Loading ...Panasonic DMR-BS850
4.36 out of 10 (506 votes)
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Panasonic Freesat+ HD Blu-Ray PVR Digital Box (DMR-BS850)
Released: June 2009
Discontinued: June 2010
This product is now discontinued and the page will no longer be updated. You may still be able to buy this product from one of our listed retailers below, just follow the link.
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Price Comparison (buy online now)
| STORE | PRICE | P+P | DISCOUNT CODE | TOTAL | SHOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | £505.94 | FREE | Marketplace £495.00 | £505.94 |  |
| Comet | £749.99 | FREE | - | £749.99 | |
| Currys | - | - | - | - | |
| Dixons | - | - | - | - | |
| John Lewis | - | - | - | - | |
| Laskys | - | - | - | - | |
| Maplin | - | - | - | - | |
| Satbuyer | - | - | - | - | |
About the Panasonic DMR-BS850 Freesat+ HD PVR Digital Box
The Panasonic DMR-BS850 Freesat+ HDR Digital Box is due for launch in May 2009. For more information on this product, please visit our Panasonic DMR-BS850 blog entry.
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Key Features
Information to follow…
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Reviews
Home Cinema Choice (5/5)
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Product Links
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Technical Specification
Panasonic DMR-BS850 Product Page
Panasonic DMR-BS850 User Manual
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June 26th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
My local Panasonic shop, Guildford, has a trade in deal whereby you take an old VCR or DVD player in and get a 10% discount on the BS750 and 850 and they are also offering 12 months interest free credit. Check your local store to see if they are offering the same deal.
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I see they are already down to £840 from Amazon dealers.
The big stores are presumably asleep and still have them at £999. One chain tries to rip you off by adding a vastly expensive HDMI cable unless you delete it from the order. Oh dear.
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I should also have asked whether anyone has any useful discount codes…..
)
July 5th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Just downloaded the operating instructions from the Panasonic website to discover what this device can and can’t do. Quick skim showed the follwing:
Overall fantastic features BUT:
Compared with the Humax PVR, you can’t use Linux formatted USB devices, which means copying files off the disk is restricted to mp3s and pictures. No video transfer. page 23
Compared with other hard disk and DVD recorder combos, you have to record to hard disk first and cannot record straight to disk. Well that’s understandable for Blu-Ray. For DVDs? page 18.
Backing up video and returning it via USB is not possible, something that works well on the Humax for non HD content, page 23
Some types of 4 GB SD cards are not supported. Also there does not seem to be a way to import files from HD camcorders if they do not use SD cards, but have built-in hard disks instead. … page 23
Getting hd content from camcorders via USB is only mentioned for Panasonic devices. Not sure what this means. page 68
I’ll certainly not get rid of my Humax when/if I buy this.
BBCFan
July 7th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I saw someone has mentioned that there is no Search facility in the Program Listings. This is something that is very handy on the Humax.
Can anyone confirm whether this is true or not please.
thanks
M
July 8th, 2009 at 1:21 am
And now they are down to £816 in the Amazon marketplace (and counting….)
Does anyone fancy buying one for £999…..
)
July 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Down to £800.96 from Hughes Direct via Amazon.
July 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
John Lewis have e-mailed to say that they now have stock (their website says “more than 10″) and that I should “hurry” to buy one at £999.
Err… possibly not!
July 14th, 2009 at 12:06 am
And now down to £799.95 (plus a small delivery charge) in the Marketplace.
Hello… is there anyone awake at Panasonic or in the big stores??
You might have got the price wrong on this one guys…..
July 17th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Back up to £804. They must have sold one
July 17th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
So I see. Satbuyer has reduced to a lower price, but they don’t appear to have any.
I would have thought that it would make more sense to price them below £799 (the old commercial trick of making it sound less), but perhaps someone does not like the discounting.
I particularly like the dealer on the marketplace who has them for £1047. I imagine the queue must be down the street.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Richer Sounds are selling fo £799.99 and have stock in!
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Just spoken to my Local Panasonic shop, as from tomorrow they start their summer sale and the price is being reduced by £100 so now Panasonic have for sale at £899 and still have the 12 month interest free offer too. How very tempting. Sky take note, there are now valid alternatives!!
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Richer Sounds now have 1 less in stock!
Paid £799.95
July 25th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Why dont we all DONT buy it then there stocks will pile up then they will have to sell at a HUGE discount say 50% .GOOD A
July 26th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Good news! Got mine for just over £800 and am happy with it. The selectivity of the tuner is top range. It even outperforms the Humax models in fringe reception areas. Tested it this morning on two channels showing no signal on the Humax, but the Panasonic locks; albeit with some pixellation and audio break-up.
This makes this box even more desirable for expats in outlying areas.
July 27th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Hi, wondering where the star rating feature on this product is. Could this please be added? Thanks
July 27th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
@BBCfan
Sorry about that, reviews were taken off to stop ratings before the product was launched, now back on
July 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Thanks. Done rating. D)
July 28th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Panasonic is launching a Blu-ray recorder with 2TB drive according to:
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/
Pity it’s not Freesat.
July 31st, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Looking at the picture I would say that it is entirely possible that the machine could (when launched in the UK) be an upgraded version of their UK Freesat unit. However something launched in Japan does not necessarily come to the EU at the same time.
Perhaps they do read the grumbles on this forum and elsewhere that the drive was too small.
I rather doubt that they will reduce the price, though
August 10th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Now selling for £779 plus delivery
http://www.satbuyer.co.uk/panasonic-dmr-bs850-freesat+-blu-ray-box-p54.html
August 20th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Will the panasonic DMR-BS 850 play all dvd’s
August 20th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Depends what you mean by all DVDs, but yes, it should play them all.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Now £779 inc free delivery.
http://www.multizoneav.com/Product/PANASONIC/DVD/DMRBS850EBK/
August 24th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Why on earth did panasonic not include diseqc to operate multiple satellite dishes in other sat mode?
I was initially so happy to find one could timer record in other sat mode (which the Humax cannot do) but astounded at lack of diseqc. My main use would still be for freesat if I bought one but it’s incredible such a high spec and price item did not include diseqc.
August 29th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Rozo! where did you find this info regarding diseqc. I bought one of these units and have spent the last day trying to get my diseqc switch to work. Now I know why.
Incredible!
August 31st, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Peter
Originally I looked at a Panasonic freesat tv so already knew they were not equipped with diseqc. For the recorder I downloaded the manual and tested a shop display model once these were available so have not decided to buy one at all unless something changes in the future with their spec. They seem to be taking the view that sky receivers take with no diseqc on board but that does not make me happy. It is as if all the effort has gone into the recording and HD technology but the question of reception dumbed down to a lowest common denominator.
September 13th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Shame there’s no DiSeqc!
I am just converting my multiroom setup with a Spaun 171709NF multiswitch and the following DiSeqc settings:
Astra2 Diseqc A
Astra1 Diseqc B
Hotbird Diseqc C
OK, I knew my Sky digiboxes would not be able to handle Astra 1 and Hotbird channels. My 2 Humax PVrs manage beautifully, so now I have 4 leads to the lounge for the Sky HD digibox, a Humax Freesat and the Panasonic, another 4 go to the master bedroom for a Sky Plus box and the second Humax, plus 2 leads each to the kids’ bedrooms and my home office There’s Sky Pannies with old freesat cards and FTA receivers for English, Thai and German channels in each of them.
When I upgrade those tellies to flatscreen techologies, it’s going to be Humax rather than Panasonic equipment that will feed the satellite signals and do the recordings. DVD players and even DVD recorders have been cheap and quite reliable: wouldn’t choose another Panasonic, though.
September 21st, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Anyone else noticed a “glitch” on timer recording with the Panasonic?
The machine goes to “pause” ready to start recording at the appropriate time, but the pause is never released and the recording does not start.
If you have noticed this problem, how did you solve it?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Derek,
Mine not only has this same problem you describe, it also misses some of the timed series recording programmes for no good reason or it continues to record after the time the EPG says it should have been finished.
I bought mine from John Lewis in Milton Keynes in mid July and 3 weeks later reported to Panasonic about the second problem first and while Panasonic is thinking what caused this EPG problem your problem appeared in my unit too but it took me another 3 weeks to realise and prove that this first fault only happens when you are either watching TV or DVD i.e. when the unit is on. Meanwhile I suspect Panasonic is starting to realise there is a major design problem but would not admit it. They wanted me to return it to John Lewis’ repairer Brook Domestic Services in Bletchley who prevaricated also but eventually through my persistence and with my explanations, told Panasonic that they concurred that they found the faults.
I have so many phone calls to deal with all three of them (Panasonic, JL and BDS) and only two weeks ago Panasonic agreed to replace it with a new unit. I’m not confident that the faults will not happen again with the new one. One time BDS said Panasomic had told them that the problems exist in this model i.e. all units sold, so replacing mine won’t help until they know for sure how to remedy the problems globally. When I pressed Panasonic on this they would not admit it.
Panasonic have been v slow dealing with my issues and it took them nearly 5 weeks since I reported the faults before they agreed to replace my faulty one.
Have anymore owners had similar problems and experience?
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Just connected the brand new one delivered directly from Panasonic, tested to see if the fault that Derek in 31 mentioned still there. Guess what, as I suspected, the same “glitch” is still there.
This is a v bad problem because every time you are watching something TV or DVD, any programmes you have timed to record during that time will not be recorded. What use is that?
I’ll have to take this one higher up with them. Surely more people who own this model should have the same problem? Where are they?
October 5th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I have just spoken with their customer service manager who is very helpful and understanding. He clarified that this fault also occurs with the Humax so it is not likely to be a built-in fault in their model but is possibly caused by some mal functioning of the EPG signals.
Panasonic is hoping to find out what exactly causes this and the solution for this problem in about two weeks time.
October 8th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Thanks for that, Oscar.
I seem to have found a “work around” by altering the start time to about two minutes earlier than the EPG suggests. This seems to catch the broadcast “Start” signal.
However it is VERY unsatisfactory for a machine of this quality and value.
October 8th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Derek,
Have you tried having our unit on to watch a channel not necessary the one you have a programme timed to be on, say 10 mins before your tme recording start and watch the display of the red flashing Pause sign on front of nyour unit and see if the flashng continues still after the time recording begins. If it does, then nothing will be recorded although the machine think it is recording.
October 8th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Yes, that is exactly what happens.
The machine remains in “Pause” with the “Rec” signal flashing. Nothing is recorded, but the machine thinks that it has started recording. It appears not to respond to a broadcast “Start” signal.
This means that you cannot rely on the machine to record in your absence.
October 9th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Derek,
This fault does not come on if in your absence you leave your machine off i.e. on standby. However, my other problem is relating to recording a series using the EPG. In this case, for sometimes only and is not all the time, even if I left it on standby, it missed recording one or two programmes of the series or for one of the recorded programmes from the same series, the duration or the times recorded is not correct eg. it continued to record the hourly programme by recording one or more programmes that were broadcast immediately after the one intended. For this one, the only way to overcome this is as you said use the manual method, i.e. time the programme to start say 10 mins earlier and ends 10 mins later. Unfortunately, this means doing thos for each of the programmes in the series which is a pain and the EPG facility is supposed to help us not having to do the chore. We really hope Panasonic finds out what causes this faulty EPG signal problem and find a remedy to overcome the problems soon.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Derek,
This Pause flashing problem would not occur if you leave your unit on standby. What I think is the other problem caused by the faulty EPG signal so if you use EPG for timer recording, then whether the unit is on standby or on, the EPG signal problem causes the timed recording programme to be either missed out completely, or the length of time recorded to be wrong. In my case both situations happened to a time series programme (Dan Cruickshank’s Adventure in Architecture on BBC HD channel in Aug). At least three of the 8 parts of this hourly series were not recorded and one of them, the second part, it was over 4 hours long because it has the following two programmes tacked on to it!!.
I think we could try avoid losing any timer recording programmes by programming them manually as you suggested i.e. time each programme 10 mins before the start and end of the scheduled time. This is tedious especially for series programmes and the EPG facility is supposed to be designed to help us out. Lets hope Panasonic could find out the problems and have a way to remove all these glitches. We have to be positive to hope that technology should eventually worked properly and accordingly to ease our life.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Derek,
Apologies for more or less repeating what I said. It didn’t show the one at no. 38 when I finished so I thought I forgot to submit it so I re-typed the comment again.
Panasonic has just informed me that they still can’t resolve the problem as when they were testing it, the problem sometimes occurred but sometimes not, i.e. inconsistent. I found this too when I did test it a few times. It looks like a slippery one to overcome.
November 8th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I’m interested in this as a first venture into a PVR to link up with a TH-46PZ85B. Does anyone know if it would be possible to upgrade the hard drive yourself – I’ve read about it being done on other models. I know it would “invalidate the warranty” so I might leave it the year until that no longer applies. Am I correct in thinking its Linux formatted – I have a dual boot Linux PC so should be able clone it across.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Panasonic has now found the problems that Derek (nos. 31, 32 and 37) and I have reported. Apparantly these are due to weak EPG signals and only a few and not all the models that were sold are affected. They have sent me a disc to upgrage my software to solve the problems. Hopefully the problems will not surface again. If you found your machine has similar problems I suggest you contact their Support Service and ask for the disc.
I found their Customer Support has dealt with my problems reasonably well in the end.
Derek – hope the above helps and let me know if you have any problems after running the disc.
November 18th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Admin
The DTG website lists the following software OTA update
Panasonic DCLA FREESAT RECORDER BS850/750 XS 350 N 18-11-2009 07-12-2009
Any idea what it contains?
November 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Should resolve the timed recording issues described above.
http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/bd/download/bw850/uk.html
Update Information
Model Number DMR-BS850EB/BS750EB
Update Version Ver 1.1
Update File Name / Size UK
UPDATE_BS850_BS750_XS350EB_V11.exe / 47,144,819 bytes
Update Date 2009/11/16
Over the Air Download schedule From 2009/11/18
Network Download schedule From 2009/11/16
Improvements
Date/Version Description
2009/11/16
Ver 1.1
Stability of Timer recording function.
December 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I am considering purchasing either a 750 or 850 in the near future. I would be most grateful if someone who has one could answer a question for me.
Is it possible to attach an external USB HDD to either model so that the recoeding capacity can be increased?
Thanks, Robin
December 27th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
In answer to Rozo and Peter et al 28/29/30 – this unit has no diseqc control and no easy way of sorting the channels either. More important though, although it says it has twin tuners they must be tuned to the SAME satellite (in fact you don’t tune them separately, they tune together by the seem of it), so diseqc would be totally useless anyway. You can have either Freesat or Astra 19 or Hotbird but not 2 of them at the same time. You can get it to tune another satellite in, and it will hold the channel list, but as soon as you tune the following one in, although it retains the previous channel list, it will not now show the programs. There is no HDMI input to allow you to take an input from another satellite tuner – presumably left out to stop copying from one blu-ray device to another.
In answer to Robin…. there is only USB input. This unit is tied down with regard to getting stuff onto or off it.
January 26th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Hope this helps…have attached Humax via AV2 to copy to DVD
February 11th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
When trying to copy from my Sony Handycam to the Panasonic DMR-BS750 hard drive (in AVCHD format) it gives a message that the TV system is not compatable and therefor will not copy. Seems odd as AVCHD was developed by Sony and Panasonic.
Anyone any ideas what the problem is and a possible solution?
February 20th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I am the proud owner of a DMR-BS750. When I first installed it, I only had a single LNB input. Now I have replaced the LNB and have 2 inputs. When I now FreeSat Auto Set-up, something strange happens. All channels tune, but half the channels then display as ‘no signal’ when I view them.
When I go to set-up / tuning / signal condition access, I note the following. In all cases (input 1 and 2, and all channels) the signal strength is 10, and signal quality is in the green.
However, on all channels, only one of the inputs produces a picture. Some on input 1 and some on input 2. None have both input one and two working.
Thus, I think is the problem. Either the channel is available in receiver one, or in receiver two. Never in both, even though both receivers are tuned to every channel. How can this be?
I have checked I have the latest firmware (1.2), and have carried out a factory reset. No change. Any ideas would be greatly accepted!
March 31st, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Seems like your LNB is an old model that splits frequencies and outputs verticals on one and horizontals on the other. What model and make is your twin LNB?
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Check seriel numbers ending 775 these have circuit board issues
May 14th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
My 850 model occasionally reboots for no obvious reason at all. Now it happened when I was copying a recording to disk. Lost part of the disk capacity as a result. Has anyone experienced the same? What can be done to remedy this?
May 29th, 2010 at 12:09 am
QVC are doing this for £394.80 today only (29/05/10) INCLUDING dish installation. Bargain!
NB. I’ve got nothing to do with QVC or Panasonic.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Got one from John Lewis for £599. Up and running in no time,
brilliant product, easy to install and replaces all my other units.
very satisfied, would recommend the 850 to anyone.
June 11th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Careful if you think you have found a bargain.
This unit has been replaced and shops are dumping stock.
The new model is the Panasonic DMR-BS880EBK 500GB HDD Blu-Ray Recorder with Twin Freesat HD Tuners
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:10 pm
is there something wrong with the dmr 850. The dmr 880 is not freesat it just says compatible with free sat. I wanted to buy it so i could record freesat programms. but if its nor really any good i dont want to buy one. i will have to wait till they bring another one out with free sat on it. is the 850 okay.
thanks
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:21 pm
The 880 is for Freesat, it even has the logo on their website:
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/4856198/index.html
July 28th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Does anyone know of any differences between the new DMR-BS880 and the old DMR-BS850?
July 31st, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Yes, the price…
If you can still find a BS850 grab it – they are very good.
Panasonic have now issued an equivalent Freeview version which started (as usual) at a high price and then dropped like a stone to £730 – which is low for one of their new models. The BS850 was originally £999 but it later dropped..
I suspect the BS880 is just a marketing ploy to keep the price of the two current units (Freesat and Freeview) about the same (i.e. high).. See also comments in the thread about the BS880.
July 31st, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Just done a quick check and new BS850s are currently being dumped (to make way for the BS880) at about £400.
Great bargain and don’t pay more for one!!
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Other than the price, does anyone know of any technical differences between the new DMR-BS880 and the old DMR-BS850?
August 4th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Does any one else have a delay after pressing a button and the resulting action of up to 2 seconds?
Has any one found a way to change the the recording quality when programming with EPG ?
Does anyone know why when editing out umwanted material there is a freeze frame which didn’t happen with their previous models ?
Panasonic seem loathe to give an answer and at the age of 76 I can’t wait too long !