Toshiba vs Panasonic DVD recorder/player?

[sleddriver]

After about 9 years, my Sony DVP-NS700P has finally gone toes up. The green light would come on for about 5 secs, then turn red. A bit of research revealed some internal chip was (probably) at fault. I found I could temporarily revive it with a hair dryer, which led me to believe there was a hairline crack or bad solder joint somewhere. At this point (& age), I don't care to take it any further.

I'm interested in the DVD-RAM recorders. All my TV comes OTA. So an internal ATSC tuner is req'd. Panasonic initially had a great dvd-ram recorder, but lately the reviews favor Toshiba.

Anyone have one of these they'd care to comment on?

 

[HTSS_TR]

I have Panasonic DVD-RAM recorder for about 3 years, it works great for the last 3 years.

 

[sleddriver]

Which model? Do the ram disks work in other dvd players? How is the video quality on the longer records, ie 4hrs or 6 hrs or maybe even 8.

Thanks in advance

 

[dishdude]

Panasonic without a doubt. They make excellent small applicances and electronic devices.

Toshiba subs most of their electronics manufacturing out to third parties. For a while, Orion was getting most of the work. (Also sold products under such fine names as Broksonic and Sansui)

 

[97tbird]

I don't know much about Panasonic's DVD recorders, but my Panasonic BD65 Blu Ray player is excellent quality, and is regarded as one of (if not THE) the best BR players in its price class...

Never owned any Toshiba DVD products.

 

[Quest]

my 2c's worth favours Panasonic over Toshiba, citing the quality of components (Pana made in the assembly line in DaLian, China) still betters to that of all low-end Toshiba DVD (including a up-converting 720p I recently serviced) as far as component quality and QA control's concerned.


IMHO Toshiba is no longer what it used to be anymore, just like those Sino-built Philips, they will carrp out within 3 yrs or so due to inferior component quality.

Q.

 

[daves87rs]

Panasonic, hands down.


My abused TV just keeps chugging along...along with the nearly as old samsung dvd player...

 

[sleddriver]

Checking around locally it seems only a few of either brand are available. So it looks like I'll be buying over-the-net. I've been reading reviews on amazon, newegg & tiger direct, avsforum, a few others. Frankly it's been so long since I've bought any consumer-level a/v. It all looks so cheap.

While I've always been impressed with Panasonic, that doesn't necessarily mean anything now-a-days. I also wonder about some of the people who've written negative reviews. Did they know what they were buying? Did they read the manual? Etc. You never know.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[UncleS2]

I vote for neither, & would choose this instead, records to HD, or disc, & has both analog & digital tuners:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magnavox-MDR515H-F7-500GB-HDD-and-DVD-R-with-Digital-Tuner/15080509

The Magnavox 515 has *Lots* of info available at the AVS Forum(they're as bad about AV stuff as we are about oil!), here's a link to the AV Forum DVD recorder page. Pay special attention to the top sticky thread at the top of the page:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=106

With the Mag 515(main source is WalMart, by order only, not available in stores, Other sources/possible sources listed at AVF), the maker(Funai) has actually listened to the users of previous models, and has a lot of nice new features compared the the 2160A version that I've been using since early Jan 2010.

Read up on things at the AV Forum, you'll notice *lots* of things posted by "wajo". Also read the long, next-down-from-the-top review at WalMart. I bet you'll get the Magnavox. If our 2160A should die, I will order a new MV515 the same day.

 

[Shar]

Panasonic all the way. Sony use their burners and readers in their laptops. Matsushita is a conglomerate of Panasonic. Panasonic has the best Hybrid battery technology out there also

 

[Beachboy]

My first three DVD players were Toshiba's and seem to be good quality, BUT they date back to the early days of DVD's and newer build quality may be not nearly as good. I've purchased four Panasonic DVD recorders, but record very little, as recording DVD's is a royal pain compared to VHS. Three of the DVD recorders are currently used as playback only, and I've recorded maybe four DVD's total on my earliest Panasonic machine. With my analog cable TV service scheduled to disappear next year and the new digital service requiring a set top box, any advantage of time-shift recording off the air will disappear. If I had it all over to do again, I'd skip buying the DVD recorders and just stay with DVD players. Panasonic had a class action lawsuit (along with JVC) a few years ago pertaining to faulty DVD laser pickups, but I hope Panasonic has learned to build them right.

 

[sleddriver]

Wow..great info Stuart! I spent some time reading up on it. Didn't realize Magnavox had the cat's meow on this. Great flexibility too. And Walmart doesn't even keep them on the shelves...what's up with that? Oh well. great find.

 

[sleddriver]

The recorder would be handy to transfer all my Hi8 video tapes to, and to record tv OTA and time shift. As I said, I haven't been in the market for nearly 9 yrs given the long life of the Sony. A lot has changed. So have the manufacturers. Thanks for the info.