Panasonic DMR-E85H

76 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
usability (20)
price (11)
size (7)
image quality (3)
design (2)

Negative
reliability (11)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 76 reviews of Panasonic DMR-E85H. The average rating for this product is 3.7/5, compared to an average rating of 3.7/5 for other Digital Video Recorders (DVR) for all reviews. People really like the design and image quality. The size and price also get good comments. There are some less positive opinions about the reliability.

usability, price, size, image quality, design

reliability

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Video Recorders (DVR) the Panasonic DMR-E85H is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 73/100 = Good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 76 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(35% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (29% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (17% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews (6% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews (14% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

usability
Show positive (77%)Show negative (23%)(Show all)

price
Show positive (69%)Show negative (31%)(Show all)

reliability
Show positive (27%)Show negative (73%)(Show all)

size
Show positive (100%)None yet(Show all)

image quality
Show positive (75%)Show negative (25%)(Show all)

More features

Showing 37 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

Disclaimer:

Below is a list of reviews for this or similar products. If you think this grouping is wrong please click here to flag.
Read more on our FAQ’s page.

Showing 1 - 10 of 37 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (39)

Expert review by : Jeff Cohen (bigpicturebigsound.com)

Panasonic DMR-E85H (DMRE85HS) DVD Recorder

Forget the no-frills DVD recorders you see advertised at bargain basement prices. Many of them offer a flat 2-hour record mode, no hard drive, and no editing features. Those are things you really need - and the Panasonic DMR-E85H has all of them and more.

No regrets so far. I've condensed six shelves of tapes to three shelves of DVDs, using slim cases. I've sold off, thrown out, or given away the majority of the tapes they replaced. I've lost weight. Improved my marriage, and sprouted hair where none...

Jun, 2005

Read the full review

Expert review by : Ian Calcutt (avreview.co.uk)

Panasonic DMR-E85

DVD recorders with built-in hard disk drives are increasingly common and, now that people are realising what they can do compared to ?standalone? recorders, they are becoming more popular and affordable...

Great picture quality, including progressive scan output, plus extended recording capacity and supreme ease of use ;

Limited to DVD-RAM and DVD-R recordable formats and there are no digital video or multimedia card ports plus no programme guide for timer setting

Although digital camcorder and memory card ports have been excluded from this model, its inputs do enable you to connect a digital TV receiver using high-quality RGB video via Scart. The DMR-E85 is principally a TV-recording machine, as shown by the...

Sep, 2004

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

DMR E-85H The perfect machine

Very easy to use for recording or watching 800 number not likely to need it

hard to find one. Love mine but can't find another one for gift

Jun, 2007

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Terrible machines.

Good when working.

Very unreliable..

Apr, 2007

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Buyer Beware

Out of the box I did not have problems in the beginning. This recorder will only display DVD's at the standard 480p resolution. It will not upscale video resolution. First of all you must set up the recorder to download channel information from your ...

Plays DVD-Audio and records DVD-RAM discs

TV guide system is not compatible with all cable boxes. Tech support help nonexistent.

Jan, 2007

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

DMR-E85H DVD recorder/player

This product is almost exactly what I was looking for. It will replace my current dvd player, which is 5 years old, and also replace my vcr, which is 10 years old. I didn't like the fact that it doesn't have firewire but since my computer has firewire ...

Large hard drive - 120 gb and TV Guide with no monthly fee.

DVD-RAM and no firewire.

Dec, 2006

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Panasonic Lays an Egg

I was able to transfer video from my camera to it, and then burn DVD's.

Horrible reliability.

May, 2006

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Got more value than dreamed of

This product is "a tool", and as such, we determine it's value based on how useful and practical is for OUR PARTICULAR NEEDS. We're all different and our reviews reflect that. That being said, when you read these reviews as yourself what do you plan to...

User friendly, great results, reliability, HD size

TV guide, speed of operations, modest menu creating options

Dec, 2005

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Frequent lockups

Excellent video quality, quiet operation, simple to use.

Buggy firmware, doesn't like DVD-RAMs used in foreign drives, not firmware-upgradeable.

Nov, 2005

Read the full review

Consumer review (epinions.com)

Not that great in the long run

I bought my DMR-E85H in September 2004 to mainly record movies off of Turner Classic Movies and then dub them onto single dvd-r's for my collection. I did just that without fail. I, however, had problems when I first bought this unit. When I would turn...

High-speed dubbing was faster on this than on my E80HTV Guide feature

Dubbing problems after 1 year.

Oct, 2005

Read the full review