DVD/HDD/VCR - Panasonic or Toshiba?

[wasleys]

My elderly VCR is playing up so the time has come to turn to a DVD/HDD recorder. As I have a load of VHS tapes I would like to transfer to DVD the inclusion of a VCR is attractive.

The choice appears to be between Toshiba's RD-XV59DT and Panasonic's DMR-EX98V.

The Panasonic is a lot more expensive.

Please does anybody have any views on the relative merits and demerits of these two models and whether the Panasonic is worth the extra money?

[DeadWalk]

My brother has the Toshiba and he thinks it's the bees knees, with its operation being very straighforward.

[sideshowbob]

From my experience, Panasonic models are painfully slow to load up / boot. I certainly wouldn't consider another, particularly as a primary source for freeview / dvd.

Also, if you're thinking about transferring copyrighted / normal vhs to dvd, I would imagine that wouldn't work on one of these decks. Home video should be fine. Just a thought.

[wasleys]

Thanks for responses.

Copying would be of own recordings, not purchased.

[Delta Kneebone]

I've got a Panasonic VCR/DVD recording combo and it's the cat's whiskers, which easily overrides the "bees knees" mentioned earlier.:)

[stringys]

I bought a Panasonic DMR-EX79 a couple of months ago and it's been fantastic. Very quiet, very good build quality and lots of features. A bit slow to start up, but much more reliable than the Sony I had to send back because it broke after a week! Would be better without GuidePlus adverts, but I ignore them. The skip through/past adverts is brilliant.