Now the new da: twin tuner, 1 TB hard drive for at least 155 hours of video (uncompressed HDTV) and many more features that make TV more beautiful.
(++) The initial setup was completed in just over an hour: Tuning (KabelBW network) stations as I wish in a favorite list Sort, WLAN and other basic settings, first shot attempts, all easily without any question mark. My manual is still sealed, which is an indication for intuitive operation, even though I must admit that I am biased by the possession of a Panasonic TV (GT20E) and the Pre of EH52.
(++) Is very nice that you can record two programs simultaneously with the twin tuner. So we should not be so frequently decide. :-)
The video compression I have leave to DR (uncompressed) first time. A few experiments with the first compression stage (HG) have furnished that the recording already requires about 40% less space, the quality including but hardly suffering, at least with relatively static video. Only in demanding motion pictures (football) I mean, to be able to make up some ghosting, but that's whining at a high level. Such programs should then just uncompressed record. From the very strong compression levels (XP all the way down to EP) I will refrain anyway, for this is my opinion, for a 1TB hard drive and no occasion.
(++) Shots well within its capabilities, as well as promised two programs simultaneously. Of course you can also record already during recording - without time offset - play. VPS and ShowView are indeed - no longer supported, a large loss is but certainly not - as well almost all current devices. VIDEO Plus + is compensated by the excellent EPG. As a VPS spare you can adjust the settings in a time offset for timer recording, so the DVR basically starts recording earlier than scheduled and completed later. For example, I set that the recording always starts three minutes earlier and ends 10 minutes later. With a programming of 20: 15-21: 45 clock, the recorder will then automatically from 20: 12-21: 55. The timer overview can be still any time Customize.
After recording can be the "leading and trailing" via Edit function comfortably cut (you do not need but also, if you archive the recording anyway no longer wants or burn to disc).
(+) Is also very nice that the recorder, so is he turned on the currently tuned channel automatically mitschneidet. So you have the ability to pause the current program or "rewind" if one might pursue an urgent need just had (eg a beer from the fridge to pick up). This feature I already know from my TV, so I really do not need in the recorder, but who has an older TV without this feature, it will be appreciated.
(++) Is a real highlight, I feel the possibility of using the DIGA app (available for free for Android and iOS in the respective App Store) to the current TV can stream (or recording) on a smartphone or tablet. With my Samsung Galaxy S2 (Android 4.0.4) it works not (the video starts but freezes after less than half an immediate second one), for the better with my tablet (Asus TF300T, Android 4.1.1). You have the recorder for not even turn on, but it also supports streaming on from standby (without power save function, see below).
Thus the DIGA app finds the recorder, incidentally, the home network function must be activated (it is not enough alone, that the recorder is included in the (W) LAN!). Here the manual would have certainly helped, but I did indeed found so.
I'm looking forward to next summer, where we can relax and barbecue on the terrace then, without having to give up the current TV in good quality and trouble-free.
(+) VieraCast (on the remote control simply referred to as "Internet"), there's also yet. Highlight here is for me, that the recorder can directly control the media libraries of transmitter and - unlike the three year old VieraCast version on my TV, for example, reproduces only news bulletins from the ZDF media library - all types of shipments for retrieval offering. The operator feels a little tough, but works flawlessly and - of course depending on the feedstock - in really good quality.
The DLNA client / server I have not tried, because not really needed. On the one hand my Synology NAS are in my household the DLNA server, on the other hand my TV has already integrated a DLNA client. Gründsätzlich but this is an extremely useful feature for someone who is - wants to build its own audio / photo / video library - without any additional equipment. Turns most the question of whether the 1TB hard drive for long term is not too small, but then you can still attach another hard drive via USB ...
Nor do I have previously (3D) Blu-rays or DVDs tried (here I swear to be on my Oppo BDP-93). But I'm pretty sure the quality is sufficient upper-class claims here.
After all the positives, there are also things that are not quite as I like:
(-) The interface language is set to German Although, still can be found in various menus quite a few English-language artifacts. For me, this is not a drama, but at least unpleasant, and for the English-ignorant it may of course be a problem. I just hope that Panasonic still via firmware update (currently is Version 1.03) nachbessert.
*** Update: As mentioned in another review, be settled this problem, if you switch in the settings ("Display") once in English and then back to German. ***
(-) To date, once I had the situation that I ("Direct Navigator") was not in the playback menu. More specifically, when pressing the "Direct Navigator" button briefly (empty) Play dialog could be seen, then went straight back to tuner mode. After some trial and error helped at the end only, the recorder again to make short-energized (power cord pull, so that a complete "reboot" carried out), then everything was back in order. If the more common, I hope even here on a fix via firmware update.
(+ -) A alibi function, the power save option in standby. If these uses (basically or scheduled), you indeed achieved a sensationally low standby power consumption, but: It is the home network feature off (so no streaming), the RF Out is turned off (the TV, usually the last link in the antenna cabling, so gets no signal for more), etc. In the form (by the way for most modern devices that must comply with the relevant EU regulation, so implemented), the energy-saving option is only there to meet legal regulations, but in the practice it is more than inconvenient. Ergo, the power saving function is disabled with me, and I prefer to accept the few euros for additional standby power consumption per year.
Conclusion: This Panasonic recorder is almost a panacea and deserves, despite the aforementioned little quirks, a big recommendation!
