Panasonic DMR-HS2 Progressive-Scan DVD Recorder/PVR with 40 GB Hard Drive (Silver)

The DMR-HS2 offers the flexibility of recording on both DVD-RAM--perfect for instant chapter access and for multiple rerecordings--as well as DVD-R, widely regarded as the most widely compatible of the many DVD formats (great for sharing camcorder footage with loved ones).

Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you use your DVD recorder like a personal video recorder, or PVR. Because of DVD-RAM's extremely fast transfer rate, you can view the recorded portion of an ongoing program from the beginning, while still recording the program in progress. You can even replay a scene recorded 30 seconds earlier without disrupting the recording process, simply by touching a button on the remote. Using Auto Renewal Recording, the deck will automatically record favorite show every day or every week right onto the hard disk.

In addition to recording new video content, the DMR-HS2 lets you transfer favorite VHS recordings to durable, space-saving discs. You can easily archive, preserve, catalog, and access your movie libraries and family videos. Picture-enhancing technologies include 3D noise reduction, block noise reduction, and mosquito noise reduction. Store and view digital still photos through the built-in memory card slot, compatible with standard PC Card, SD Memory Card, CompactFlash Card, MultiMedia Card, Smart Media Card, and Memory Stick.

The recorder's DV input terminal and IEEE cable allow recording of digital images directly from a digital camcorder onto either a DVD-RAM or DVD-R. To simplify video editing, a feature called DV Automatic Recording automatically creates a playlist consisting of still images representing a sequence of scenes. High-speed recording from the hard disk to a DVD-RAM disc occurs at the touch of a button, give you up to 12x speed in the EP mode at its quickest--that is, it will burn a one-hour program in just 5 minutes. You may also record from a DVD-RAM disc to the hard drive.

When you've programmed a recording for a DVD-RAM or DVD-R disc, the relief recording feature automatically checks to see if there's enough disc space remaining to complete the recording. If there isn't, the unit will record the program onto the hard disk to assure that it gets recorded in its entirety (provided there's sufficient hard-disk space available).

With the Direct Navigator you can instantly access recorded material from an onscreen menu that lists recording dates, times, channels, and titles. Finding and viewing recorded material is simple because there's no need to search, fast-forward, or rewind.

Product Description
Panasonic DMRHS2 is a state-of-the-art DVD video recorder with built-in hard disk. It combines a nifty design and a high functionality with the comfort you need. DMRHS2 features auto renewal recording, relief recording, Time Slip - simultaneous record and playback, chasing playback, and more.

I wish that Panasonic would have allowed dubbing from DVD-R or DVD video to the HDD for non-copy-protected programming/video. I am must retain some of my VHS library as back-up in order to make additional copies in the future. Also, the unit does not support high speed dubbing from HDD to DVD-R. This would be a desirable feature.


RAM let's you do it all.....   March 22, 2003
A Hecht (Chicago, IL)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Coolest thing about this product is what RAM lets me do, and I did some research into RAM when purchasing this product and found out that both Hollywood filmmakers and now the military even rely on this stuff. But for personal use, let's say you need to just edit home video that you just shot, you can actually edit the video right on the RAM disc. Whether you actually shot on the disc or dump it from your camcorder, you can edit right there at your TV. It's cool stuff - what happens is that the RAM just 'connects the dots' to the actual segments you want - whether a still photo, video, titles, etc. You just drag and drop them around and put the scenes in the order you like. So this means that you can shoot a movie in your camcorder and then take the RAM disc - if you have a DVD camcorder - or use firewire connection to the HS2 and edit the video. When your done editing, you've never copied or deleted anything - all you have done is tell the machine where to find each one of the scenes on the disk - so all of your raw footage and the 'edited version' are still there! Then if you want you can dump the finished video onto the HS2 hard drive to make millions of copies to cheap DVD-R disc to give to your friends.
And like TIVO (which I love, but see that with machines like this - TIVO won't be around much longer) you can record TV shows to the hard drive using VCR Plus codes or by setting the schedule yourself, even a month in advance. So check one of these out; there great fun and you'll be happy you broke-up with your VCR...