Panasonic DMP-BD50

September 10, 2008

Manufacturer's overview

The Ultimate Playback Source for High Definition 1080p Content

The DMP-BD50 is Panasonic's third generation Blu-ray disc player. Blu-ray media offers a wide range of functions that foster the transition to HD including 1080p image quality, lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and versatile Picture-in-Picture applications. The DMP-BD50 adds the new BD-Live function, which uses the internet to further enhance your entertainment experience by allowing you to download additional contents and share the information with other BD-Live users. In the future, BD-Live will allow users to connect the DMP-BD50 to the internet to download such data as images and subtitles, and to join in multi-player interactive games that are linked to bonus movie content contained in Blu-ray discs.

Experience True Cinema Viewing Right in Your Living Room

For optimum image HD i/p quality, the DMP-BD50 features the PHL Reference Chroma processor and P conversion processor, which combine to create UniPhier, a precise digital video processor that produces sharp, crisp, natural colors that are extremely faithful to the original movie.

Incredible Sound Completes the Hi-Def Experience
The true to the original source images are complimented by an exceptionally pure, accurate sounds achieved through Audio Re-master and integrated decoders for the lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. Furthermore, the DMP-BD50 can be combined with a 7.1 channel amplifier and speakers for full 7.1 channel surround sound.

HD Networking with SD Card
Networking is an essential product of the DMP-BD50. The included Memory Card slot allows for easy transferring of images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera via an SD Memory card. You can simply insert the SD card into the DMP-BD50 to view images on a large screen HD flat panel television with AVCHD format video images or JPEG stills in full 1920x1080 resolution.

One-Touch Control from Your TV's Remote
With EZ Sync HDAVI Control, you can control your Blu-ray Disc player and all your home theater components with your TV's remote2. Simply press the EZ Sync button and select "BD Player" on the menu screen; the BD player's menu will be displayed and you can begin playback.

Our Take

This player is one of the first player to implement the Blu-ray Profile 2.0, BD-LIVE, which supports the internet connectivity. The movie studios will have internet only contents available on the upcoming Blu-ray movie releases. Also, the Profile 2.0 will allow firmware update via internet instead of flashing through the use of discs.

The player offers plenty of connectivity including HDMI and component video output. It offers 5.1 analog output for backward compatibility. As an added bonus, the player has SDHC card reader that can read various data such as MP3s and JPG pitcure files.

The review on the video quality seems to be positive from various review sites. Both users and reviewers are very satisfied with the video output quality. The picture displayed no choppiness or blockiness. It also handled various video output format such as 1080i as well as 1080p.

There is no shortage of audio output option on this player, It supports high resolution audio formats Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio via onboard decoder. It can also send out the audio via bit stream format to receiver should you choose to do that. Naturally, it supports the 5.1 and 7.1 channel analog output.

The included remote does the job adequately. It is programmable remote so you can use it to control various other home theater equipments.