can you buy a plain DVD recorder?

Alan Brown

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hi all

I have an aging panasonic DMR ES10 that records but randomly refuses to finalise. I'd have a go at a repair if this a basic parts fit on a known problem.

I have a Sky HD box that has some stuff on it that needs to go to DVD disk before i close the Sky account and they turn off the HD access. (If i have read this correctly)

I don't need a recorder with a HD.... is this possible now?

Thanks in advance
 
hi all

I have an aging panasonic DMR ES10 that records but randomly refuses to finalise. I'd have a go at a repair if this a basic parts fit on a known problem.

I have a Sky HD box that has some stuff on it that needs to go to DVD disk before i close the Sky account and they turn off the HD access. (If i have read this correctly)

I don't need a recorder with a HD.... is this possible now?

Thanks in advance

I don't know of any on the market now.... but you can get them on the second hand market cheaply (ebay)

However, I doubt there is anything wrong with your machine.

Failure to finalise is a classical indication of poor disk blank quality.
If you use good blanks, preferably Taiyo Yuden manufactured discs using the TYG03 dye you should get 100 % reliability.
 
Thanks for the reply Gavtech

I have tried a variety of DVDs and the ones that have 'always worked before'.

There is sometimes a clonking sound from the Drive (laser head meeting a dead stop in its travel?). This is usually a definite sign it is not going to finalise.

I'm wondering if there is another way of getting the content off the Sky HD box before It all gets inaccessible?

Thanks again
 
I would echo what Gavtech has said - you can probably pick up something like a DMR-EZ25 for a relatively modest sum. My mother had an ES-20D (which I think was the immediate successor to your ES10) that went bang and I was able to replace it with a EZ25 for a little under £50. Of course, with eBay, you sometimes have to be in the right place at the right time.

I'm wondering if there is another way of getting the content off the Sky HD box before It all gets inaccessible?
If you have a PC or laptop, you could consider some kind of video capture device.

Something like this.

These normally take composite video (yellow), L&R stereo (red & white) inputs, but you could use a scart adapter to take the scart feed out of your Sky box and connect it into the capture device.
 
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Thanks for the reply Gavtech

I have tried a variety of DVDs and the ones that have 'always worked before'.

There is sometimes a clonking sound from the Drive (laser head meeting a dead stop in its travel?). This is usually a definite sign it is not going to finalise.

The clonking sign is failure to read the disc at all. The laser is searching and cannot see it. A sure sign of previously inadequate burning due to poor quality and / or incompatibility.

The marketplace in blank discs is awash with very poor quality discs. It can be difficult to find decent quality.

The laser may be ageing too so it is even more important to have fully compatible good quality discs.
When new, a laser can mask minor incompatibilities and so these problems will show up as a machine ages.

You may think it unlikely that it will be the discs that are the problem, but I have dealt with this issue so often now on the forum and have repeatedly seen 100 % burning reliability restored when users have obtained media made in the Taiyo Yuden factory.
 
There are a lot of Panasonic DVD drives that are interchangeable with each other, here's a few examples.
Panasonic ES10,ES15,EZ25,EH55,EX75,EX85
When you hear a CLUNK CLUNK about 4 times when Panasonic is turned-on it's very likely a failed laser..
You can buy a used machine as suggested or new laser for £50 and fit it yourself, no special tools,soldering required.
 
That's a very interesting piece of info..

I'll look into that.. I presume you can by the Lasers (presume that means the disk and tray assembly?) of eBay?

Thanks again
 
No, 'Alan Brown' the laser is inside the DVD drive assembly, and requires dismantling to access laser inside.
See my previous entry as to what Panasonic recorders you can simply remove your complete DVD drive and drop-in a replacement DVD drive..
 

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