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Onkyo DV BD507 Blu Ray Player Review

Blu-ray players in the market today, naturally, play Blu-ray movies. This means video output in high definition. Blu ray players have the ability to crank out 1080p video resolution, the best high definition quality so far. Good blu ray players also have the ability to upscale standard definition DVD, adding flavor to your lower-resolution movies. These are found in the most common Blu-ray players in the market. But as newer technology is introduced, Blu ray players are stronger and more powerful than ever. Onkyo recently released a Blu-ray player with the latest technology of Profile 2.0 or BD-Live as we know it, the DV BD507.

Features

The most advanced Blu ray player that Onkyo has to offer is the new Onkyo DV BD507. Besides from high-definition playback of your Blu-ray movie and up scaling low-scaled DVD through HDMI 1.3a, this video player also supports composite and component video output. It also offers picture-in-picture playback. Aside from that, this DV BD507’s menu also features detailed picture adjustment where you can tweak the contrast, brightness, sharpness, gamma correction, color, black level, and noise reduction, and store each picture option in 5 memory settings. The DV BD507 also has Deep color and x.v. Color that though are not yet found in current Blu ray movies, means that the player is prepared for the future of Blu-ray movies. Onkyo DV BD507 offers a new addition in Blu ray players in the market – the latest technology of BD-Live (Profile 2.0). This means that with Onkyo’s DV BD507, you can access downloadable content available in your Blu-ray disc through your Blu-ray player (you will need an sd card for storage however). The card reader can be used as a file server as well. The DV-BD507 has Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential support for audio playback. Connect the Onkyo DV-BD507 to a HDMI receiver through a HDMi cable and you’re all set to get some great audio quality.

Design

The physical appearance of the Onkyo DV BD507 features a 15.6 x 17.1 x 2.8 inches body, a little more compact than other Blu-ray players. It weighs in at a light 6.6 pounds. Noticeable on the face of the player are the Onkyo logo on the upper left, and the sd card slot on the right. Also on the right are playback buttons. However, the digital display looks kind of old. At the back we find all sorts of connectivity in Blu-ray players, specifically analog and digital audio connectivity ports, a component video port, HDMI connectivity port and the Ethernet cable slot for internet connectivity.

Remote control

A lot of thought was placed in making the remote control. The remote of Onkyo’s DV-BD507 is well organized. The numbers and power button are found at the top, in the middle are the arrows for navigating just beside the menu buttons, and finally found on the bottom, enclosed in a small rectangle, are the playback buttons, which are well arranged. This gives the feel that Onkyo did not forget that the remote control is still a part of the Blu ray player, making it stand out from the other “disorganized” remote controls in the market and making it easy to operate.

Performance

As for performance, it can upscale low-definition DVD’s, giving it a clearer picture which a regular DVD player wouldn’t be able to do. Audio is also great with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential support, and BD-Live. This will surely allow customers to fully enjoy their Blu ray movies.

The Bad

Despite its Profile 2.0 functionality, the Onkyo DV-B507 lacks Wi-Fi support, giving it a little “low-tech” feel. The lack of video-on-demand or streaming is also a limitation. Also, this player is not a good choice for those that own old non-HDMI A/V audio receivers, as Onkyo did not put multichannel analog audio support in this one. Finally, the lack of internal storage memory and USB support to go with its BD-Live support is a major drawback.

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Denon DBP 2010 Blu Ray Player Review

For mainstream Blu ray disc players, consumers have gluttony of choices. With manufacturers offering up at least three different models, you only need to pick a price point and features you want in a Blu ray player. You can usually spend around $150 for a very solid entry level model and around $250 to $300 for a top end model loaded with extra features. On the other hand, there are only handfuls of ultra high end Blu ray disc players that are lot more expensive than the mainstream Blu ray disc players. If you are willing to spend well over $500, there are only handful of options. Denon specializes in high end home theater equipments. They started out developing high grade audio equipment. Now, along with Marantz brand, Denon manufactures high home theater equipments. Denon has full line of Blu players with the price ranging from $500 to $4500 for the top end model. While the DBP 2010 model is priced well above other mainstream Blu ray players, it is priced low enough to entice the upper end of mainstream consumers.

Features
When it comes to ultra high end Blu ray players, manufacturers seem to cut out everything but the playback functionality. The Denon DBP-2010 does not come with many features. It lacks any internet streaming as well as WI-FI functionality. Instead, DBP 2010 focuses entirely on quality playback experience. Also, there is no network streaming capability. Unlike some other players, you cannot stream any media files from your computer. Instead, you will need to use the SD card for playing media file. While the DBP 2010 is fully compliant with Profile 2.0, it does not come with internal storage. This means you will need to use the SD card if you want to fully utilize BD-LIVE contents. The main selling point of the DBP 2010 is the overall performance provided by the superior components compared to its competitors. All of the high definition audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD Master Audio are decoded natively. As far as the format support, the DBP 2010 supports AVCDH, Divx, MP3, WMA, Kodak Picture CD, Blu ray, and DVD formats.

Design
The face of the player has more playback buttons than most other players on the right side. The large LCD is located right below the disc tray in the middle of the player. Overall dimension of the player is not out of the ordinary. At 10.5 pounds, the DBP 2010 does weigh little more than other players. There is plethora of connections on the back of the player. The connectivity includes HDMI, Ethernet, digital coaxial output, component video output, composite video output, audio line out, 7.1 channel analog audio out, and a serial port. While the inclusion of 7.1 channel analog audio output was expected, the lack of USB ports was a big letdown. The included remote control feels little too elongated. The button layout is adequate. For a $600 player, I would have expected little better remote control.

Performance and Video
The real strength of Denon DBP 2010 resides inside the unit. The unit uses high grade components that are not found in most other Blu ray players. DBP 2010 utilizes ABT VRS advanced video processing along with high grade D/A conversion components. Does all these expensive parts equate to better picture quality? To the naked eye, it does not seem to warrant such high price tag. While there is nothing wrong with the picture, it does not seem to be any better than the offerings form LG, Sony, Samsung, or Panasonic players. This isn’t to say there isn’t an improvement. In fact, with precision testing I’m sure you will see some difference. But, for everyday usage, I do not see any big improvements in picture quality. Tested with two Blu ray discs, the player showed no defects. It lacked any moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur in any frames. While the picture quality was flawless, the loading time left something to be desired. It took longer than some players in loading Blu ray discs. While booting up was breeze, the loading portion took longer than expected for a player priced around $600. As with Oppo, the DVD upscaling was flawless. The VRS processing in DBP 2010 was well worth the price for DVD upscaling.

Audio
As with video processing, I did not notice any significant improvement in audio processing. The overall performance was exceptional. But, most other players have similar performance. Again, with better equipment and precision testing, you will most likely notice some difference. The high grade components do have advantage over other players. While not audio specific, the lack of network streaming hampered the playback of MP3 and WMA formats. You will need to load them via SD card.

Overall Opinion
While this is undeniably a great player, it does not represent good value in terms of performance and features. Most will get more out of $300 player from LG, Sony, Samsung, or Panasonic. At $300 you will get Wi-Fi, network streaming, and internet streaming that are lack in the DBP 2010. Like other ultra high end Blu ray players, this is strictly intended for video/audio enthusiasts that want the absolute best playback quality and not worry about other features.

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Unbiased Review: Magnavox NB500MG1F

While Magnavox does not enjoy the same reputation as Sony or Samsung, it does offer up some value in offering low priced electronics. If you are looking to buy a Magnavox Blu ray player, you are most likely looking at the rock bottom price instead of performance and features. The Magnavox NB500MG1F is a Blu ray disc player that is short on features but comes at a low price.

Features
If you are looking for a feature packed player, you need to look elsewhere. The Magnavox NB500MG1F is bare bone minimal system fit for a children’s room to play the Disney DVDs and occasional Blu ray discs. The Magnavox NB500MG1F does not come with any of the features found on more substantial disc players from Sony or Samsung. What you get is the very basic Profile 1.1 player with Bonus View capability. You won’t be able to run any BD-LIVE contents on this player. Also, the Magnavox NB500MG1F does not come with onboard decoding for high definition audio formats. It is only capable of decoding DTS digital and Dolby Digital. It is not capable of decoding DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD audio formats. The Magnavox NB500MG1F does not come with media streaming or internet streaming. You will need to look elsewhere if you want Netflix or YouTube on your Blu ray player.

Design
Like the features, the Magnavox NB500MG1F’s design is very basic. The front face includes the disc tray on the left and playback buttons on the right. There is no LCD anywhere on the player. The connectivity includes HDMI, component video, composite video, RCA audio out, and SPDIF output. Surprisingly, the Magnavox NB500MG1F comes with SDHC memory card slot. You can view JPEG photos via the card slot. The included remote is adequate at best. It felt little small for my hand and the buttons seemed little small as well.

Performance and Video
The overall picture quality wasn’t bad compared to other players. While not as crisp as other players, it did not display any artifacts during the playback. The usual moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were absent from the playback of The Dark Knight. While the video processing had no problem, the booting and loading times were horrendous. The overall time to boot and load disc was reminiscent of first generation players. Some Blu ray discs took over one minute to boot and load. Also, the DVD upscaling was fairly poor. The picture lacked the sharpness displayed by other upscaling Blu ray players.

Audio
You can expect very basic audio options on Magnavox NB500MG1F. The lack of onboard high definition audio decoding is disappointing. While it had no problem decoding the listed audio formats, the lack of high definition decoding and lack of MP3 support makes it outdated. The overall audio playback had no problem for Blu ray or DVD playback in Dolby digital and DTS digital format.

Overall Opinion
You should know what you are getting when you purchase Magnavox NB500MG1F. That is, you get a very basic player without too many features and performance. The lack of internet streaming and Profile 2.0 support is the two biggest complaints. Even with the low price, you can easily get a better player for around $150 that performs a lot better. Overall, avoid this player unless you intend it to be a secondary player.

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Philips BDP5012 Blu Ray Player Review

While not as popular as some other manufacturers, Philips has consistently built quality disc players. The Philips licensed its brand name to Funai for manufacture and distribution of electronics in the North America. There was some confusion as to who would actually make and distribute the 2009 Blu ray disc players. The 2009 models were true Philips developed products. Included in the 2009 models were three different Blu ray disc player models. The BDP 3010 was the Profile 1.1 model while BDP 5010 and BDP 7310 was Profile 2.0 model. With all the future Philips product being produced by Funai, the 2009 model might be the last time we see a true Philips product in North America.

Features

Released back in May of 2009, the Philips BDP 5012 is just a minor update to the well received BDP 5010 model. Philips BDP 5012 is a Profile 2.0 player capable of playing BD-LIVE content. While it lacks internet streaming content or media streaming capabilities, it does come with all the onboard decoding of high definition audio formats. DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD can be natively decoded on the player. Also, unlike most entry level players, the BDP 5012 comes with 5.1 channel analog audio output. The main difference between BDP-5012 and BDP-5010 seems to be the lack of Divx HD decoding on BDP 5012 and the inclusion of WMA support. Other than that, the features of BDP 5012 are identical to BDP 5010 model. BDP 5012 is also compatible with EasyLink control from Philips. You can control all EasyLink products with a single remote control.

Design

The dimension and weight of BDP 5012 are identical to the BDP 5010. The disc tray is located on the left side of the glossy face plate. Simple playback buttons and small LCD is located on the right side. The player does have low profile design and looks more compact than some of the other Blu ray disc players. The back of the player includes the Analog audio out, HDMI, Analog 5.1 channel out, component video out, digital coaxial out, and Ethernet. The SD card slot located right below the playback function buttons on the front. The included remote control is adequate for basic functions. The button lay out is pretty good. The channel and volume buttons are located in the middle with numeric buttons at the bottom. This is preferable to having the channel and volume buttons located at the bottom. You should invest in a simple macro capable remote control instead of using a stock remote control.

Video and Performance

The BDP 5012 is very quick booting and loading player. The BDP 5012 was as fast as the latest generation disc players on loading and booting time. That is quite impressive as booting and loading time has been very slow on the last generation Blu ray players. The overall video quality was excellent. Both Blu ray movies tested showed no video defects. The playback showed no moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur throughout the movie. The pictures were crisp and sharp. Overall video processing of Blu ray discs were flawless. Surprisingly, the DVD upscaling was quite good compared to other players. While not as good as Oppo, DVD upscaling showed sharpness and overall good scaling from standard definition to high definition.

Audio

The inclusion of WMA support was nice addition. But, the inclusion of MP3 format would have been nicer. The overall audio quality was on par with other players. The inclusion of 5.1 channel analog was nice touch for people without HDMI compliant receivers. The BDP-5012 handled all the audio formats as advertised. The CD and WMA played off SD card had no problem playing on the BDP-5012. Overall, I had no complaints on audio performance.

Overall Opinion

The licensing agreement with Funai seems to come at an odd time for Philips. Philips has enjoyed great brand recognition in North America. They have consistently delivered great home theater product. The cut throat market has made Philips pull out of North American market for foreseeable future. The performance of BDP 5012 reaffirms the quality product Philips can produce. The 2010 model will be manufactured by Funai and we’ll see if they can replicate the overall performance provided by the BDP-5012. Overall, the BDP 5012 is an excellent entry level player priced under $150 at most retailers.

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Pioneer BDP 120 Review

If you are an early adapter, Pioneer was one of the best and safest bet. Pioneer consistently produced high quality electronics. Their audio and visual equipments were constantly top notch even in the early stage of the new formats and technology. At 2009 CES, Pioneer introduced three new Blu ray disc players. Pioneer announced one player under the Elite label and two others at substantially lower price. As with other manufacturers, they introduced entry level model, mainstream model, and the high end model under the Elite label.

Features

The BDP 120 is the entry level model introduced at the 2009 CES. Released around March of 2009 the player debuted with the price tag of $249. While not too expensive, it was little more than the other comparable players. However, compared to other great players like LG BD370, the BDP 120 looked overpriced and overmatched. While you can claim Pioneer to be overpriced, most would never claim Pioneer to be overmatched in terms of performance. However, that seems to be the case with the BDP 120. Aside from the onboard decoding of TrueHD DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, the BDP 120 does not offer up too much features. The BDP 120 is fairly straight forward player. It is a Profile 2.0 player capable of playing all the BD-LIVE content. The player does come with a 1GB USB flash drive to be used with BD-LIVE content or other media. Unlike some other players, it lacks internet streaming, media streaming, and 5.1 channel analog audio output.

Design

The Pioneer BDP 120 is really nice looking player. Pioneer put some effort into making an aesthetically pleasing player. The face of the player is separated into top and bottom portion. The top portion contains the disc tray and the bottom portion contains the LCD. The middle section on the left contain the playback function. The back of the player is sparsely populated with the connections. HDMI, component video, composite video, 2-channel audio, optical digital output, USB port, and Ethernet port populate the back of the player. The overall dimension and weight of the player are 10.6 x 16.5 x 2.3 inches and 5.9 pounds respectively. The included remote is KURO link compatible. You can link other Pioneer product with one remote control. The remote’s layout is logical and well thought out. The buttons seemed little too small for my hand but all the buttons were labeled and placed in a logical spots. Navigating through menus shouldn’t be too much of hassle with this remote control.

Performance and Video

The performance is where you expect Pioneer to shine compared to other Blu ray players. This is not the case when it comes to booting and loading time. Depending on the disc, the total booting and loading time was somewhere between 1-2 minutes. That is not fast by today’s standard. Some players can boot and load in less than 30 seconds. The long time to boot and load has always been a problem for Blu ray players. Even so, 2 minutes is little too long to wait for a movie to start. On the image front, the BDP-120 handles all the Blu ray movies exceptionally well. The usual video defects were all absent during the playback. The picture was sharp and showed no discoloration. DVD upscaling was adequate at best. The upconverted DVD pictures didn’t look all that great. Other than that, overall picture quality was excellent.

Audio

The audio performed as it should. There were no discernible defects or oddities with the audio playback. All audio formats decoded without problem including the high definition audio formats. It would have been nice to see SACD and DVD Audio support since Pioneer is known for great audio quality. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the audio performance.

Overall Opinion

For little more, you can get the superior LG BD370 that has more features and exceptional performance. While Pioneer BDP 120 handles Blu ray discs without any problem, it lacks all the other features found on other players. Namely, the WI-FI, internet streaming, and media streaming are all missing from BDP-120. Also, the lack of front USB port might be frustrating for people who will not have access to the back once it is set up. Even back in 2009, I would have suggested BD370 or other players over the BDP 120. If all your home theater equipments are Pioneer, you might consider this for the KURO link. Otherwise, stick with other brands.

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Sharp BD HP22U Blu Ray Player Review

Even with the popularity of their HDTV sets, Sharp hasn’t been too active in introducing new Blu ray disc players. Sharp announced two new Blu ray players in 2009. The BD HP22U and BD HP16U. While most other manufacturers release three to four new models each year, Sharp has stayed with releasing one or two new models each year.

Features

The main difference between the BD HP22U and the BD HP16U is the different Profile on each player. BD HP22U is Profile 2.0 while BD-HP16U only supports Profile 1.1. As such BD HP22U comes with 2GB memory unit to use with BD-LIVE contents. The overall features on BD HP22U are pretty sparse. The BD HP22U lacks internet streaming, media streaming, and WI-FI capability. On the audio side, it is fully capable decoding Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS-HD Master Audio natively. The player lacks 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio output ports. You will need a receiver with HDMI connection to take advantage of multi channel audio set up. As with most other AQUOS product, the BD HP22U comes with AQUOS LINK function. You can operate all the AQUOS television set and BD HP22U with single remote. Sharp is also touting the Quick Start feature that allows you to boot and load faster than previous players.

Design

With dimension and weight of 7-1/64” x 2-9/23” x 10-1/4” and 6.4 pounds respectively, the player feels more compact than most other players. Sharp managed to create a slick looking player. The disc tray is hidden behind a face plate that only covers the tray instead of the entire front face. The LCD is located on the left along with Playback buttons. The Blu ray logo dominates the middle of the face. The back of the player houses HDMI, composite video, HD component, analog audio, digital audio out, USB port, and Ethernet ports. Again, the player does not have 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog output. The included remote feels large enough with good button layouts. The buttons are big enough and clearly labeled. It shouldn’t take you long to get accustomed to the remote control. If you have AQUOS television set, you can use the AQUOS LINK function to control both units.

Performance and Video

The Quick Start feature was indeed fast. However, it was nothing out of ordinary. Most of the 2010 models were just as fast if not a lot faster at booting and loading the Blu ray discs. I couldn’t load any Blu ray discs at the stated time of 10 seconds. Perhaps Sharp is talking about the boot time. Never the less, the overall time was fast enough. The picture quality was exceptional. The overall video processing showed no defects of any sort. Moiré, motion blur, and jaggieness were all missing from the entire length of the movie. Both discs showed no defects and played perfectly. The DVD upscaling was adequate. It was not as good as other players in terms sharpness. There were some pixilation issues on some DVDs. But, most DVDs played fine without too much degradation compared to Blu ray format.

Audio

The BD HP22U decoded the entire audio format as stated. The lack of MP3 or WMA was disappointing. Also, the absence of 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog output might put off some buyers. You will need a receiver with HDMI input to utilize the full 5.1 or 7.1 channel audio output. Otherwise, the audio playback was without any distortions or defects.

Overall Opinion

The BD HP22U is showing its age in 2010. Even back in 2009 it was not the best option in terms of performance or features. The lack of WI-FI, internet streaming, and media streaming makes it really hard to recommend this player over the newest players or the 2009 models from other manufacturers. However, the video and audio processing was excellent. There was no discernible difference between this player and other players in terms of performance. If you own Sharp television or don’t mind the lack of other features, this is not the worst player on the market.

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Panasonic DMP BD45 Exposed: Honest Review

At 2010 CES, Panasonic introduced three mainstream Blu ray players. Unlike Sony or Samsung, Panasonic’s line up didn’t include any 3D compatible Blu ray players. Panasonic offered up DMP BD45, DMP BD65, and DMP BD85. Like last year’s model, the DMP BD45 represents the entry level model. DMP BD65 and DMP BD85 represents the middle and top end model respectively. While Panasonic did announce 3D compatible Blu ray player, they did not commit to release them with the three mainstream Blu ray player models. Oddly, the DMP-BD45 is the direct successor to the DMP BD60 model from the previous generation. You would normally expect higher model number for the newest generation players. Nevertheless, the DMP-BD45 is the entry level model announced at the 2010 CES.

Features

The DMP-BD45 is a full featured Profile 2.0 player. The most current BD-Live features are fully compatible with this player. Also, Panasonic decided to include SD card slot as well as USB port. SD card slot will come in handy for people who own digital devices that require SD cards. Audio wise, it is fully able to decode Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD High resolution natively. This is fairly common feature on most Blu ray players. The high definition audio is no longer a main domain for high end Blu ray players. Other features include network streaming via VIERA CAST. VIERA CAST is Panasonic’s proprietary internet streaming platform that include Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Picasa, Bloomberg news feeds, weather channel, and many other streaming services. Panasonic is touting the PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus imaging processing technology on the latest Blu ray players. Panasonic claims the technology will improve the accuracy of colors better than the conventional processing technology.

Design

The DMP BD45 has fairly straight forward design. The LCD and playback functions are located on the right. The front face has glossy finish like many other Blu ray players. The dimension is slightly smaller than the previous generation player giving it more modern design. Back of the player contain HDMI, Ethernet, Video and Audio output. Unlike other entry level models, the DMP BD45 comes with 5.1 channel audio line output. The player also has the standard optical and digital audio output as well as composite audio output. The lone USB port is located on the front along with the SD memory card slot. The remote control has large button and clean layout. The numeric buttons are the top of the remote followed by playback buttons and directional button. The color coded buttons are located the bottom. It shouldn’t take you long to familiarize yourself with the remote control.

Performance and Video

Panasonic claims .5 second booting time for DMP BD45. This is somewhat misleading as most consumers will think it is the boot time of the movie. This is not the case. While loading Blu ray movie is indeed faster than previous players, the load time is nowhere near .5 seconds. While Panasonic did not truly advertise the load time as .5 seconds, it does sound like it would load in that time frame. Instead, the .5 second advertised time is the boot time between off and on for the player and not the actual movie loading time. The actual video processing of the player showed no problems at all. While I didn’t notice any difference in color representation from this player to another without the Chroma processor, I wouldn’t rule out any improvement without any precision color test. The three Blu ray movies tested on the DMP-BD45 had no problem handling overall video processing. No sign of video defects were present. Moiré, jaggieness, or motion blurs were all absent from the movies. You should expect no defects in the latest Blu ray disc players. It would be rare to see any defects present in the first generation players.

Audio

The onboard audio decoded all the audio formats as advertised. The high definition audio formats had no problem being decoded without the aid of separate receiver. As advertised, the player had no problem with MP3, AVCHD, and CD wave formats. The 5.1 analog channel output included on the player should be a big bonus for people that need this option. This feature is rarely seen on the entry level player.

Overall Opinion

There are only few minor complaints about this player. First, this doesn’t come with any WiFi functionality. While this isn’t a common feature on entry level models, it would have been nice to see the option. Second, the .5 second booting time can be misleading. The movie does not load in that time frame. Instead, it is the booting time not the loading time that is advertised. Lastly, the DVD upscaling is not quite as sharp as the other players. While this is not a major deal breaker for most, it can be a big negative if you have large library of DVDs. Overall, this is competent player from a leading manufacturer. You could do better for your money. You could also do lot worse.

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Unbiased Review of LG BD550

Like Panasonic, LG has opted not to showcase a 3D Blu ray player at 2010 CES. Instead, LG has chosen to focus on the current Blu ray market with the latest offering that mirror the 2009 models. Like 2009 CES, LG offered up three mainstream Blu ray players. The BD550, BD 570 and BD590 were announced. While these three models don’t offer dramatic increase in terms of features over last year’s models, it does offer up small improvements. With the big success of previous Blu ray players, LG has opted to mainly stay with the same formula. This doesn’t mean it’s just rehash. Instead, you can expect some performance improvement and overall feature improvements from the 2009 models.

Features

The BD550 is the entry level model announced at the 2010 CES. Like the previous version, LG BD550 is Profile 2.0 and Profile 1.1 compatible player. You can enjoy all the BD-LIVE contents on the Blu ray discs. On the audio side, BD550 can natively decode Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD audio formats. LG was one of the first to offer up internet streaming content on their Blu ray players. It’s no surprise that LG is once again offering a robust Internet streaming content on the BD550. With NetCast, you can access Roxio Cinema Now, Netflix, YouTube, Vudu, Pandora, Picasa, and AccuWEather.com reports with internet connection. Like other new players, LG is touting faster boot and load time over previous versions. Other than these features, it has almost identical set of features from previous generation player.

Design

While the dimensions didn’t change too much from previous LG offerings, it does weigh little more. Aesthetically, BD550 has a glossy finished front plate with LCD and playback buttons located on the right side. You will need to flip down the face plate to access the buttons. The back of player includes all the connectivity. The connectivity includes Composite and component video out, HDMI, analog audio out, digital audio out, Ethernet port and USB port. It would have been nice to see another USB port in the front for easier access. The included remote was adequate. The remote does seem bit smaller than other remotes. If you have big hand, you might want to invest in a decent universal remote control. With LG’s SimpLink, you can control all the devices connected via HDMI with one remote control. This seems to be the trend among leading manufacturers.

Video and Performance

Performance wise, the booting and loading speed has seen some improvement over the last generation players. Still, it is nowhere near as fast as loading DVD in a DVD player. While not as fast as DVD loading times, BD550 did manage decent booting and loading time for Blu ray movies. While the overall speed of Blu ray disc wasn’t anything special, the internet applications were lightening fast. Loading time for YouTube or Netflix was lot faster than most other players.

The video imaging quality was on par with last year’s models. This isn’t to say it is bad. Instead, the previous generation LG players offered top notch image qualities. Testing Iron Man, the BD550 showed no imaging defects like moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur. The image quality on BD550 and previous player showed no discernible difference. Overall, there is nothing wrong with the image quality of BD550.

Audio

The audio quality is also on par with previous generation player from LG. it handled all the audio format without a hitch. Different audio files played from USB drive were all as advertised. MP3 and AVCHD had no problem with the playback.

Overall

LG has produced another winner in BD550. Like the previous models from LG, it is fairly fast and loaded with features. The ability to play Divx as well as MKV files are a big plus. Most players, new and old, does not support Divx or MKV file formats. If I had one complaint, it is that remote control was not as good as it should have been. For under $150, this is very competent Blu ray player.

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Oppo BDP 80 Review

Even without the Internet streaming and other features, Oppo BDP 83 is widely considered one of the best Blu ray player on the market. Oppo has built its reputation with solid DVD player as well as upconverting DVD players. The BDP 83 added very good Blu ray player on top of the already excellent upscaling capability. While it arrived late, the BDP 83 outperformed other Blu ray players without too much effort. However, the price point of $499 was nearly double the nearest competing Blu ray players. If you wanted the very best, Oppo BDP 83 is the player to get. However, if you could overlook minor faults, you could easily get a very good player for around $200. To compete with the lower priced players, Oppo decided to release the BDP 80 model.

Features

The BDP 80 is almost an identical to BDP 83 in terms of features and performance. Like BDP 83, BDP 80 is considered a true universal player capable for playing DVD, SACD, DVD-Audio, CD, and Blu-ray. It can also display Kodak Picture CD, AVCHD and MKV files loaded from the disc or one of the two USB 2.0 port. When BDP 83 was released, playing MKV file was a luxury seen on few players. Even today, MKV file support is not widely supported. This adds extra value for people that convert or store their own MKV files. As with BDP 83, BDP 80 is a Profile 2.0 player with BD-LIVE support. On the audio side, BDP-80 can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio natively as well as all other known formats. The BDP-80 retains the 7.1 channel analog output for those without a receiver with HDMI port. The ability to switch between PAL and NTSC format is also carried over from the BDP 83. The absence of IR port and optional RS232 and the VRS video processing separates the BDP 80 and BDP 83. While those 2 features might not interest most consumers, the lack of any internet streaming might be a big turn off for some.

Design

For the overall design, Oppo didn’t just shrink or use the same design from BDP 83. Instead, it has changed the face design as well as the overall dimension. The BDP 83 measured in at 16.9 x 13.3 x 3 inches compared to BDP 80’s 16.9 x 11 x 2.1 inches. Also, BDP-80 is about 4 pounds lighter than the BDP 83. The power button and LCD is located on the left side of the player while the playback button and USB port is located on the right. Middle of the player contains the tray and the open/close button. The back of the player contains all the connectivity ports. It contains 7.1 channel analog output, HDMI port, USB port, RJ-45 port, composite and component outputs, and Digital audio outputs.

Remote Control

The remote control has very well thought out button placements to go along with glow in the dark buttons. And, the buttons themselves are large unlike some of the other remote controls. The numeric buttons and ON and OFF buttons located at the top of the remote with directional buttons in the middle. The bottom of the remote contains the playback function buttons as well as subtitle and various other functional buttons. The remote control is identical to the one included in the BDP 83 except for the lack of backlit buttons. This shouldn’t be a problem since the buttons glow in the dark. Overall, it is a very intuitive and easy to use remote control.

Performance and Video

Like BDP 83, BDP 80 will handle any media formats except for the dead HD-DVD format. As expected, the overall video processing was flawless. Using same discs used on BDP 83, the BDP 80 showed no differences in terms of video processing. The usual video defects such as moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were all absent from the video. While it is very rare to see these defects in today’s players, it does pop up occasionally on other players. The lack of VRS processing was one of the differences between BDP 80 and BDP 83. The overall effect of upscaling was not too apparent. While BDP 83 does upscaling better, it is not that much better in terms of overall DVD upscaling. The booting and loading time on BDP 80 was excellent. It was on par with most other third generation Blu ray players. In some instances, it was little faster loading the Blu ray discs compared to other players.

Audio

The audio quality was on par with most other Blu-ray players. The audio decoding option covered almost every known audio format including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The inclusion of 7.1 channel analog output was a big plus. The support of SACD and DVD audio format is a nice feature for people who own these formats. Audio enthusiast will appreciate the inclusion of these formats.

Overall Opinion

All the drawbacks present on BDP 83 are present in the BDP 80. As with BDP 83, BDP-80 does not come with WiFi connection. This is big drawback if you don’t like wires running in all directions from your home theater set up. Also, BDP 80 lacks internet streaming contents. Most of the new players, including the entry level models, come with some type of internet streaming contents like Netflix and YouTube. While most home theater enthusiast can forgo the internet streaming, they will most likely miss the WiFi option.
Oppo once again delivered an excellent player in BDP 80. While it does some flaws as mentioned earlier, it is one of the top performing Blu ray player on the market. While the price point of $300 is not very enticing, the overall performance and quality might get mainstream consumers to give it a shot.

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Review: LG BD270 Blu Ray Player

Companies usually release an entry level model followed by higher end model. For some reason, LG decided to release BD270 well after the release of BD370. LG received rave reviews for the BD370. Even today, it is considered one of the best players on the market. Released four months after BD370, BD270 is essentially a stripped down version of the popular BD370. LG was clearly trying to reach the entry level market with this model. Some of the sale prices for BD270 were under $100 during the holiday season. Even so, LG seemed to have failed in delivering the same quality player in BD270 as did with the BD370 model.

Features

A lot of core features present on BD370 were removed from the BD270. Two major exclusions were the Internet streaming and BD-LIVE support. The BD270 only supports Profile 1.1 titles. You will not be able to get access to the BD-LIVE contents on any of the new or old Blu ray movies. Since BD-LIVE content is delivered via internet, BD270 lacks Ethernet port or wireless functionality. BD270 is essentially a downgrade from BD370 or BD300. It is a Profile 1.1 player with full complement of audio decoding options. BD270 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio. LG has at least managed to include onboard decoding of high definition audio formats. As stated earlier, BD270 lacks any internet streaming contents. Unlike BD370, BD270 buyers won’t have access to Netflix, Youtube, or CinemaNow contents.

Design

The overall design and finish is fairly simple compared to BD370. The LCD, playback buttons, and USB port is located on the right side of the player. The middle of the player is similar to BD370 with eject and power button placed on each side of Blu ray logo. The front face has a glossy finish compared to metallic finish for most other parts. The back of the player includes all the connectivity except for the USB. For Audio, Digital and coaxial is the only means to output audio besides HDMI. For non high definition output, composite video is available. Otherwise, the connectivity is pretty sparse compared to other players.

Performance and Video

The overall booting and loading time wasn’t too far off from other players. It was definitely an improvement over the first generation players. While not as fast BD370 or other players, it was definitely better than earlier players. As far as video processing, it had no problem handling the discs that it played. Video defects such as moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur were all absent from the player. I tried to test the player with three separate discs. However, only one played without any problem. The one disc would not even load while the other disc only showed first few minutes before crashing. The two discs were tested on different player and played without any problem. The BD270 seems to be very particular when it comes to playing a disc with some blemish. While not scratched or damaged, the disc was not in mint condition. This could have been the problem. If you have discs with minor scratches, BD270 will most likely not read the disc. Having said that, the one disc that played had no problem. It loaded fairly fast and played without any interruption.

Audio

The audio processing had no issue. All the formats decoded without any problem. The high definition audio formats all played without a hitch. As with other entry level players, the BD270 lacks any 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio output. While it is capable of decoding 7.1 channel via receiver, you won’t have any direct output from the BD270. The audio CDs had no problem playing on the player as well. Overall, the audio performance is as expected from any Blu ray player.

Overall Opinion

After BD370, BD270 is big letdown in terms of performance and features. The exclusion of BD-LIVE support as well as internet streaming was a back step backward even for an entry level player. With the latest generation players, you can expect both as well as other features on the entry level players. The step back from BD370 is puzzling as I don’t see anyone buying this over other comparably priced Blu ray players. Also, the player’s inability to play disc with very minor blemishes is very troubling. The firmware update helped in some instances. But, I didn’t see any improvement with the firmware update. The lack of internet connectivity also hampers the firmware update. You will need a disc to update firmware. Overall, I can’t recommend this player at this time. It is outdated and out featured by today’s standard. While it might have been good back in 2009, it is definitely not worth the purchase in 2010.

Pictures

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