Blu Ray Disc Players

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

If you have been having a close watch on the Blu-ray market like us, then you might have clearly predicted that towards the end of 2008, standalone players need to innovate. This urge is because the step-up features that were considered as an upgrade such as Profile 2.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio had become almost standard in almost all the models released. LG was the company to finally break the ice with their LG BD300, which had very innovative features like built-in Netflix streaming and the overall performance was just satisfactory. The following review is on the LG BD370 which is an entry level successor of LG BD300.

The LG BD370 Blu-Ray player has very similar features of its predecessor but its major upgrades are, onboard decoding for DTS-HD master audio essential and much quicker loading times. Yet, it still proves to be having issues with the image quality on both the areas of Blu Ray playback and DVD playback.

BD370 - A completely unique design:

The LG BD370 Blu-Ray DVD 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 by a silver square. The large silver button on the facia of the player adds to its handsome looks as it has got an engraved blu ray logo and glows blue when the player is turned on. The display panel is large and easy to read. You will not find an exposed tray as it hides behind an automatic door on the left hand side of the player. This arrangement is much better and wiser than the one found in the latest Samsung model. The basic functionalities and controls are not that obvious as the controls like open, close and play must be triggered by silver rectangle in the middle of the unit and the power button is a silver circle in the center. 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 other additional front panel controls including an USB port are accessible under a flip-down panel. One thing that you have to keep in mind is that, this is the only USB port available and hence, if you insert a thumb drive for the sake of BD-live functionality, then  the front panel has to be left open. The disk drive of LG BD370 is very slow and jerky which has nothing to do with the practical use of the unit but then this surely raises a question on the durability of the player.

Standard connectivity offered:

The connectivity that is offered by LG BD370 Blu-Ray Disc Player is very standard and it would have been great if an additional USB port had been included. The connectivity options include a HDMI port, a component video and for the sake of audio, there is a standard stereo analog output, with both optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs included. This a good move as most of the players tend to stop with just an optical output. And finally, a USB port in the front and an Ethernet port in the rear, but there is no WiFi option on offer. With the USB port included, it can not only be used for BD live purposes, it can also be used to playback DivX, MPEG-4, MP3, WMA and JPEG files.

Fine Remote control:

The remote control that is provided is one of the best ever ones that is provided with a blu ray player. Some of the controls like disc menu and Home have been separated appropriately and most of the playback controls fall very comfortably under your thumb. And the most like and appreciated part in the remote is that, some of the seldom used buttons are hidden under a slide down cover on the bottom half of the remote. This is a great thought and gives the remote a very simple look.

Snazzy graphical user interface:

The user interface that has been employed in the LG BD370 Blu-Ray and HD DVD player is similar to that of its predecessor. That is a wise move not to change it as it is good. It makes use of snazzy, bright and fashionable high definition graphics and easy to understand icons. The BD370 makes all its functionality available for the user right from the initial set-up. When you hit the Home button on the remote, you are presented with a gorgeous main menu, decked out in a bright, vibrant background skin which can be changed in the setup menu. In the foreground the different types of media available such as Movie, YouTube, Photo and Music, are presented with eye-catching icons.

Netflix:

The Netflix experience does not differ from the one that you could possibly get from the Netdlix player by Roku. You can watch all of the “watch now”videos. But we have to admit that there are a few flaws too. For instance, most of the standard definition content are not widescreen. But overall, it is a pretty good user experience. Though the initial catalogue of movies and TV shows are not that interesting, their recent deals with Disney and CBS have greatly improved the selections.

YouTube:

The LG BD370 Blu-Ray player also offers CinemaNow access which allows pay per rental pricing same as that of satellite and cable video on-demand services. As expected the YouTube functionality has been included and is surprisingly very responsive. It just takes a fraction of a second to get the featured, most viewed and the top rated videos. A search functionality has also been offered. Initially the videos are played in a small window but you can always see it widescreen by clicking over the Display button. The bad news here is that, it does not have an aspect ratio control. It is worth a few clicks.

Other features of LG BD370:

As in the case of all the other blu ray players in the market, the BD370 is too Profile 2.0 compatible. Profile2.0 compatible means it has the capability to play back the internet enabled BD live features that are available on some of the new Blu-ray movies. As you might be already aware, an Ethernet cable has to be connected for the access and a flash drive for its storage. You will be able to see an array of logos in the player, including the support for Dolby TrueHD  and DTS-HD master audio.

As we had mentioned in the introduction one of the major upgrades in LG BD370 is its support of on board decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential. This allows the player to decode these soundtrack formats so that they can be played back on almost all the HDMI capable AV receiver. If you are not happy with the range of features offered by LG BD370, then you may choose the LG BD390 that offers built-in WiFi, 1GB of onboard memory and even 7.1 analog outputs, with a great operational speed.

Blu Ray and audio performance:

Now let us move on to performance. Now a days, the image quality of many of the high end players have become virtually impossible to differentiate. Yet, a slight variation can be noted in the entry level models. LG BD370 had a lot of jaggies and hence fails on part of film resolution and video resolution. But practically while watching real time movies these shortcomings are not that dominant. Hence, it is worth mentioning that these issues occur only the player is set to 1080p with the 24fps mode disabled. Said that, if your  HDTV accepts 1080p/24fps signal then the BD370 would give you a pristine image quality. As for sound quality, the LG does a fine job at transferring HD audio bitstreams and converts to PCM without compromising the dynamism of the original soundtrack.

Quick loading:

Though the LG BD370 does not have the best image quality in this price range, it makes it up with its swift load times. The player takes an average of 15 seconds to load the disc when switched on and this value increases when movies with extensive menu options are inserted.

DVD performance:

DVD performance is also another very important factor to consider before purchasing a Blu-ray player. The initial resolution is very good and the LG BD370 displays all the details very clearly sans any image instability. Jaggies are a problem again in the DVD playback too.

Verdict:

The BD370 is one of the most exciting Blu-ray players to emerge in quite some time. This player has encountered an equal amount of hits and misses. If you find the netflix feature too hard to miss, then LG BD370 is itself the best choice. Else if you find the issues with the image quality too pricking, you could opt for Samsung BD-P1600 and Panasonic DMP-BD60K , both of these models exhibit a better performance. So finally, what we have got to say is that, if you are a videophile and would accept only premium image quality, then you would surely want to look for another player.

LG BD370 Blu-Ray DVD/Disc Player - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	LG
Model Name	LG BD300 Blu-ray Player
Blu Ray player type	Blu-Ray Disc and HD DVD
Dimension (H x W x D)	12.1″ x 16.9″ x 9.6″
Weight	6.6 lbs
Colour	Glossy Black
Form factor	Table top
Number of disc trays	One
Supported media	CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL
Video DAC	10bit / 108MHz
Video standard	NTSC, PAL
Digital output	1080p
Digital audio format	Dolby True HD Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Plus DTS decoder DTS HD
Audio DAC	24bits
Audio output	Surround sound
On-board decoding	Yes
Additional Features	JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning
Persistent storage management menu	No
Parental Lock	Yes
Remote control	Universal remote control
Additional features	MPEG4 capable JPEG photo playback
Cables included	HDMI cable component video cable composite video cable
Accessories included	Remote control Batteries cleaning cloth
Operational power consumption	18 Watt
Warranty	1 year

From our point of view, the Panasonic DMP-BD30K had been the landmark for the blu ray format, being its first player that could actually be recommended whole heartedly. The DMP-BD30K complied to Profile 1.1. Panasonic DMP-BD50K, being its direct successor, retains everything that was good that was found in its brother, great video quality along with on board decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential with an addition of a title that it is the first stand alone player and also the one that complies to Profile2.0. Another seller point feature of this model that has to be mentioned is that, it can also decode the full suite of high resolution soundtrack formats, or output them in bit stream format to a compatible receiver.

Sleek design:

Design wise, Panasonic DMP-BD50K Blu-Ray Disc Player has a lot of similarities to the BD30K model. On the whole it is slimmer and lighter, having its dimensions as, (W X D X H) 430mm x 313mm x 59mm, weighing 3.3kgs. It has a sleek and glossy design as the Samsung and LG players. It possesses a black and silver theme with the blu ray logo towards the left end followed by the Panasonic logo and model name. In the center lies the LED display, which has an appreciable large size, making it visible from across the room.

Unlike its brother, which had a pedestrian look, the DMP-BD50K Blu Ray Player adds on some style factor too. The disc tray is in the middle part of the unit, behind an automatic flip door. Far, towards the right end you will find a manual flip down panel that reveals the other ports such as, SD card slot, a USB port, and some minimal playback controls which are of great use when the remote control goes missing. There is also a bright light located toward the top of the front panel, which is an indicator for the SDHC card slot. Annoyingly though, as in the case of its predecessor BD30, BD50K has its disc opening and power buttons in the wrong place. We guarantee that you will turn the deck off when you mean to eject the disc, on a day to day basis.

The same remote control:

Though there are slight tweaks made with the design of the player, the design of the remote control remains stagnant. There is nothing to criticise on retaining the remote control as it had been designed logically and for most of its parts, we liked it. The important playback controls are big and blue, with the main directional pad surrounded by unique functions like that of the pop-up menu. The clicker can also be used to control a TV and AV receiver if programmed to do so.

Input and output:

DMP-BD50K from Panasonic offers most of the main inputs that you would ever need. At the back you will find the Ethernet port that makes BD Live content accessible for the first time, along with the Viera Link-capable HDMI output. The most important connection includes the HDMI output which is capable of handling high definition video of up to 1080p and the high resolution audio too. For analog high-definition video, there is also a component video output, but Blu-ray Discs are limited to 1080i over component and DVDs to 480p. For audio, there are 5.1 multichannel analog outputs, and with the on board decoding, you can enjoy high-resolution audio even on older receivers that lack HDMI connectivity. It would have been very handy if 7.1 multi-channel analog outputs were included, but this will be an issue only if you have a 7.1 audio system setup.

Interface:

Despite the sophistication of the DMP-BD50K DVD player, setup is straightforward. As far as the interface is concerned, the DMP-BD50K features the same luster 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.

BD-Live:

Panasonic DMP-BD50K is the first standalone Blu-ray player that is compatible with Profile 2.0,which is also known as the BD Live. Having the BD Live feature, it is capable of accessing the internet enabled features that is available in some of the movies like Walk hard and Rambo. The lack of built-in memory, makes the players seem quite cheap for its kind of price point. Hence, an empty SD card has to be kept as handy in order to access these features. The card is not supplied and the feature will not work without one. Another thing that you will have to keep in mind is, the player has to be connected to internet via the Ethernet port. The bonus content is nothing much but some trailer downloads and clunky remix this movie software. The PS3 handles the BD live content much quicker and is very evident especially while working with the interactive content. The DMP-BD50K, being compatible with the Profile1.1, otherwise called bonus view, can access the picture-in-picture commentary tracks in some of the discs such as Sunshine. Another small unique feature of DMP-BD50K is that, it is Deep Colour-compatible.

Other features of DMP-BD50K:

Panasonic DMP-BD50K Blu-Ray Disc Player features state of the art silicon capable of advanced audio visual signal processing. When it comes to picture, it outputs up to 1080p 24 from Blu-ray and boasts the same processing power that made the BD30 HCC’s favourite player. Lurking within Panasonic’s reference UniPhier chipset is the P4HD pixel processor for detail retrieval, as well as a PHL (Panasonic Hollywood Laboratories) Chroma Processor that up samples colour data to max out the nuances in the BD format. However, while the chipset is the same as that on the BD30, the software is different. Consequently, the player does not give exactly the same performance as its predecessor.

Audio features:

Panasonic DMP-BD50K blu-ray player has an outstanding support for sound tracks. On board decoding facility is available for most of the high-resolution soundtrack formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, which eliminates the need for any new receiver in order to take advantage of an improved audio quality. This Blu-ray player also has the ability to output high-resolution soundtracks in bit stream format, which gives you an option of letting your AV receiver handle the decoding duties. You will be able to get a better bass management if bit stream is used.

Memory card slot:

The SDHC card slot under the flip down panel on the front will allow you to read different media types including MP3s and JPEGs with resolutions up to 1,920×1,080. And another thing to be noted is that, it can play back high-definition AVCHD video from high-definition camcorders that record on SD cards.

DMP-BD50K Blu-Ray performance:

Coming to the part of performance, all the details were well presented and no jaggies 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 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 not as good as that of the LG BH200.

DVD performance:

Though the DMP-BD50K is a Blu-ray player, 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. The DMP-BD50K displays the full resolution of DVD with no visible image instability. But, some of the video based features are disappointing.

Warranty:

Panasonic offers DMP-BD50K one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

Panasonic DMP-BD50K is Profile 2.0-compliant with excellent image quality with the Bluray discs, onboard decoding for all high-resolution soundtrack formats SDHC card slot can play high-definition AVCHD video. But the player is expensive when compared with the PS3. The standard DVD playback lacks luster and the operational speed is still sluggish. Panasonic DMP-BD50K’s big plus its solid rock performance, but if you are looking for some latest and high tech features, then you will have to look elsewhere, for some other strong competitors like Sony. The main rivals that were released in par with DMP-BD50K were the Samsung BD-P1500 and the Sony PlayStation 3.

Check other Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc Players, Latest Blu-Ray Player Reviews in this website.

Panasonic DMP-BD50K Blu Ray Player - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Panasonic
Model Name	Panasonic DMP-BD50K
Product Type	Blu-Ray disc player
Form Factor	Table top
Dimensions (W X D X H)	430mm x 313mm x 59mm
Weight	7.3 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
Supported Digital Video Standards	DivX , AVCHD
Supported Digital Audio Standards	MP3
Remote control type	Infrared
Additional Features	BD-Live, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning, 3:2 pull down compensation
Connector Type	1 x HDMI output 1 x Ethernet - Rear 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

For those who have been in the video industry for a long time, will surely say that the pioneer is one of the most respected brand names in the optical video industry. They had always played a major role in the history of the evolution of the video formats. Pioneer is one among the nine companies that are a part of the Blu-ray founders group. Here we discuss on Pioneer’s BDP-LX91, which is the latest hi-end model of the company that can almost be labelled as the reference model of Pioneer. The LX91 is the first Pioneer Blu-ray player to be tuned by London’s famous Air Studios. It is also Pioneer’s first Profile 2.0 and BD-Live compatible machine that comes complete with an Ethernet socket for internet connectivity.

The Pioneer BDP-LX91 Blu-Ray Disc Player has lot of its features taken from its last years BDP-LX71 model that had set a trend. As soon as you unbox the product, you would get the feel that a real treat is waiting for you straight away.

Built like a tank:

Pioneer describes the design of the player as, “ Built like a tank” and the player’s design justifies it being a square glossy tank. It is a bulky device weighing 13.8 kilograms and mimics the current series of the LX-AVR in terms of balance and finish. This player is made out of solid aluminium and the design is quite modular and the unit possesses a unique architecture such that each board is designed to perform a specific job which is unlike the current Panasonic Blu-ray players that do all their functions using a single chip. May be its that, having dedicated parts for each job, makes the job done to be perfect.

Pioneer BDP-LX91 BD-Live Blu Ray Player is certainly not a style icon, but has an interesting bulky look. The facia of the unit has a glossy black finish. This gloss black that the player is having cannot be compared to that of the other gloss blacks of that of the cheap players or even that of the PS3. This gloss black is less reflective and is completely scratch proof, finger prints are unavoidable though, but you will be able to wipe them off with a soft cloth and hence not ruining the delicate appearance of the unit. A great deal of attention has been paid to built quality and the components, for instance the choice of the capacitors used and the copper plated screws, which hold the entire system together. The wiring of the system has been twisted in a way that it minimises the noise.

Remote control:

The Pioneer BDP-LX91’s remote control is a good looking one and suitably functional. The brushed steel appearance adds a lot to its good looks, so good that it makes us wonder why Pioneer did not use it on the front of the player instead of going with the glossy black finish. The directional pad has a clicky feel and the ‘OK’ key in the middle of it too.

Hefty selection of outputs:

The rear of the unit has a quite a large selection of video and audio outputs. There are two HDMI outputs of which, one can be used to send video to a display and another to output only the audio to your speaker system. You might be wondering what is the need of two separate outputs, it is because HDMI packets the audio and video signals together and hence, this kind of a set-up will reduce distortion in the audio signal. The other connectivity available are, analogue Component video outputs and standard definition S-Video and Composite outputs. The availability of the analogue 7.1 surround outputs will make the owners of slightly older versions of audio equipments happy, that would allow them to enjoy high definition output in their existing device. There are eight Wolfson digital to analogue converters which means, one for each channel, but usually the other players in the market have one digital to analogue converter (DAC) which will be shared by the channels. A feature called Precision Quartz Lock System ( PQLS) is employed which is highly significant, which allows to control the clock frequency of the Blu-ray player. The audio clock has been entirely redesigned the audio clock to reduce jitter across all the outputs. The pure audio mode shuts down the video board maximising the performance. In addition to all these audio enhancing capabilities, the analogue audio board has a dedicated power supply which would give a final touch to the finishing.

The standard definition digital outputs are available, which means one optical and coaxial outputs are available. Being a profile 2.0 player, it supports a port for LAN, which enables the device to be connected to internet and also in firmware updates. The proprietary Pioneer control jack in the rear aids in the integration with the other Pioneer products. It has an internal memory of 4GB and so completely eliminates any need of memory cards. You will be able to view the BD live downloads and corresponding features with no fuss.

Clear menus:

The Pioneer BDP-LX91 Blu-Ray DVD player’s own on-screen menus are clear, concise and easy to navigate. The videophiles will be having a great time with the player as its 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. The adjustments that you had made can also be saved to the memory in areas call “user banks”, three of them are available in Pioneer BDP-LX91 Blu-Ray DVD Player for your use. you you do not know that well about all these terms, Pioneer has offered you an excellent option, it has offered you modes that are designed specifically for different kinds of displays like projectors, LCD screens and Plasmas and it also has a specific video output optimised for its ninth generation Kuro PDPs.

Menu description:

Having included a lot of video adjustments, we will discuss about a few of them here. The prog motion adjusts the motion detection. This option is not effective for 1080p/24 BD movies. The pure cinema has its options as, Off, On, Auto1 or Auto2. The off will keep the player in the video deinterlasing mode, the on will consider the content as progressive weather or not it is so and the two Auto modes will attempt detection of the correct film cadence. YNR and CNR are temporal noise reduction options. Sharpness High and Sharpness Mid boost the sharpness of the High frequency and Mid frequency respectively. Using the Anamorphic Zoom mode, the player can be instructed to vertically stretch 2.35:1 material to remove letterboxing, so that an anamorphic lens can be placed in front of the projector to restore correct aspect ratio on a dedicated 2.35:1 projection setup.

A master in all the three playbacks:

The videos that are played using BDP-LX91 Blu-Ray Player from Pioneer cannot look better else where and with is DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack, the whole experience will be breath taking. If this is the case with the blu-ray side of performance, the LX91 is an excellent DVD player too having no jaggies and just the perfect quality. Its abilities as a CD player are surprising. With the absence of PQLS compatible amp, the details were very smooth and the images were at their best. With PQLS switched on the results are stunning audio fiesta of sound that is rich, crisp, potent and articulate.

The player is a breeze to use. The disc loading times have been improved considerably when compared with the previous Pioneer models. Though the speed is not as much as that of the PS3, it is still doing a great job.

Picture quality:

The deepest blacks are very pure, with rich colour rendition and naturality. The motion handling has also been phenomenal. The Pioneer BDPLX91’s unique Adaptive Length Expansion technology can reproduce the colours of a movie in their purest form, as they were originally recorded in which is done by restoring the eight bit video signal from a blu-ray disc back to the higher sixteen bit deep colour signal. The above processes produce high definition (HD) images with deeper colour tones in a natural range, with smooth colour graduations through the HDMI forty eight bit deep colour format. The seller point of the player is its audio quality with its high bit rate audio. DTS-HD Master Audio are encoded at 24bit/96KHz which is a gorgeous option adopted.

HDMI implementation:

Coming back to the implementation of the HDMI, you can use the High Speed HDMI cable to maximise performance. The HDMI organisation now categorises HDMI into Cat 1 which guarantees delivery of 1080i and Cat 2 which accommodates Deep Colour and 1080p. Setting the High Speed mode to On in the player will enable a 10/12/16bit output, a value that will depend on the kind of display used.

Warranty:

Pioneer BDP-LX91 comes with one year limited warranty.

Verdict:

The Pioneer BDP-LX91 is more than just another high end player in the market. BDP-LX91 is a brilliantly constructed machine which plays 1080p/24 Blu-ray Disc as well as the best of them via HDMI. It has emerged out to be a champ in all the three departments of Blu-ray, DVD and CD with excellent audio capabilities. This is a royal player which will be a must needed addition to your home theatre. The LX 91 is expensive, but the performance, especially with picture and audio, fully justifies that price tag.

Check the Latest Blu Ray Players, other models of Pioneer Blu-Ray DVD Players in our website.

Pioneer BDP-LX91 Blu-Ray Player - Technical Specification Details

Manufacturer	Pioneer
Model Name	BDP-LX91 Reference BD-Live Blu-ray Disc player
Product Type	Blu-Ray Disc Player
Dimensions ( H x W x D)	420 x 143 x 365 mm
Form factor	Table top
Number of disc trays	One
Weight	13.8 kg
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 Torodial Power Transformer for Audio Dolby Digital Plus DTS-HD High Resolution Audio PQLS with HDMI Dynamic Range Control Pure Audio Auto Lip Synchronous Function
MP3 compatible	Yes
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	2 x HDMI 1 x digital audio (coaxial / optical) 1 x component video 1 x s-video 1 x video 1 x 7.1ch Analogue Audio out 1 x Ethernet 1 x RS-232C (gold-plated terminals)
Power consumption	59 Watts
Warranty	One Year

Since the start of the Blu-ray revolution, Sony had been one of the very few companies that made stand-alone players of that kind. But since their manufacturing of their own game console PS3, it had been the leading player beating the other Blu-ray players and Sony’s too. Though Sony released a lot of other Blu ray players, the PS3 still was dominant. Finally, it has released the Sony BDP-S550, which seems to a smarter buy than the PS3 and a great consolation for the non-gamers.

Subtle but stylish design:

Sony BDP-S550 Blu Ray Player is having a chunky but a sturdy design. It is neither too big or sleek with its dimensions being (W x H x D) 430 x 70 x 220 mm and weighs 3.3 kg. The style factor has been obtained with the help of the attractive glossy blue-black facia and top panel. The glossy finish is little and not tacky as the other rivals which should be appreciated. When you look from the front, the player has a very basic design. The disc tray is placed in the center of the player which is concealed by an automatic flip down door. On the right of the disk tray, there is a LCD display that is quiet small and further towards the right, you have some of the basic playback controls sans the chapter forward and backward buttons. Strangely, the power and the disc open/close buttons are placed towards the top of the player bringing in some inconveniency.

Ample connectivity:

Ample connectivity is provided by Sony for its BDP-S550 Blu Ray Disc Player. The HDMI output, component-video output, legacy composite-video and S-Video connections are available for you to enjoy high-def video up to 1080p resolution. For audio enhancements, you are provided with both, optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs. But, if you are possessing older receivers, you need not worry as the player also has the 7.1 analog-audio outputs. Ethernet port is available using which you can get firmware updates and will be able to download BD-live content. You must keep in mind that there is no Wi-Fi.

One of the design blots that this player has retained form its predecessor is that, the USB port is recessed deeply inside, which means many of the standard USB drives might not fit in. However, the player comes with a 1GB USB drive that fits in perfectly in the port and so this should not be an issue of great concern for most of you.

Logically designed remote control:

The remote control that comes with the Sony BDP-S550 Blu-Ray DVD player is quite good. The main navigational pad is in the center of the control and is surrounded by other important controls such as, home, menu and options. The channel changing rocker and the volume rocker are separately available below and hence this remote can also be used to access your TV. The layout is logical and the buttons are differentiated with enough space that you will be able to access it even without seeing and just feeling. It is certainly backlit.

X-cross media bar menus:

Sony has stuck to the X-cross media bar menus which is seen in PS3 which is Sony‘s customary PS3-style menu system, which not only looks slick but is also intuitive and easy to navigate. The set up of the unit is also very simple and basic.

Features:

Video features:
Coming to the features, the Sony BDP-S550 Blu ray player is profile 2.0 complaint. And hence, you will be able to access the BD-live features, ie, the internet enabled features. This is usually available in some selected movies. In order to access these features, the BDP-S550 has to be connected to the internet via the Ethernet and have the USB connected. You might be wondering for what is the USB port? Since there is no internal memory, this is a must and rather a compromise.

Audio features:
The audio support that is provided by the player is quite comprehensive. BDP-S550 offers onboard decoding for formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio that are of high resolution and so, you will not have to go in search of a new receiver that allows you to enjoy the complete quality. The tracks of this format can also be output in the bit stream format. You will not be able to find even the slightest degradation in the sound quality.

Supported media type:
The media types supported by this player are, CD , DVD , BD-R , CD-R , BD-RE , CD-RW , DVD+R , DVD-R , BD-ROM , DVD+RW and DVD-RW.

Miscellaneous:
Other features that distinguish it from the cheaper player are the inclusion of a dedicated set of eight-channel analogue outputs and onboard DTS-HD Master Audio decoding.

Sony BDP-S550 special features:

Sony has incorporated the new Precision Drive HD that helps to detect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, stabilizing playback of bent or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. The BonusView functionality is also available that allows you to view two separate video streams from the same Blu-ray Disc on screen at the same time. BRAVIA Sync technology makes connecting the players to BRAVIA televisions and Home Theatre systems from Sony a piece of cake.

The list of other convenience features include the easy set up, PhotoTV HD, Frimware update via Ethernet, Local Storage for BD-Live, Child Lock (Tray Lock), screen saver, Video Bit Rate Indicator  and Parental Control.

Sony BDP-S550 as a Blu-ray dic player:

The performance of the player as a Blu-ray player is good. Colours and contrasts are clean and punchy, offering a vitality to images that is a match for its rivals. All the pictures were detailed and no image instability will be noticed. Jaggies will be completely absent. The image quality is excellent when compared to BDP-S550’s rivals in the same price range. But, when it comes to the disc loading speed, the Blu ray players always suffer and BDP-S550 was no exception. The disc loading speed differs from disc to disc, while some load in 25 seconds, some of the discs take as long as one minute 40 seconds. However, you have the Quick Start-up mode, that enables you to enjoy your Blu-ray movies already after just six seconds

Sony BDP-S550 as a DVD player:

There will be no movie enthusiasts without and DVD collections. The performance of  Sony BDP-S550 as a DVD player is good but cannot be said as excellent. Though you will be able to witness some instability in the images, they will be jaggie free. 1080p images are punchy, displaying good levels of detail.

Verdict:

Features like being profile 2.0 complaint, 7.1 analog outputs, onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and image quality that is equivalent to that of the top tier players is a great deal of specification for a Blu-ray player for this price range. And the price has also dropped by 100 pounds within six months. Unlike the game console, you need not sacrifice much in terms of the movie watching quality. If you are in need of all these functionalities, then, the Sony BDP-S550 is the best choice. If you are not cared about the analog outputs, then you can choose Panasonic DMP-BD35 that offers all the functionalities of the BDP-S550 at a lesser cost. The Samsung BD-P2550 has more in their offer like HQV video processing, plus Netflix and Pandora streaming for the same price. Sony’s BDP S350 is also a good choice if you do not need any analog outputs or DTS-HD Master Audio decoding.

Sony BDP-S550 Blu-Ray Disc Player Comes with 1 year warranty.

Read reviews of Sony Blu Ray Disc players and best selling Sony BDP-S500, Sony BDP-S350 in this website.

Technical Specification Details of Sony BDP-S550 Blu-Ray Disc Player

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Sony BDP-S550
Form factor	Table top
Dimensions (WxHxD)	430 x 70 x 220 mm
Weight	3.3kg
Remote control	Infrared remote control
Supported media formats	CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW
Recordable media	BD-R, BD-RE, DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, JPEG
Built-in Audio Decoders	DTS decoder, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, DTS-HD decoder, Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD
Supported Digital Video Standards	AVCHD
Supported Digital Audio Standards	MP3, PCM
Upscaling	Yes
Output resolution	1080p
Sound output mode	Surround Sound
Digital audio format	Dolby Digital output, DTS digital output
Connector type	1 x Ethernet 1 x HDMI output 1 x 7.1 channel audio line-out 1 x SPDIF output 1 x SPDIF output 1 x Composite video/audio output 1 x S-Video output 1 x USB
Additional features	BD-Live BonusView Cinema mode JPEG photo playback Progressive scanning Parental lock TV Screen Saver MP3 Compatible
Power device	Power supply
Warranty	1 year