Panasonic high definition DVD recorder for Freeview+HD: ideal for the World Cup
Them at Panasonic have pre-empted Freeview HD being rolled out across the country by releasing an absolutely marvellous bit of kit in the DMR-XW380. Seemingly a cross between Sky Plus and a DVD player, this brand new gizmo will enable you to record programs from Freeview HD channels onto its hard drive and then, if you wish, transfer that onto a DVD with the quality of picture not being compromised. Reviews of the clarity of the picture once it’s transferred have been unanimously positive, with the grandly named High Definition Chroma Processer seemingly ensuring lines stay crisp and edges sharp.
Often the problem with these kind of digital TV recording facilities is that if you are recording something you cannot watch another channel (which, to these eyes, seems to slightly negate the point of the whole thing, but lets not get bogged down in that eh?). Thankfully the DMR-XW380 has swerved this whole problem marvellously by not just allowing you to watch another digital channel, but allowing you to record another digital channel. Oh, praise be to God in the Highest! What a stunning development this is. For football fans already salivating at the prospect of a month of ignoring their other half and garnering another excuse to drink beer during the World Cup, this means the whole experience can be lengthened. Two games on at the same time? Not a problem mon frère! Watch one (record if its England), watch the other straight after. If you think about it logically, taking into account half-time and pre/post match reflection this would enable you to avoid any kind of meaningful, non-football related conversation for at least four and a half hours. That’s more or less an evening for most people, which enables them to skip all that mucky, soulless hows-your-day smalltalk, and get right down to the good stuff before the bliss of boozy slumber.
Of course, the plus points don’t just finish here. Any Sky Plus fan worth their salt will rhapsodise at length about the innocent joy of being able to pause live TV. If they don’t they’re probably lying about having it in some cock-eyed attempt to be ‘cool’ and in fact run away screaming to Mummys breast any time ‘people start coming out of that little black box. ’ Well, the DMR-XW380 has this capability in the form of its cryptically named Rewind Live TV function, which will enable you to rewind over two hours back to the scene of your choosing (no jumpy Body Of Evidence shots for the next generation of UK teenagers).
It’s all delivered in Dolby Digital/Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 channel surround sound and users can, if they wish, use subtitles on all recordings. There’s also a bevy of extra features- you can upload images and movies from your digital camera, you can use it to watch videos on sites like Youtube. One particularly snazzy snippet is its DLNA server functionality which enables you to connect it to compatible devices in other rooms, so even the most unfriendly of house-sharers can bear the fruits of their work at Panasonic HQ.
It would seem the only sticking point is the price- £550. It seems an awful lot especially when you know it’ll be half that in a couple years. Of course that’s not really the point-the sort of person that really desires these functions now won’t give two bananas about the price. And for them, it seems, the DMR-XW380 will be nothing but a Godsend.
The DMR-BW880EBK and BW780EBK Freeview+HD Blu-ray Disc™ Recorders are also available and feature in the lovely picture above.
