Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic DMREX98 Freeview+ 250 GB HDD VHS/DVD Recorder includes SD Card Slot - Black

I bought a Panasonic DMR-EX768 from Amazon a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it wouldn't recognise any DVDs so I returned it. As usual Amazon's service was fantastic. I received a full refund (including p & p) within three days of returning the DMR-EX768. Judging by other reviews, I was just unlucky with the machine I received.

As I still wanted a HDD/DVD recorder, I decided to try the DMR-EX98VEB, which I bought from Crampton and Moore. I ordered it on Saturday 13 December 2008, and it was delivered on Wednesday 17 December (my only gripe is that Crampton and Moore emailed me to advise of delivery on 16 December, but it was delivered by TNT who said this was not the case).

The DMR-EX98VEB is a fabulous product. It copies between VHS/HDD/DVD. It accepts all types of recordable DVD. The DMR-EX98VEB also has a SD card slot, a USB port, and a DV In terminal for capturing video from a digital camcorder. There is also a 1 GB memory stick included, through which I can view DivX movies captured from my PC.

Copying between VHS/HDD/DVD could not be simpler. I have copied several VHS tapes to the HDD, edited out the bits I did not want to keep and transferred the recordings to DVD-RW. After finalising the DVD-RWs, I have been able to play the DVDs in my own Toshiba DVD player, the DVD player in an old Alba all-in-one portable TV/DVD player, and my sister's Sony DVD player. (Please note you cannot transfer from pre-recorded VHS tapes or DVDs). Since I have several dozen VHS tapes taking up masses of room, I'm looking forward to freeing up some much needed storage space by transferring pretty much everything to DVD. You can get the contents of one 4 hour VHS tape onto DVD using the LP mode, and the picture quality is good.

The DMR-EX98VEB only has a single Freeview tuner, but as it's hooked up to my HD Ready IDTV and Sky HD box, this is not a problem for me, but might be if you do not have satellite/cable and your TV only accepts analogue signals. The picture quality of pre-recorded DVDs is fantastic. I am very pleased with this product and recommend it to anyone looking for a single piece of kit with which to copy between DVD and VHS and who has around £350.00 to spare.

Bought this to replace VHS recorder while adding DVD record and HDD facility. After less than a week in use, the VHS gave up so needed a replacement. By then had copied around 25 hours various music concerts to HDD and dumped tapes. Mistake as then needed to backup everything on HDD to DVDs before getting the replacement.

Doesn't like my Boots DVD+R DVD blanks. Don't know if it is a problem with the disks or the machine doesn't really like +R disks. Works fine with Boots DVD-RW disks.

Recorded programs look great on my Panasonic 32inch TV and it picks up codes to stop and start recording programs correctly when times vary from published on most channels.

Lacks some features which I would consider basic on an HDD device (comparing to my TIVO now). No "replay" button to replay the last few seconds of what you are watching. Cannot jump to end and rewind, e.g. record news and want to see weather at end of transmission. Need to fast forward through the whole program. When fast forwarding, can only increase speed. If on fastest setting and want to slow it down a bit, have to press PLAY then start pressing the fast forward until you reach the speed you want. Just not thought through in my opinion.

TIVO software still far superior, but not available in UK at the moment so given that, this is an OK product, if a little pricey. Hope the replacement is more robust than the first box. If not, it is going back for good.

This is and excellent item. The good features are:- massive hard drive, easy use timer complete with series link (save putting each program day by day) the remote was easy to use and I installed it very quickly. On the slightly down side it is slow to start up (Hello), and the Fan can be a little noticable, but on the whole i am very pleased with the unit.

I am an OAP who knows little about modern technology and all I want to do after the change over is still be able to use my video tapes to record TV programmes easily (I have never even switched to DVDs). I was recommended the Panasonic DMREX-98 because of its ease of use compared to other products and because, of course, it is one of the few machines still available which still uses VHS tapes. I have bought 2 of these to date and am managing, with a few struggles because the instruction book is like double dutch to me, after a couple of lessons from my TV repair man, to use it on the VHS and HDD drive. I have to transfer from the hard drive to a video tape because I do not watch programmes all at once and need to be able to stop & start from where I left off & also to transfer the video tape to other machines in other rooms, such as the kitchen when I am cooking. I know this machine can perform many other functions, but I shall not use them because they are too technical for me and I am not really interested anyway. I am a bit annoyed that I have had to spend nearly £4OO just to get what for me is another video recorder and the other thing I have since discovered is that after the change over I shall not be able to record one programme whilst watching another as it does not have a twin tuner.

I live in London and have discovered that Pansonic have no service available in the inner city. The nearest is the Edgware Rd, which is hell of a drag on the tube.
I bought a DMR with DVR Ram with a 2 year guarantee, almost as soon as the guarantee ran out it started to go wrong.

I spoke to Panasonic and they sent me to Hi Fi at Edgware road. they took 4 months to effect an alleged repair. I lugged the thing home swiched it on and it didnt work. I contacted Panasonic to complain about time and distance involved. They suggested I try another repair depot, it turned out they were even further away.

I remember when Panasonic had quality goods and service. We shouldnt accept that big ticket electronics fail after 2 years. Their Customer care is like a speak your weight machine. I shall not buy them ever again