Panasonic DMR-ES30VS DVD Recorder / VCR Combo

Pros: Build quality, performance, features, ease of use, price
Cons: No FireWire input

Do you want both DVD recorder and a VCR for less than $300? The P anasonic DMR-ES30VS is one of them. In addition to recording to D VD-RAM discs, it also records to DVD-R, ...

Pros: Solid feel, versatile performance, ergonomic (user friendly) design, great manual, easy setup/use, nice remote.
Cons: VHS recording/playback is fine, but only for basics; Better suited for dubbing than editing.

Below is my original review, in 3/05, after only a few weeks of testing and use. I'm much less enthusiastic a year and change later, having a better appreciation now for some of the reviews I've read of similar machines, which seem to deteriorate rapidly ...

Pros: ease of use, convenience
Cons: none so far

A couple months ago my wife said that I had to do something with the ton of VHS tapes sitting in the garage. Any time I get an opportunity to buy a new toy I jump on it, particularly since my VHS deck had died and my DVD player was not far behind. ...

Pros: Great Quality and Titling, Easy Menu and Navigation, Records and Finalizes cheaper discs.
Cons: No Zoom Feature

I have had this unit for about 2 months now and I use it almost every day recording stuff off my DVR. This combo unit has serviced me better than I imagined for I have had other DVD recorders and they all performed well under expectations (and my ...

Pros: Straightforward remote control, easy to read display, fast rewind, good quality
Cons: VHS side slow to react when button pushed, NOISY rewind!

This is the second DVD recorder I tried and it is so perfect.

I first tried a JVC model. The manual wasn't very detailed for assisting with setup but it wasn't difficult to finally copy from VHS to DVD. Unfortunately, it started acting up within days and I had to return it.

This Panasonic was easier to set up - perhaps because I had experience with the JVC. The recording process is very simple too. Easy to set various recording modes - XP, SP, LP, EP. I wouldn't bother with the EP, you sacrifice too much quality for time. I'm using the LP only for my daughter's kiddie shows since she's not as concerned about quality.

Right now I'm using the machine to transfer all our home movies on VHS-C to DVD. So far the quality has been amazing. Even some of the older videos, where the tape isn't great quality, it displays quite well when it's on DVD.

And I was able to use this DVD on our Audiovox portable DVD player. So it looks like compatibility issues will be slim to none.

I would definitely recommend this product.

Pros: Ease of use and great picture quality. Remote easy to use
Cons: Would like a rewind and Fast forward control on main unit . Silver finish

Purchased this machine five weeks ago and since have burned 25 old tapes to DVD. This is the first time I have bought Panasonic and I am very impressed at the quality and especially how simple they have made it with one touch recording. The picture quality is great using the color stream output. To say the least I give this unit a 5. I waited quite a while looking at Toshiba, Go Video, JVC. This unit can handle all formats and - . I also burned from some of my old 8MM tapes and the results were great.

Pros: Very easy to operate and very clear copies!
Cons: I really have no negatives.

After purchasing the JVC DR-MV1s---and returning it back to BestBuy totaling disgusted---I exchanged it for this one!! I LOVE IT!! It is very simple to operate--and has great tech support. The VHS tapes onto DVD is actually a little better quality than the original tape! When using DVD recordings in the LP mode which is 4 hours---the quality is excellent! So I can now put 2 movies plus onto one DVD disc. I have dubbed other DVDs from external sources and it works perfectly. I have played VHS tapes and DVDs and all works well! When placing titles on your discs--it has small thumbnails---and you can put whatever you like on each-----very nice feature. All in all---for a novice at this DVD recording thing---I strongly recommend this unit! I previously had a Go-Video 4940. It had lots of problems and finally broke down after 6 months of heavy recording---and not reliable either. It would freeze up and skip amongst other things. Bottom line is that this is now my third DVD recording unit-------and PANASONIC is by far the best of the three!

Pros: Picture recording quality, ability to use all recording mediums.
Cons: Manual is too confusing for simple first time users.

Once I got the machine set up...only 17 pages, I tried to tackle the "one touch" transfer of VHS tapes to DVD disc.
The instructions are on page 57 and once you get the basic stuff setup it is a one touch operation. I burned a disc and took it to my living room to view on my old DVD player. It wouldn't work. I had a feeling something was missing so I went back thru the 80 page manual and found that back on page 31 there was a half page about how to
"finalize" a DVD. How did I know you have to finalize a
DVD before it could be played somewhere else? I'm a dummy about this stuff as I bet 50% of people who buy these things are. Why not write the manual with the entire procedure in one spot? The machine is great. Recording quality is beautiful. Has way more features than I'll ever use. I just want to save my old VHS tapes from 20 years ago and it's the best in the world for doing just that.

Pros: It really works, unlike the Samsung model.
Cons: Wish remote had an "e-ject dvd button" on it, but this is a minor "con."

After picking up a Samsung at Bestbuy, I got it home, hooked it up, only to find it wouldn't work! It simply kept giving me an error message and would stop recording after about 15 seconds. I thought maybe it was because I was using "verbatim" blank dvds, and the inside cover of the user guide recommended several other kinds. So, I went back, bought some Sony discs (dvd-r) (which were recommended) and same result! Machine kept giving me the error message. Very frustrating.

Anyway, returned the Samsung piece of crap and picked up the panasonic for the same price ($299.00)and it worked perfectly. It's nice when a product actually works. Dvd's play on my desktop computer no problem.

Pros: Excellent dubbing quality.
Cons: No real problems

Review updated by author, 09 Mar 07
I was archiving old VHS tapes and the tape transport problems were caused by the label of a VHS tape falling from the cassette into the VCR mechanism. Apologies to Panasonic, now I have no real cons for this VCR/DVD combo and a good set of VHS to DVD archives.

Pros: Easy to set up and use. Excellent picture quality! Multi-format DVDs. Sleek design.
Cons: Retail price is still a bit high - but worth it for Panasonic!

I bought this unit as an "open box" item at Circuit City - not a bad deal at $199! I was nervous to do this since I have never bought electronics unless they were sealed up in a box untouched. However, my previous experience with Panasonic products assured me that it was a good decision. I was right! This unit works perfectly! Easy to set up and operate. Burned to DVD-R a TV program saved on my TiVo - was a cinch! Also dubbed to DVD a 10-year old videotape that I have been guarding for years for fear of damage - now my memories are saved even longer on durable DVD - and believe it or not the picture quality is now even better than it was on the original VHS tape! I'm a Panasonic user for life! This DVD Recorder / VCR should be your only choice!

Pros: BURNS DIFFERENT TYPES OF DICS.
Cons: NO EXPERT VIDEO, OR AUTO CHAPTER

I JUST GOT THIS UNIT AND I AM NOT AS HAPPY AS THE OTHER PEOPLE. FIRST YOU HAVE TO HIT THE DUB BUTTON TWICE ONCE TO START IT AND NEXT TO BURN THE DISC. MY OTHER JVC UNIT YOU HIT THE BUTTON ONCE AND THATS ALL. NEXT ON MY JVC UNIT IT HAS EXPERT DUBBING, WITH THIS WHEN YOU BURN FROM VHS TO DVD THERE IS NO SPACES OR CLITCHES IN BETWEEN YOUR MOVIES ON THE DVD, SO ITS CLEAR FREE ON THE DICS. WITH PANASONIC IT COPIES EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE BLUE BLANK SPACES ON YOUR VHS TAPES AND THE STOP N GO SPOTS FROM YOUR OLD VHS TAPES.I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED THAT PROBLEM. THEY ALSO SAY THEY HAVE 12BIT INSTEAD OF 10BIT VIDEO FOR A BETTER PICTURE. MY JVC LOOKS BETTER THAN THIS UNIT WHEN I BURN VHS TAPES. NO AUTO CHAPTERS ON THIS UNIT EITHER.I,AM GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO BEST BUT AND BUY ANOTHER JVC UNIT..