The Panasonic DMR-BWT850EC is a Blu-ray recorder designed to meet the needs of movie enthusiasts and TV lovers. It offers advanced recording and playback features with 4K compatibility. This model stands out as an excellent choice for those seeking a versatile and high-performance device for their living room.
The DMR-BWT850EC is equipped with a generous 1TB internal hard drive, allowing up to 684 hours of high-definition content recording. Its built-in dual HD DVB-T tuner enables simultaneous recording of two programs, a particularly appreciated feature to ensure you never miss your favorite shows.
The device supports recording on various media, including rewritable Blu-ray discs (BD-RE), recordable Blu-ray discs (BD-R), and DVDs. Compatibility with high-definition recording formats such as MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 ensures optimal image quality.
The DMR-BWT850EC is not just a recorder; it also excels as a Blu-ray player. Its 4K upscaling function converts Full HD content to Ultra HD resolution, delivering an enhanced viewing experience on compatible 4K TVs. 3D enthusiasts are also catered to, as the device supports 3D Blu-ray playback and even offers a 2D-to-3D conversion feature to bring a new dimension to classic content.
Advanced video processing includes technologies like Deep Colour and Adaptive Chroma Processing, ensuring rich colors and precise details. Support for high-quality video formats such as HEVC (H.265) guarantees compatibility with the latest content.
Beyond its recording and playback capabilities, the DMR-BWT850EC serves as a true multimedia center. With built-in Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, it provides access to various online services and apps via Panasonic’s Viera Connect portal. The DLNA function transforms the device into a home media server, allowing recorded content to be streamed to other compatible devices on the network.
Generous connectivity includes two USB ports for external media file playback, as well as an integrated SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader. Compatibility with a wide range of audio and video formats, including MKV, FLAC, and DSD, makes it a versatile media player.
On the audio side, the DMR-BWT850EC does not disappoint. It features a high-quality 192 kHz/32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), ensuring faithful sound reproduction. Support for high-resolution audio formats such as DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD delivers an immersive sound experience when connected to a compatible home theater system.
The 96 kHz audio remastering function enhances the quality of compressed audio sources, while the coaxial digital audio output provides a high-quality connection for external audio systems.
Panasonic has focused on user-friendliness with a clear and intuitive interface. The ergonomic remote control allows quick access to main functions, while the Panasonic Media Center app enables remote control of the device via a smartphone or tablet.
Practical features such as Time Shift allow you to pause and resume live broadcasts, while the TV Anywhere function lets you access recorded content remotely via the internet.
Yes, the DMR-BWT850EC allows you to connect an external hard drive via one of its USB ports to expand storage capacity. The device supports FAT32 and NTFS file systems, with a maximum capacity of 2TB per external drive.
Absolutely. The DMR-BWT850EC allows you to copy recordings from the internal hard drive to recordable Blu-ray or DVD discs. This feature is particularly useful for archiving your favorite content or freeing up space on the hard drive.
Yes, the DMR-BWT850EC is backward compatible and can play most disc formats, including DVDs, standard Blu-rays, and 3D Blu-rays. It can even enhance DVD quality with its upscaling function.
The DMR-BWT850EC offers two internet connection options: built-in Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable. Internet connectivity allows access to online services, firmware updates, and features like TV Anywhere.
The DMR-BWT850EC is designed for the European market and operates on a 220-240V power supply. It is compatible with DVB-T broadcasting standards used in Europe. However, usage in other regions may be limited due to differences in broadcasting standards and regional disc coding.
Michel
Excellent device, easy to use, very reliable, which I really appreciate as I own two other PANASONIC recorders, the DRM-BWT745, that have been working perfectly for years.
Comment from December 09, 2025 — Experience from July 05, 2025
Christian
excellent product with no real competition at the moment, unfortunately;
it offers numerous programming and editing options
however, I find it unacceptable that for a device at this price, Panasonic didn’t include an EJECT (disc) button on the remote control — it’s the first time I haven’t found this button on the remote of a device with an audio or video disc drive!!
Comment from November 03, 2025 — Experience from October 23, 2025
Vincent
Panasonic digital video recorders are easy to use and offer UHD quality. They more than fulfill the roles of a VCR and a Blu-ray recorder. This recent model lives up to its predecessors. Very handy network features let you watch files on different players, PCs… in short, I’m a die-hard fan of this kind of equipment.
Comment from September 01, 2025 — Experience from November 22, 2024
