Panasonic DMR-PWT550GZ for FreeviewPlus Recording

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860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1381068 7-Sep-2015 12:41

OK. Well on mine I just right click on the Panasonic file, copy, then paste on another drive. Haven't tried playing any in VLC but from memory when I did try it takes ages to start as it seemed to copy the file across or something before playing. Just tried double click and default Win 10 player says it's unsupported format but right click and open with VLC starts copying to a temp folder prior to playing.

Not sure if mine suffers from a window (setup?) problem, or some kind of copy restriction in the Panasonic. I'd be very handy to have it working
like you though, so I may delve a bit deeper! Anyone else have it working OK, or not ?

DickDastardly

227 posts

Master Geek

#1381074 7-Sep-2015 12:47

There are a few of us here that have the Panny 840, I'm one of them.

I have also been in contact with Panny HQ asking if the 840 will get a firmware upgrade to be Freeview plus compatible, seeing as it was their flagship model - the answer was a very definite no.

I think I'm going to hold onto the Panasonic and wait until Dish TV release (something like the 2200) with a 1TB hard drive, twin tuner unit with 3D Playback and 4k upscaling....then ill trade the Panny in....

I don't want no sugar in it - thank you very much

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1381110 7-Sep-2015 13:27

I've got the 840 as well. Bought it about 6 weeks before Freeview Plus was announced - very annoying. It hasn't even been given the Netflix app. I ended up getting a little Windows box for my NZ OnDemand viewing. I'm still holding out a faint hope that when they do bring in Freeview Plus for the PVRs, they might mysteriously have a change of heart and upgrade the 840. But certainly don't buy one now thinking it might become compatible later on.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1381184 7-Sep-2015 14:54

Smithy47: Hi,

from Panasonic the only recorder that is going to be able to use Freeview Plus is the PWT550. The firmware to turn this on is due out late this month. I have the Unit and find it great, did not want to record to disks. Can stream recorded TV over DLNA. It also up scales Blu-ray's to 4K.

Thanks for your post, the PWT550 seems a very good choice for FreeviewPlus if you don't want to record to disks. Can you tell me please whether the PWT550 can pick up wifi or whether it only works with wired internet for on demand channels?

A few more questions!

Can you watch a third channel while the PWT550 is recording two other channels?

Have you tried copying data FROM the HDD on the PWT550 TO either a USB drive or a SD card?

I see that the PWT550 doesn't have any INPUTS at the rear of the unit except for RF IN for the Freeview signal. However, I guess you can copy data to the hard drive from a USB drive or from a SD card?

With regard to your comment that the firmware to turn Freeview Plus on is due out late this month, where did you get that information? I guess this means that the PWT550 can't currently receive and record on-demand programs?

Thanks very much for your help.

Regards
Fred

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1381191 7-Sep-2015 15:00

littleheaven: I've got the 840 as well. Bought it about 6 weeks before Freeview Plus was announced - very annoying. It hasn't even been given the Netflix app. I ended up getting a little Windows box for my NZ OnDemand viewing. I'm still holding out a faint hope that when they do bring in Freeview Plus for the PVRs, they might mysteriously have a change of heart and upgrade the 840. But certainly don't buy one now thinking it might become compatible later on.

Yes, I agree that would be very annoying! I have been told by a sales person in a retail shop that the 840 will be upgraded as a new model but it won't be available until next year some time, possibly in the first quarter of next year.

Regards
Fred

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1381206 7-Sep-2015 15:21

B1GGLZ:
frednz:
I doubt whether the PWT models are "useless" for my needs, but can you tell us what particular functions you use a lot on your BWT720 that are not available on the PWT550GZ?

Regards
Fred

Where to start?
No inputs for recording from external devices. I don't have MySky so I record Sky programs from my Basic Sky Decoder using external input on the 720.
Not overly important but no Component Video, Composite Video, Analogue Audio and Optical outputs.
Can't burn from HDD to DVD or Blu Ray disc.

It's basically just a Blu Ray Player with a HDD and 2 Tuners built in.

Thanks for this information, but the PWT550 would probably meet my needs as I don't really want to wait for the upgraded Freeview Plus compatible BWT840 which I've been told is due out next year (possibly in the first quarter of the year).

Because you can attach to the PWT550 up to 8 USB HDDs (up to a max of 3TB each), I don't think I would need to transfer TV programs etc to external media, because the 550 gives you a huge amount of "dedicated" high definition storage. Most TV programs we watch we don't want to see several times, and we also have Netflix to keep us "permanently" entertained!

Incidentally, with the 840, can you transfer programs in high definition from the HDD to blu-ray discs?

Thanks for your help.

Regards
Fred

Smithy47

231 posts

Master Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#1381276 7-Sep-2015 17:33

frednz:
Smithy47: Hi,

from Panasonic the only recorder that is going to be able to use Freeview Plus is the PWT550. The firmware to turn this on is due out late this month. I have the Unit and find it great, did not want to record to disks. Can stream recorded TV over DLNA. It also up scales Blu-ray's to 4K.

Thanks for your post, the PWT550 seems a very good choice for FreeviewPlus if you don't want to record to disks. Can you tell me please whether the PWT550 can pick up wifi or whether it only works with wired internet for on demand channels?

A few more questions!

Can you watch a third channel while the PWT550 is recording two other channels?

Have you tried copying data FROM the HDD on the PWT550 TO either a USB drive or a SD card?

I see that the PWT550 doesn't have any INPUTS at the rear of the unit except for RF IN for the Freeview signal. However, I guess you can copy data to the hard drive from a USB drive or from a SD card?

With regard to your comment that the firmware to turn Freeview Plus on is due out late this month, where did you get that information? I guess this means that the PWT550 can't currently receive and record on-demand programs?

Thanks very much for your help.

Regards
Fred

To answer your questions;

The PWT 550 can hook to the net by either WiFi or wired. On my TV with Freeview Plus it works with WiFi with no problems.

You can watch a third channel while recording two others as long as it is in the same channel group frequencies number. (Same group i.e. TVNZ or Media Works).

Have not tried to copy off HDD as I just stream it as required.

You can add an external HDD to record to by the USB at the front, you have to set it up to the 550 system for it to work. You can import data from a SD card.

The firmware update information came from Panasonic. You can't record the on-demand stuff, it is there to watch like TV NZ on demand etc, but quicker and easer to access. It also has a better TV Guide than the current Freeview.

I hope this helps.

Smithy

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Smithy47

231 posts

Master Geek

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#1381277 7-Sep-2015 17:38

frednz:
littleheaven: I've got the 840 as well. Bought it about 6 weeks before Freeview Plus was announced - very annoying. It hasn't even been given the Netflix app. I ended up getting a little Windows box for my NZ OnDemand viewing. I'm still holding out a faint hope that when they do bring in Freeview Plus for the PVRs, they might mysteriously have a change of heart and upgrade the 840. But certainly don't buy one now thinking it might become compatible later on.

Yes, I agree that would be very annoying! I have been told by a sales person in a retail shop that the 840 will be upgraded as a new model but it won't be available until next year some time, possibly in the first quarter of next year.

Regards
Fred

As above, From Panasonic the 840 will not be getting Freeview Plus or Netflix at all. It will be a completely new model next year, about May. The only model this year to get it will be the PWT550.

Hope this helps.

Smithy

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1381323 7-Sep-2015 19:37

Smithy47:

To answer your questions;

The PWT 550 can hook to the net by either WiFi or wired. On my TV with Freeview Plus it works with WiFi with no problems.

You can watch a third channel while recording two others as long as it is in the same channel group frequencies number. (Same group i.e. TVNZ or Media Works).

Have not tried to copy off HDD as I just stream it as required.

You can add an external HDD to record to by the USB at the front, you have to set it up to the 550 system for it to work. You can import data from a SD card.

The firmware update information came from Panasonic. You can't record the on-demand stuff, it is there to watch like TV NZ on demand etc, but quicker and easer to access. It also has a better TV Guide than the current Freeview.

I hope this helps.

Yes, very helpful thanks a lot. I guess the PWT 550 will soon be added to the approved Freeview list here:

http://www.freeviewnz.tv/freeview/2015-approved-freeviewplus-models/aerialbox/

The only aerial set top box listed at present seems to be the Dish TV T2100, but I guess the Panasonic PWT 550 will have no trouble in being added to the list quite soon?

Regards
Fred

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1393399 24-Sep-2015 12:02

I see that the Panasonic PWT 550 GZ is still not showing as approved on this web page:

http://www.freeviewnz.tv/freeview/2015-approved-freeviewplus-models/aerialbox/

(and neither is the Dish TV Aerial Box T2200).

In addition, the PWT 550 doesn't seem to be able to access TV On Demand programmes as a Freeview Plus recorder is advertised to be capable of! In a recent T2200 thread, it was stated that this unit is working as a Freeview Plus unit even though it doesn't show up on the above web page, so why not the Panasonic PWT550?

Even when you use the internet browser of the PWT 550 and try to access TV One On Demand, TV One won't allow this!

Can someone confirm please that when the PWT 550 is added to the approved list on the above site, there will be an immediate software update that allows it to function properly as a FreeviewPlus unit and give access to Internet On Demand TV programmes. It raises the question of whether the PWT 550 should be on sale at all if it doesn't yet function as a FreeviewPlus unit!

Thanks
Fred

soolaroo

52 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#1393421 24-Sep-2015 12:19

I've been asking Panasonic NZ about this since 17 July, when I was told

Thanks for getting in touch! Our PWT550 Recorder will have FreeviewPlus from August.

Then on the 31st of July I asked when in August the update would be available and they said

FreeviewPlus should be available on DMR-PWT550GZ in approximately 6 weeks’ time.

Then again on the 18th August they said 6 weeks time

I phoned them today and they told me the end of September or beginning of October.

So my guess is maybe within the next 6 weeks...

Susanna

frednz

1467 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1393442 24-Sep-2015 12:39

soolaroo: I've been asking Panasonic NZ about this since 17 July, when I was told

Thanks for getting in touch! Our PWT550 Recorder will have FreeviewPlus from August.

Then on the 31st of July I asked when in August the update would be available and they said

FreeviewPlus should be available on DMR-PWT550GZ in approximately 6 weeks’ time.

Then again on the 18th August they said 6 weeks time

I phoned them today and they told me the end of September or beginning of October.

So my guess is maybe within the next 6 weeks...

Susanna

Thanks very much Susanna for your post, it's good that this issue should be resolved fairly soon! I appreciate your phoning Panasonic about this and yes even if a few days turns out to be another 6 weeks, I guess this is better than not at all.

Regards
Fred

nzbullet

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1394601 25-Sep-2015 21:40

Can anyone who has the 550 record the use of it and post to Youtube or post some pics. I'd really like to see what the EPG is like and what it is like in real world usage flicking between live TV, Recorded TV, OnDemand and Netflix.

So often the software lets these devices down and before paying $500 for it I'd like to see if it is any good in normal, every day, real world situations.

Cheers
Dan

Cheers
nzbullet
Note: My thoughts and comments are my own and not of anyone else including my employer

Smithy47

231 posts

Master Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#1399930 5-Oct-2015 07:01

Hi,

as it is now October, has anyone heard any more information about the update for the PWT-550 to make Freeview Plus available.

Thanks.

Smithy

soolaroo

52 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#1399977 5-Oct-2015 09:24

After a chat with Panasonic about this the other day, I'm no longer confident that the software will be released within the next six weeks. There appears to have been some breakdown in communications between NZ and Japan regarding the timing of this release, and I didn't get the impression that it was near release. Panasonic NZ were very apologetic and were doing everything they could to get this fast tracked, and said they would have an update in 2 weeks. So don't hold your breath...

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