There is no replacement for what the Panasonic DMR-EZ48VP-K can do: 1) receive and record TV signals both digital and analog like the old VCR days 2) record video camera recordings to DVD disks and 3) dub VHS tapes to DVD disks (a very simple procedure unlike other brands). You need to sometimes clean the DVD drive (SaintBaz method works very well) or the clean VCR heads and sometimes reset or power down (unplug)(sometimes multiple power downs or resets are needed) of the unit to clear various CPU firmware hangup states it gets into, but that seems to be par for the course when have on board microcontrollers.

One of the best VCR/DVD combo units in the market, the Panasonic unit is great! Plse suggest to Panasonic dealers that they rethink discontinuing this unit, as the market needs product like this. By the way, Where are those Blu-ray recorders you showed at CES? Bring them over here!

I have owned a couple of Panasonic DVD recorders and the quality is always there. They make real good DVD transfers and last a long time. I am impressed with this unit. Have use it about 2 years without a flaw. Transfered home movies for my boss. Works Great !!! These units with built in VCR's are getting difficult to find with a DVD Recorder. This DVD recorder will not copy pre-recorded commercially recorded VCR tapes to DVD because of copy protection. It will only transfer tapes recorded for home movies, etc. Gave it 5 stars !!!

It works like the model I already own. It just had a problem that was not mentioned in the sales talk. The unit I owned already had the same problem. The problem was with the unit locking up when it tried tuning certain weak signals off of my antenna. This problem would probably not show up if cable was used. I suspected it was a firmware problem after experimenting with both units. I used to work for a company that made DVR/set top boxed for cable. I saw weird problems caused by firmware and saw how they were fixed by tweeking on the code. I went to Panasonic's web site and found that there really was a firmware problem. I down loaded the firmaware and burned it on a CD per instructions emailed to me from Panasonic. I then loaded the firmware on to both boxes per their instructions. Both DVRs work much better.

They are good to have if a person does not want pay a company to get satelite or cable and pay for a DVR service. I have a Directv DVR and these two DVRs, along with an older Panasonic DVR with a built in hard drive. I used this older drive to record programs from a converter box connected to it tuned to the station I want to record. I just cannot try doing this from different stations. With this box's built in tuner I can record from different stations programmed into the unit. The one drawback is it does not have a hard drive I can store the programs onto for later viewing. You have to change out the DVD discs or record them in poorer quaility mode like EP to fit more on a DVD. I would use these DVRs exclusively if I get sick of paying for DVR service and satelite TV. I know of some people that are doing this buy not getting any Sat TV or cable and using an antenna. They are using a TiVO box, but then you have to pay $14 per month for the DVR service.

I just wish this DVR I purchase did not cost more than the one I bought in early 2010, brand new, it cost about $70 more than my brand new DVR. There was one that was brand new on Amazon's website that cost about three times more than my new DVR. This one I just purchase was a used model with no manual. This DVR would be hard to use without a manual, it has lot information in the manual on how to use it. A soft manual was available on Panasonic's web site, along with other information on what do do if your tape or DVD gets stuck and will not eject. It is to bad that Panasonic is not going to build any more of these. I have sent Panasonic emails requesting they build more with hard drives in them. But I get no response.

Bill

I bought 2 of these, one new and one refurb. I bought the new one in July 2008. Aside from the typical issues with this dual deck Panasonic, it was worked pretty well. Today, however, the laser died and will not recognize any disk, so now I'm in the market for yet another. My refurb Panasonic is 3 years old and still working but I'm now prepared to replace it too. Unfortunately these units are a disappearing breed thanks to the cable companies and Hollywood people who don't want us to be able to record on a single DVD.