Panasonic DMR-E80H and HDTV users

[JeffM]

I would like to hear user's experiences who have the DMR-E80H and are trying to
record HD channels on their HDTV.

***Yes, I do know you can't record a full-screen HD quality signal (1080i) with this
recorder. I don't have 4 grand to buy a Sony Blue-Ray.***


I found this blurb:
"The DMR-E80H normally outputs a 480P signal formatted for 16:9 widescreen viewing.
Since some DVD-Video discs are made from telecine (interlaced) transfers suited for
4:3 viewing, the DMR-E80H has a 4:3 shrink function that allows it to display these
images in their proper proportions on widescreen TVs."

I'm trying to record a full screen HD channel on digital cable, which looks full screen
when viewing it through my HDTV, but when I run the signal through the DMR-E80H from
my cable box, I get black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. In other words,
the picture is recorded as wide-screen with black bars. I guess this is as good
as it gets. Black bars really suck, but what can you do?

For non-HD channels (480i), the picture is full screen as expected when running
the signal through the DMR-E80H. But there is some kind of strange dithered pattern
all over the picture. With HD channels, the picture is much crisper with no noticeable
dithering.

And there's another problem, with both HD and non-HD channels. When there's
a lot of motion on the screen, like heads turning, hands waving, etc... there
is very noticeable interlacing streaking. This is all recording in XP mode too.

Another small problem with viewing HD channels through the DMR-E80H, is
that with some HD channels (not all), there is video garbage jumping around
at the very top line of the picture. I have no idea what's going on. I was
kind of suprised to see it. The screen looks like:
---------
black bar
---------
video garbage on top line of picture
---------
picture
---------
black bar
---------

I haven't tried recording a VCR tape yet, but I'm not too optimistic.

[JeffM]

Almost forgot another problem for people who have 5.1 surround sound systems.
Tried playing a rented DVD movie, and got terrible sound. I have a receiver
setup and everything, but the full-room surround sound I was expecting
wasn't there. Absolutely terrible.

[donpedro]

Maybe you need to play more with setup.

[louthewiz]

Since the E80-H has an optical output you need to set it to dolby digital out and DTS out to get 5.1 by going to the setup menu..

[JeffM]

I don't have anywhere to put a digital output. I have to drag out my old DVD player that
I bought 4 years ago to get surround sound again! And that doesn't need to use the digital route.

[donpedro]

I don't get it ? How can you get 5.1 sound without digital sound (coax or optical) output ?

[louthewiz]

Sir WTF are you talking about? why would you have to pull out another dvd player to get the surround sound from it? It sounds like to me that you are using analog dolby pro logic instead of 5.1 and if you are then you need to check your cables "remember cheap cables mean cheap sound".. And finally you can get a DD 5.1 reciever for $150.00 anywhere like www.ecost.com etc

[JeffM]

Ok, I may need to get my technical terms straighten out, it may be analog instead of digital,
but let me just say the 'full-body' sound is not there anymore, when playing a rented DVD movie
through the DMR-E80H. What I am hearing is like sound from a cheap speaker-box, which is terrible.

I may have to buy a new receiver with a digital input. Thanks for the advice.

[donpedro]

Or... just setup recorder correctly

If you can describe exactly how it is connected to TV or receiver and you will provide setup for sound in SETUP screen... maybe we can "restore" your "full-body sound". But without digital it is not going to be 5.1 !!!