Panasonic DMREZ45V DVD-R/VCR - bugs?

[vinnielo]

I have just bought one of these and have found disappointment in a feature-packed model.
The features are dead handy, but I've already found annoyances with the machine. I'm planning on returning it for a refund, rather than a replacement, since I fear it has been a rushed release rather than a fully-tested system.

1. When using the VCR playback, interference can be seen at fairly regular intervals. Imagine a faint red diagonally distorted overlay that only appears for about half a second, before finally "flashing" brighter a split-second before disappearing. I've tried switching off my Sky Digibox in case it was caused by external interference. I'm not sure what's exactly on the overlay, but I have a feeling it's on what the in-built DTT was last tuned to.

2. I had the tape paused to investigate this problem (to make sure it wasn't the tape), and understandably, the machine decided I'd paused it for long enough, and stopped the tape. It flicked back to Freeview mode where it was fine for about 10 seconds. All of a sudden, the picture and sound went blank. Bringing up the menus brought back the video and sound, but again, it disappeared after 10 seconds. This was the same on all channels, even after a standby. I found that this wouldn't happen when subtitles were switched on, so it may have something to do with their menu system. Naturally, a power cycle of the machine fixed it, but it takes its time to "boot up", and I can't really afford to find I've only been recording a blank picture should I ever need to use the timed-recording facility. (Sod's law - the problem will come back ONLY when I'm away from the machine!!)

Has anyone else who's bought one of these experienced the same problems?

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by vinnielo

I have just bought one of these and have found disappointment in a feature-packed model.
The features are dead handy, but I've already found annoyances with the machine. I'm planning on returning it for a refund, rather than a replacement, since I fear it has been a rushed release rather than a fully-tested system.

1. When using the VCR playback, interference can be seen at fairly regular intervals. Imagine a faint red diagonally distorted overlay that only appears for about half a second, before finally "flashing" brighter a split-second before disappearing. I've tried switching off my Sky Digibox in case it was caused by external interference. I'm not sure what's exactly on the overlay, but I have a feeling it's on what the in-built DTT was last tuned to.

This sounds typical of Radar interference being picked up.

But I have another sugestion which may tie in with your other experiences as detailed below.
Are you using an aerial amplifier ? .. or live in a very strong signal area?
With the tape playing and the problem being exhibited, pull the aerial out of the back and see if the problem goes... If it does .. You are lucky and can cure it with an aerial attenuator.

Originally Posted by vinnielo

2. I had the tape paused to investigate this problem (to make sure it wasn't the tape), and understandably, the machine decided I'd paused it for long enough, and stopped the tape. It flicked back to Freeview mode where it was fine for about 10 seconds. All of a sudden, the picture and sound went blank. Bringing up the menus brought back the video and sound, but again, it disappeared after 10 seconds. This was the same on all channels, even after a standby. I found that this wouldn't happen when subtitles were switched on, so it may have something to do with their menu system. Naturally, a power cycle of the machine fixed it, but it takes its time to "boot up", and I can't really afford to find I've only been recording a blank picture should I ever need to use the timed-recording facility. (Sod's law - the problem will come back ONLY when I'm away from the machine!!)

Over-modulation of the signal might just be causing this problem too ... though admittedly I'm clutching at straws.

Whenever you [ or anyone] get strange effects on anything connected with freeview, always note the channel being received to see if there is any pattern or correlation with the fault occurring.

[vinnielo]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

This sounds typical of Radar interference being picked up.

But I have another sugestion which may tie in with your other experiences as detailed below.
Are you using an aerial amplifier ? .. or live in a very strong signal area?
With the tape playing and the problem being exhibited, pull the aerial out of the back and see if the problem goes... If it does .. You are lucky and can cure it with an aerial attenuator.

The problem only affects VCR mode.
I can't use an attenuator, as the DTT signal is already weak! :D (But just enough of it to watch without screeching and blocking)

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Over-modulation of the signal might just be causing this problem too ... though admittedly I'm clutching at straws.

Whenever you [ or anyone] get strange effects on anything connected with freeview, always note the channel being received to see if there is any pattern or correlation with the fault occurring.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that this was happening on every channel (well, as many as I could test).
A power-cycle fixed it, so if I'm feeling generous, I may just consider it to be a one-off.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by vinnielo

The problem only affects VCR mode.
I can't use an attenuator, as the DTT signal is already weak! :D (But just enough of it to watch without screeching and blocking)

OK - Obviously not that then. [ Although the interference could conceivably have been picked up only in the VCR section - had that been the problem ]

Originally Posted by vinnielo

Sorry, I forgot to mention that this was happening on every channel (well, as many as I could test).
A power-cycle fixed it, so if I'm feeling generous, I may just consider it to be a one-off.

Let's hope so.

Good luck.

[vinnielo]

OK - I'm not sure why this is, but after rerouting the SCART cable to a SCART switch shared with my Sky Digital (as opposed to going into the second SCART socket of my TV, I'm not getting the interference anymore. I must be getting the interference from the cable or the slot itself. Strange, cos I've never had a problem with another VCR plugged into slot 2.

Anyhow, I'd like to know if there's a way I can prevent the Panasonic from stealing focus. What I mean is that whenever I play a video tape, my Sky Digibox decides to take the signal from the VCR and relay that on via RF. Obviously, this is annoying if I'm wanting to watch something on Sky on my second TV, or listen to a Sky radio channel on my hi-fi in another room. I need the SCART lead there to ensure I can still record Sky. I've tried looking in the OSD menus, but have had no luck.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by vinnielo

Anyhow, I'd like to know if there's a way I can prevent the Panasonic from stealing focus. What I mean is that whenever I play a video tape, my Sky Digibox decides to take the signal from the VCR and relay that on via RF. Obviously, this is annoying if I'm wanting to watch something on Sky on my second TV, or listen to a Sky radio channel on my hi-fi in another room. I need the SCART lead there to ensure I can still record Sky. I've tried looking in the OSD menus, but have had no luck.

To be able to analyse if there is a possible solution for that , it would be necessary to know what you have and how it is all connected.

[vinnielo]

OK. All you need to know is that I have a SCART lead connecting my Panasonic's AV socket to my Digibox's VCR SCART socket.
I need that there so I can record Sky on my VCR.
The problem is that when I play a tape on my VCR (or go into the menu system), the VCR sends the video to my Sky Digibox, meaning that the video overrides what the Sky Digibox is outputting. As a result, anything coming out of the Sky's TV SCART socket relays the VCR output. the same happens on the two phono audio ports on the back of the Digibox, meaning I can hear what's going out of the video through my hifi.
I must apologise here, as I made a mistake. The RF output of the Sky Digibox is UNAFFECTED. It's just the SCART and phonos that have been overriden by the VCR.

I've had a thought about this.. aren't there directional SCART switches?
I've seen one where it's like a SCART to composite (Red, White and Yellow) adaptor, but also with a switch that lets you choose the direction.
Would one of those work?

[vinnielo]

I've tried the directional SCART switches, but they're no good.
Not to worry - I've switched some audio cables around and have somehow got it to do what I want now.
Thanks for the help offered.

[vinnielo]

Having had some more time to mess around with settings, I've found that I only get the strange interference on VHS playback (my first problem) when my Panasonic's AV1 is set to any of the RGB modes. This does not happen when I switch to video.

So am I not happy with just using "video" output?
Well, it completely messes up the widescreen switching. Widescreen switching simply won't happen in video mode EXCEPT when I enter an on-screen menu, which then forces my TV to display in wide, regardless of whether or not the widescreen flag is raised for the particular DTT programme I'm watching.

Have I, at all, narrowed down to why I'm getting the interference/flashing on RGB mode?

AV1 of my Panasonic is SCARTed up to AV2 of my TV. (AV1 of my TV is connected to Sky Digibox ot make use of the beautiful RGB that Sky offers).

[talismanamsilat]

Dvd/vcr (av1) - tv (av1), dvd/vcr (av2) - sky (tv)

Dvd/vcr av1 out set to rgb1, dvd/vcr av2 in set to rgb, sky set to rgb and dvd/vcr ext link set to ext link2.

Dvd/vcr recordings set using epg and then power down. Sky will loop through. Record sky using sky epg, autoview, power down sky and press ext link on dvd recorder side. Manually record sky on av2.

[vinnielo]

.. except there's no guarantee that I'd be able to view Sky if my VCR/DVD was recording off internal DTT.
I'd rather squish the cause of the problem than to find a workaround.
Only because if the problem's to do with the RGB *output* of the DVD/VCR, then your workaround still wouldn't be able to bypass the problem.

But thanks, anyway.

[Colino]

I had been looking at buying this same product til I read your comments - R U still dissatisfied or do you think the machine is OK?

[vinnielo]

I'm trying to figure if it's a problem with my wiring/settings, if it's a one-off problem or if it's a design fault that can be fixed or what.
I don't know at the mo.

[talismanamsilat]

You do a timer recording on the vcr/dvd - you can then view sky without any problems. Trust me I'm an expert

[vinnielo]

I like the sound of that. Ta.
Ultimately, I'll need to get the interference issue sorted out, as I've tried wiring SCART 1 of my DVD/VCR to SCART 1 of my TV (with the Sky Digibox put onto standby in case of external interference), and the same happens.