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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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Panasonic DMP BD65 Blu Ray Player Review

Panasonic introduced three mainstream consumer Blu ray disc player at the 2010 CES. While the 3D capable Blu ray players were conspicuously missing, Panasonic offered up their latest non 3D Blu ray player in three different flavors. The DMP BD45, DMP BD65, and the DMP BD85 are direct successor to the DMP BD60 and http://www.buyblurayplayers.com/panasonic-dmp-bd80-blu-ray-player-review-3432. As expected, DMP BD45 is the entry level model while DMP BD65 and DMP BD85 represent the higher end models. The differences between the players are not separated by performances. Instead, you see little more features on DMP BD65 and DMP BD85 models. Overall, all three players maintain core set of features and performances that are identical to each other.

Features

Like the DMP-BD45, the DMP-BD65 is a full featured Profile 2.0 player. It is fully capable of playing any BD-Live contents. Like DMP BD45, it includes a SD card slot for media playback. The DMP BD65 will support all audio formats including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD High resolution natively. You won’t need separate receiver to decode the high definition audio formats. The VIERA CAST is also present on the DMP BD65. 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. The DMP BD65 is advertised as Wi-Fi ready with optional purchase of Wi-Fi dongle. It also supports full 7.1 channel audio decoding via receiver. As with DMP BD45, the DMP BD65 is built around PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus imaging processor for more accurate color representation.

Design

The DMP BD65 is remarkable similar to DMP BD45 in terms of design. The LCD and playback functions are located on the right. The front face has glossy finish like many other Blu ray players. It is exactly same in terms of weight and dimension. Also, the glossy finish and location of buttons and tray is identical to the DMP-BD45. It shares the identical remote control as well.

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. The USB and SD card slot are located on the front of the player. The back of player houses all the connectivity. The Ethernet port, HDMI, component video out, and composite video out are included in the back. The digital audio outputs as well as RCA audio line output are present as well.

Performance and Video

As with DMP BD65, Panasonic advertised the player with .5 second booting time. 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 overall video processing was on par with DMP BD45. Two films played on DMP BD65 showed no signs of processing defects such as moiré, jaggieness, or motion blurs. I paused several frames to check for jaggieness and none were present. Also, the overall loading time of Blu ray movies were shortened by fraction over the last generation player from Panasonic. While not significant, it does show overall improvement over the previous players.

As with DMP BD65, I didn’t notice any significant color or video imaging superiority claimed by Panasonic’s Chroma Processor. Again, more accurate testing might reveal improvement. However, judging by real world viewing, I did not notice any significant difference between this player and other players.

Audio

The onboard audio decoding had no problem handing all the audio formats including the high definition audio formats. The DMP BD65 does not have any 5.1 or 7.1 channel audio output. You will need receiver via HDMI to decode 7.1 channel outputs. The player handled MP3, AVCHD, and CD formats without any problems. It’s little odd that a step up model from DMP BD45 does not have the multi channel analog output as a connectivity option.

Overall Opinion

The overall presentation and performance of DMP BD65 is very good. However, the lack of true Wi-Fi inclusion is disappointing. You will have to pony up around $80 for the Wi-Fi dongle to use the Wi-Fi functionality. If you really need Wi-Fi, I suggest you look for a player with built in Wi-Fi such as DMP BD85 or other high end models. You will most likely save money going that route. As with DMP-BD45, the DVD upscaling was somewhat disappointing as well. The DVD upscaling was not as sharp or crisp as other players. For around $150, this could be a nice secondary Blu ray player or a main player if you don’t need high end model.

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Review: Panasonic DMP BD85K Blu Ray Player

Scoring an average of 4/5 to 4.5/5 stars at popular review sites, this specific blu ray player made our list to be reviewed. In the medium price range, listed at $244.45, this unit performs exceptionally well and has features that are on par with more expensive models. Panasonic is well known for producing durable electronics at prices that grace the mid-range. Check out what this player has to offer and compare it to similar models!

Features

• Exceptional Video and Audio Performance
• Wi-Fi Capable With a High Performance Antenna
• Starts Up in Half a Second
• Super Compact Design
• Uses Less Energy Than Comparable Models
• DVD Upscaling
• HDMI 1080 Pixels
• Preloaded Internet Bookmarks
• Dolby TrueHD Sound
• Support For All of the Most Common File Formats

Design

Weighing in at 7 lbs, this unit isn't the lightest around but as you move up in price range, the units usually get heavier. Plus, the blu ray player will be sitting on a shelf for the majority of its life span, so weight is usually not much of an issue. It's sleek, slim and devastatingly attractive.

Remote Control

The remote on this unit is your basic remote with all of the features you would expect. While it isn't backlit, it does provide all the functionality you have come to know and love about high quality blu ray players. You don't have to angle the remote in order to gain a good connection with the unit and signal strength is wonderfully high.

Performance

Streaming movies from sites like Netflix and Blockbuster are delivered flawlessly. There are never any problems with the Wi-Fi functionality if you have a strong signal connection. The 1080 pixel and upscaling features work well and deliver on their promise to engage you in a cinematic quality experience. The start up time is really impressive, clocked at nearly half a second but it's the audio quality that has many owners of this DVD player head over heels. Dolby TrueHD sound can be delivered through a multi-channel interface and the unit has all of the connection ports needed to give you a true surround sound experience. The visual portion of the DVD playing experience is incredible as well, giving users a full 1080 pixel resolution count.

Problems

On North American models, the DLNA feature is not available. Some blu ray player fanatics will have a problem with this and some won't. Your average blu ray consumer won't have in issue with it though. There are not a lot of video and audio Internet sites listed in the preloaded menus. While this isn't a big deal for the technically savvy, novice users may find the number of choices lacking.

Overall Opinion

We strongly believe this blu ray dvd player is a great option for the mid-range. It isn't a budget player but isn't a luxury model either. As far as quality goes, this blu-ray player is definitely worth being taken into consideration. Panasonic is legendary for creating quality electronics at an affordable price and this unit is no exception. All in all, this blu-ray dvd player is a fantastic buy, plain and simple.

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Review of DMP BD70V Blu Ray Player

VHS and Blu-Ray Combo?

The switch from VHS to DVD was helped along by the DVD/VHS combo units in the early days. The switch from DVD to Blu-ray was more easily accomplished as you can play DVD discs in Blu-ray player. So, there should be no need for a VHS/Blu-ray combo. Apparently, there is a market for such unit. The Panasonic DMP-BD70V is the first and only VHS/Blu-ray combo player on the market. We are not sure how much of market research went into the decision. However, they must have some data showing a demand for this player. The DMP-BD70V boasts same set of features as the DMP-BD60 model on top of the VHS playback function.

Features

As stated earlier, the DMP-BD70V has the same set of features found on the DMP-BD60 model. Like DMP-BD60, the DMP-BD70V comes with Profile 2.0 and high definition audio decoding. Instead of Netflix and Pandora, the DMP-BD70V supports the Viera Cast and Amazon Video on Demand service like the DMP-BD60. The Viera Cast is Panasonic’s proprietary online streaming service. While not as robust as Netflix or Pandora, it is a nice bonus. The Viera Cast suite includes the Youtube service as well as Picasa web picture suite. The Amazon Video on Demand does have newer videos for streaming than the Netflix. Overall, the features mirror the DMP-BD60 model.

Design

As expected of the combo player, the unit is bulkier than other Blu-ray players. However, compared to DMP-BD60, it is about 2 lbs heavier. The VHS slot and Blu-ray slot are located at the top half the player with LCD on the bottom half. The flip down face plate on the right side houses the playback function as well as SD card slot and USB slot. As far as the aesthetics go, it is not the most sophisticated looking player. The connectivity for DMP-BD70V include component video, HDMI, RJ-45, composite audio/video, and SPDIF output.

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Remote Control

The remote control for the DMP-BD70V doesn’t change much from the previous remote controls. It is very similar to the remote control from the DMP-BD 60 model. The top of the remote houses the volume and channel buttons. This can take some time getting used to since most remotes have them in the middle or the bottom. However, there is separate volume button for your receiver. This is particularly convenient if you have receiver set up and don’t have a universal remote control. The numeric buttons are right below the channel and volume buttons. The playback function buttons and directional buttons are in the middle. The menu buttons surround the directional pad. The bottom of the remote houses the special function buttons like Viera Cast and set up buttons. Overall, it’s a solid remote control. It’s not Harmony but you can do much worse.

Performance

The Blu-ray performance mirrors the DMP-BD60 model. The movies tested on the DMP-BD70v fared no better and no worse than the DMP-BD60. The video and image qualities were top notch with no noticeable defects like moiré or jaggies. The fast moving sequences were spot on with no problem. As with DMP-BD60, the loading times were not as fast as the Samsung or LG players. The new generation of players from Samsung and LG has improved the loading time dramatically over their previous models. This is not true for the Panasonic players. While it does improve upon the older models, it is not as significant as the players from Samsung or LG.

Sound

Unless you are an audiophile, you will not notice significant differences between audio qualities from this model or other comparable players. The DMP-BD70V is very comparable to the audio performances found on DMP-BD60. The DMP-BD70V can natively decode Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and the DTS HD audio formats. These should cover most decoding needs for most consumers. The only drawback on audio front was the lack of 5.1 or 7.1 analog audio output. If you have receiver, you won’t miss the lack of output. However, if you don’t own a receiver, you might want to invest in a receiver if you plan to utilize the existing speakers.

Overall, the DMP-BD70V is very good Blu-ray player. As far as the VHS performances go, the upscaling of VHS to high definition resolution can’t really compare to DVD or Blu-ray. However, it does look better than the playback from VHS player. I can’t imagine anyone needing a VHS player to go along with their Blu-ray player as you can easily convert VHS to DVD with very minimal effort. Regardless, if you absolutely need a VHS player to go along with Blu-ray player, this is a perfect player to get. Even if it is the only VHS/Blu-ray player on the market.

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Panasonic DMP BD80 Blu Ray Player Review

Panasonic’s other Blu-ray disc player announced at 2009 CES is finally hitting the retailers across the internet and brick and mortal stores. The DMP-BD80 was the high end model announced along with the DMP-BD60. The DMP-BD80 adds few more features to the already solid DMP-BD60 model. Both players feature Profile 2.0, high definition audio decoding, and the video streaming via Panasonic’s own Viera Cast service. Technically, there are not too many differences between the DMP-BD60 and DMP-BD80. The players themselves look remarkably similar except for the 7.1 channel analog output in the back of the DMP-BD80 model.

Features

The DMP-BD80 is a step up from the DMP-BD60 model. Like the DMP-BD60, the player is Profile 2.0 compliant with all the high definition audio decoding. The onboard audio decoding can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio as well as the legacy audio formats like DTS and Dolby Digital. You shouldn’t have any problem with audio compatibility with this player. The DMP-BD80 adds the 7.1 channel analog audio output which was missing on the DMP-BD60. The Viera Cast is a nice added bonus for online streaming videos. The coming compatibility with Amazon video on demand service will be a nice added feature since it lacks the Netflix streaming found on LG and Samsung products. As with the DMP-BD60, the Viera Cast comes with weather information, Youtube, Picasa, stock quotes, and the upcoming Amazon video on demand service. The Viera Cast has very nice and easy to use interface. It’s clean and simple to use with large icons showing the feeds for weather and small screens that represent Youtube and Picasa. Panasonic still has not addressed the aspect ratio problem when viewing Youtube contents. Most of the videos on Youtube are 4:3 instead of 16:9. This stretches out the pictures making them unattractive.

Remote Control

The remote control is essentially the same one from the DMP-BD60 unit. Instead of having the volume and channel buttons in the middle, the top of the remote houses the volume and channel buttons with separate volume button for your receiver if you have receiver setup in your home theater system. The middle of the remote control contains the playback function buttons along with directional buttons. The menu buttons conveniently surround the direction pad for easy access. The bottom of the remote contains the special function buttons for Viera Cast and set up buttons. This is very functional remote control if you choose to stick with it instead of a universal remote control. We liked the LG’s design with sliding cover better than the Panasonic’s remote unit for the DMP-BD60 and DMP-BD80.

Design and Aesthetic

Panasonic has not changed the design of the Blu-ray disc players significantly since the introduction of their DMP-BD35 model. The DMP-BD60 and DMP-BD80 both look exactly alike. The middle of the player contains the disc tray with LCD on the right side. There are basic playback functions housed beneath the manual flip down tray that includes the SD card slot and the USB port. The only addition to the DMP-BD80 is the 7.1 channel analog audio port found on the back of the player. Also, there are the standard HDMI, component video, optical and digital audio ports that go with the analog outputs.

Video and Performance

As with previous Panasonic Blu-ray players, the video quality is simply amazing. From the start, Panasonic has consistently produced great Blu-ray players that are capable producing crisp and accurate video playbacks. Generally, the playback quality mirrored the quality from DMP-BD60 model. That is to say, it was excellent across the board. Using three different titles, the video playback showed no signs of jaggieness or moirés. Even the freeze frame revealed very little defects in the way of jaggieness on few scenes in Marley and Me. The fast motion sequences in the Matrix and Batman Begins had no problem in video rendering. The only minor complaint is the longer than expected loading time found on this player and the DMP-BD60. As mentioned in the DMP-BD60 review, the loading time of Blu-ray discs on these models took significantly longer than the competition’s players from Samsung, Sony, or LG. On some cases, the loading time took almost twice as long on this player as it does on the other players. The differences in Blu-ray and DVD structure will force some delays but the Panasonic seems to have somehow missed out on reducing the loading time from the previous generation models. Nevertheless, this shouldn’t detract from the quality video rendering and very good image quality provided by the DMP-BD80.

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Audio for Audiophiles

The audio quality was spot on and handled all the audio formats encountered on the three discs. As with other players, most viewers will not notice any difference in audio quality from top manufacturers like Panasonic or Samsung. The differentiation in audio comes from the player’s ability to decode the high definition audio formats.
Out of the box, the DMP-BD80 can decode Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, and DTS. The addition of 7.1 channel analog output is the main upgrade from the DMP-BD60 model. If you have absolute need for the 7.1 channel analog output, you will have to pay about $100 premium over the DMP-BD60 model.

Overall

For most people, the DMP-BD60 should be sufficient. Only the people who need the 7.1 channel analog output should opt for this model. The video qualities as well as the audio options are similar to that of the DMP-BD60 model. Overall, this is a very well performing player with polished software to go along with a very good hardware.

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Panasonic DMP BD60 Blu Ray Player Review

The second generation Blu-ray players have started showing up at retails. Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony have produced some of the best stand alone Blu-ray players since the adaption of Blu-ray as the high definition format. Panasonic DMP-BD30 and DMP-BD50 variations have consistently been a great buy with great features with consistently good pictures. The Profile 2.0 supporting the BD-LIVE features were somewhat of luxury on the last generation players. Not so with players coming out this year. Along with Profile 2.0, high definition audio decoding and streaming capabilities have become defacto standards for most of the players announced at this year’s CES. At 2009 CES, Panasonic announced two mainstream Blu-ray players, DMP-BD60 and DMP-BD80, along with the VHS/Blu-ray combo player. As expected from the model numbers, the DMP-BD80 represents the high end model with more features than the DMP-BD60. Today, we are going to take a look at the DMP-BD60 model.

Features

The DMP-BD60 resembles high end players from the first generation players. The player comes with Profile 2.0 and all the high definition audio decoding out of the box. In this respect, the DMP-BD60 resembles the newly released Samsung BD-P1600. However, unlike the Samsung BD-P1600, the DMP-BD60 does not come with Netflix or Pandora compatibility. Instead, Panasonic introduces the Viera Cast. The Viera Cast is Panasonic’s own online streaming service available on some of the HDTV and the newer Blu-ray disc players. While it’s not complete, you can access YouTube, Picasa, weather, and stock quotes from the Viera Cast. The announced Amazon video streaming service has not been implemented yet. Most of the users will be familiar with the YouTube service. The Picasa is web based picture sharing/editing tool. While these services are nice, the inclusion of Netflix would have been better. The Amazon video service should offset the lack of Netflix if you are looking for streaming capability.

Our favorite gadget: A closer look at remote control

A lot of the buyers don’t pay too much attention to the remote control when they are purchasing television or disc players. The remote control for the DMP-BD60 doesn’t change much from the previous remote controls. The top of the remote houses the volume and channel buttons. This can take some time getting used to since most remotes have them in the middle or the bottom. However, there is separate volume button for your receiver. This is particularly convenient if you have receiver set up and don’t have a universal remote control. The numeric buttons are right below the channel and volume buttons. The playback function buttons and directional buttons are in the middle. The menu buttons surround the directional pad. The bottom of the remote houses the special function buttons like Viera Cast and set up buttons. Overall, it’s a solid remote control. It’s not Harmony but you can do much worse.

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Design: Nothing new

There’s nothing remarkable about the design of DMP-BD60. It’s almost identical to the DMP-BD35. It lacks the glossy finish like the Samsung BD-P1600. Like the previous model, the middle portion houses the disc tray with LCD to the right side. The right side includes a manual flip down tray which houses the playback function buttons along with SD card slot and USB port. Back of the player contains the HDMI, component video, optical digital audio ports, and stereo analog audio output. It also has the RJ-45 port for the internet connectivity. Missing are the analog 5.1 channel or 7.1 channel audio ports.

Picture Quality

The real strength of the Panasonic players were the video qualities. The variety of Blu-ray discs movies had no problems on the DMP-BD60 model. As with other reviews, I used the Batman Begins and the Matrix Blu-ray movies. The regular viewing showed no signs of jaggies or moires. There were no blocking issues in fast motion sequences. Only noticeable defect was when I paused the video during the Batman Begins. One of the scene produced noticeable jaggies. This was only noticeable during the pause and normal viewing should have no noticeable jaggies. Overall, the video quality is second to none when compared against other mainstream Blu-ray players.

Performance

Compared to the DVD players, the Blu-ray players have been plagued with slow loading times. This is expected as Blu-ray discs are much more complex than the DVD discs. However, the newly released Samsung BD-P1600 reduced the loading times significantly over the previous models. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the DMP-BD60. The loading of Batman Begins and Matrix took close to two minutes compared to less than half on the Samsung BD-P1600. This might be a major problem for some but shouldn’t be a turn off for most as the video quality is excellent. For most part, I didn’t mind the waiting.

Audiophile rejoice!

The audio quality is fairy similar across all makes and models. Unless you are an audiophile, you will not notice significant differences between makes and models. The real choice between the players is the audio decoding options. The DMP-BD60 doesn’t disappoint in this department. The DMP-BD60 can natively decode Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and the DTS HD audio formats. These should cover most decoding needs for most consumers. The only drawback on audio front was the lack of 5.1 or 7.1 analog audio output. If you have receiver, you won’t miss the lack of output. However, if you don’t own a receiver, you might want to invest in a receiver if you plan to utilize the existing speakers.

All said and done

The DMP-BD60 is a nice improvement over the DMP-BD30/35 models. The inclusions of Profile 2.0 as well as the onboard decoding options are very nice addition. Even with lack of Netflix support, the streaming options are fairly nice via the Viera Cast. The upcoming addition of the Amazon Video On Demand service should add nice value to an already great player.

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LG BD370 Blu Ray Player Review

LG was first to introduce the Blu-ray/HDDVD hybrid back when there was two competing formats. It’s not surprising that LG was the first to introduce network capable Blu-ray player in the LG BD300 with Netflix streaming. At this year’s CES, most of the Blu-ray manufacturers announced their second generation players. Samsung also included Netflix streaming with their new players while Panasonic added Viera Cast streaming to their players. LG BD370 is no exception. The BD370 model continues the inclusion of Netflix as well as addition of Youtube compatibility. In line with other second generation players, LG BD370 adds additional features not found on the LG BD 300 model. At 2009 CES, LG announced two new mainstream Blu-ray players. The BD 370 is the entry level model while BD390 is aimed at higher end market.

Features

The features on BD 370 are comparable to the features found on the new Samsung BDP-1600 and Panasonic DMP-BD60. It is profile 2.0 player with USB and RJ-45 ports. All of the high definition audio decoding options are present including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Another feature that’s being more and more integrated into the Blu-ray player is the integration of remote functions for same brand A/V equipments. LG calls their integration the LG SimpLink. It behaves similar to the Sharp Aquos Link where you can operate the television via one remote. Most of the manufacturers including Sony and Samsung also feature similar functionality. As with BD300, the BD370 features Netflix streaming. Combined with Youtube access, the NetCast offers free Netflix trial out of the box. Also, LG has promised to introduce CinemaNow by May. CinemaNow works like video on demand provided by the cable or DirecTV. While Netflix does offer streaming, most of the newer movies aren’t offered for streaming. CinemaNow should fill in the gap quite nicely.

Modern design?

Although I don’t consider design to be a big factor in purchasing a Blu-ray disc player, the LG BD370 offers a nice looking player. The dominant feature of the design is the flip down tray on either side of the silver square badge in the middle. The left side hides the disc tray while the right side houses the playback functions, USB port, and LCD for playback information. The silver badge in the middle has two playback functions on the bottom corner of the badge while the power button is placed in the middle. This design does add some cool look as well as functionality. The only drawback is the placement of USB port. If you want to utilize the BD-LIVE functions, you need to have USB drive plugged into the port. This means you have to keep the tray in open position. The USB port at the back of the player would have been a better placement.

The back of the player includes the HDMI, audio, and RJ-45 ports. The BD370 comes with standard component video and analog audio output. It also comes with both optical and coaxial digital audio output. If you need the 7.1 channel analog out, you will need to purchase the BD390 model due out in May.

Aesthetics of remote, a sight to see

The included remote is very functional remote. The layout is pretty good with directional buttons in the middle and the special function buttons separated by different colors. The playback function buttons are located below the special function buttons. The numeric buttons and other less used buttons are hidden beneath the sliding cover at the bottom of the remote. This was nice design feature as it hides away the seldom used buttons. I found this design to be really nice as it made the remote less cluttered. If you need to use the numeric buttons often, this might cause some hassle. But, most users will appreciate the out of sight numeric buttons.

Picture is worth a thousand..... well you get the "picture"?

A lot of defects in video processing seen on first generation players are virtually eliminated in the newer players. The major brand players all have similar video qualities. It’s fairly difficult to spot any video processing defects like in first generation players. BD370 is no exception. Put through several different movies, the player handles them without any deficiency in video processing. The player handled Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Marley and Me without any hitch in true 1080p 24fps format. The upcoversion of regular DVDs were also fantastic. In some cases, the upconverted DVDs looked almost as good as the Blu-ray discs. Most viewers will have no problem with the video quality. As with other newer players, BD370 improves significantly on the loading times. All three Blu-ray discs took less than 25 seconds to load which is fairly fast by any standard.

An earful for audiophiles

The audio performance boils down to the decoding options. Depending on the sound system setup, most users won’t be able to discern different audio outputs from different players. The BD370 offers decoding for DTS, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA. These should cover all the audio formats on all of the Blu-ray disc movies. Only downside is the lack of 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio output. Like the new Samsung and Panasonic player, the entry model lacks the multi channel analog outputs. You will need to step up to BD390 for the 7.1 channel output.

Overall

LG BD370 is another solid entry level player in the already crowded entry level player market. It’s becoming harder distinguish between different manufacturers when it comes to overall quality and value. They are all coming equipped with similar features and streaming capability. BD370 is a solid addition to the entry level market. However, if you want WiFi and internal memory as well as the 7.1 channel analog output, you will need to wait until May to purchase the BD390.

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Review: First look at Panasonic DMP-BD55 blu ray player

The Panasonic DMP-BD55 represents a very real challenge to the PS3 for Blu-ray supremacy. Playstation 3 represents a near perfect Blu-ray player through constant updates and its variety of audio decoding options. Some of the earlier players lacked the latest profile and the plethora audio decoding options that Playstation 3 is capable of. Furthermore at the price around $400 which includes game playback, the Playstation 3 is very attractive option for high definition player.

The Panasonic DMP-BD55 offers up a great alternative to Playstation 3 if your not looking for a game machine along with your Blu-ray player. The one thing that bothered me a lot with Playstation 3 was that it used Bluetooth for remote interface. This was hinderance if you wanted a universal remote control for your entire high definition enertainment system.

The main attraction for this player is that it has the latest features when it comes to Blu-ray discs. This means profile 2.0 that supports BD-Live features that are included in most of the newer Blu-ray
movies. Also, the player has ethernet port that naturally comes with profile 2.0 players. This means it will be fairly easy to update your player should there be need for future updates. Another nice addtion
is the SD card reader. You can pop in your SD card from camera or other devices such as mp3 player. You can view picutres from your digital cameras. The unit itself is standard looking player. The center has the disc tray for your disc with LCD on the left. On the right there is flip down face that has access to SD card slot and playback function buttons. The player seems smaller than most other players. It's not work of art. It's functional unit thats easy on the eye.

The video and audio playback is the real selling point of this unit. The test run with several Blu-ray movies revealed nothing out of ordinary. I played the Batman Begins and Transformers. Both of these
movies have great action sequences that should reveal artifacts and jaggies. I paused in several places to look for jaggies and none were present. I'm sure more comprehensive tests could be done but 99.9% of the people wont notice any difference even on big screen television sets. The upconversion was excellent as well. Some of you with the big DVD collection might place importance on upconversion capability.

The audio quality was great. I have a receiver that decodes high definition audio streams so the onboard decoding wasn't as useful as it might be for some other people. The onboard decoding can handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master audio. The player also supports the legacy analog audio via 7.1 channel connectivity.

Overall, this is an excellent stand alone player if you don't wish to go with Playstation 3. The price point of around $400.00 (less during holidays) might be little more expensive than some players. But, it
is well worth the price for this feature rich player.

Rating:

Video Review

Review of Panasonic DMP-BD35 blu ray player

Panasonic updates their mainstream consumer Blu-ray disc player with the DMP-BD35k. Like Samsung and for obvious reasons, Sony, Panasonic has jumped on Blu-ray band wagon early on. They introduced the popular DMP-BD30 as the mainstream consumer model. However, the DMP-BD30 lacked many features that are now standard on most of new models. Mainly, it lacked high defintion audio decoding and Profile 2.0 compliant with the BD LIVE features on the newer Blu-ray movie discs. The DMP-BD35 fixes these problem.

The DMP-BD35 supports new sleek design over the DMP-BD30 model. The length is same as the old model but the width and depth has been drastically reduced. Also, the new model cuts about almost 4 lbs over the older model. The DMP-BD35 sports black glossy finish. The disc tray is located in the middle with the LCD to the left of center. The other function buttons are hidden behind pull down tray at the base of the player. There are plenty of connectivity including HDMI, component video, SD card reader and the important Ethernet. There are no direct 7.1 channel audio output which might deter some buyers. But, the SD card reader is definitely a big plus. The player supports the Profile 2.0 out of the box which is nice bonus. And, future firmware upgrade should be easy with the ethernet port.

The video quality is stellar. The colors were spot on without any noticeable hue difference. Again, different set up might produce different results from the player. I've ran it through two different television set and found them to be consistantly excellent. I noticed no jaggies or artifacts watching Batman Begins disc. The addition of high definition audio will be a great plus for many buyers. If you have older receivers, the decoding of high defintion audio might not be possible. This model will decode most high definition audio formats including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD Master audio. As I've stated earlier you can go with analog 7.1 channel only thorugh receiver. Otherwise, the quality of audio is simply amazing.

If you already own older model with latest receiver, this might not be a necessary upgrade. Even if you want the Profile 2.0 which has limited support as of now. However, for little more money, this player will had onboard decoding of the latest high definition audio as well as latest profile support. And the video and audio quality simply amazing.

Rating:

 

Video Review

New Blu-ray player Panasonic DMP-BD50PP-K reviewed by George Frazier

I purchased a Panasonic DMP-BD50PP-K, and PS3. In the 4 weeks that I've had this player, it's done a marvelous job on video and audio quality. I'm watching it on a 40" LG connected through HDMI. I've never had any of the stutters or other audio/video glitches that others have mentioned. at random times and multiple times throughout a movie. The BR players are all updatable so it's possible to play the latest movies. However, this player has a VERY hard to understand failure mode and upgrade procedure. This likely makes this required operation out of reach for most people on this device.

I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY DISC PLAY OR CONNECTION ISSUES AS HAVE BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER USERS. MY ONLY ADVICE ON THIS IS TO KEEP THE FIRMWARE UPDATED EITHER BY LAN OR BY CALLING SAMSUNG AND REQUESTING A FIRMWARE DISC. For those who wonder if it will play homemade Blu-Ray DVDs I can report that I have sucessfully created a Blu-Ray DVD with menus on a 25G Single Layer BD-RE (Rewritable) disk using the LG GGW-H20L burner. Other firmware updatres are available but I haven't needed them yet. This player is good as far as disks that work on it but it does not support 48kHz/24-bit HD true sound that other blu-ray disks come with. The sound will pop out of sync with the visual. Before you buy call the manufacturer and ask if they have solved this problem by issuing a firmware (disk to put in the machine to update the harddrive) or not.

Upconversion on this player is great, which is very important if you have large library of DVDs. I figured instead of spending $100 or so on upconvert DVD player to work with my new TV, I decided to go directly to Blu-Ray, since the Blu-Ray is now standard of HD DVDs. This player has great Standard disc Upconversion. Overall, I found this player to be competent Blu-ray player and a great upconverting DVD player.

Click here to buy Panasonic blu ray player at an amazing price!!

Rating:

 

 

Review was sent in by George Frazier. Send in your reviews to Admin@buyblurayplayers.com

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