Blu Ray Disc Players

Most people have an impression that Blu-Ray’s growth has been very slow and probably would die out. However, here is a shocker. Its success has been downplayed and it is more popular than the DVD in its early days, with over 400,000 players already sold. It is already branded as the future of the DVD, storing up to 10 times more than an ordinary DVD.

Philips, a late entrant, has finally launched a trio of BD Players: The Philips BDP9100, the Philips BDP 7300 and the Philips BD3000. Amongst the three, the Philips BDP 3000 is targeted at the price conscious consumer. The Budget baby lacks some of the high-end features, but it does the basics pretty well. And in the following review, we will be seeing in detail about this model.

Design:

The Body and the Front Panel:

The Philips BDP3000 Blu Ray Disc Player is simple and very attractive. Its clean and minimalist lines gives it a unique look and makes it look a lot pricier. The case is 435 mm and a foot deep and its width roughly about half a meter. Its size and sturdy casing makes it well suited to stacking it under your Television. Its rounded edges are a relief from the harsh lines of most players launched this year. It’s brushed black chassis and a glossy black front panel makes it look a class apart.  The front panel has a disc tray, a one line LCD screen and 4 plain buttons for play, eject, pause and power. The unit has a pretty much featureless front side compared to its other siblings. Its tray loading mechanism is strong enough to resist clumsy treatment. Being a replacement for a DVD Player, it not only plays Blu-ray discs but also all DVD (Region 2) Discs and home recorded discs as well. It lacks a USB port on the front panel that the other expensive models have.

The Back Panel:

The back of the BDP 3000 Blu Ray DVD Player has a host of useful ports, the most universal of which is a HDMI output socket that allows anyone to plug their player into their HD TV. The Composite video port along with the stereo audio RCA ports is just what cinema buffs need. A Digital Coaxial socket (with support for Dolby 7.1 surround) is also included. Like most Blu-ray players, it outputs 1080/24p and HD audio bit streams. There is an Ethernet port included which allows you to connect your Blu-ray player to the broadband router. Expecting Wi-Fi perhaps at this price point is unreasonable. The built in memory is not large enough to store downloads, so keep a USB flash drive plugged into the port. To allow BD-Live to connect, you must plug in a memory stick of at least 1 GB size. It is messy and incredibly stingy; however it works without a hitch.

The BDP 3000 lacks multichannel analogue outputs which will be a problem if you want to enjoy sounds with a high resolution and the receiver lacks HDMI inputs.

Remote Control:

The remote control of the BDP 3000 looks akin to those high end plasma TV remotes. It is smaller in built than most of them. It has the usual buttons that your DVD player remote control has. So if you know to use a DVD Player, it would not take much time for you to get a feel of the controls. It looks uncluttered and is very easy to use. The buttons are carefully arranged and the controls are instinctive. The Remote is compatible with all the Philips ‘Easylink’ devices as well.

User Interface:

Surprisingly, the interface of the BDP3000 is great. Philips has used the same interface as it has in the other models of BDP series. The Home menu is a bright colourful screen and the options are limited to Play Disc or settings. Selecting settings will give way to an eye catching screen with signpost like options. Since the controls are close by to each other, it is easier to use them.

Features:

Enjoy the Blu-ray experience:

With the BDP 3000 Full HD 1080p Player, you can enjoy your favourite movies with more details than you have ever seen before. The HDMi 1080p upscaling makes playing ordinary DVDs better.  The Dolby TrueHD is a great add on to the player. It plays CDs and has an Easy Link that can connect to other EasyLink products and control all of them with one remote.

Sharper Images:

Since Blu-rays have high storage capacities, they store pictures in the 1920 x 1080 resolution which translates to crystal clear high definition images. The uncompressed surround sound delivered makes the audio experience unbelievably real.  Exciting features like pop in menus and seamless navigation add a whole new dimension to entertainment. The BDP3000 Player plays videos at 24 frames per second, providing you a unique image texture.

BD Live 2.0:

The BDP3000 features BD Live 2.0, an online function that allows you to download HD Movie trailers, quizzes, games and more from the Blu-ray title menu. You can store all this on your Blu-ray player hard drive or an USB flash drive and re-watch it whenever you want to, allowing you to build your personal movie library.

DivX Ultra:

DivX ultra enables you to play DivX Media files along with great features like integrated subtitles, multiple tracks, multiple audio languages and menus into a convenient file format.

The USB Drawback:

The BDP 3000 lacks a USB port on the front, the first casualty of the low price of the player. It has a USB port at the back, but that is only for storing data from BD Live or accessing it. This port cannot play media files like DivX, JPEG and MP3, which is why they have placed the port at the back, to prevent confusion. If you want to play your media files, copy them to a CD/DVD instead.

Media Supports:

The player supports BD Video, BD-R/RE 2.0, DVD, DVD-Video, DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, DivX, Video CD, CD and CD-R/CD-RW. It is also a DivX certified device. Its EasyLink HDMI-CEC functionality allows you to control the other Philips products that are connected via HDMI.

Performance:

The performance of a Blu-ray player determines its saleability. After inserting a disc, playback started in 30 seconds, pretty much the same as the Panasonic BDP7300. The user interface is responsive and easy to navigate. In terms of picture quality, the player is simply outstanding. The Images are bright with solid contrast, vivid colours and well defined edges. Sure, the Pioneer BDP-LX52 offers pristine output. But for its price tag, the Philips BDP 3000 is very impressive. The detail reproduction is perhaps its greatest talent. It portrays the tiniest of shrubs with great details. However, juddering is quite evident in 24fps mode and the picture is noisy sometimes. These are not major downsides, but they stop the player from scaling the same heights as the best decks in the market. The Standard DVDs are upscaled to 1080p resolution making the details look crisp. The Dolby TrueHD is pretty decent and the stereo outputs are warm and detailed.

Warranty:

The Philips BDP3000 comes with a warranty period of one year from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

The Philips BDP3000 might lack a variety of features like the Built in Memory, USB Media Playback or DTS HD Master audio recording; however, its cool styling, simple onscreen menus, fast disc playback and excellent build quality should give it a mass appeal. The USP of the Player is excellent quality picture and a decent audio for a reasonably cheap price. Its decent range of video and audio ports and an Ethernet connection are great. Yes, the BD Live arrangement is cumbersome, it lacks a wireless network support and the only way you can play your media files is by a CD/DVD. However, its strengths outweigh its weakness. And for price conscious consumers, this is the perfect choice for your first blu-ray player.

Check 2010 Best Blu Ray Players, Philips Blu Ray Player Reviews in this website.

Philips BDP3000 Blu Ray DVD/Disc Player - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Philips
Model Name	BDP3000 Blu Ray Disc Player
Product Type	Blu-Ray Discs Player
Dimensions ( H x W x D) in cm	435 x 58 x 237
Form factor	Table top
Number of disc trays	One
Weight	3 kgs
Playback Media	BD Video, BD-R/RE 2.0, DVD, DVD-Video, DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, DivX, Video CD, CD, CD-R/CD-RW
Compression Format	H.264, MPEG2, VC-1, DivX Ultra, WMV, XviD
Disc Playback Modes	Standard Play, Pause, Search forward/reverse, Slow Forward, Resume Playback from Stop, Skip, Disc Menu, Repeat, A-B Repeat, Zoom, Angle
Video Enhancement	Deep Colour, x.v. Color, Video Upscaling, Progressive Scan
Sound System	Dolby True HD, DTS 2.0 + Digital out, DTS, Dolby Digital
D/A converter	24 bit, 192 kHz
Rear Connections	HDMI output, Component Video output, Digital coaxial out, Composite video (CVBS) output, Analog audio Left/Right out, Ethernet, USB:firmware upgrade & BD-Live
EasyLink	One touch play, One touch standby
Upscaling	Yes
Digital audio format	Dolby Digital output
MP3 compatible	Yes
Remote control	Infra red remote control
BD-Live(1GB USB memory needed)	Yes
Cables included	Audio/Video cable, User Manual, CD-R (User Manual), Quick start guide, Product Registration Card, Remote Control, 2 x AAA Batteries
Power consumption	25 w
Warranty	1 Year

Samsung has the pride that it is the first manufacturer to produce a standalone Blu-ray player, but in the year 2008, it struggled to keep up with Panasonic when this rival released the first ever Profile 2.0 player. This was because, at that stage, Samsung was still shipping Profile 1.1 compatible players with some future upgrade promises. But now, in 2009, the tables have turned with the release of Samsung’s latest sixth generation player, which is very close to a complete player.

The Samsung BD-P1600 has taken all the best features from its predecessor, like great value and sleek design, improvises on them and also upgrades it with the latest next generation features. The player now literally possesses all the features one would expect out of a Blu ray player like, on-board decoding for Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, BD live and Profile 2.0 compatibility. In addition to this the player has gone beyond basics by including the internet streaming services like Netflix and Pandora streaming, a much improved operational speed and also the ability to add the WiFi functionality with the USB dongle. Of course, the main functionality of the device is to play Blu-ray discs and we are glad to say that, despite the addition of all these bells and whistles, the player does not lose focus on its main functionality. Though it seems to have some black spots in the design of the player, the player seems to be offering excellent value in performance and features.

Let us have a detailed look at the Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-ray Disc player.

Design:

Sleek player:
The Samsung BD-P1600 Blu Ray Player somewhat resembles the traditional design of Samsung with a glossy smooth finishing, a perfect match for the Samsung TV sets. By measuring (H x W x D) 2.1” x 17” x 7.8”, the device has a sleek design that has been updated design when compared to the previous models which were very attractive themselves.

Annoying Front Panel:
With the uncluttered design of the front panel, you will be left wondering where the disk tray will be. This is basically because the tidy and sleek front panel folds down to give access to the disc loading tray, playback buttons and a USB port. This set up similar to the one that was found in last year’s Panasonic model, the DMP-BD10. But the good news in this model is that, BD-P1600’s tray opens and closes automatically when the disc is ejected with the remote control.

Yet, this panel is something that we did not prefer because the main buttons like open, close and power have been hidden behind it and this means that you have to flip it down manually to make any adjustments. And since the USB port is also hidden behind the panel, if you are going to use the BD live storage, the panel has to be left open permanently, which is certainly not going to look that good. One of the reasons why Samsung must have placed the USB port in the panel is perhaps because the back port is occupied by the WiFi adaptor. In addition to this, the flip door does not seem to be strong either, we would not be surprised if the panel breaks or stops popping out automatically after a while.

The player gives audio confirmation for the Touchkey and Power buttons which can be disabled when required. The screen scrub bar and the LEDs in the front too are adjustable.

The redesigned remote control:
Of course, the flip down panel will not be a big issue for you if you are going to use the clicker, if not the buttons, for most of the commands. The remote control that comes with the player has had a substantial makeover over its earlier design, but in some ways, the makeover has gone wrong. Most of the buttons have been intuitively and logically placed and there is a good amount of space left between the buttons. But the annoyance is that, some of the most commonly used menu buttons like the Disc menu, Title menu and the Pop-up menu have been moved to the bottom of the remote and very confusingly labelled. It would have been great if Samsung had included easy access buttons for Netflix and Pandora; in order to activate these services, you have to dig deep into the menu system. The glossy plastic finish feels a bit cheap, but it is still an improvement on the styling of Sammy’s older players.

Standard connectivity:
The connectivity offered in Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-ray Disc player is quite standard. HDMI for handling 1080p HD Video and High resolution multichannel audio and component video output that outputs Blu-ray at 1080i and standard DVDs at 480p are available. The player also sports the basic audio connections like optical digital audio output and analogue-stereo output. You will also find an Ethernet port and a USB port to be used with the WiFi adaptor in the rear and as we had mentioned above, there is an additional USB port in the front panel.

Upgraded Interface:

The BD-P1600 Prifile 2.0 Blu Ray Player has a very attractive GUI with the combination of HD graphics and some vibrant colours. Being attractive does not mean that the interface was user-friendly and intuitive. The vertical alignment of the layout and set-up menus are very confusing and resembles the menu system of some of the high end Denon receivers like the AVR-3808CI. However, you will be rarely digging so deep into the set-up menu system, and so the issue is very minor. The interfaces of Netflix and Pandora are better, with the interface of Netflix being similar to that of its own player by Roku. The instant queue is arranged horizontally on the display, the movies have to be added to your instant queue using your computer. The interface of Pandora is extremely easy to use and you will be getting full Pandora access from the onscreen menu. Samsung could have improvised this menu system by providing a larger album art pictures and some information on the artists.

Features:

Compliance with Profile 2.0:
As in the case of most of the Blu ray Disc players that came to market in the year 2009, the Samsung BD-P1600 too complies with Profile 2.0. This indicates that the Player can playback Internet enabled BD live feature that is available in some of the latest Blu ray players. To make use of these features, BD-P1600 must be connected via either the Ethernet or WiFi with the help of a USB WiFi adaptor which is not included in the package, and a USB flash drive also has to be connected for the sake of storage. The player only has 256MB of on-board storage, so any extras you download will realistically have to go on a separate USB memory stick.
The BD Live files are so small, that we cannot explain why they are not already on the Blu-ray disc itself. This is not Samsung’s fault, but it is looking increasingly as if BD Live compatibility is just not a good enough reason to choose between Blu-ray players

Impractically Wi-Fi ready:
The fact that BD-P1600 is Wi-Fi ready is appreciable, but the disappointment is that the option is not very practical for everybody. The USB WiFi dongle is quite expensive and when that cost is added with that of the player, it comes to a tag that is close to that of Samsung BD-P3600 which is a step up version, which includes a WiFi adaptor in the package. And this step-up version also has features like 7.1 analogue outputs, onboard memory and PC streaming. So, we would advise you to go for this model if you are particular about WiFi access.

Netflix Streaming in BD-P1600:
Coming to the highlight feature of BD-P1600, the Netflix streaming, we can say in short that its functionality is identical to Roku. This feature allows you to stream anything from the “Watch Now” section of Netflix. A major gripe with this feature is that, most of the SD content is not Wide-screen. The initial catalogue of movies and TV shows lacked lustre, however, with the recent deals with CBS and Disney, the content section of the site has been improved significantly. Each set of services have their own set of advantages, and we prefer Netflix over Amazon Video On Demand that is offered by the rival DMP-BD60K of Panasonic. The overall user experience is great.

Audio Features:
Having the on-board decoding feature for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the soundtrack formats can be decoded to be played back on almost all the HDMI capable AV receiver. Bit stream output is also supported, if you would rather the decoding be done in your AV receiver. The legacy DTS formats like Neo:6, ES Matrix, DTS 96/24 and ES can be decoded by the formats available in BD-P1600, unlike the players featuring DTS-HD Master Audio Essential.

Formats supported:
If you have ideas of transferring digital media from your PC to blank discs or a USB disk, Samsung BD-P1600 does play AVI, DiVX, MPEG video, MP3 music and JPEG images.

Performance:

Blu-ray Playback performance of BD-P1600:
As we know, the picture quality of the entry level models is always not that great, so we were really keen to see how Samsung BD-P1600 performs. We were really surprised by its performance as the player depicted the full details without any sort of jaggies and crisp. The performance of BD-P1600 is in par with its step up model the BD-P3600 and also its rival Panasonic DMP-BD60. Skin tones look natural and gradation in colours is reasonably good, though there is some visible picture noise in backgrounds. It’s not serious and pictures remain watchable at all times.

When the video is flicked to the 24fps mode in order to create a more cinematic feel by slowing down the disc a modicum, but it is really hard to discern any appreciable difference as it can occasionally introduce some lip sync problem.

Speedy Response and Loading Times:
If there has been one thorn in the side of the recent Blu ray players, it is their painfully slow and irresponsive loading times and navigating discs. The latest series of the Samsung players has made a great progress in this issue. For instance, the BD-P1600 loaded “Confessions of a shopaholic” in just 16 seconds, whereas the rival Panasonic model took 21 seconds. The difference will be much higher in the discs with elaborate menus. While the Samsung model loaded “Spiderman 3” in just 63 seconds, DMP-BD took 87 seconds. Apart from disc loading, BD-P1600 was much more responsive than most of the models in the market; as speedy as the PS3 reference model.

DVD playback:
We cannot deny the fact that there are a lot of movies that are still available in standard DVD than in the Blu ray format, hence, the performance of Standard DVD is still an issue of concern. The BD-P1600 did a very good job in upscaling to 1080p by resolving all the details of the initial resolution pattern without any issues of image instability. But the player let us down with jaggies. As far as the DVD playback is concerned, we would prefer the Panasonic model as it was much cleaner and sharper.

Average sound:
The Samsung BD-P1600 Blu ray DVD player is more about pictures than sound as the soundtracks lack a bit of the punch. The Samsung digs up a fair amount of detail from high-definition soundtracks, but the overall sound is dynamically flat. The dialogue throughout the “Australia” movie is not as clear as it is on the player’s closest rivals, and the film’s musical score needs greater punch. That being said, playback of simple MP3 files from a USB flash memory stick delivers plenty of mid-range and treble detail, while CD playback is on a par with most DVD players and by that we mean basic.

Power consumption:

The power consumption of BD-P1600 is much less when compared to some other players. It consumes less than 1Watt in standby mode, 13 Watts at the home screen, 19 Watts in playing movie and 14 Watts playing Pandora.

Warranty:

Samsung offers its BD-P1600 Blu-ray player one year limited warranty.

Verdict:

The Samsung BD-P1600 Blu ray disc player is a great performer in all the areas. Though this player is not the best player around, but importantly, its improvement over the BD-P1500 is great. The best part is that, even though the model is an upgrade from the one of last years, you are paying less for it. It will be very mean of us to criticise the very small issues that the player has, for the price tag it is available in. We are very happy with the list of features in this entry level player. If you are after a decent player that can handle some digital media types, the BD-P1600 will be a great option.

Check other Samsung Blu Ray Disc Players in our website.

Samsung BD-P1600 Blu Ray Player - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	Samsung BD-P1600
Product Type	Blu-Ray disc player
Form Factor	Table top
Dimensions H x W x D	2.1″ x 17″ x 7.8″
Weight	4.9lbs
Colour	Black
Profile	Profile 2.0
Media Type	CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW
Built-in Audio Decoders	Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True-HD, DTS decoder, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio
Media Load Type	Tray
Digital Video Standards	VC-1 , H.264 , MPEG-2
Digital Audio Standards	MP3 , WMA
Hard Drive Storage	256MB
Sound Output Mode	100DB Stereo
Digital Audio Format	DTS digital output , Dolby Digital output
Network	Ethernet
Internet Streaming Services	Netflix and Pandora
Power Source	AC 120V, 60Hz
Power Consumption	30W (Approx.)
Remote control type	Infrared Universal remote control
Additional Features	BD-Live, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning and 3:2 pull down compensation.
Connectivity	1 x HDMI 1 x Component video output 1 x Composite video/audio output 1 x Digital audio output 1 x Network 2 x USB - Rear
Warranty	One year

Panasonic are experts in delivering a thrilling and entertaining experience in your living room, and are constantly driving to improve the way we watch television. From the beginning, Panasonic have paved the way making advances in Blu-ray technology. The BD60EB is Panasonic’s newest blu-ray disc player on the market and is expected to be one of this year’s best sellers. Unlike some of the cheaper standard players available to buy, the Panasonic DMP-BD60EB-K has a host of cool features.  Enjoy, and experience true High Definition with the Panasonic DMP-BD60EB and take advantage of its great features including BD-LIVE and VIERA CAST.

BD60EB- A fantastic unique design:

The Panasonic DMP-BD60EB-K Blu-Ray Disc Player has a unique look that makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd. The unit has a glossy black finish that is dominated for its appearance. The basic functionalities and controls are not that obvious as the controls like open, close and play must be triggered by black rectangle in the middle of the unit and the power button is a silver circle in the centre. Though they are not that easy to figure out in a single look, they do a great job by keeping the front panel of the unit sleek. The Panasonic BD60EB attains an excellent balance between the tacky gloss of Samsung  blu ray players and the more conservative balance of Sony players.

Connectivity:

Normally there is nothing much to criticise about design of a disc player’s back panel, but the unusual USB port in the design of BD60EB’s is worth pointing out. Surrounded by a plastic wrap, the port is deep-set into the unit; however the small opening may not hold some of the fat USB thumb drives which lie around. Panasonic Blu-ray Disc theatre and player models are equipped with an SD Memory Card slot and USB terminal. You can immediately view motion images recorded with an HD camcorder in AVCHD format, and JPEG images taken with a digital still camera. It also plays disc recorded data on to USB memory device.

Hefty remote control:

The sturdy remote control of BD60EB is quite long and hefty too. Unlike the metal remote controls that come with its TVs, this one is made out of plastic and hence it is not as hefty as that one. The remote is pleasant to use and is quite well laid out. A full feature remote is included in the pack which has the capability of executing every command from any angle with certain limits.

Features:

Briefly, the major Video features of Panasonic DVDs are PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, High Precision volume in the ratio of 4:4:4, Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD, 1080/24p Blu-ray Disc and DVD Playback whereas for audio, Built-in Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Decoder, 192kHz/24bit Audio D/A Converter, 96kHz Surround Re-master for All Formats like BD, DVD, CD and MP3 are mainly features that comply with the player.

BD-Live supporting Internet enabled content:

Panasonic BD60EB is the first standalone Blu-ray player that is compatible with an even more advanced Profile 2.0, which is also known as the BD Live. BD-Live can connect to the Internet and play Blu-ray movies that have Internet-enabled content, such as interactive multi player games, trailers and extra features that can be download from the Internet to local storage, e.g. on exchangeable memory like an SD memory card. The technology gets you the most from your movie watching. In the near future BD-Live will enable users to join in quizzes and challenge each other in super interactive games.

VIERA CAST gives you access to YouTube, Picasa and other selected internet content directly through your Viera TV and the BD LIVE feature gives you access to interactive features linked to bonus features on Blu-Ray Discs.

Blu-ray Clarity in Sound:

Hear the details you may have been missing for so long with Panasonic’s outstanding sound clarity. Eliminating the analogue video signal output prevents noise from being generated by analogue video signals allows for crisp, clear sound recreation from digital sound signal. Eliminate unwanted noise and enjoy the same true, rich sound quality from the DMP-BD60EB-K Blu-ray player as it delivers in high-quality Blu-ray video. True to life sounds that surround you as if you were really there. You can feel and hear the difference that only Panasonic Blu-ray disc players can deliver.

When the analogue video terminal is not being used, the electrical current that flows through the analogue video circuit can be stopped. This prevents adverse effects on the audio signals and produces an even clearer sound.
The results are astounding.

The Blu-ray Disc theatre and players feature decoders that are compatible with all of the latest 7.1-channel surround sound formats used by the Blu-ray Disc standard. The 96 kHz Sound Re-master function enhances the sound quality of CDs and other sources. It even raises the quality of the multi-channel audio data on Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. By increasing the amount of sound information the Surround Re-master can produce highly realistic sounds. The 7.1-channel analogue signal converted by the new 192 kHz D/A converter is transmitted in high quality. This signal can be connected to a receiver that does not support HDMI.

Brilliant picture quality:

The unbelievable detail delivered by Blu-ray disc is enhanced by Colour technology which has almost doubled the range of colours that can be accurately produced on screen. As a result, we can see the natural colours visible to human eyes like, vivid reds, blues and greens for brilliant life-like images. You will be able to see how close the pictures match in real life by just plugging the BD60EB Blu-ray DVD/Disc Player cable.

P4HD and PHL Reference Chroma plus Technology:

PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus is one of the high quality image-processing technologies which are developed by Panasonic in order to precisely process each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc video signal in the particular vertical direction. It reproduces colour data with twice the accuracy of conventional systems which keeps colours as said faithful and sharp.

The BD60EB Blu Ray DVD Player is also equipped with an SD memory card slot and USB Terminal, so you can immediately view motion images recorded with an HD camcorder in AVCHD format, and JPEG images taken with a digital still camera. AVCHD-format on USB devices cannot be playback.

The Panasonic’s reference UniPhier chipset is the unique P4HD technology processes more than 15 billion pixels per second, generating each pixel correctly according to information obtained from up to 60 surrounding pixels, and applies the optimum processing to every pixel in the video data on the disc. The result is images with exceptional resolution.

Implementation by Know-How:

Panasonic has collaborated with Hollywood filmmakers for more than 15 years through the company’s Hollywood Laboratory, in order to accumulate the know-how and expertise for the need to achieve faithful colour reproduction between original movie footage and Blu-ray media. This allows Panasonic to bring outstanding images which approaches towards original cinema quality right into your living room.

Input and Output methods:

There is certain standard collection for Panasonic blu-ray disc players. HDMI AV Output, Component Video Output, Video Output, 2ch Audio Output, Digital Audio Output (1 Optical), Ethernet for BD-Live, VIERA CAST and Firmware Update are the output capacities of Panasonic BD60EB player. It also has a legacy composite video output, which is bounded to 480i standard-definition resolution.

User Interface:

Despite the sophistication of the Panasonic BD60EB Disc/ DVD player, setup is straightforward. As far as the interface is concerned, the BD60 features the same lacking user interface. In terms of navigation and ease of use, there is not anything much to complain, and in fact, it is very good. But, it does not match with the eye candy that the other competing models possess.

A whole new range of interactive entertainment possibilities
The start of the Blu-ray revolution is the outstanding high definition picture quality; Blu-ray technology which also enables a new range of exciting and interactive entertainment possibilities. If you wanted to watch your favourite film with the director or lead actor by explaining significantly captured moments in the film, the backstage pass to the world behind the silver screen is its Bonus view.

DMP-BD60EB Blu-Ray performance:

Coming to the part of performance, all the details were well presented and no minuses will be noticed. The overall picture quality is very good and in par with the high end models that it had been put in comparison with. The disc loading performance also seemed to be much better than what was expected out of it. The discs will take 23 seconds to load with the player left on and also takes just a little more than half a minute with the payer switched off. Though these speeds are quite good, they are very well suitable for consumption due to its unbeatable quality and branded product service for long years in the market.

DVD performance:

The Panasonic BD60EB displays the full resolution of DVD with no visible image instability. Though, some of the video based features are disappointing, DVDs are still the ones that are widely available and cheap and so, this is one of the major factors that is to be taken in to consideration while reviewing a Blu-ray player.

Warranty:
Panasonic BD60EB blu-ray disc player comes with one year limited warranty period.

Verdict:

Panasonic BD60EB has a very high end and durable design, good performance and a great deal of features. If you are not willing to invest so much on a blu ray player, you can consider the Panasonic BD60. BD60 is also a good option, which you can get for reasonable price but then if you are looking for the absolute picture quality then stick to it at no cost compromise.

Panasonic BD60EB’s big plus its solid rock performance, if you are looking for some latest and high technical features, then you will have to look elsewhere, the best choice go ahead in purchasing disc player is Panasonic BD60EB blu-ray disc player. The player is inexpensive, exceeded expectations, convenient, easy to use, best picture and sound. It has all the basic features that work perfectly. Firmware updates are a tremendous asset of this BD player. These are the statements from BD60 consumers. This is proven success for Panasonic’s BD60EB blu-ray disc player for its compatibility and flexibility.

Thus from our point of view, the Panasonic BD60EB had been the landmark for the blu ray format, being its first player that could actually be recommended whole heartedly.

Check other Panasonic Blu Ray Disc Players reviews in our website.

Panasonic DMP-BD60EB-K Blu Ray Player - Specification Details

Manufacturer	Panasonic
Model Name	Panasonic BD60EB
Product Type	Blu-Ray disc player
Form Factor	Table top
Dimensions (W x D x H)	1.94” x 16.94” x 9.81”
Weight	8.6 lbs
Colour	Black
Media Type	CD, DVD, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM
Built-in Audio Decoders	Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD decoder , Dolby Digital Plus
Media Load Type	Tray
Digital Video Standards	DivX , AVCHD
SD memory card	AVCHD, MPEG2, JPEG (HD)
Technology	P4HD, PHL Reference Chroma plus Technology
Network Ethernet	For BD-Live™, VIERA CAST™ and Firmware Update
Digital Audio Standards	MP3
Power Source	AC 120V, 60Hz
Power Consumption	22W (Approx.)
Remote control type	Infrared
Additional Features	BD-Live, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning and 3:2 pull down compensation.
Connectivity	1 x HDMI output 1 x Ethernet 1 x Component video output 1 x S-Video output 1 x Composite video output 1 x Audio line-out 2 x SPDIF output
Warranty	One year

Blu-ray disc can store up to five times more in detail than DVD, which incurs that you will see more of the picture than before. You can enjoy movie as director intended with the 24 -frame output option.

At the very initial stage, Blu-ray DVD Players may have popped out as a mess, with befuddling “profile” and distressingly very slow load times. But this is the first year, the standalone players have finally kept together their efforts to bring out an excellent player. The following review is on Sony BDPS360B Blu-ray player and let us see if this player lives up to the expectations.

Sony BDPS360B is the entry level Blu-ray player which is distinctive among the new breed of Blu-ray players. Even in the BDPS360B the rudiments are covered with Profile 2.0 support and on board decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio Essential and Dolby TrueHD. Besides all the rudiments, Sony BDPS360B does not have much to offer. Like its rivals, Sony BDPS360B is not able to deliver any streaming of internet content, such as Amazon video on demand, Youtube, Netflix or Pandora. The model lets us down because of some stumbles in the design like the recessed USB port and the deficiency of eject button on the remote.

On the positive side, the player has an occupying feature in the interface that is of great interest to the purchasers, the polish that went into BDPS360B’s XMB inspired menu system. Sony BDPS360B Blu-Ray DVD Player, indeed has got a very stylish exterior design and also offers an authentic Blu-ray playback.

Design:

Front Panel Design:

The Sony BDP-S360B attains an excellent balance between the tacky gloss of Samsung players and the more conservative balance of Panasonic players. A glass like shimmering look is given to the design, with the front panel’s dark and semi transparent appearance. Similar to Samsung’s BD-P1600’s design, when tried to open the disc tray the entire front panel flips down, but it is found that Sony’s implementation is less clumsy. The BDPS360B’s dimensions are also appreciable giving it a very small footprint, a slim 16.9 inches wide, 22 inches high and 8.1 inches deep.

Back Panel Design:

Normally there is nothing much to criticise about design of a disc player’s back panel, but the unusual USB port in the design of BDPS360B’s is worth pointing out. Surrounded by a plastic wrap, the port is deep-set into the unit, however the small opening may not hold some of the fatter USB thumb drives which lie around.

The Remote Control:

The remote included in the pack has a great layout and a very simple design, but it is lacking the open/close button to operate the disc tray which is a disastrous flaw to it. If you are one those people who pops open the disc tray before you get off the couch to change discs, you will find it quite foiling. It could be overcome by purchasing a quality universal remote, as BDPS360B is capable of receiving an open/close IR command.

Sony’s XMB User Interface:

Sony’s own XMB user interface is used by BDPS360B Blu Ray Player, which is now available on almost all Sony products with a video output. There is no problem zipping around the BDPS360B’s menus, but everyone may not find the layout interesting. If you are not used to Sony’s XMB interface, it is not irrational as said, the large icon’s on the LG BD370’s menu system, the learning curve is not very hard. Apart from the graphics, the polished feel of BDPS360B surpasses the other Blu-ray players. You will enjoy the small modifications done like screen fading to black when you stop the movie and the player navigating quickly among the Blu-ray Disc menus.

Features:

BD-Live:

Like almost every other 2009 latest Blu-ray players, the Sony BDPS360B is Profile 2.0-tractable, which gives it the capability of playing back BD-Live features that are available on some Blu-ray movies. BD-Live features must be downloaded from the Internet for which you need to make an Ethernet connection and also plug in the USB memory drive to save it. The BD-Live content is not very obligating, even though the technology is relatively new.

On-board Decoding:

Sony BDPS360B is featuring onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential through which the soundtrack support is gratifying. Which means, it can decode all those soundtrack formats so that they can be played back on almost every HDMI-capable AV receiver. If you have decoded in your AV receiver, bit stream output is also supported.(DTS-HD Master Audio Essential differs from standard DTS-HD Master Audio in which it lacks decoding for few legacy DTS DVD soundtracks formats such as DTS 96/24, ES, ES Matrix, and Neo:6.Still it decodes all the high resolution Blu-ray DTS soundtracks.)

Output Capacity:

Sony BDPS360B Profile 2.0 Blu Ray Player has a standard collection of outputs. There is an HDMI output which is capable of outputting Blu-ray movies at 1080p, and also upscales standard DVDs to 1080p.  Even though you got an older HDTV, there is a component video output, which will handle Blu-ray at 1080i and DVDs at 480p. It also has a legacy composite video output, which is bounded to 480i standard-definition resolution.

Audio Features:

As aforesaid, the player has HDMI output for high resolution; multichannel audio can be used for an effective sound. BDPS360B consists of both the types of digital audio outputs optical and coaxial, which is really a nice bonus, as many Blu-ray players only include optical. If you have an older AV receiver there is a stereo analog audio output, but there is no multichannel analog output in this model.

Internet Streaming:

Like the other entry level players from Panasonic, Samsung and LG, the BDPS360B does not offer any streaming internet contents, such as Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Youtube, CinemaNow, or Pandora. The output quality is adding a lot of value to BDPS360B, especially it is significant for people who do not feel the image quality leap from DVD to Blu-ray. It is storming that why the Sony’s Bravia Internet Video Link which is providing similar functionality is not added into the new Blu-ray players.

Brilliant Picture Quality And Master-Quality Sound:

The unbelievable detail delivered by Blu-ray disc is enhanced by x.v. Colour technology which has almost doubled the range of colours that can be accurately produced on screen. As a result of which, we can see the natural colours that we can see like, vivid reds, blues and greens for brilliant life-like images. You will be able to see how close the pictures match in real life by just plugging the BDPS360B Blu-ray DVD/Disc Player into HD ready TV using HDMI cable. The same applies in the case of audio.  This model can support a wide range of audio formats, from stereo right up to uncompressed 7.1 multichannel surround which presents master quality sound and music through best playback.

Bravia Theatre Sync:

The “one-touch play” feature of the remote control allows you to manage easy selection of BRAVIA televisions and Sony HDMI audio and video components with the included remote control.

Multi-format Versatility:

BDPS360B plays Blu-ray discs of formats BD-ROM/R/RE, DVD, DVD+R/W, CD, CD-R/W, MP3 AND JPEG. The player allows you to playback all your favourite DVDs in high resolution as it is backward compatible.

Component Video Output:

When player is connected via component output to your projector, plasma and/or LCD/CRT televisions it achieves greater colour accuracy and high resolution playback capability.

Expanding Technology:

The new model integrated rigorous licensing control, powerful encryption and other content protection. The Blu-ray disc Technology provides power to copy its data-content to your compatible components. And also to enjoy music and movies on your PC it offers flexibility to make managed copies across a home network.

Quick Start Mode:

This device provides faster loading times by using the Quick Start Mode. By using this mode you can operate BDPS360B within just 6 seconds from the moment it is powered on.

Parental Lock:

The BDPS360B’s menu features a parental lock and rating system adjustment for parents who wants full control of media content played back through player.

Full Featured Remote:

A full feature remote is included in the pack which has the capability of executing every command from any angle up to ±30°.

Performance:

Blu-ray players incline to provide very similar picture quality and they all look much better than DVDs, but definitely, there you can find some difference in the entry level players. If BDPS360B is connected to Sony KDL-52XBR7 via HDMI and set to1080p mode with 24 frames per second, the output is disabled.

Video and Film Resolution Tests:

If you pop in Silicon Optix’s “HQV” test suite on Blu-ray and browse the test patterns, the initial Video Resolution Test looks good, with full resolution and no excess jaggies on the rotating white line. The BDPS360B Blu Ray Player also comes out successfully the other two jaggies tests, without showing any of the jagged edges we sometimes notice on budget players. Even in the film resolution tests, BDPS360B does not show any shortcomings.

Operational Speed Test:

Some tests on the operational speeds of have already commented on how fast BDPS360B is at navigating menus, which brings high hopes on its disc-loading performance. Unfortunately, BDPS360B came out as the slowest of the new 2009 models, when tested by loading “Mission: Impossible III”, it played in 23 seconds with the player already on. Where the Samsung BD-P1600, LG BD370 and Samsung BD-P3600 loaded the same movie in less than 16 seconds, and the Panasonic DMP-BD60k takes 21 seconds. Discs with elaborate menu systems like “Spider-Man 3” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” took 1 minute and 28 seconds and 1 minute and 56 seconds respectively to load which is same as the DMP-BD60. The Samsung and LG players loaded these titles 30 seconds faster.

Standard DVD Performance:

As most of the home theatre friends will pile up significant library of DVDs, we will go through the results of standard DVD test suite. The BDPS360B passed the initial resolution test, clearly showing all the resolution in the test pattern, but some image instability is noticed. In the video based test, plenty of jaggies on a rotating white line were noticed along with three pivoting white lines. In the part of high concern, the BDPS360B passed the 2:3 pull down test, with no wavy surfaces visible in the grandstands as the race car drove by.

BDPS360B Pack Details:

The packing of the Sony BDPS360B comprises of the Sony BDP-S360B Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Player itself, Mains lead, Remote commander (remote), R6 (size AA) batteries and Owner’s Manual.

Warranty:

Limited warranty is provided for the parts and labour for 1 year.

Verdict:

Sony BDPS360B holds Blu-ray basics with ease and with its added new features, like Profile 2.0-compatible, on-board decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential, its excellent video and sound quality on most Blu-ray movies compared to its competitors, its sleek design proves that it is an excellent value for the money paid. Though there are some disappointments, they are quite minor. It is simple and fast set up. It got good connection options, simple controls and menus. It works extraordinarily with Sony Television. We at bluraydiscplayers.org.uk recommend this player is best choice for a shopper when looking for a compact, portable, affordable Blu-ray player with modernised features, excellent sound and video quality.

Sony BDPS360B Blu-Ray Disc Player - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Sony BDPS360B Blu-ray disc player
Form Factor	Tabletop
Dimensions (H x W x D)	2.2 x 16.9 x 8.1in
Weight	4.6 lbs
Media Types supported	CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL.
BD Profiles	Profile 2.0(BD-Live), Profile 1.1(Bonus View)
Video D/A Converter	12bit/148.5MHz
Built-in Audio Decoders	Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD
Media Load Type	Tray
Upscaling	Yes ( up to 1080p)
Supported digital video standards	AVCHD
Supported digital audio standards	MP3, PCM
Parental Lock	Yes
Additional Features	JPEG Photo playback, x.v. Colour, Progressive Scanning, technology
Sound Output Mode	Stereo
Digital Audio Format	DTS Digital output, Dolby Digital output, DTS-HD digital output, Dolby Digital plus output, Dolby TrueHD digital output.
Remote Control	Yes, Infrared technology
Connector Type	1X audio line-out( RCA phone X 2) - Rear, 1 X SPDIF output ( RCA phone) - Rear, 1 X Component Video output ( RCA phone X 3) - Rear, 1 X Composite Video output ( RCA phone) - Rear, 1 X SPDIF output( TOSLINK) - Rear, 1 X HDMI output (19 pin HDMI Type A) - Rear, 1 X Ethernet(RJ-45) - Rear
Power Device	Power supply
Package Details	Sony BDPS360B Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Player, Mains lead (x1), Remote commander (remote) (x1), R6 (size AA) batteries (x2), Owners Manual, warranty information
Warranty	1 year limited warranty

We cannot deny the fact that Blu-Ray players are quite expensive when compared with the DVD players and other similar gadgets. If you are looking for a budget blu ray player, then it is better you stop reading the review here because, here we are reviewing Pioneer’s BDP-LX71 which is one of the most expensive models in the current market. While most of the manufacturers are bringing down the price of their blu ray players, pioneer persists with its policy of delivering the best performance irrespective of the cost. And this model stands out to be an evidence for this. This high definition player costs about three times as much as the cheapest budget deck that you might get, but for that price you will be taking the ultimate home cinema heaven to your house.

A high end, stylish and durable design:

Aesthetically, the BDP-LX71 Blu Ray Player has got Pioneer’s fingerprints all over it, and thanks to its glossy black fascia it will soon be covered in yours too. But it is a very small price to pay for such a seriously good looking player that boasts heaps of classy touches such as a silver trimmed play button, an alluring blue light and a row of touch-sensitive buttons that cause a white light to flash momentarily. The display panel is also a cut above the usual budget fare, showing title, chapter and time information in big, bold digits and it even shows you the current output frequency.

Having packed in a great deal of features, the Pioneer BDP-LX71 Blu Ray Disc Player is big in its size too. It has about twice the height of most of the modern day blu ray players, having its dimensions as (H x W x D) mm 124 x 420 x 360mm. And yet, it is a stylish looking unit. Overall, the player has been designed stylishly and despite its size, the finish is quite classy and has got expensive look and feels extremely durable. Pioneer has put in some efforts to maintain the symmetry of the device.  For instance, the power button on the left is mirrored with an identical looking play button.

Pioneer maintains its standards:

The AV receivers and DVD or blu ray players will all fit together perfectly as they are designed to work better with each other, instead of mixing and matching the components. Pioneer has almost set this to be one of its standards for its range of home cinema devices. The BDP-LX71 Blu Ray DVD Player has included almost all types of outputs that you will ever need. Its set of outputs include an HDMI socket, component video out, S-video and even composite outputs. While the HDMI socket is the best way that you will be able to enjoy high definition 1080p video to your TV, whereas composite outputs are also included which is hardly ever going to be used.

For audiophiles:

Pioneer has completely flattered us by including analogue 7.1 audio outputs, which take the form of RCA jacks. Hence, with the help of these jacks you will be able to pass decoded audio from Blu-Ray to an AV receiver. This set up will be extremely handy if you do not intend to use HDMI for audio, or your receiver does not support the latest lossless codecs. Though BDP-LX71 from Pioneer has also got the coaxial and optical digital audio outputs, and as they do not carry enough data, they will not be of much use for high def sound. But when it comes to DVD, they are the perfect ones for conveying sound to surround-sound receiver.

Sturdy remote control:

The remote control offered is not different from the one that comes with the other pioneer electrical. It is quite long and hefty too. Unlike the metal remote controls that come with its TVs, this one is made out of plastic and hence it is not as hefty as that one. The remote is pleasant to use and is quite well laid out.

Well designed user interface at BDP-LX71:

The user interface of Pioneer BDP-LX71 certainly deserves the appreciation. It is simply wonderful as the menus are extremely easy to navigate and got ample options that are more than enough to control player without confusing the user. The basic set up that Pioneer has offered is quite good and does not require any adjusting to be done. With the help of the output resolution button, you will be able to choose the sort of video output that you would need, whose options include auto, 480i, 480p, 1080i, 1080p or source direct. The source direct setting sets the output to whatever is recorded on the disc. The videophiles will be having a great time with the player as it comes with an extensive range of video adjustments. The adjustments that you can make includes black level, gamma correction, hues and colour intensity, sharpness and many more.

Features:

Pioneer BDP-LX71 is unfortunately a profile 1.1 blu ray player and hence you will not be getting an Ethernet socket for downloading additional content from the internet. And this is going to be one of the major disadvantages of the player. The BDP-LX71 has something special in its bags for the audiophiles. It has got a built-in system that aims to reduce audio jitter over HDMI, but to enjoy this feature to the fullest; you will need a set of top-of-the-range speakers and a pioneer AV receiver. And of course considering the fact that this blu ray player is fully aimed at the class of people who expect to get the best out of everything.

The BDP-LX71 also features DIVX playback, which has become standard on most DVD and Blu-Ray players recently. This feature will be extremely handy if you have got a good collection of standard definition videos that are downloaded from the net. But then if you are MKV HD freak, you have nothing in offer.

One of the best features of BDP-LX71 is its picture processing modes. They have included a lot of them such as the default ones like LCD TV to plasma TV and special pioneer plasma setting, which is optimised for pioneer’s own TVs. The device has also got custom modes that would allow you to tweak the settings to your wish.

Picture quality:

The deepest blacks are very pure, with rich colour rendition and naturality. The motion handling has also been phenomenal. The DVD quality is pretty good, though there are some noise artefacts. The video has a lot of detail and is sharp. The DVDs are upscaled and processed correctly. The audio is very impressive. It is well balanced, speeches are crystal clear and the sound effects are great.

A slow starter:

So far, the blu ray player that has got the fastest loading time is Sony PS3 as it takes just 43 seconds to load and start playing and the fastest stand alone player is Samsung BD-P1500 that starts to playback in just 1 minute and 9 seconds. Hence, when compared to these models, the BDP-LX71 is quite slow as it takes almost 2 minutes to start a playback.

Warranty:

Pioneer BDP-LX71 comes with one year limited warranty.

Verdict:

As we mentioned in the introduction, Pioneer BDP-LX71 is not the one for you if you are looking for a budget blu ray player. Otherwise, it has a very high end and durable design, good performance and a great deal of features. Though it is of profile 1.1, it is well suited for most of the people. If you are not willing to invest so much on a blu ray player, you can consider the Panasonic DMP-BD35, which is equally a great choice. PS3 is also a good option, which you can get for half price but then if you are looking for the absolute picture quality, then stick to the other alternative.

Though the Pioneer BDP-LX71 has a list price of about £600, this model is still available for about £500, which is a good deal of price reduction. This piece of player is an absolute value for money.

Pioneer BDP-LX71 Blu-Ray DVD Player - Technical Specification Details

Manufacturer	Pioneer
Model Name	BDP-LX71
Product Type	Blu-Ray Disc Player
Dimensions (W x H x D)	420 x 124 x 360 mm
Form factor	Table top
Number of disc trays	One
Weight	5kg
Playable disc types	Blu-Ray disc (BD-ROM, BD-R/RE) DVD-Video (DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW) AVCHD (DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW) CD (CD-DA, DTS-CD, PC-Files
Playable file formats	DivX, MP3, WMA, JPEG
Blu-Ray Profile	BD-Live Ready
KURO LINK	Yes
Remote control	Yes
Audio features	192 kHz/24-bit D/A Converter Dolby Digital Plus DTS-HD High Resolution Audio PQLS with HDMI Dynamic Range Control Pure Audio Auto Lip Synchronous Function
Surround Sound	Yes
Built in Decoders	Yes
Video features	PureCinema Progressive Scan: PAL/NTSC Super Fine Focus Digital Filter Noise Reduction Pixel Scaler Deep Colour x.v. Colour Anamorphic Zoom
Photo display option	Yes
S-video	Yes
Progressive scan	Yes ( NTSC/PAL)
Input terminals	1 x LAN
Output terminals	1 x HDMI out 1 x Component Video out 1 x S-Video out 1 x Video out 1x Coaxial Digital Audio out 1 x Optical Digital Audio out 1 x 7.1ch Analogue Audio out 1 x 2ch Analogue Audio out
Power consumption	37Watts
Warranty	One Year