1. Why does the DMR-E20 use DVD-R technology instead of DVD-RW?
While "RW" technology allows you to reuse the DVD repeatedly, our decision to use DVD-R technology was, in part, based on its higher compatibility with existing DVD players. While DVD-RW technology does allow you to reuse the disk, DVD-R technology appears to offer better compatibility with home DVD players at this time. DVD-RAM technology allows for reusable media using a tried and tested technology now in use with many PC's. In many cases the customer will already have DVD-RAM media and DVD-RAM disk can be reused up to 100,000 times - 100 x greater than DVD-RW's.
2. The prices of several brands of DVD-R media seem to vary. Will one brand or version provide better performance?
DVD-R media is available in two varieties, general media and authoring media. The DMR-E20 uses general media. Our testing has shown that performance does vary. Specifically, the reflective property of the different brands has a direct effect on compatibility with DVD players. While most will probably work with the DMR-E20, some may not play back properly in your home DVD player. Panasonic's DVD-R media has been designed to provide the highest level of reflectivity, thus providing the best compatibility with your DVD player.
3. What is the difference between media types?
Type I and Type II apply to DVD-RAM media. In Type I, the media (disc) cannot be removed from its shell, in Type II, it can be removed. Type III is an empty shell (no disc).
4. What types of media does Panasonic offer?
Panasonic offers:
- DVD-RAM Media
LM-AB120U 120 minute 4.7GB (Replaces DY-HB47D)
LM-AF120U 120 minute 4.7GB, without cartridge
LM-AD240U 240 minute 9.4GB - Double Sided
LM-AF120U3 3 pack of LM-AB120U
Please note that Panasonic does offer additional DVD-RAM media that is intended for use with PC drives. The list above notes those products that are compatible to the DMR-E10 and DMR-E20.
- DVD-R Media
LM-RF120U 120 minute, without cartridge
5. During the installation, I connected my DMR-E20 to the cable box and powered it up, but it immediately went into an auto programming mode. Eventually the deck said it was unable to complete the procedure. What am I doing wrong?
First, the DMR-E20 is cable ready, so in most installations you should not use it with a cable converter box. Since your cable box converts all available channels to one common channel (usually three or four), having it connected would only allow the DMR-E20 to auto program one channel. The auto programming procedure first scans all channels that are available in your area. It programs them in and locks out all of the unused channels. The second step attempts to set the time and date using your local PBS channel. Beginning at channel two, it looks at each channel for about 15-20 seconds. Assuming it finds the PBS channel, the time and date are set and the procedure is complete. Depending on which channel PBS is on will influence how long the entire procedure takes. The higher the channel number, the longer the entire process will take. If no PBS channel is found, than the DMR-E20 will offer you the opportunity to manually set the time and date.
6. Why doesn't my DVD player play DVD-Rs?
Our extensive testing shows that Panasonic DVD-R media recorded in the DMR-E20 will play back properly in about 85% of home DVD players being sold as of June, 2001. The 15% that experienced some difficulty were models that used older technology, often one to two years older. Also, older DVD players may not reflect the recent standardization that has taken place in the DVD industry. As the industry releases new models, the number of DVD players that experience problems will sharply decrease. The brand of DVD-R media you use will also influence this compatibility issue. A possible solution would be to try another brand of media that may be more compatible with your DVD player.
7. Why does the length of the finalizing disk process vary so much?
The amount of time it takes to finalize a disk depends on how much you have recorded on it. Since the purpose of finalizing a disk is to cancel all unused recording time left on the disk, the more you have recorded, the less time will be needed to finalize the disk.
8. Can I change recording speed during recording?
No. However, the DMR-E20 offers a Flexible Recording (FR) format when you use the timer mode to record. Once the timer has been programmed with the duration of the intended recording, the DMR-E20 will calculate which speed to use to fit the entire duration of your recording.
9. I recently attempted to copy DVD movies that I rented, but none of them came out well, whether it was the functionality of the menus or the brightness. What am I doing wrong?
Duplicating copyrighted material is illegal. If an attempt to duplicate copy-protected material is made, the DMR-E20 may display an on-screen message: " Copy Guard Applied" and the deck will not go into the record mode. With that established, most DVDs use a technology called Macrovision which prevents DVDs from being copied. The varying brightness is a visible effect of Macrovision doing what it is designed to do. If Macrovision is not used, in theory you can copy the DVD. However, since the copy is only transferring the audio and video portions of the disk, interactive menu features would not be copied.
10. The DMR-E20 offers four recording speeds. Apart from allowing longer recording, what do these do? Will different speeds affect the quality of the recording differently?
The four speeds are equated with four different levels of data transfer. As the recording time increases, the data transfer rate decreases and the quality will decrease. However, even using the longest recording time, the quality will be similar to VHS or often better, depending on the material you are recording.
11. I was given a recorded DVD disk from a friend in Japan and while the disk plays well, the DMR-E20 isn't displaying the titles written in English.
Japanese DVD recorders write the title information at a different address. While your U.S. DMR-E20 will play back the recording made in Japan, the titles may not. Since DVD-RAM disks can be re-recorded you can write in new titles using your DMR-E20.
12. I own a "universal" (non Panasonic) IR remote and am having difficulty programming it to properly control my DMR-E20. Does Panasonic offer any updated IR codes?
The codes/number sequences were programmed into your remote at the time it was manufactured. The numbers you use to configure the IR remote control just load existing data the manufacturer included. Some remotes offer the ability to add new models. To determine if your remote has this feature, you will need to contact the manufacturer directly. The remote we include will work with most Panasonic VCR's and TV's we currently offer. Control code information is being provided to third party companies so it's only a matter of time before they start including the DMR-E20.
13. Will my IR remote from my Panasonic TV operate my DMR-E20?
Some Panasonic IR remotes that include VCR control may work. Since the DMR-E20 has some features that differ slightly from Panasonic VCRs, your IR remote may lack buttons that correspond to some DMR-E20 features. To get the most reliability and enjoyment from your DMR-E20, we strongly suggest that you use the remote that was supplied with it.
14. Can the DMR-E20 record the subtitles and closed captioning displayed on the TV screen?
Yes.
True Closed Caption information is embedded in the video signal and transmitted within the vertical interval portion of the video signal. Like the traditional VHS recorders, this information will be recorded by the DMR-E20. This information is decoded and displayed on your TV using the internal circuitry of your TV. Older TV's, those that do not have the closed caption feature, will obviously not display the text.
If a program's producer happens to include superimposed text over the video (not closed captioning) the DMR-E20 will also include this with any recording it makes.
15. Why does my DMR-E20 start in 'auto channel set' mode?
It sounds like the deck was never permitted to go through the 'auto channel program' process. Connect the deck to a TV antenna or CATV feed and allow it to auto program all of the available channels. Once that is complete, keep the deck plugged in (to retain the channel data). Now each time the deck is turned on, you can select the desired channel or video input.
16. I am finding it very difficult to find additional DVD-RAM and DVD-R blank media. Why is this, and where can I purchase them?
While DVD-RAM disks have been on the market for quite a while, DVD-R media is relatively new. Both are new to the home video market so many dealers (particularly those who don't sell the DMR-E20) don't yet carry them. We anticipate that the E20's immediate popularity will lead to an increased availability in the very near future.
17. What type of copy protection will the DMR-E20 recognize?
CGMS-A, Macro-Vision, and CPRM.
18. My DMR-E20 plays and records both DVD-R and DVD-RAM media. What are the chances that future DVD home players will be as versatile?
Actually, quite good. In general, the home DVD market will migrate towards models that can play multiple formats. At this time, we are unable to provide a precise time table, but be assured that we are working on it.
19. How can I interface my DMR-E20 with a personal computer?
At this time that's not possible.
20. If I record data on the DMR-E20, can I copy these files to my PC's hard drive?
No. Files recorded on the disk in the folder "Dvd_rtar" may not exceed 2 mb in size. If an attempt is made, other problems can be created. These file size limitations exist in Windows 95 / 98. However, even if the file size were limited to less than 2 GB, the video format files would be copied in the "PC format." Playback would most likely be unsuccessful.
21. I recently recorded video on a DVD-RAM disk, but I can't view the video on my PC. Since my PC has a DVD-RAM drive, can't I play and edit DVD-RAM recordings on my PC?
DVD-RAM drives for PCs were originally designed for PC data backup applications. Recording video to DVD-RAM is a relatively new development. The file format for video and data differs so they are not directly interchangeable.
The ability to play DVD-RAM recordings on your PC is software and hardware dependent. That is, you have to install a compatible DVD drive in the PC and install the appropriate software on the PC. Several companies are now developing and testing software that will make this possible. The software is in a beta testing stage and we anticipate that in the near future such software will be available. There are no plans for Panasonic to provide this software.
The installation of this software and hardware will allow you to play recordings on your PC. Editing may be possible, though the versions Panasonic has seen did not address editing.
22. Can the DMR-E20 record portions of a video as sections (chapters) so that I can later navigate to the desired section?
Absolutely. Each time "stop" is pressed The DMR-E20 creates a chapter until the DVD is complete. The next step would be to label each segment ("chapter"). Using the DMR-E20's internal title feature, you can create a title for the DVD itself as well as for each chapter. However, this must be done BEFORE you finalize the disk. Later, you can access each chapter using the "menu" button on the DVD player. This part of the operation is identical to accessing the "menu" on your favorite movie.
23. Will my DMR-E20 play MP3 music files?
No. Audio recorded by the DMR-E20 is recorded in MPEG2 format.
24. At what resolution is the picture recorded and does the resolution differ with the speed that is selected? Is this format supported by all DVD players?
The recording video resolution of the 1 hour speed (XP) and 2 hour speed (SP) is 704x480 pixels. The resolution of 4 hour speed (LP) and 6 hour speed (EP) is 352x480 pixels. The resolution of 352x480 pixels should be supported by most recent DVD designs, but some early DVD-players and the early Play Station 2s (Sony) do not support this resolution.
25. DVD-RAM disks are sold with and without the cartridge. Which type does the DMR-E20 use?
The DMR-E20 can use both types. We suggest using the cartridge type as it protects the DVD-RAM disk from accidental scratching or damages.
Panasonic offers the following products:
- DVD-RAM Media
LM-AB120U 120 minute 4.7GB (Replaces DY-HB47D)
LM-AF120U 120 minute 4.7GB, without cartridge
LM-AD240U 240 minute 9.4GB - Double Sided
LM-AF120U3 3 pack of LM-AB120U
26. How does "Time Slip" work
"Time Slip" takes advantage of digital recording and DVD-RAM technology. As data is being recorded to DVD-RAM media, specially designed circuitry allows the viewer to simultaneously view previously recorded programming. The speed of the drives' optical pickup moves back and forth between the recording section and the playback section. Digital memory functions simultaneously as a buffer to provide seamless playback and recording.
Here is an example of how you might use this feature. You were watching television when the phone rang, and you missed ten minutes of your favorite program. Upon returning, you can activate "Time Slip" and set it to play what occurred ten minutes in the past. This occurs while the DMR-E20 continues to record in real time. This feature only works with DVD-RAM recordings, not DVD-R.
27. Does the DMR-E20 add any type of copy protection when it records to a DVD?
The actual recording process used on both DVD-RAM and DVD-R media does not add or employ any type of copy protection, though the DVD-RAM cassette offers a record prevention device to prevent accidental erasure.
28. Are there any plans for offering higher capacity DVD-RAM disks in the future?
Actually, 9.4 Gb DVD-RAM disks are available right now and the DMR-E20 is already able to use these. Using a 9.4 Gb DVD-RAM disk, you can record up to twelve hours on one disk (using both sides). Matsushita and Panasonic are also doing extensive research on the use of a new blue laser that will allow us to record at higher densities.
Compared with the infrared and red lasers that are currently in wide use, blue lasers use a shorter wave length. As the laser's wavelength decreases, the recording density (actual recording time) increases.
29. The user manual says it can take up to 70 minutes to format a DVD-RAM disk, but I performed the operation in just a few seconds. Did I do something wrong?
To perform a logical format to a disk it typically takes between 10-30 seconds. If something causes a large amount of data to be lost from a disk, the disk must undergo a "Physical Format." Physical formatting will take much longer and can take up to 70 minutes as stated in the manual.
30. While playing a DVD-RAM disk, parts of the images freeze. Why is this?
This effect is a digital video dropout, and is usually caused by a momentary loss of data being read from the disk. Due to the high recording density of a DVD disk, a speck of dust may prevent a significant amount of data from being read.
Remove the disk and inspect it for dust, fingerprints or scratches. Gently clean it with a non-abrasive wipe such as lens tissue. To avoid having this problem again, handle disks by their edges and store them in protective cases. Use the DVD-RAM cartridge whenever possible.
31. Will the Simultaneous Reading, Playback and Time Slip Playback features work with both DVD-RAM and DVD-R discs?
No, only with DVD-RAM.
32. Can I play the smaller size DVD-RAM disk I recently purchased for the Panasonic DVD camcorder on the DMR-E20?
Yes. The DMR-E20 will play smaller DVDs without problem.
33. How many times can DVD-RAM disks be used?
We estimate that 100,000 times should not be a problem. In comparison, DVD-RW disks can only be reused only about 1000 times.
34. Can I record over previous material on a DVD-RAM disk?
DVD-RAM disks can be reused. Unwanted material must first be deleted, much the same as you would delete a file from a PC disk.
35. Can I bulk erase a DVD-RAM disk?
Yes. You can do this in two ways:
1. All programs can be simultaneously erased so that they are removed from the startup menu
2. Perhaps a more secure method is to format the entire disk
36. If I delete a scene or program from a DVD-RAM disk, will the remaining time be updated to show additional time?
Yes. However, since the time increment for recording is measured in minutes, the available recording time remaining may not reflect the deletion of segments shorter than 60 seconds.
37. Can I use a DVD-RAM disk in my DMR-E20 which had previously been used in a PC?
Yes, but because the format is different, you have to reformat the disk. The same is also true with the reverse scenario.
