447 replies to this topic

[diesel]

A bit of googling reveals that Panasonic have released 4 new BD-Recorders for the Japanese market. These now include MPEG-4 AVC decoding of FTA broadcasts and from what I can make out, there's still a need to have at least one show recorded in DR mode when you have two simultaneous recordings.
The 4 new Diga DVR features Panasonic's new Advanced AVC Engine based on the UniPhier LSI, offering a better video performance and sharper images as well as being capable to record video on 50GB Blu-Ray disc (DMR-BW880/BW780/BW680 only), and the support of SDXC cards.
The new models will be available from February 15 in Japan, so I presume this means we'll get updated models around late April/early May when they release the new TV range here. I wonder which models they'll import? Maybe the 880 and 780 in line with the current range and to maintain a gap to the XW series DVD Recorders.

DMR-BW880 - 1TB HDD, twin tuner
DMR-BW780 - 750GB HDD, twin tuner
DMR-BW680 - 500GB HDD, twin tuner
DMR-BR580 - 500GB HDD single tuner

Edited by diesel, 11 May 2010 - 08:08 PM.

[diesel]

Just had a thought whether Panasonic will try and have their new recorders Freeview approved if they have mpeg4 capable tuners, or whether they will ignore Freeview, like they, Samsung, LG etc have so far. I think of the main manufacturers, only Sony has a Freeview approved device - PlayTV

[Basil]

diesel, on Jan 29 2010, 09:58 PM, said:

Just had a thought whether Panasonic will try and have their new recorders Freeview approved if they have mpeg4 capable tuners, or whether they will ignore Freeview, like they, Samsung, LG etc have so far. I think of the main manufacturers, only Sony has a Freeview approved device - PlayTV

It will be interesting to see the specs. when they hit Oz, mHeg 5 also comes into the equation for Freeview as regards the interactive features. BDFreaks should have some more info up shortly.

BDFreaks

[diesel]

Has anyone heard or seen any more news on these recorders and when they will be out?

[unity]

diesel, on Mar 6 2010, 02:03 PM, said:

Has anyone heard or seen any more news on these recorders and when they will be out?

I spoke to a Panasonic manager during the week and she didn't even know that new models had come out overseas.

[diesel]

Does she know they have new TVs coming out?

[unity]

diesel, on Mar 6 2010, 10:15 PM, said:

Does she know they have new TVs coming out?

I would hope so but I never asked.

[Basil]

unity, on Mar 6 2010, 09:45 PM, said:

I spoke to a Panasonic manager during the week and she didn't even know that new models had come out overseas.

They always say that about any new product until their official release,the discounting has started on the Plasmas,HN $1200 for the FHD 46" S and i haven't seen any ads but the small HDD BD Rec. is going for around a $1000 in Sydney apparently so i would say a mid year release for the 780 &  880(or the variations we will get in Oz) to coincide with the 3D Plasmas would seem likely although i'm not sure if they will have the new standalone 3D players specs.

Edited by Basil, 07 March 2010 - 08:53 PM.

[sns]

diesel, on Jan 22 2010, 09:20 AM, said:

I wonder which models they'll import?

I'm interested in getting a blu-ray recorder, will find out in a couple of days time when Panasonic do their webcast

http://www.anewvisua...-sophie-barton/

[aafuss]

I was invited to a webcast from Panasonic too-am a Teampanaaonic member.

In a email they sent, they described:
" an amazing Blu-ray and DVD Recorder line-up"

Not sure about model numbers-we'll soon know.

[aafuss]

New models are:
DMR-BW880 & 780

HDD sizes sam e as 750/850-250GB & 500GB.

[wheelz]

oops

Edited by wheelz, 20 April 2010 - 04:34 PM.

[andys]

aafuss, on Apr 20 2010, 04:06 PM, said:

New models are:
DMR-BW880 & 780

HDD sizes sam e as 750/850-250GB & 500GB.

Are you kidding me? Why? Too many 250gb drives left over, so let's send them to Australia. Do you have to live in Japan to get 1TB HD in these things? When is someone else going to make a BD Recorder? Please!

Andys.

[sns]

andys, on Apr 20 2010, 05:46 PM, said:

Are you kidding me? Why? Too many 250gb drives left over, so let's send them to Australia. Do you have to live in Japan to get 1TB HD in these things? When is someone else going to make a BD Recorder? Please!

Andys.

Yeah the HDD size has mysteriously shrunk for the Australian version. Hopefully the DLNA certification can help to avoid the need to have such a large HDD. The Panasonic RRP is even a decent starting point at $1499, will have to wait and see what the store price is. From memory the 500 and 850 were the other side of $2K when released.

[diesel]

sns, on Apr 21 2010, 12:32 PM, said:

From memory the 500 and 850 were the other side of $2K when released.

Correct, but in recent months the RRP had dropped significantly, even without any direct competition in Australia.

[Gojeep]

diesel, on Apr 22 2010, 12:02 AM, said:

Correct, but in recent months the RRP had dropped significantly, even without any direct competition in Australia.

Any more news on these new recorders? Was really hoping they were with the bigger hard drives and no freeview. It not, I don't see a lot of point waiting for the new model and getting one of the old models going cheaply at the moment.

[wheelz]

Gojeep, on May 4 2010, 09:15 AM, said:

Any more news on these new recorders? Was really hoping they were with the bigger hard drives and no freeview. It not, I don't see a lot of point waiting for the new model and getting one of the old models going cheaply at the moment.

http://panasonic.com...m?objectID=3513

[Gojeep]

wheelz, on May 4 2010, 02:35 PM, said:

http://panasonic.com...m?objectID=3513

Thanks for the link. Does not look like much difference at all!

[Basil]

Gojeep, on May 4 2010, 02:53 PM, said:

Thanks for the link. Does not look like much difference at all!

There will be(i think),full Specs. aren't released yet,we will have to wait for a Journo. to get one and write a review,for eg. are the  "Twin Terrestrial Tuners" MPEG4 compliant.

[wheelz]

Gojeep, on May 4 2010, 12:53 PM, said:

Thanks for the link. Does not look like much difference at all!

Yeah nothing of real importance .

[diesel]

Basil, on May 4 2010, 02:59 PM, said:

we will have to wait for a Journo. to get one and write a review,for eg. are the  "Twin Terrestrial Tuners" MPEG4 compliant.

How are they going to test that?

wheelz, on May 4 2010, 04:09 PM, said:

Yeah nothing of real importance .

SDXC card reader, maybe Mpeg4 decoders if ever we head down that path, I think I read somewhere some better codecs for compressing footage, maybe wifi adapter for Youtube etc, but nothing revolutionarily different to last years models

[Basil]

diesel, on May 4 2010, 04:50 PM, said:

How are they going to test that?


SDXC card reader, maybe Mpeg4 decoders if ever we head down that path, I think I read somewhere some better codecs for compressing footage, maybe wifi adapter for Youtube etc, but nothing revolutionarily different to last years models

It will be in the first few pages of the Owners manual Mick,along with all the disclaimers etc.,anyway it may be a moot point now 3D FTA has put a cat among the pigeons and DVB-T2 is now in the mix.

Edited by Basil, 05 May 2010 - 09:08 AM.

[diesel]

I'm pretty sure it will support mpeg4 broadcasts, as their previous range of TVs also claimed to. Certainly means they can sell them in NZ now.

[garryd]

The manuals for the DMR-XW380/480 and the DMR-BW780/880 are now able to be downloaded from Panasonic Aust's site under Support.
Garry.

[prl]

diesel, on Jan 29 2010, 09:58 PM, said:

Just had a thought whether Panasonic will try and have their new recorders Freeview approved if they have mpeg4 capable tuners, or whether they will ignore Freeview, like they, Samsung, LG etc have so far. I think of the main manufacturers, only Sony has a Freeview approved device - PlayTV

Of the "big names" in the Freeview Manufacturer's list, Grundig, Sony and Sanyo, all have Freeview products listed, but none have recorders listed amongst their Freeview products, only TVs (Sanyo and Sony) and an HD STB (Grundig).

LG, who I'm pretty sure used to be on board the Freeview bandwagon, is not on the list. Panasonic, IIRC, has never been listed by Freeview as a signed-up manufacturer.