Blu Ray Disc Players

With the introduction of the Blu-ray discs, HD movies and video games are easier to play like never before. Most of the latest HD movies are available in the Blu-ray discs and to be short, these Blu-ray discs have replaced the DVDs in most of the areas. Hence, all the manufacturers of the electronic goods around the world have started to compete with each other by producing higher-end Blu-ray disc players. As a part of this, Sony has produced many good ones but its latest one, the BDPS760B, is a masterpiece. This time around, Sony has not concentrated on the looks and the design of the player, but it has its attention mainly on the performance.

Design and Display:

As already discussed, Sony did not focus much on its design. Even then, it is fine. It may not be a peach of a design and the players of other manufacturers like LG and Samsung have better designs.  But at least, it has a shiny look.  Its dimensions, (W x H x D) 430 x 70 x 246 mm seems to be a fairly medium in size. Also, it weighs only 3 kg, so not so heavily built either. It has come out only in greyish black outfit. The Display is digital type and is available on the front panel.

This BDPS760B Blu Ray Disc player has a fair number of outputs. They include the HDMI output, S-Video output, SCART connector, Component Video output, Composite video output, 7.1 channel analogue output, analogue stereo output, Optical and Coaxial digital audio output and so on.

Features:

Video features:
Sony has a variety of features that makes it a real contender against the others. As usual, it also spins DVDs and CDs along with the BD ROMs. The unique features are: It boasts a 1080p output via HDMI cables. This gives a very high definition pictures with optimum quality. Along with the Precision Cinema HD upscale and the DVD upscale features, you can upscale any kind of video or picture up to 1080p to enhance the picture quality. The Video converter is another feature that can be used to inter-convert the video formats. The 24p True Cinema feature makes you feel like you are watching in a theatre. Along with this, the HD Reality enhancer maximises the HD video output.

Audio features:
The Deck features a 7.1 channel analogue audio output for decoding high definition audio, such as DTS-HD and Dolby Digital True HD, to AV receivers that do not have a built-in decoding for HD. But this facility is very limited as admitted by Sony itself. The player has two USB ports, one on the front and the other on the back. The front one is for syncing to the USB flash drives for playing JPEG photos and music files. The one on the back is for the connection of an external hard disk in order to provide some extra memory to the player. There is an Ethernet jack, which is expected from any good Blu-ray player these days. These Ethernet jacks allow you to access the BD- Live functions that are featuring on the Bu-Ray’s online functions.

WiFi Connectivity in BDPS760B:
The most interesting feature of the BDPS760B Blu Ray DVD player is that of the Wi-Fi connectivity, that enables wireless connections between your player and any wireless connection. Via the Wi-Fi connection or the Ethernet facility, you can always access the JPEG pictures on your Computer or any Wi-Fi and Ethernet compatible device. This is a very useful and the most important feature of this player. There are some possibilities of routers that cause a few problems to you. These routers are solely responsible for the activities running behind the scenes without your consent. But they are not that frequent and especially when the player is fairly new. They occur very rarely and are also not unsolvable.  It handles quite a number of file types although not as much as the other products in the market can do. Particularly, the players from Samsung and LG, the other two giants in the electronic arena, can efficiently handle more number of file types.

The Missing Extras:
It also does not support the access to YouTube like its predecessors from Sony. Also, there is no such application as Sony AppliCast in this model as some of the TVs manufactured by the company have featured it in the past. Also, unlike its precursors, the BDP-S760 has no internal memory at all. Even its immediate precursor had a memory of 1 GB. But this time around, Sony has not provided the customers with many of the facilities that they have enjoyed in the past. But, anyway, it has not completely disappointed them since it gave the option of attaching an external hard disk through the USB cables as discussed above. This may be a key factor for Sony as the other companies in the market are ahead of it when it comes to the extra features.

Performance:

This part of the player, the performance, has been the centre of all the talks. Sony was quoted that it has completely concentrated on the performance of its players and it has devoted towards giving the best picture quality ever.  It has not let us down in this aspect and it kept its word. Sony has succeeded in producing stunning picture quality and truly high definition video quality. When it comes to video processing, Sony has somehow managed to produce the picture quality that we normally see in the players of Panasonic. Panasonic is pretty famous for its excellent output. The HD Reality Enhancer and the Super Bit Mapping are two of the best features produced by Sony and these two are instrumental in fancifying the picture quality.

While the HD Reality Enhancer really enhances and smoothens the tone of the image, and significantly reduce the noise effects to produce finer images, the Super Bit Mapping helps the player in adapting the image output to the eighth or tenth or twelfth bit depth of the screen and thereby helps in making the colours look much more natural, just like your TV can do. Also, the upscaling process can do a world of good to the image output quality. Many BD players cannot be as efficient as this one, when playing pictures and videos at 1080p.

Many manufacturers just hail the performance of their players, but in this case, Sony has done what it has said. It has promised the customers, excellent picture quality and has finally put it into action. So, there is no need for any kinds of worries with the playback and performance of your player, if yours is the BDP-S760. There is also no need to worry about the HD reality enhancer damaging the picture and thereby the disc. This was proved to be wrong. On the contrary, it immaculately balances the pictures and finally, the output is truly fascinating.

The Quick start up, Easy set up, Bravia Sync, Xross Media Bar, Photo TV HD, Local storage for BD, Child lock and parental control and a few other features that only increase the performance of the player.

Power Consumption:

This BDPS760B Multi Region Blu Ray player is one of the most power efficient and low power consuming BD players in the market. It requires the normal 220-240 V and during operation, it consumes 32 W of power. During the standby, it only consumes 0.19 W. Sony saves your money by featuring the Auto power off option that switches off the player after a standby period of 30 minutes.

Warranty:

Sony offers a warranty period of one year from the date of purchase, for parts and labour.

Verdict:

The Sony BD-S760 is a very impressive player; one the best performer in the market. Although its design and looks do not say much about it, and the features are not as many as the others’ in the market, its cost is a reasonable one and it is an excellent BD player at that cost. This is one of the most affordable BD players ever. Performance wise too, we have no complaints on this player, and so we have no hesitations in recommending the Sony BD-S760 Blu-ray player.

Sony BDPS760B - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	BDPS760B Blu-ray disc player
Form Factor	Tabletop
Dimensions (W x D x H)	430 x 246 x 70 mm
Weight	2.9 kg
Display	LED
Finishing	Black
User Interface	XrossMediaBar
Media Types supported	CD, DVD, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM
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, Precision Cinema, 24p True Cinema, Precision Drive HD, Deep Colour, Preset Picture Mode, HD Reality Enhancer, Super Bit Mapping, Firm Grain Reducer and Smoothing
Audio D/A Convertor	192kHz / 24bit
Audio Features	8ch Linear PCM bitstream out, Dolby TrueHD decoding, Dolby TrueHD bitstream out, DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream out, H/P Jack
Quick start-up	6 seconds
Remote Control	Backlit Infrared technology
PC Sync	Yes
Bravia Sync	Yes
Network Ethernet	BD Live
PC interface	Mini USB
Upscaling	Yes (up to 1080p)
Parental Lock	Yes
Connectivity	Wireless Internet DLNA Client BD-Live enabled Frimware update via the Internet
Connector Type	1X audio line-out( RCA phone X 2) - Rear, 1 X Component Video output ( RCA phone X 3) - Rear, 1 X Composite Video output ( RCA phone) - Rear, 1 x Digital Optical op 1 x Digital Coaxial op 1 X HDMI output (19 pin HDMI Type A) - Rear, 7.1ch Analogue Output Analogue Stereo Output USB Front port Headphone out
Power Device	Power supply
Power Consumption	32 W (AC 220-240 V)
Package Details	Sony BDPS760B Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Player, Mains lead, Remote commander, R6 (size AA) batteries, Owners Manual and warranty information
Warranty	1 year limited warranty

The CES in January 2009 demonstrated that the year will mark the beginning of Blu-ray reaching its potential, thanks to a lot of exciting innovations. Most Blu-ray players in the market are BD enabled and have video-on-demand access, making them even more marvellous. This year Samsung has managed to generate a lot of buzz when the Samsung BD-P4600 was premiered. The obvious headline grabber was its “Touch of Colour” design – translucent red highlights, a glossy black finish and rounded corners.  But what is more interesting is the fact this is the world’s first wall-mountable blu-ray player.  It has features that beat out competition quite solidly including Wi-Fi compatibility, 1GB onboard memory and Netfix and Pandore streaming. Its price might be a turn off to some users, but it is an excellent player if you do not mind shelling out some more money for its unconventional design.

Design:

Unique design:
The one aspect the BDP 4600 differs from the BDP 3600 is its unusual design. At 1.7 inches, it is relatively flat and is amongst the thinnest players in the market. Its aesthetic round corners, glossy finish and translucent red highlights are amazing. The player perches on an included stand on an angle sloping downward. The player lacks hard buttons; instead it has soft touch sensitive buttons which light up when the player is switched on. When power is unplugged, it appears to be completely button-less and smooth. Because the player is slim, it lacks an ordinary standard disc tray. Instead, it features a slot design system on the side of the system (similar to the PS3).

Connectivity:
Under the unit, are the connectivity ports.  They are relatively lesser in number because of the lesser space on the unit. It lacks multichannel analogue outputs and component video outputs.  However, there are a HDMI output, an optical digital audio output, composite video/stereo outputs and an Ethernet port.  There is also a USB port and a power port, the latter is in the compartment, leading to external power supply. That is a reason why this player is so slim.

Wall Mountable:
Its wall mount ability is evident in its rulebook – rewriting design, making it an attention grabbing high deck.  The deck comes along with hardware for its wall mounting which is where the slim design rules.  On the deck’s front panel are a row of touch sensitive buttons and a small display panel that shows the elapsed time. So, is it worth to shell out more money for a better design? If you think a wall mountable blu-ray player is cool, then this is perfect for you. If you are not fascinated by design, there is the cheaper BDP 3600.

Remote Control:
The remote of the BD-P4600 Blu Ray Disc Player is a tremendously better designed than its previous players.  It has an alluring gloss finish and is probably inspired by the Panasonic models. Its design is pretty much similar to the remotes of the BDP 1600 and BDP 3600. It has big chunky buttons, an intuitive layout and is well labelled. The numeric buttons are at the top of the remote control and the play back functions are right under it. The channel and volume buttons are in the middle of the remote control and the BD J disc buttons at the bottom.  The BD J buttons are colour coded in red, yellow, green and blue and each have their special features. There is also a separate button for subtitles and audio. However, important buttons like the Pop-up Menu, Title Menu and the Disc menu could have been more strategically placed.  There also could have been easy access buttons for NetFlix and Pandora.

Features:

Formats Supported:
Perhaps, the real strength of a Samsung model is its ability to support a huge range of formats. DivX and DivX HD files can be played using either the USB port or on a DVD. The Non DivX files can be read even from a CD and JPEG, JPEG HD, HD and MP3 files can be read from USBs, Hard drives, DVDs and CDs. off this selection, the BDP4600 Wall mountable Blu Ray Player can play AVCHD files from camcorders stored on CDs or DVDs. This wide range of compatibility makes this device a great digital media hub.

Audio Formats:
The BD-P4600 Slim Blu Ray DVD Player is compatible with every HD formats from 1.0 to 7.1 channels, which it can produce HDMI output ready to send to you Television. It supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential. As mentioned early, it lacks an analogue multi-channel audio output; however, it handles audio formats as a bit stream.

PC Streaming:
An impressive feature of the BD-P4600 Blu-ray player is its PC Streaming. When the P4600 joins a network, be it wired or wireless, it can search other computers to find MP3, JPEG and DivX files. Something similar to what the DLNA offers, though not the same guarantee of success.

User Interface of BD-P4600:
The User Interface is visually appealing with vibrant colours and HD graphics. The onscreen menu has a decent layout. It has plenty of options for handling all the audio and video modes and is easy to navigate.  It is really easy to scroll through content, making it a great medium to view digital snaps and watch downloaded videos. There is no slideshow option though. One minor irritant is that the player defaults to dynamic range compression making the dialogue more intelligible at a lower volume and compressing louder explosions.  It does not offer any user adjustable picture controls or HDMI colour space options. Advanced options such as adjusting gamma levels and noise reduction filters are not present either. However, this would not make much of a difference to users who want to keep things simple. The video output resolutions include 1080p (60/24), 1080i, 720p, and 480p. The BD Wise feature sets the optimum resolution when connected to BD wise Products.

Netflix and Pandora Interfaces:
NetFlix allows you to stream over a large number of movies and TV episodes anytime you want to.In the Netflix interface, the instant queue is arranged horizontally on the screen. Like on a computer, you need to find movies and them on the instant queue. That is how you do it on all Netflix Instant Streaming devices, including the Netflix player by Roku, to which the Netflix interface s bears similarity.

Pandora is a free Internet radio service that allows you to program stations to be able to listen to your favourite music. Pandora’s interface is very simple, easy to use and full access is possible from the onscreen menu. Samsung could try going a step further by offering a larger album art images and more information on the artists.

Wi-Fi:
With the BD-P4600 Full HD Blu-Ray playback Player, you can access Internet using Wi-Fi. But for that you need to buy an 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi dongle, which Samsung sells separately. This is one area where LG and Sony fall behind, they do not offer this feature. However, the model has problems connecting through Wi-Fi. It fails to connect to a network sometimes and we think that the Ethernet port is a more valid option to surf the Internet.

Profile 2.0 Compliant:
The Samsung BD P4600 is Profile 2.0 compliant, which means you can receive extra features like sub-titles in other languages, additional terminals, film trailers, game endings and other bonuses. It offers consumer access to different places on DVD and other Blu-ray offers. However, there has not been great content on BD Live as of yet. Hopefully, Samsung will try providing more features. There is a 1 GB in-built Memory provided to store all the downloads from BD Live.

Performance:

Video Playback:
The BD P4600 delivers rewarding hi-def pictures and can play every track available on Blu-ray, with Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio inside the player and delivered over HDMI It handles colours with a deft hand, while managing to convey gentle and soft tones effectively and stronger colours with deep saturation equally good. The colours are punchy; however, the player seems to struggle on certain occasions to keep motion under control.  The GUI is impressive, while it is not as good as the Sony’s Xross Media Bar., it still is reasonably fast and the graphics are crisp and vivid.

There is sufficient vividity to skin tones and the edges are well marshaled and the field depth is acceptable. However, the overall depth and sharpness of the image is not as impressive as some other players and the movement is not exactly smooth- there is consistent juddering. It offers clear and a radiant presentation; however some shots show minor flickering as well. Chapter skipping was slower than its counterpart the BD 3600. The Silicon Optix HQV Disc instantly detects the correct cadences on the Film and Resolution Loss tests and reproduces them as rotating bar patterns.
Overall, the playback is fine, with its high levels of colour and detail and its low noise levels.

Load speeds:
Speed wise, it is a strong performer managing to take only 18 seconds to power on and load times for Java intensive Blu-ray discs were equally impressive. The PS3 might be faster, but it would not matter much to an ordinary user.

Competent upscaler:
When it comes to upscaling, The BD-P4600 manages to upscale the DVD with similar competence. There is picture noise but the DVD clarity is fine when upscaled to 1080p. The BDP 4600 seemed to be picky about its HDMI handshake when linked to a screen or a multichannel receiver. Another drawback is the fact that sound is just satisfactory; it does not have a low frequency presence or dynamic potency to make the most of great action films. The CD playback reminds you of highly compressed MP3 playback.

Power Consumption:

The BDP 4600 consumes less energy. It uses a mere one watt when on standby and 16 watts while watching movies.

Warranty:

The Samsung BDP 4600 comes with a warranty of one year from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

The USP of the Samsung BDP 4600 is its wall mount-ability.  It might not be what most people are looking for, but if you want your Blu-ray player to look as good as the picture quality it delivers, this is a fine choice. The Blu-ray playback is great; however, upscaling is just not one of the model’s strengths. It has good streaming capabilities and offers Internet Access through WI-FI.  The inbuilt memory of 1 GB and good loading times are added bonuses.  The remote design and the picture quality could have been way better. It is very similar to the Samsung BD P3600, and lacks a 7.1 channel analogue output which is present on the BD P3600.But, if you do not mind shelling out a few more pounds for its design; the player would not disappoint you.

Check Latest Blu Ray Disc Players, Samsung Blu Ray Player Reviews, Specs in this website.

Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray player - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Samsung
Model Name	BD-P4600
Product Type	Blu-Ray Disc Player
Dimensions (H x W x D)	18.2” x 1.7” x 7.7”
Form factor	Table top and Wall Mountable
Number of disc trays	One
Weight	4.2 lbs
Playback Media	BD/DVD/CD
Features	Includes Wi-Fi adapter, 1GB internal storage
Connectivity	Analogue Audio Out, Coaxial/Optical Digital Audio Ouptut, Composite Video Output, HDMI, SPDIF Digital Output, WLAN
Sound Output	Supports Dolby Digital, DTS, True HD, DTS HD, Digital Plus
Sound System	Dolby True HD, DTS 2.0 + Digital out, DTS, Dolby Digital
Playable Formats	H.264, MPEG 2, VC-1
Decoding formats	VC-1, MPEG2, H.264, HD JPEG, MP3 and DivX
EasyLink	One touch play, One touch standby
Upscaling	Yes
Digital audio format	Dolby Digital output
BD-Live(1GB USB memory needed)	Yes
Additional Information	Supports Netflix streaming (USA), PiP, Blu-ray Profile 2.0, DVD upscaling to 1080p
Functional Features	Pop Up Menu, Macrovision 7.0, Closed Caption and BD-JAVA
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
Inputs	USB
Outputs	Composite x 1, HDMI x 1, Analog Audio x 1, Digital Audio Coaxial x 1, Digital Audio Optical x 1
Power consumption	15w
Warranty	1 Year

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