV AV In 1 to DVD Recorder DVD/VHS common out

yellow cable from TV component in video to DVD recorder DVD/VHS common out video

red, white and yellow cables from cable box video/audio out to DVD Recorder IN1 Audio/Video

Thanks

Henry

[HenryR]

To the third post. How do I hook it up with RCA jacks? Can you be specific? What do I plug in to which component and where in that component to record?

[eliteinstalls]

you will go from the cable box to the dvd burner.....red white yellow (COMPOSITE CABLES)  into the LINE IN input on the DVD burner......double check the owners manual as it usually has a good description of how to run the cabling. 

[Rrrrrrr]

Yep on page 9 in your owners manual is a picture drawing on how to set it up with a cable box.

heres their online manual if you dont have the manual anymore.

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMREZ48V-MUL.PDF

[mstng87gt Trusted Contributor]

As Elite mentioned you need go from your cable box out to in on the recorder.  You currently have it the other way and that is why its not recording. Also remember that not all programs or movies can be recorded. They may have a copyright protection on them.

[HenryR]

Do I have to disconnect the HMDI (HIgh Def) connections when I record?

I cannot record as is because the DVD recorder is not high def but the TV and cable box are high def.

However, I can play DVDs and tapes as it is connected now.   So maybe I should disconnect any connections to the TV HDMI plug-in? Maybe that would deactivate the high def and let me record. Please advise.

[SlappyMcgee]

You will not be able to use the HDMI cable.  You will need to run component cable from HD Cable Box to the DVD Recorder then run a Compenent Cable from DVD Recorder to the TV.  I do se a problem though b/c you might loose HD Quality this method.  I am asuuming the DVD Recorder can only output and 480p (standard def)  regardless of the signal coming in.   

If you have an HD surround sound setup and your reciever has multiple video outputs  then you might be able to connect the HD Cable box to your reciever via HDMI, then output to the tv (hdmi) and the dvd record (component) .   You will then need to connect the dvd record either back to the reciever or to another connection on the back of your TV