Panasonic DMR-EX773

Panasonic DMR-EX773 review

Only a few short years ago, the DVD/HDD recorder was third in the AV desirability stakes, behind a plasma screen and a decent surround-sound audio system. Not only would this digital dream-ticket play DVDs, but TV shows plucked out of the ether by an integral tuner or external set-top box could be recorded onto the HDD. Any material deemed worthy of preservation could be subsequently dubbed onto blank DVD-Rs, compatible with practically every regular DVD player. Extra points could be awarded if the recorder had a digital tuner. Today, it's nearly impossible to find a recorder that doesn't have a digital tuner. Something else that can also be taken for granted is an HDMI output, which usually combines with an upscaling feature to give standard-def DVDs and TV programmes some extra sparkle. All of these desirable features are built into Panasonic's new DMR-EX773, which sits at the more affordable end of the brand's range. It's quite obvious where savings have been made to meet the aggressive price-point: build quality is somewhat on the lightweight side; there's only a single digital-only tuner; and the component output and front-panel S-video input of previous generations are absent.