Panasonic DMR-ES10 DVD recorder

Posted by T3 Online on Tue 30 Oct 2007

Budget DVD recorder knocks out the big boys.

This was one of the first cheap decks to offer support for DVD-RAM discs, giving you the ability to watch the start of a show while the end is still recording. It also works with DVD-R/RW and +R discs - now that's versatility.

The recording quality is excellent. Eamonn Holmes' face looks suitably ruddy and an episode of Lost is virtually indistinguishable from the original broadcast, with lush colours and smooth detail even in the (rare!) moments when the action speeds up.

Unlike the Sony, this doesn't have an iLink port, so you'll be limited to the analogue connection when transferring home movies. Menus are a bit tricky to navigate, although that's testament to the number of features on offer.

In fact, if you're in the market for a budget recorder, this is by far the most powerful and versatile one you'll find.