Panasonic DMR-E85H - Setting Chapter Markers

[Surfmaster]

Hi:

I'm interested in purchasing a Panasonic DMR-E85H DVD Recorder with hard drive to convert my uncopyrighted VHS tapes containing TV shows to DVD-Rs. I would like to ask whether you can edit commercials using simple linear cuts and then create chapter markers at those areas instead of having the random 5 and 10 minute chapter markers that are the machine's default? After you create the chapter markers, can you create a menu of the names of the chapters like on factory DVD movies that would appear when you hit the "menu" button on your DVD remove control? Please advise. Thanks.

[ktnwin]

I just bought a DMR_E85H and use it for less than one day. But I figured out most of its features.
Yes, you can actually cut off commercial like this:
1) record a TV program on HDD (you will have a recorded title)
2) go define chapter points on that recorded title, make sure to define chapter points at the start / end of commercials
3) create a play list with that title, add all chapters except the one that are commercials (after you add all, go and remove the unwanted chapters)
4) DUB this play list on a blank DVD disc.
It is certainly not as easy as using a PC to edit / cut / join videos, but it does the job, fast.

[ktnwin]

I like to add one thing: there is no chapter menu with DMR-E85.
The only offer title menu (meaning one DVD can contains more than one title, and each title can have multiple chapters).

After using the unit for a few more days, I found a more convenient way to cut out commercials.

1) Select the title, submenu->ChapterView->SubMenu->Divide
2) play (and fastforward) and hit ENTER at the point you want to place chapter marker
3) when done, hit RETURN, now you see all the chapters
4) browse thru each chapter (with the 4 arrow keys) and when you are at the chapter you want to cut, press ERASE. Repeat this step for until you are done.
Now your title has no more commercials.
To burn it to DVD, simply play the title then press DUBBING. Burning to DVD is at 4X speed. So easy.
When done, FINALIZE the disc unless you want to record more title(s) on the same disk.