Black Boxes: ReplayTV Reviewed
(800) 211-PANA
www.panasonic.com
The Showstopper is Panasonic's high-end entry into a field of digital hard-disk recorders rivaling the much-lauded TiVo series. Regular Smart TV readers will recall that we looked at a similar unit, the ReplayTV 2020, in our Summer/Fall 2000 issuesince then, Panasonic has licensed ReplayTV technology and rushed in a new crop of units including the PV-HS2000.
Like competing units, the Panasonic Showstopper uses a computer hard disk to record audio and video in the MPEG format. It records up to 30 hours of programming in extended mode or 10 hours in high-quality mode. But these ratings are not the same as those used by an analog VCR. It's important to note that ratings like "extended" and "high" are different than those you're used to on analog VCRs. When we viewed programs that we recorded at the Showstopper's lowest-quality setting, for example, the picture was sharp and clear with none of the graininess or color washing you'd expect from a VCR's extended recording mode.
Programmed to Go
Setting up the Showstopper was simple. We connected our cable input to the back of the box, added a pair of RCA phono plugs for audio and video out and plugged a phone line into the standard phone jack. At startup, the Showstopper requested our local phone area code and then dialed a number to set the time, retrieve a channel lineup and get current program listings for our area. It accurately detected our local cable channels, but the ReplayTV phone service didn't report a few local channels that we pull in with our antenna. The entire set up, including the time we waited while the unit downloaded program information, took about 35 minutes.
We were able to navigate the Showstopper's interface without as much as a glance at the manual. Choosing the Program Guide button on the remote brought up a scrollable list of programs currently airing. By selecting an airing program and hitting enter, we saw the program live; by choosing a forthcoming program and hitting record, we scheduled the show for recording when it aired later.
While Panasonic's remote offered some improvements over the original ReplayTV versions (see Summer/Fall 2000 Smart TV, or read the review online at www.smarttvmag.com), we found that it lacked a small bit in delivering true, one-handed control. Some frequently used buttons, such as Menu and Exit, are closely grouped at the bottom of the rather long remote. We had to resort to peeking and pecking to perform some of the Showstopper's most basic tasks.
Feature Presentation
If you've never used a ReplayTV unit like the Showstopper, you might assume that such units are merely digital VCRs for those who haven't mastered the daunting and mysterious "program" function. But there's more to it than that. Our test crew quickly found that a few of the features in ReplayTV's program guide (a free service included with the Showstopper) brought our viewing to a whole new level.
For example, the Showstopper allowed us to program the recording of future broadcasts based on themes, including categories such as action films or biography documentaries. We found that we could also schedule recordings by show, so that the unit would automatically record all future episodes of our favorite series.
We also liked to see the program descriptions that are right in the on-screen guide. By browsing the schedule of upcoming broadcasts, we were able to set the Showstopper to record shows we found interesting and to not record certain episodes that we'd already seen. The unit also features a search function, which allowed us to search program titles and descriptions using keywords.
As expected with a digital recorder, the Showstopper includes a full complement of program controls such as freeze-frame, slow-and-fast-motion and on-demand instant replay. Many of the functions also work with live viewing. While watching the Survivor series, for example, we could pause the live broadcast during the Coming Attractions segment and examine the still picture for clues on who would be tossed off the island the following week.
The unit supports a seven-second, instant-replay function during live airings, which we found sufficient for the armchair sports referee. We also learned that the instant-replay button could be used to correct one of the Showstopper's apparent bugs: when viewing programs in the extended mode, audio and video would occasionally get out of sync at the start of a recorded segment. A quick tap on the replay button restored things to normal.
The Bottom Line
With a suggested list price of $599, the Showstopper may appear to be a little more costly than the competing TiVo, but note that ReplayTV service is free as opposed to TiVo's monthly charge. Once you buy the box, there's nothing more to pay. Panasonic also offers units with smaller recording capacities at lower price points.
Like all of the new hard-disk recorders, the Showstopper's digital picture and audio can rival even the better analog VCRs. But even that's not the main reason to get a ReplayTV the real advantage of these units lies in the ability to watch what you want, when you want it.
Service Fee None
Record Time 30hrs (extended quality
Modem Speed 56k
Inputs/Outputs
Video Composite RCA, S-Video
Audio RCA
Serial Port
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