Panasonic DMR-EZ27 has lost its digital tuning capability

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ....

In 2007, I purchased a Panasonic DMR-EZ27 DVD recorder with a built-in NTSC-ATSC tuner. When connected to my local cable service, the tuner picked up all available unencrypted digital channels as well as the analog channels.

In mid-2008, I noticed that the digital channels on the Panasonic were no longer coming in. Shortly after this discovery, I purchased a Sanyo LCD HDTV (which replaced a 17-year-old CRT TV) and discovered that it could pick the digital channels while the Panasonic DVD unit could not.

I then ran a couple of experiments. First using an indoor antenna, I found that the Sanyo TV picked local digital signals but the Panasonic DVD unit would not do the same. Next, I tried running the cable directly through the Panasonic DVD unit rather than through a 3-way splitter (DVD/TV/Cable Modem). Once again, the Panasonic DVD unit failed to pick any digital signals. Meanwhile, the TV picks up digital cable signals either via direct hook-up or thru the 3-way split.

So, as it stands now, my Panasonic DVD unit can tune in only analog TV signals. Since I am on cable, I should not be affected by the "Big Switch" on Feb 17th (or whenever, if not then). However, if I want to record something off a digital channel, I may have to attach an external digital tuner to the Panasonic. The TV itself won't do - it has many video inputs, but no video outputs - arrggh !!!

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[tmelo38]

I own the same model but I never experienced the problem you're having.
Have you updated it with the latest firmware?

It can be found here:

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/Video/DVD-Recorders-Players/DVD...odel.DMR-EZ27K

Give it a shot and see if it fixes the problem you're having.

Tony

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ...

Thank you Tmelo38. I did the update according to the instructions, then went thru the set-up process.

When all was said and done, the situation remained the same - no digital channel tuning. It is as if the thing could never tune digital channels in the first place!!!!

Thanx-A-Lot Anyway, Frank-0-Video

[jjeff]

I had the same problem with a EZ-17 (just lacks the upconverting yours has). When I first hooked it up I received all the digital and analog OTA channels. A few days later the digitals all disappeared and I only got analog. I exchanged the machine for another new one and that one worked fine.
The Panasonic EZ-x7 ('07) series of DVDRs were rather flaky at best. I don't know what to tell you about fixing it, sending it in would far outweigh its worth.
Did you try a factory reset? That's done by (when the unit is powered on) holding down both the channel up and channel down buttons on the main unit for at least 10 seconds. I guess it's worth a shot if you haven't already tried it.

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ...

Thank you jjeff - the process you suggested was a repeat of what occurred after doing the firmware update. This time, I used a non-split cable signal, but the results were the same - no digital channels.

It would appear that I have one of those "flaky" models you suggested. The factory date on the back of this one is August 2007 - maybe that means something, then again maybe not.

Had considered a Kworld Sa290q le tuner before (painfully) discovering that its component outputs would not go into my Panasonic DVD unit.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[jjeff]

Never heard of that box you've linked but NO it would not work. It looks like it only has VGA and component outputs. Your EZ-27 only has component outputs not inputs.
Unless you're on cable and need QAM I'd suggest a CECB, specifically a Channel Master CM-7000. It's only ~$20 after $40 coupon and with it's S-video output it makes great recordings to a DVDR. I use one with my old analog ES series Panny(I gave up on the EZs) and I get every bit as good picture as the bug laden EZ series.

edit:looks like you're on cable in which case your choices are less and the cost is more. I think there are a few older QAM converters as well as the $179 Samsung 260 but for that price you could just buy a new DVDR with a working QAM tuner.

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ..

Just now realized that those Panasonic DVD component jacks are indeed OUTPUT ONLY!!! I'll Check out the Channel Master device and see what it does.

Thanx-A-Lot for all the info, Frank-0-Videp

[jjeff]

My original wording may have been a little confusing, but just so you know, the CM is only for antenna reception not cable. You'd need a QAM or digital cable box to work on a cable system. There currently aren't any cheap QAM boxes available that I know of, maybe a few used ones though.

[chibi1]

I had same problem. It fixes by pressing 'reset' switch while analog channel scan is in progress. It isn't elegant way, though.

Operation:
1) Press SETUP on remote
2) Follow the menu Channel->Set Channels Automatically->Enter
3) While scanning analog channels, Press and Hold 'reset' switch at left of REC button on the main unit.
4) Do Channel Setup after reboot

[lacywest]

Interesting ...

What has happened to Panasonic ... ???

The other units ... EH50 and the E50 [without harddrive] were all good units.

Go back a few years ... Smurf praised the JVC units ... except for the bad resistor problem.

Folks here ... praised the Pioneer models too.

I want to say everybody but not really everybody but quite a few talk about the green tint that Panasonic units had / have.

But now ... Panasonic has made units that are pretty much simple units with a bunch of glitches in them that has made them spooky and unreliable to use.

I've got the DMR-EZ27 here ... it's in the living room ... I don't use that area anymore. My wife's daughter and her teenager boy have taken over that area and as I've mentioned before in other posts ... all they watch is TV shows on the Fox network.

When the Directv was still active they still were watching dumb ass shows on the Fox channel ... well now Directv is turned off and they should be perfectly happy ... thanks to the Antenna hooked up they still get to see the shows they were watching.

Cassandra [wife's daughter] does have some problems using the EZ27 ... but Im not there when it happens ... I think she is saying it freezes up.

I am going to fire up / connect up a EZ17 out here in the garage ... where I do my messing around ... I have a sound system / home theater system out here. The manufacture date is .. January 2007 ... I hope it doesn't start messing up tool.

By the way ... I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7022 ... the Media Center Edition that comes with it is nice ... lots of features.

I will post a new thread about it.

[jjeff]

For whatever reason the first year of the digital tuner ('07 EZ'x7's) were very buggy and had many lockups. '08, EZ-x8 seemed to be better but still not up to '06 and older ES/EH series reliability.
Personally I think the digital tuner seems to be causing the majority of problems, the tunerless '08 EA series gets many less negative posts but then again I might guess the EZ's outsell the EA's 10 to 1 (just a guess), so the number of complaints may not tell the whole truth.
I had (6) EZ-x7 DVDRs and one EZ-28, I now only have ES/EH Pannys, to many failed recordings with the EZs.

[ntscuser]

In mid-2008, I noticed that the digital channels on the Panasonic were no longer coming in. Shortly after this discovery, I purchased a Sanyo LCD HDTV (which replaced a 17-year-old CRT TV) and discovered that it could pick the digital channels while the Panasonic DVD unit could not.

A friend had exactly the same problem with a UK spec EZ25 machine recently. He was told to unplug the unit completely from the mains for a minutes and that cured the problem. Not saying it will work for a US spec EZ27 but may be worth a try?

[Frank-0-Video]

Greetings ...

Recently, I did unplug the DVD unit because I was moving my equipment to new shelving. When I plugged the DVD back in, then re-scanned cable channels, the digitals came in.

Since then, the digital channels have once again "taken a hike". Maybe it's for the better, as my local cable service re-shapes the digital images of the local OTA channels for 4:3. Fortunately, I have an external converter box that allows for letterbox, full, zoom-1 and zoom-2 shaping.

Thanx-A-Lot, Frank-0-Video

[ntscuser]

This may be pure coincidence but my friend's tuner failed the same week a firmware upgrade was transmitted over the air.