Panasonic DMR-HS2...questions and opinions (1 Viewer)

[CraigL]

Hey all,
I'm getting the new Panasonic DVD recorder HS2 this weekend and I was just wondering if anyone here has purchased it and what their opinions are.
How are the editing features? Easy to use?
How is the quality?
Does it create menus of any sort?
Does it have DD/DTS decoding built in?
I can't seem to find any info on it.
I'm getting a sweet deal on it. They're price-matching the internet

 

[Jon W (NoVA)]

I have the E30, the editing is simplistic. Cut out segments, or split a program. The menus are also very simplistic, basically a play list that you can title (no pictures of scenes). The nice thing about the HS2 is that you can at least edit on the hard disk and then write a DVD-R because you can't do ANY editing or trimming of a DVD-R.

The quality is terrific. It does seem to brighten the scenes a bit, I see this on passthru or on playback whereas others have reported only seeing this on DVD-R playback.

It only records DD2.0 and it only has stereo inputs for recording audio. It does have a toslink out for playing back standard DD and DTS DVD Video's.

Whose doing the web match? Seems less and less local retailers will do that. I'm considering selling my E30 and getting the HS2.

 

[CraigL]

I figured you might be able to do more complex editing with the HS2. I'm hoping. I haven't heard any reviews or anything for it yet.
I was asking about the sound DEcoding...not ENcoding.
The guy that's doing the webmatch is actually the manager of the store. He sold me my 36" flat screen wega a few months ago for around $850. I went back to him and asked him if he'd match it and he told me he would. I'm almost done paying that TV off...so this will help me out I plan to get rid of some laserdiscs and VHS.

 

[Jon W (NoVA)]

Well, since it doesn't have 5.1 analog outputs, I'm not sure what difference it'd make. If you want 5.1 you have to connect the toslink output to your decoder.

 

[CraigL]

Well..that's exactly what I was asking.

But someone who actually has this machine hasn't answered yet. That's really what I want to hear. The features and specs are not exactly the same...and the editing might not be either.