Archive for February, 2010

Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black)

Posted by admin on February 28th, 2010
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Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black)
 
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $179.95
Sale Price: $118.64
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Product Description
Experience orignal movie quality with the DMP-BD655 Blu-ray DiscTM Player. In addition, the BD655 offers ultra fast booting and access to various online content with VIERA CastTM.

Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black) Details
  • Ultra-fast 0.5 second startup
  • VieraCast enabled including Amazon Video on Demand and Netflix streaming movies
  • Wireless ready
  • More compact Design
  • More efficient energy consumption

Video Reviews
No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews For Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black)
Great Bang for your buck
 
Review Date: March 5, 2010
Reviewer: A.M.Boughey, Rochester, MN
UPDATE - July 2010

New features added to Network
Tageschau - Daily News feed in German
Pandora - Internet Radio
Fox Sports - Coming Soon
Twitter - Coming Soon

5 Stars sounds really generous, but for the money this is a GREAT Network ready BDP.
This is the third network BDP I have set up and used, I recently reviewed the Samsung BD-P1590 - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - Netflix, Pandora against which (for similar money) this is a far superior machine. I also think the picture quality and upscaling for SD DVD's in much better than the similar priced LG BD 370 Network Blu-ray Disc Player

Running several Blu-Ray movies for testing, including BD live enabled content, boot times were very fast. The quick set up guide asks you about this and explains that it uses more power in standby mode, but it's worth it for very quick loading.
Blu Ray looks SUPERB - Panasonic web site says (PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus is a high quality image-processing technology developed to precisely process each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc video signal in the vertical direction) Sounds geeky, but the picture is great at both 1080i and 1080p. By default the 24fps is set to off, but if you have a home set up that supports it, it's easy to switch back.
SD Card slot, and USB interface great for home pictures, movies and photo's, very easy to use. Nicely tucked away under a discreet panel in the front so no fiddling among the back wires.

Out of the box set up for networking took me about 15 minutes.
Very easy on screen instruction, easy to use remote, and set up can be either set to easy mode, or you can revisit the main menu at any time for finer adjustments on audio, video output, resolution and aspect ratio etc.
The more involved set up options are however a little limited if you are used to close to pro tweaking on high end visual and audio equipment. But then again, this is an entry level kind of priced machine.

What do you get for network? The VIERA system is a breeze, nice graphics, menu screen and options.
I hard wired mine to the back Ethernet port with a Cat6 cable - Cat5 works without a problem, but for streaming (especially HD content) the Cat6 made the Netflix signal bar light up to HD most of the time.
It is wireless ready. You can use a USB dongle (takes some tweaking) or better still a Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter. What's nice is that(unlike Samsung) you don't have to buy a special adapter.
My preference would always be to hard line, but if that's not an option, and you must have wireless (assuming you have boat loads of bandwidth) you can buy an adapter, or pay $80 more and buy it's big brother the Panasonic DMP-BD85 WiFi Enabled Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black)

Whats on the Network?

1)Netflix - unlimited free streaming movies (a lot in HD if your connection is good enough) documentaries, and TV shows from their "Watch Instantly" library, if you are a current subscriber of at least their $8.99 plan - free trial available.
2)Amazon on Demand - Bags of movies and content to rent, buy, or even view free webisodes, trailers, documentaries and so on. Not a huge thing for me personally as I like Netflix, but very nice to have. Simply activate online at Amazon and you're there - very easy on screen user friendly menus.
3)Blomberg - Sort of on screen RSS feed with stocks, bonds and news headlines. Nice to have but not essential.
4) Weather forecast, enter your zip code and set to default, or store multiple sites across the US for up to date weather news and information. Again, not something I need but nice to have.
5)Picasa Web albums - share pictures with friends and family, look at your own, and other albums on your TV. Nice feature.
6)You Tube - browse, or log into your account online
7)Coming Soon?? - Your guess is as good as mine, could be for VUDU or something else, at least they are thinking ahead, and have the settings already started.

What you don't get.....

1)Pandora - a quirky to use online streaming internet radio site that's free with a lot of music. Doesn't float my boat either, I don't like radio sites that choose my music based on a song, or an artist - there are over 30,000 online internet radio stations that are free, Pandora doesn't let you search any particular station in any part of the World, just their selections on what they think you like.
2) Blockbuster Online - unless you have an account and use the in store returns on DVD and Blu stick with Netflix, their watch instantly movies are free with membership.
3)VUDU - next generation 1080p streaming to rent and buy, this would have been nice to have, but I can live without it for now. Amazon more than makes up for it as far as I'm concerned.
4) Any others I may have forgotten about (I'm sure there are more out there)

Sum up

PROS

Excellent value for money
Looks sleek, discreet and runs quickly AND quietly (unlike some BDP's)
Very easy to Set Up - VIERA interface for online content is great.
Superior BD playback picture and sound quality - just when you thought it couldn't get better
Great upscaling, best I've seen on a machine of this price or on any machine without a REON chipset.
USB, SD slots on front convenient and discreet
Optional "wireless ready"
Nice Remote

CONS

No 3D - even if the content isn't there yet on BD live, you know it's coming. Only the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Disc Player in this price range is equipped. This would have been nice
No onboard memory - BD live requires a USB or SD, but that's the same for most machines
No VUDU on networking - not a deal breaker, but may be for some.

Bottom line.................Great machine if you want to get into network and streaming movies. Quality and everything else for the price is unbeatable.
Outstanding Player in all Respects
 
Review Date: March 13, 2010
Reviewer: The Great Oz, Atlanta, GA USA
I purchased this player primarily to have access to Netflix streaming video. The Netflix playback quality is outstanding, surpassing that of standard DVD. I must note, however, that I have a 12000 baud Internet connection from AT&T U-Verse. Lesser connection speeds will naturally mean a lesser quality picture.
Setup was very easy and the remote is simple to navigate.
Contrary to another reviewer who gave the unit only one star because of an alleged failure to remember playback position when the STOP button is depressed, pressing the stop button does memorize the stopped position allowing resumption of playback at the point where the disc was stopped (see user manual page 16), except for BD-J discs. The reviewer may have pressed the STOP button more than once which clears the memory.
With the addition of Netflix streaming, Panasonic is the clear leader in Blu-ray players, dollar for dollar.
BD65 is a nice balance of value and features for a networked BluRay Player
 
Review Date: June 8, 2010
Reviewer: bsg2004,
The Panasonic BD-65 is is a great bang-for-the-buck networked BluRay player, balancing features and price quite nicely. Let me start with a couple of related-hacks that may help you make the most out of it, and new features added on June 7, 2010...


Hacks
=====
You can have two new playback features by picking up a remote control from other Panasonic DVD players that have CM SKIP (jumps forward one-minute with each press) and QUICK REPLAY (jumps back 10 seconds with each press). I am doing this with the remote control of the Panasonic DVD-S29 DVD player, and I am guessing it should work with a lot of other Panasonic models.

The remote hack also solves a usability issue with the remote control of the BD65 - the arrow buttons are surrounded by the TOPMENU, POP UP MENU and FUNCTION MENU buttons. It's so easy to press those instead of the arrows when you are not looking at the remote and you may find yourself jumping through menus and getting irritated. The remote of the S29 DVD player has a nice four-arrow design, so I am often using that for arrow presses. A lot of the other remote functions/signals are interoperable.

If you try other Panasonic remotes, keep in mind that Panasonic has three different remote codes which you can change on the devices and the remote itself, and both have to be using the same code (1,2 or 3) in order to communicate.


New features added on June 7, 2010
==================================
Panasonic updated the VieraCast service on June 7 and they added two new services, Pandora and German-language news channel Tagesschau. They also added "Coming Soon" boxes for Twitter and Fox Sports, and have three pages of boxes, half of them with empty with Coming-Soon.

The Settings have now moved to the third screen and they have added an option to Customize the HomeScreen, and move the different services around - for example, put the ones you use the most on the first page. The customize HomeScreen is surprisingly nicely done.

I was prompted to update to firmware 1.23 on a couple of days earlier in order to get these features. I have not tested them with older firmware versions.


Unboxing
========
The BD65 box includes the BD65 itself, the remote control, two Panasonic brand alkaline AA batteries, the AC cable and yellow-red-white RCA cables for people with older TVs. Also included is a 44-page Operating Instructions guide. PDF version on the Panasonic website.


Set Up
======
Set up was easy. I connected an HDMI cable to the TV and I am using wired internet, connecting it just like a laptop. It easily and quickly found the internets and got setup without issues.


Firmware update
===============
One of the first thing the device wanted to do was to check for firmware updates. It comes with version 1.0.4 out of the box. After it connected to the internets, it picked up and installed version 1.23. The download part includes a progress part, but the installation part is like an appliance - it shows a "do not turn off" screen while the firmware update is in progress. It doesn't take long to finish.

I haven't used this with the out-of-the-box firmware, so I can't really compare them.


Disc playback
=============
It plays Avatar BluRay without problems. BluRay has more data than standard DVD, so loading takes time as annoying as that may be from a consumer perspective, since we expect newer technologies to be faster. I haven't measured loading times and such. Standard DVDs load right away as expected. I also played back DVD-RAM (VR), and finalized DVD-R. As expected it does not play unfinalized DVD-R (just as the user manual states).

The BD-65 can multitask, for example you can load/unload discs while in Viera Cast without any interruptions.


Network Services - with Internet connection
===========================================
One quick tip before you dive in the menus - you may want to turn off the Navigation Beeps through the Settings. They are extremely irritating! As of June 7, 2010 it has the following networked services up and running:


1. Netflix - it picks up movies from your Instant Queue, and if you add movies to your Queue with your computer while browsing Viera Cast, the updates show up almost right away. If watching an episode in a TV series, it remembers where you left off, even in-between sessions. Setup of Netflix is easy - assuming you already have a Netflix account - you initiate it on the BD-65, it gives you an activation code, you go to the website shown on your computer and enter the activation code and they get linked. I haven't done detailed quality tests. I am getting all minus three bars in the Netflix connection quality bar. This requires a Netflix account.

2. Amazon Video On Demand - You initiate Setup on the BD-65, you are given a code, then go to the Amazon site on your computer, enter the magic code and set things up. You can also create a PIN, so you can order new movies from the BD-65 itself, so you don't have to go to a computer. The Amazon Video On Demand Beta lets you search the Amazon listings and also view your View Library. It may sound strange to say this, but the navigation through the BD-65 is better than the Amazon Video Library navigation on an actual computer! Even if you don't want to buy anything, you still get free trailers and Amazon usually has a few free videos or sample TV episodes available if you check their Video On Demand page.

3. YouTube - you can view featured and popular videos, in a side-box or full-screen, or you can search for videos with keywords using the on-screen keyboard. It's slow to type that way, but it's not that bad if you are not looking for a specific video with a long name. You can also login to your YouTube/Google account and see your Favorites, Subscriptions, Playlists and MyVideos.

4. Picasa - you can view featured photos, search with the on-screen keyboard, or login to your account.

5. Bloomberg - shows stock updates from various markets around the world, such as the Most Active stocks and Movers, the ten latest market headlines with a summary (no detailed articles). You can also look up stock prices using the on-screen keyboard but the prices are 15-minute delayed. No registration or setup.

6. Pandora - it requires a free Pandora account. You initiate the activation on the BD-65, then go on a computer and link it through the internets just like Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand. You can link up to seven Pandora accounts and pick which one to play. When you go into Pandora playback, you have the Quick Mix option and also favorite-bands radio. You can also create a station through the BD-65 (red button in bottom row of remote) and enter the name with the on-screen keyboard.

7. Weather Reports - you can pick various favorite cities around the world, or you can search by zipcode. It remembers your favorite, and you can decide which one is shown as the default. Very handy. No registration or setup.

8. Tagesschau - German-speaking news channel. You pick which video clips you want to watch, similar to YouTube. Great if you speak German or you are trying to learn German.


SD memory card slot
===================
You can put the SD memory card in the slot and close the compartment, so it doesn't collect dust! The front display reminds you have a card in as the "SD" light turns on.
Panasonic + Netflix = 100% superb
 
Review Date: April 5, 2010
Reviewer: S. Smith, West Chester, Pa United States
This unit has exceeded all expectations. I bought this unit to view content from Netflix. The BluRay, DVD, Cd player aspect was the secondary purpose. Thus, my review is weighted 65% to Netflix performance and 35% the other features.

[Netflix] Only one word covers this: superb! Continuous HD quality. Resolution, colors, textures, movement, audio, etc... all are 100% superb and perfect. The controls are extremely responsive, which is a real treat after dealing with cable on demand the past few years. During playback, pause and play are instantaneous; like lightening.

[Streaming FF and Reverse] Time lapse is displayed in minutes, which is refreshing. After FF/Rev, you may have to pause for 2 seconds for content delivery to continue. So, if you hunt and peck for a spot more than 3 times, that will be frustrating. But, it is very responsive overall with very cool display features while you are using the FF and Reverse.

The onscreen Netflix Queue ops were also superb. You will still need your computer to manage your Queue but with this player you can rate, delete, and view your INSTANT entries. You also get a graphic of the dvd cover and a summary of the movie while you are scrolling through your queue. One feature I really liked is how TV series are handled; ei: one queue entry represents and gives drill down into say all 14 episodes of a TV series: very efficient and smart.

[Remote Control] It seems allot of thought went into the remote control. It will take a few times of use to become accustomed to it as some buttons stand out more than others. It is small, well balanced, and no thrills but effective. Also, while using Netflix, become accustomed to using the back or return button. Upon initially going to Netflix, there is a pause for the queue to load into memory. I have over 450 movies in my instant queue and the queue load time is about 5 seconds. So, if you go too far, you wait 5 seconds, then another 5 seconds, etc... I learned to use the back button after a few 5 second pauses ;-) Also, a nice feature, when you press stop and then resume a film later, playback resumes where you left off. This works even after shutting the unit off.


[BluRay/DVD/Cd] DVD/BluRay performance was excellent and boot up time was the fastest I've ever seen. The colors are rich as you would expect from a well built player. The 5.1 etc audio is identical to every other DVD player I've ever owned. One note, you cannot play a data/non video DVDs containing VOB, Avi, Divx, etc... type files. I was disappointed in this aspect but it wasn't a deal breaker for me.

[Network] Network setup was a breeze. I have a complex firewall finally tuned for high security. I was expecting a real wrestling match here. But, this device auto configured in no time. From the time I plugged it in to the time I was watching Netflix was literally under 5 minutes without reading the manual. I use a DHCP server on the firewall which made the auto configuration a breeze. My Network is setup to perfection. I use Fast Ethernet (10/100) devices with cat 6 wiring. To date, Netflix streams 100% HD!!!!!

Side note: this will not work out of the box as a wifi device. But, this is the main reason I choose this unit: I do not use nor do I want wifi in my house. If you want wifi, there is a separate accessory you have to buy. Also, there is a higher end model with wifi built in.

[Other features] Make sure to set your city as your default for the weather channel. I didn't think I would use the weather, but it is very useful. To me, youtube and Picasso almost put me to sleep. The additional features (usb/sd) were tested and work as expected. Also, the stock market screen is pretty cool too.

[Other Streaming: Amazon] I love Amazon. However, at $2.99 to watch 1 episode of a tv show, I will not be giving them much business... They have a great selection though, and the service works great through this unit.

[Other Streaming: network] This is a sore point for me: you cannot stream dvd content from a usb drive nor a network server... Research reveals these features are available in non US markets on this identical unit.

[Bottom line] I would highly recommend this unit if you desire Netflix streaming with a superb BluRay/DVD player attached.
Solid performance at a reasonable price
 
Review Date: March 31, 2010
Reviewer: E. Jorgensen, UT United States
This is a good piece of gear, all in all, and i have very few complaints about it.

All current blu-ray players have about the same picture quality when playing blu-ray content. The quality of a blu-ray player thus comes down to how well it plays DVDs, how easy it is to actually own and use, and how well the other features built into the player actually work.

I used to have a blu-ray player that was designed to win design awards and to replace a home theater PC. That much more expensive device failed on both points, and wasn't very good at playing DVD content.

The DVD playback on the DMP-BD65 is among the best I've seen.

Aside from that, it's a simple no-nonsense device. It's small and light with a power button on one end and an eject button on the other, and a little door opens to reveal a USB port and SD card slot.

The remote control is above average. The buttons that are used the most are the largest, which is to say that the navigation cluster is easy to use. It can also control power and volume for both a TV and a home theater receiver.

The netflix client is almost as good as you'd find on the Roku N1000. The picture quality for netflix streams is very good, and that application as a whole seems stable and reliable - and unfortunately not all blu-ray players with netflix streaming clients can make that claim.

There are just a few quibbles.

1: If you need it to connect to a wireless network, at this time it appears (and panasonic is claiming) that you can only use Panasonic's usb wireless adapter - which doesn't come with it, and may be hard to find. This is better than nothing, but if you need wifi, plan for this and include it in your cost considerations - it may turn out that you'd be better off buying the DMP-BD85 if you need wifi connectivity. This didn't bother me - I have ethernet wired to the AV rack.

2: It is very easy to accidentally exit the top level menu. When you've done this, you end up looking at a pretty blue logo screen until you find the right button on the remote to return to the top level menu, getting scolded every time you guess wrong. This serves no purpose and i view it as a stupid programming oversight. It simply shouldn't be possible to go from the main menu to a screen that does nothing.

3: It turns out that the same button used to free you from the logo screen can be substituted for the 'stop' button while playing blu-ray content - and it's right next to the navigation cluster on the remote. Since most blu-ray titles these days are BD-J and thus can't be resumed unless you have used the pop-up menu to set a bookmark, it can't resume playback at the point where you left. Pressing the 'stop' button does the same thing, but that's what 'stop' is supposed to do.

And for that matter, pressing 'stop' while watching BD-J titles should probably pause the video and display a dialog asking the user to confirm that they want to stop, and probably mention that they should use the pop-up menu to set a bookmark if they will want to resume. This is a complaint i have about BD-J in general, not any particular device.

All in all, I think Panasonic set acheivable goals for this player, and succeeded in delivering on them.

Best buy for " Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black) ", Lowest Price Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black) + Free shipping. Get Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black) Now!
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JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player

Posted by admin on February 28th, 2010
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JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player
 
Manufacturer: JVC
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $499.99
Availibility: View Product Availability
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Product Description
The new JVC XV-BP1 is a truly versatile high definition player, offering playback of high definition Blu-ray discs, plus playback of the AVCHD format, the high definition format widely used for HD camcorders, including the JVC HD Everio line. Among the many features of the new JVC XV-BP1 Blu-ray player, to be available in March, is BD Live (Profile ver. 2.0) compatibility when used with USB memory. With BD Live compatibility the player can be connected to the Internet to access BD Live 2.0 features, including easy firmware updates, new movie trailers, updated subtitles, online shopping, chat and gaming. Connections include HDMI ver.1.3 with Deep Color and x.v.Color, USB Host, LAN for BD Live, component and composite video outputs, and analog, optical and coaxial audio outputs. In addition to AVCHD, other playable formats are JPEG, MP3, WMA, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS and DTS HD. Playable discs are BD-ROM, BD-R/RE, BD/DVD Hybrid, DVD-Video, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, Audio CD and CD-R/RW.

JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player Details
  • Full HD Grade 1080P Resolution Output
  • Super Quick 8-second Loading Time
  • Dolby True HD, DTS, HD And Optical And Coaxial Digial Output
  • BD-ROM/-R/RE, DVD-R/RW/+R/RW, CD-R/RW Playback

Video Reviews
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Customer Reviews For JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player
The Poor Man's Oppo
 
Review Date: June 5, 2009
Reviewer: WDH,
After hearing some promising reviews of the new JVC player, I bought one for a great price online ($230 shipped). It has been lauded for its fast load times and strong overall performance. While it appears to share some bones with the $1500 NAD player, it uses the same GUI my LG BH200, leading me to believe there might be some LG influence as well (or common providers).

Operation and load times are very comparable to the Oppo. In terms of the synthetic tests the S&M disc offers, its performance is nearly identical to the Oppo, only faltering on one or two sections (my results are posted below). In terms of realworld content, BD playback is very good and SD upscaling is excellent. I still think the Oppo is the best upscaler, closely followed by the Pioneer 320/23FD (i have a 50" pioneer kuro). The Oppo and Pioneer bring a little more color and detail to the table. Then again, I have yet to manipulate the features of the JVC. Unlike the pioneer (but like the oppo and panny 60/80), the JVC can output 24fps on sd dvds. I have not tested it enough to compare smoothness and audio synchronization yet. In synthetic tests, it seems to do better with film cadences and less so with video deinterlacing.

I will post multiple load times this evening to quantify its speed and try out a few more real world upscaling tests.

It does have a few cons in limited tweaking and the brightest damn blue lights on the front that make you think you're seeing a squad car in your rearview mirror. They are not dimmable (how do you not think this would be an issue JVC?)

All in all, if you're looking for a player that is about as fast as the Oppo and offers SD upscaling as good if not better than a Panny 80 and at a very great street price, the JVC is worth a look. If you're more of a videophile, the Pioneer 320 is the next option a step up, then the Oppo for about $200 more. Just my two cents. I own them all.
An Oppo without SACD and DVD-A playback
 
Review Date: July 28, 2009
Reviewer: Allan Tan,
This is one of the greatest buy you can have when selecting a Blue Ray player. Those in the know will know that the Oppo BDP 83 is currently regarded as the top dog in the Blue Ray player market for its picture & sound quality as well as a versatile universal player in SACD and DVD-A playback.

For those who do not need SACD and DVD-A, the JVC XV BP1 offers almost the same performance at less than 50% of the Oppo's price. First off, the picture quality of all Blue Ray players are almost identical. The only difference is in their loading time. This is a department which the JVC shone as its loading times are comparable to both the Oppo and the PS3. No other players come close to these 3. As for compatibility with the BR titles so far, I believe that to date, the only title which JVC cannot play is 12 Rounds. Oppo also suffered from similar issues (although they have come up with Beta firmware to address this). Only PS3 managed to play this without problem. Operations wise, it is simple and straight forward without the need to dwell in the manual.

The player can also play media in Divx, MKV, VOB and AVCHD in USB thumb drives or hard drives so long as they are formatted in the FAT32 format.

For DVD playback, I would rank the JVC close to the Oppo, beating the PS3 soundly. The JVC can upscale the DVDs to 1080p and the scaler in the player is very good. It plays almost all the DVDs I throw at it. In this part of the world where I bought it from, the DVD playback is code free.

The only downside is probably the lack of tweaking options for the HT enthusiasts. It is a player whereby you load and play without too much settings as compared with the Oppo. It will certainly serve as an excellent choice for those looking for a second BR player at home as well as those who want a player as good as the Oppo but at half the price.

I strongly recommend this player !!!
TRULY AWESOME PLAYER!!!
 
Review Date: November 18, 2009
Reviewer: T. Whyle, coraopolis, pa United States
I absolutely love this player!! I've had a Samsung BluRay player (BD-P1400) for a little over a year, and it absolutely drove me crazy with it's slow loading times, unresponsiveness, freezing, glitches, problems with upgrades...and their customer service is some of the worst I've ever dealt with. Recently I bought "Drag Me To Hell" & it wasn't able to load it, & they refused to admit they need to provide an upgrade for it...despite the hundreds of people complaining about it online. That was the last straw....so I got my money refunded and went looking for a new player.

I am so glad I found this one!! BRILLIANT picture for BD & some of the best DVD upscaling I've ever seen...it turns the colors and contrast up a notch on DVDs to make them look a little less faded. Finally the menus on BDs aren't all jittery and constantly freezing! They are as smooth as can be! Loading times are super fast...I'm so happy to be able to pop in a BD and be watching it less than 30 seconds later. Nice menu design, very easy to use...customizable enough for me. Anything it can't do I can do with my TV's settings.

A feature I really appreciate is the ability to zoom. For a DVD that is in widescreen but not enhanced for a 16X9 TV, I used to have to bear watching a small screen within a screen, with a black border all around it. This player lets you zoom in 16 individual levels, eventually making a 4:3 feed fit the width of your screen. ...This feature works on all DVDs but only on some BDs...it can be nice for a BD in 2.40:1, if you just want to zoom it a little to make the picture bigger.

Remote is good & easy to use. The player is very responsive.

Firmware upgrades are simple and quick...less than a minute. All you need is a USB flash drive...so much better than my last player, where the only alternative to getting it off the web was burning a disc, & then it would spend 20 minutes upgrading...sometimes freezing indefinitely in the process.

BD-Live works nicely. Takes a little while to get it to load initially, but that's expected.

...Oh, and another thing: it doesn't time out when you have it paused, and if it eventually does, it saves your spot. Those of you who have never had a blu-ray player may think these are all trivial things I'm talking about, but my last player did NONE of these things. It would time out after 5 minutes of being paused, lose your place in the movie, & then you'd have to sit through 5 minutes of loading the disc again, then fast-forward to find your spot. HORRIBLE!

Basically, this player is AWESOME. And I can't believe how affordable it is.

PS - I know some complain about the blue lights on the front being bright, which they are...but it's not that bad. I watch movies with all the lights out, and the light of my 40" LCD overpowers them by far. They don't distract me at all.
Excellent, versatile player for the price.
 
Review Date: October 4, 2009
Reviewer: Norm Birndorf, Portland, OR
I replaced a 1080p upconverting Pioneer DVD player with the JVC to acquire Blu-ray compatibility. I wasn't disappointed. The upconverting 1080p function of the JVC is equal to the Pioneer and it's Blu-ray play quality is excellent. Sound reproduction much better with Blu-ray disks, and the fuzzy audio of many standard DVD movies is gone. Blu ray load time is also short, 15 seconds or so. Almost as fast as a standard DVD. A real bonus is the player's ability to randomly play mp3 music files on a DVD having 650 or less tracks. The JVC has good versatility, and will play several other formats. Highly recommend at the Amazon price.
the best performer/price/load speed ratio for a BD player !!
 
Review Date: December 27, 2009
Reviewer: Anthony L. Mueller,
I wanted to take the time and find the proper BD player for my needs, just like I did buying my HDTV's - which means a lot of reading on the AVS forums plus reading Amazon & CNET reviews as well.

I never burn my own disc, rentals and store bought blu ray's only, plus CD's. I have no need for the LIVE streaming content either, I have DirecTV for any PPV source. The HDTV display being matched with my first BD player is a Kuro plasma, using my Yamaha a/v system for the audio: HDMI to the Kuro, toslink to the Yamaha. My early research told me that load speed is the major variance of all of the major manufactures.

I wanted the Pioneer brand to match my Kuro, but their model 320 BD player was near $300, great performance but very, very slow loading times. My search on AVS led me to a forum posting which ranks the popular models: their power on speed, load to 'piracy' warning, load to the disc index, eject speed, etc, etc. The Oppo BD player was the fastest, plus the highest rated performer, and the most expensive @ $500. I had an Oppo up-scaling player, all of the company's players are top rated and excellent choices. I found the JVC listed as the second fastest player behind the Oppo on the AVS forum.

I eventually wrote the author ( winston9332 ) of the comparison BD player link on AVS and asked him directly, the JVC fast loading, the Pioneer 320 player or another choice, his response:

" I would narrow your choice down to the 320 or the JVC. The 320 has analogue pre-outs to connect to your older receiver for HD audio -that might be the game-stopper right there. If that is not an issue, keep reading.....

The 320 is a better player, but slower, more finicky, and $100 more. I doubt you will be able to tell a difference for BD playback b.w the two. SD playback will be better on the Pioneer 320 (10% diff). That said, you do gain MASSIVELY (50% diff) faster operating times on the JVC and a zoom feature, which I value to avoid abusing my plasma on dvd playback that is not quite 16:9. The JVC's zoom will work on non-java bds as well. The JVC also will remember the last position of a dvd and non java if you take it out (helpful for tv series dvds). This player has been a refreshing experience. Too many folks are pressured to buy solely based upon label and some of the lesser known players have been pleasant surprises. This player is a tremendous value and will work very well for you in my opinion "

I purchased in July @ my local Ultimate Electronics store for $200. Every disc I've played has been perfect, no rejections. The performance has been stellar, the video and the sound. Of course the Kuro display is the finest HDTV going, which helps. I was also told that 90% of the people would NOT be able to tell any difference in the PQ between the various brands of top performing players, its mostly a race of which player loads the fastest and the firmware updates as needed. The JVC has performed perfect, I wish the remote was back lit, its very plain/cheap looking - but works fine. Most disc load in under :30 seconds. Believe it or not, THAT is fast for BD disc, many models are double that load time +. It also powers on and off immediately - I've read that some other players take :30 sec just to power on.

For Christmas I bought my parents their first BD player as well, the same JVC bought online this time for $130 total. Theirs is also used with a Kuro display, same results - excellent performance. I have read that a firmware update is available from JVC, but I've yet to download that update - I've had no issues with any disc so far. Yes, standard DVD's are unconverted perfectly as well. The only set up was to put the screen format at 16x9, the resolution @ 1080p/24p playback (our Kuro's do play 24p content properly) and all of the audio sources for English. Simple, too simple.

video A++
audio A++
set up simple
No issues.
HIGHLY recommended.

If you have the desire to upgrade to Blu Ray - do it !! We all waited for the HDTV craze to become affordable, now the Blu Ray players are reasonably priced under $200.

Best buy for " JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player ", Lowest Price JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player + Free shipping. Get JVC Home JVC XVBP1 Blu-ray Disc Player Now!
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Sharp AQUOS BDHP52U 1080P Blu-ray Disc Player

Posted by admin on February 27th, 2010
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Sharp AQUOS BDHP52U 1080P Blu-ray Disc Player
 
Manufacturer: Sharp
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $209.95
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Now you can enjoy the best of 1080p video on your AQUOS LCD TV. Especially designed to work with AQUOS LCD TVs, the BD-HP52U AQUOS Blu-ray Disc Player provides seamless operability via the AQUOS LINK function through the HDMI connection. Performing as if it were all one system, the BD-HP52U's BD Live Profile 2.0 allows connection to the internet for studio content on BD-Live Blu-ray Discs, Quick Start feature lets you enjoy gorgeous Blu-ray Disc video with the touch of a button in as little as 10 seconds. With HDMI outputs and 1080p as well as DVD up-conversion, you can enjoy full digital high-definition video and high-fidelity audio. JPEG Digital images can be viewed as a slide show from recorded CD-RW/R with digital images, and MP3 Audio Files too.

Sharp AQUOS BDHP52U 1080P Blu-ray Disc Player Details
  • AQUOS, Blu ray Player, 1080P, 24Hz, AQUOS Link, Quick Start, BD-Live 2.0
  • RS232 Port Control,
  • Standard DVD up Converson to 1080P
  • Dolby Digital, DTS Decoding 7.1 via HDMI
  • HDMI, Digital Audio outputs, Auto Software Update, NetFlix Movie Service

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VIZIO VBR100 Full HD Blu-ray Player

Posted by admin on February 27th, 2010
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VIZIO VBR100 Full HD Blu-ray Player
 
Manufacturer: Vizio, Inc.
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $179.99
Sale Price: $89.99
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Product Overview Maximize your high definition experience with the VBR100 Blu-Ray Disc Player! The full 1080p high definition playback gives you razor sharp images incumbent in a sleek design with an intuitive, easy-to-use remote control. Illuminated touch controls disappear when the player is off for a clean, lustrous look. The 7.1 digital audio with built-in Dolby Digital* is sure to provide the ambiance any home theater enthusiast is looking for! Tech Specs General Specifications: Unit Dimensions: 16.929-Inch W x 2.441-Inch H x 10.925-Inch D, Box Dimensions: 21.654-Inch W x 6.102-Inch H x 14.370-Inch D, Net Weight: 6.944 lbs.Gross Weight: 8.818 lbs. Power Input: 50HZ/60HZ, Voltage Range: 110V~240V, Power-On Consumption (AVG): <25W, <1W Standby,Remote: VBR100 Proprietary Remote, Power Cord: Attached - Length: 1.8M, Signal Cable: Composite RCA + RCA Audio R/L - 1.8M Compatibility: Plays Blu-Ray Discs (BD-Live** & Bonus View) Plays DVDs, Audio CDs, MP3s and JPEGs, Built-In Audio Decoding for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TruHD and DTS, Multi-Channel 7.1 Audio Output via HDMI Playback and Enjoy Media via Input (Jpegs and MP3s)Outputs: HDMI Version 1.3 with HD Audio Bitstream, Component (YCrCB) Composite Video, Stream Audio (24 Bit, 192KHz) Coaxial and Optical Digital Audio,7.1 Digital Audio via HDMI only,Separate Use Memory Drive required; requires internet connection

VIZIO VBR100 Full HD Blu-ray Player Details
  • The 7.1 digital audio with built-in Dolby Digital is sure to provide the ambiance any home theater enthusiast is looking for!
  • Tech Specs General Specifications: Unit Dimensions: 16.929-Inch W x 2.441-Inch H x 10.925-Inch D

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Progressive versus interlaced

Posted by admin on February 27th, 2010

Blu-ray is a high-definition technology is capable of a resolution of 1920 x 1080 You may have heard of different types of high definition and including1080i output 1080p. The number refers to 1080 lines of horizontal resolution. Compare this with the largest at 576 lines of resolution for high-quality DVD and you'll see why high-definition programming looks great. After the acronym refers to 1080 or interlaced (i) or progressive (p)scans.

To understand the difference between interlaced and progressive scan, you must understand how television images are typically generated. Two areas provide a framework. Each field is interlaced, so that, when used together, create a complete picture is called a frame. The television series of 30 frames per second or 60 fields per second. 1080th shows the image resolution for the use of interlaced. This leads to a TV with high resolution, such as quality.

Progressiveimages off with boxes and displaying progressive frames more complete. 1080p indicates a high resolution image that is more than film. Blu-ray contain a higher quality 1080p resolution. In fact, this quality HDTV is the main option far surpasses any other medium or broadcast format available today.

Blu-ray recorders and Blu-ray also features up to 54 Mbps of bandwidth, which is about twiceof a normal HDTV broadcast of the video quality of Blu-ray is even more impressive. If you think it is good enough, there's more. Blu-ray Disc is not tight compression algorithms do not need that image quality is often compromised because of the large storage capacity. In addition, Blu-ray and other formats such as standard definition TV contract. In fact, Blu-ray recorders can record up to 23 hourstelevision standard.

So what you want HDTV or high-quality massive amounts of storage capacity, the Blu-ray is perfect.

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Panasonic DMP-BD605K – Blu-Ray disc player – upscaling – YouTube – black

Posted by admin on February 26th, 2010
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Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black
 
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $129.99
Sale Price: $87.87
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Enjoy great web entertainment on your HDTV! Panasonic DMP-BD605K is compatible with the VIERA CAST function, you can access YouTube, Picasa, and other Internet sites from the special VIERA CAST screen. YouTube lets you watch the newest video clips, and Picasa lets you view web-based photos. You can also check weather and stock information on other sites.

Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black Details
  • SD Memory Card and USB Slot so you can share your pictures quickly and easily
  • Viera Cast for great web entertainment
  • Bonus HDMI Cable Included
  • Compatible with BD-Live 4 and Bonusview which enables you to connect directly to the Internet
  • Energy Star Rated

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Customer Reviews For Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black
Well built, does exactly what is says it will, not one bit more.
 
Review Date: November 23, 2009
Reviewer: W. Mallick, I don't know where I am, but there's Waldo.
Panasonic has always been known to build solid machines-broadcast vcrs (back in the day) that never stopped, cordless phones that survived being dropped, and every sort of electronic device in between. I've always been a fan of how well-built Panasonic stuff is. They are, after all, the makers of the only shock-proof laptop (the Toughbook).

For image quality, I always preferred Sony, and for sound I always preferred Yamaha or Denon. But similar Panasonic stuff always looked and sounded "pretty good". Especially since you could drop it.

That's all changed. Now Panasonic continues to make well-built stuff, and they have the best new Plasmas on the market. After having 3 Sony DVD players die in 7 years, I decided to go with the Panasonic Blu-Ray player, mostly so I could use my TV remote with no hassle.

I have not been disappointed. This player starts up fast, the image quality is simply stunning. I had no problem download firmware. DVD up-conversion looks good too. This player had no problem with moderately scratched DVD's. I haven't seen a scratched BD yet, but I can only image BDs will not work as well scratched, but time will tell.

Honestly, BD Live doesn't interest me, if I want an interactive experience, there are website and youtube. I mean flipping through content with a remote control just isn't the same as using a mouse.

I had no problem getting my player to work with my network. Since the cable modem is hooked up to, well cable, it only made sense to place it near the cable box, so therefore my router was already near the TV. I had no problem receiving a DHCP address from my Airport router.

For the limited content you get from Viera cast, it does work well. I haven't tried watching amazon.com unbox yet, but when I do I will edit this review. There are numerous reviews on VieraCast, this review is about a piece of hardware.

For most people the decision is going to be between Panasonic, Samsung and LG. Panasonic has always skimped features for rugged quality, and this is no exception. VieraCast does not do NetFlix streaming yet, but my 5 year old pc hooked up to my Plasma has no problem.

If you really want some of the advanced streaming features of the LG or Samsung, you probably can't go wrong. But if you have kids or careless adults banging on the disc tray all day, get the Panasonic. It feels very well built.

I highly recommend this player, as it performs its advertised functions faithfully.
Swift, compact, and sleek
 
Review Date: May 14, 2009
Reviewer: Roy Zander, West Jordan, UT
When my DMP-BD30 started pausing during 'Twilight', and the regular glitches on every movie (like starting every movie without sound, pausing and going black for 5 seconds, then continuing just fine) were at last driving me nuts, I knew it was time for a firmware update. When I saw the BDM-BD605K at Samsclub I figured I'd get my 1st machine with internet connectivity (other than the HD DVD machines). The price was awesome!($277)

The panasonic seems to take 20 to 25 seconds to start a movie or to detect "no disk'. -Faster than a lot of players including my previous ones. I hear a new Samsung is even faster, but Amazons reviewers always rate the Panasonics a whole star higher than Samsungs. I've been pleased with every Panasonic piece I've owned.


Technology is moving lightning-fast and Blu-ray is only improving each month. I was thrilled to see such a fantastic high-def picture when I previewed 'Underworld-Rise of the Lycans'. Even the movie previews were outstanding.

The prosessing is of the latest design (PHL plus included) and I see a clear difference on my 60" Elite Kuro PLasma. This model will bitstream all the newest hi-def audio formats I'm used to for decoding by my Onkyo 905 receiver. I understand that this model is really a repackaged BD-60 with a free (cheap) HDMI cable. It's 60% the size of the BD-30. The tray is finally in the center. I can't wait to explore more of the features (24P, viera link, SD card slot, USB and Ethernet connections).

I know I'll have this model for a long while and I highly recomend it to all.
Great value for the price
 
Review Date: January 12, 2010
Reviewer: Joseph R. Norman, Sugar Land, TEXAS United States
The performance of this thing is amazing for the price point which why I gave it 5 stars. It is not the best player but it costs less than half what the best costs and does everything I need done.

I have been waiting a while to join the Blu-Ray era because I have hundreds of standard definition (SD) DVDs that I still watch a lot and the new player had to be able to play them at least as well as my trusty Panasonic S-97 (which was the best HDMI up converting DVD player for less than $200 five years ago). Virtually all of the reviews less than a year ago for all the Blu-Ray players said the up conversion of SD DVDs was poor except for the new Oppo ($400).

Well, the Panasonic BD-60 and 605 does a better job according to both DVE
(Digital Video Essentials) and the HQV Benchmark DVDs. And so does my semi-calibrated eye ball on SD DVDs some of which are hard to make look good! This thing has significantly better color balance, jitter elimination, etc. than the S-97 so I would have no problem using this player for all DVDs except for a few human interface issues (see the cons below).

One note for setting up for playing SD DVDs, I found that forcing the output to 1080p 24Hz, gave a noticeable "smoother" presentation with a very de minimus reduction in sharpness.

I expected the Blu-Ray performance to be very good and it was. It did not disappoint. As has been commented in other reviews the response time is noticeably longer than a regular DVD player but I can live with for the price.

Unlike as reported in another review, mine does remember where you stopped viewing the current DVD played whether you just stop, turn off the player or even removed the DVD. Obviously it does not remember if you load another disc.

Pros:

Plays SD DVDs much better than expected and plenty good enough even for a 65" TV!

If you know anything about regular DVDs and HDMI, it is easy to physically install.

This player will simultaneously output HDMI, component and composite video with audio (obviously at different resolutions and number of channels). This could come in handy if you send additional signals to other devices such as other TVs or recorders.

Cons:

It is frustrating using the manual to perform the setup. All the information is in there somewhere but reading for comprehension was definitely an iterative process.

So many different buttons for various menus calling up various functions embedded all over the place - some that can be performed while playing but many halt playback while in the menu. In most cases you have to manually command "play" to resume playback even after the last menu is closed.

The direct access (without using menus) to SD DVD titles and chapters is very basic (as in brutally crude). You type in the number for a title when play back is halted and you are in the home screen and for chapters, you type in the number during play but nowhere do you even know what chapter or title numbers exist except by trial and error.

No Position Memory

No Quick Replay

The load and response times are slower than standard DVD players but I knew that going in and expected it and so far the lag time is not annoying but it is noticeable.
Panasonic DMP-BD605K
 
Review Date: December 16, 2009
Reviewer: Gerald H. Behrens, Harlingen, TX
This Panasonic player is just what we need, as we only play the movies. We have played more than 20 Blu-Ray disks without any problems. The unit was plug and play, very easy to connect. The remote control is very well laid out and easy to use. The picture quality on our 62" DLP TV is superior. The sound quality through Harmon/Kardon Dolby 6.1 amplifier is superb as well. Overall we are extremely satisfied with this unit.
Excellent Blu-ray Machine
 
Review Date: August 21, 2009
Reviewer: E. Hunter Hale, Salt Lake City, UT
This is my second Panasonic Blu-ray player (I still have the first and continually use it) and I am very pleased with its performance. Having shot and edited a 65 minute high definition movie I wanted a second Blu-ray player to use with a portable projector to screen it on a 10 foot wide screen for groups. The improvements continue with each new model and this machine is slimmer and smaller than my earlier Panasonic. It loads quickly (not as fast as a regular DVD machine) and does a marvelous job. I've been extremely pleased with my Panasonic purchases which include an HD video camera, a 5.1 surround system and a 42" plasma TV (which I'm thrilled with). One of my favorite features on the Panasonic players is their ability to play the SD card from the camera, making it possible to quickly screen daily footage from my camera before transferring and editing.

Best buy for " Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black ", Lowest Price Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black + Free shipping. Get Panasonic DMP-BD605K - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - YouTube - black Now!
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Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Posted by admin on February 26th, 2010
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Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $230.54
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Experience the Blu-ray difference with the SAMSUNG BD-P1500. You'll get incredibly detailed images with brilliant color in full high definition 1080p resolution. It's the only media capable of delivering true 1080p performance on an HDTV set. Its Anynet+ technology lets you control all your SAMSUNG AV devices from just one remote. The BD-P1500 lets you have it all. It's backward compatible with earlier formats. watch your current collection of DVDs or listen to audio CDs with the highest-quality sound available. 1080p resolution - Enjoy lifelike, vivid visuals and crystal-clear details with full high definition 1080p resolution when playing Blu-Ray discs HDMI keeps it simple by using a single cable wire to deliver the sharpest, richest images possible. Conveniently and easily transfer high-definition video and audio from your DVD player to your HDTV and other digital devices using a single cable. HDMI version 1.3 transfers deeper color and higher resolution, and handles new, compressed audio formats. Control it all with one remote - Anynet+ delivers streamlined, one-touch control over all your Anynet+ compatible devices such as the TV, AV receiver, and home theater Playback Media - BD-ROM / DVD-ROM / DVD-R / DVD-RW / AVCHD / audio CD Playback Formats - VC-1 / MPEG2 / H.264 DVD Upconversion DTS Decoder BD Profile - profile 1.1 USB 2.0 (for SW upgrade only) HDMI CEC Composite Video Outputs Component Video Outputs HDMI Outputs Optical Digital Audio Outputs Analog Audio Outputs - 2-Channel Built-in Ethernet connection - RJ45 USB Port Picture in Picture Dimensions - 16.9 in. x 3.3 in. x 10.8 in. Weight - 8.6 lbs.

Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Details
  • Full HD 1080p Output for Blu-Ray Discs and selectable DVD Upconversion to 1080p
  • 1080p with 24 Hz Video Output
  • HDMI version 1.3, component video
  • Dolby® Digital, Dolby® Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, dts-HD
  • Ethernet connection lets you easily check for the latest firmware upgrades online

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Customer Reviews For Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Fine, basic player
 
Review Date: June 5, 2008
Reviewer: Kevin Moore, Natick, MA USA
I've been using this for 2 weeks now, and it's my first blu-ray player (no PS3). The good stuff: Excellent look, not too loud, amazing picture and sound. Working ethernet and USB port. (I haven't had to download any firmware or code updates, but I'm sure it'll work fine.)

Operations: No fan noise, no noise while playing, but during menu & loading, you hear some track-seeking which is audible at 10'... nothing offensive, though. I just noticed last night, after my 5th blu-ray a little flicker in in the bottom center of the screen during the credits of Juno... not sure if it's a bad disc or a player having a problem. It was repeatable, and the disc seemed clean. Lastly, the load time, eject time, etc seems just fine. Not instant or as fast a nice DVD player, but not noticably slow. I've heard alot about slow disc-loading, and if it is a problem on other players - it's not a problem on this one. Lastly, sometimes when you click on a menu instead of pausing, the screen with show a "progress-bar" for 2-4 seconds while the next manu loads, which isn't completely kosher, but doesn't bother me.

The so-so stuff: I'm giving this 5-stars because it's near-perfect at what it's designed to do for it's price, but it's not perfect. One reason to get a mid- to lower-cost player is to (duh) save money... if you're someone who has an older receiver that doesn't decode the two new DD and DTS formats, and (probably) doesn't decode multi-channel PCM, this player isn't for you. It only has stereo-out analog RCA plugs, not 5.1 or 7.1 analog outputs.

That means you can't bypass your receivers pre-amp to play the newer audio formats and let the blu-ray player decode them. My old Receiver (which I used the player with for a week) only decoded DD 5.1 (no DTS, and only 2-channel PCM to 48khz). This player lets you send a PCM stream to your receiver from an internally decoded DTS 5.1 signal, but this didn't work for me... as my player can't receive 5.1 PCM streams, it only saw it as 2-channel. At least the player lets you downsample 96khz PCM to 48khz, so that I at least got sound (Golden Compass only has DTS 5.1 or DTS HD Master).

With my new receiver, all formats work perfectly, all bitstreamed.

Some people perhaps are holding off for new receivers because they don't want to connect through the player's analog RCA 5.1/7.1 connectors - but this is probably mis-information. What you want to avoid is taking digital sound, converting it to analog, then back to digital, then back to analog... don't worry - you wouldn't be doing this. Basically you would be doing all your processing in the player digitally, then once it is sent out through the pre-outs to the receiver you'd bypass the receiver's processing and it would go straight to the amplifier (which is of course analog anyway).

So my conclusion for thos people with older (but good) receivers - this blu-ray player won't save you any money. The best savings would be to pay a little more for a player with 5.1 analog outputs and continue to use your existing receiver.

-Kevin Moore
Natick, MA
I like it!
 
Review Date: August 4, 2008
Reviewer: James R. McDonald, South Carolina
The only thing that I miss is that the eject and control switches do not have the background blue light. Otherwise, the picture and sound are wonderful! Everyone talks about the picture, but I now hear things that were not apparent before. I have it hooked to the 61" Samsung LED rear projection set and all is good. It even has this neat feature that if I have the TV set to the dish, and I put a DVD in, it switches the TV by itself! Also I'd like to say something about Amazon.com, these people are great. The first unit I bought didn't work well. Amazon sent me a return label, and a new unit within a week! Plus they are worth their weight in gold just for posting reviews from regular guys like me. I may or may not trust the guy in the store, but when I have a forum like this to read, it allows me make better choices.
Pretty happy, if price comes down you should especially consider it
 
Review Date: July 4, 2008
Reviewer: Alex H. Lim, seattle, WA United States
It's not particularly sleek or stylish, very basic 'here i am' player... as most intro blu ray players are, i'm sure they'll progress like dvd players did.

the picture and playback of everything has been flawless... looks awesome.

i wanted to write a review because the main thing i love... is actually DVD playback. all the blu ray i've tried has been amazing... but where i love this thing is in regular dvd playback. i don't know all the technical terms of how it converts upwards to HD (but then not technically hd?), but needless to say the picture quality of dvd, even burned/compressed dvd, is 100x better than it was played on my old sony dvd player... and that's gotta be a big thing to a lot of people out there with huge libraries of dvds and hardly any blu ray...

i got a new samsung ln46s750 with this at the same time, and the pairing is just plain sick. if you really want a full current bd player and have 400 to drop, go for it.
Excellent Blu-Ray Player, would rate 4.5 if possible though!
 
Review Date: July 8, 2008
Reviewer: F. Burton, Baltimore, MD USA
Samsung BD-P1500 1080p Blu-Ray Player

Pros
Bitsteams DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD, Ethernet port easily downloads firmware updates

Cons
Average styling and physical looks, not 2.0 out-of-the-box

Review
I love the BD1500 from Samsung. I unboxed mine, attached it to my Onkyo TXSR606, attached the ethernet cable, and downloaded the firmware update. (DHCP worked perfectly out of the box). It has a fast load time, tray ejects almost immediately and the menus are simple to navigate. In a comparison to my Toshiba HD-A30 HD-DVD Player, with both players turned off, I pressed the OPEN/EJECT button at the same time. Both powered on immediately. The Samsung Blu-Ray ejected it's try while the Toshiba displays "LOADING" as it powers on (and boots linux behind the scenes). I put a movie in the Samsung Blu-Ray and closed the tray. Toshiba still says Loading... Samsung is now loading. about 30 seconds into it the Samsung begins to play the movie... about 2 seconds later the Toshiba ejects it's tray and is ready for a movie to be inserted.

Picture quality is top-notch on Blu-Ray movies AND does a great job on upconverting DVD titles. I compared upconverted DVD in the Samsung Blu-Ray to the upconvert of the Toshiba HD-DVD (Reon chip) and I didn't notice much difference. Audio bitstreamed to the Onkyo 606 sounds excellent in my setup. I have no complaints about the Samsung unit whatsoever. Well worth the price I paid at Amazon ($300 shipped, after using a $50 credit they issued back to those who previously purchased an HD-DVD player from them). I look forward to future firmware updates to bring it up to 2.0 BD-Live, currently sits at profile 1.1 along with a working ethernet port already in place.

If possible, I would have knocked it a half point ONLY because it was 1.1 out-of-the-box and I don't understand why it wasn't 2.0 from day one.
Great Blu-Ray Player!
 
Review Date: June 8, 2008
Reviewer: Cooper, McCordsville, IN
I hooked this up to my 37 inch 720p/1080i Vizio, and I was surprised at how much crisper the picture was compared to the HD signal I receive from my cable. I wasn't sure it would make a big difference since I don't have 1080p, but Blu-Ray discs look much better than my upconverting Panasonic DVD recorder when it pays commercially bought DVDs or DVD-RAM.

Also, the Samsung BD-P1500 says it doesn't play DVD+R discs, but it plays discs that I made on my Panasonic DVD Recorder (DMR-EZ 28) just fine. Panasonic DMR-EZ28K 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built In Tuner

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Sharp BDHP210U Blu-ray Disc Player

Posted by admin on February 24th, 2010
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Sharp BDHP210U Blu-ray Disc Player
 
Manufacturer: Sharp
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $199.99
Sale Price: Too low to display
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available
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Product Description
Now you can enjoy the best of 1080p video on your AQUOS® LCD TV. Especially designed to work with AQUOS LCD TVs, the BDHP210U Blu-ray Disc™ Player provides seamless operability via the AQUOS LINK™ function through the HDMI™ connection. Performing as if it were all one system, the BDHP210U's Quick Start feature lets you enjoy gorgeous Blu-ray Disc™ video with the touch of a button in as little as 10 seconds. With HDMI™ outputs and 1080p as well as DVD up-conversion, you'll enjoy full digital high-definition video and high-fidelity audio. JPEG Digital images can be viewed as a slide show from recorded CD-RW/R with digital images.

Sharp BDHP210U Blu-ray Disc Player Details
  • Sharp BDHP210U Blu-ray Disc Player
  • Full HD 1080p/24 fps video output
  • HDMI Up-scaling - BD Live 2.0 Profile
  • 7.1 Ch digital audio output
  • Quick Start Mode: enjoy content quickly without delay

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Samsung BD-C6500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Posted by admin on February 24th, 2010
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Samsung BD-C6500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $249.99
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Product Description
Fast Performance, Quality Entertainment With a lightning fast 15-second disc load and 15-second boot-up time, the BD-C6500 is one of the quickest Blu-ray players in the market giving consumers more time to relax and enjoy their favorite movies in high-definition. The player features enhanced Blu-ray disc playback using Samsungs Adaptive Servo Technology (AST). All of this is packaged in a slim and sleek design.

Samsung BD-C6500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Details
  • Slim Design (39mm)
  • WiFi Built-in
  • Internet@TV
  • BD-Live (Profile 2.0), 1GB local storage
  • 1 HDMI , 1 USB

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OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black)

Posted by admin on February 24th, 2010
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OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black)
 
Manufacturer: OPPO Digital, Inc.
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $289.99
Sale Price: $369.99
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Product Description
Overview : The BDP-80 is a full-featured universal Blu-ray Disc player that supports BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live and BonusView), DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), HDCD, CD and other popular media formats such as AVCHD, MKV video files, digital photos and music. Sharing the same decoder and similarly optimized firmware as OPPO’s award-winning BDP-83, the BDP-80 features fast disc load times, quick response to user operations, and robust audio and video controls. In contrast to the BDP-83, which utilizes an onboard VRS by Anchor Bay video processor, the BDP-80 design has been optimized for use as a digital audio/video transport, emphasizing the accuracy of its digital audio/video outputs. At the same time, the BDP-80 is versatile enough to be used as a stand-alone universal Blu-ray player, thanks to its full array of output connections and audio/video decoding capabilities. For video, the BDP-80 features an HDMI 1.3 port that supports 1080p Full HD, 1080p 24Hz, Deep Color and Source Direct modes. Component video, S-Video and Composite video connections are also available for legacy analog displays. In addition to its faithful reproduction of high-definition pictures on Blu-ray Discs, the player can up-convert DVD from standard definition up to 1080p to maximize DVD picture quality. Its "Source Direct" output mode makes the BDP-80 incredibly well suited as a digital transport to feed into an external video processor, a high-end A/V receiver or display device with built-in video processing. Unique features such as subtitle shift and vertical stretch zoom mode makes the player an ideal source component for home theaters with 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) displays. For audio, the BDP-80 supports internal decoding and bitstream output of the latest sound formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. The BDP-80 also features a configurable 7.1-channel analog output that can be set as 7.1-channel, 5.1-channel, or stereo.

OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black) Details
  • Excellent stand-alone universal Blu-ray player and digital transport for Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-Audio, HDCD, CD, Kodak Picture CD, AVCHD, MKV, etc
  • Full HD video featuring up to 1080p output resolution, DVD up-conversion, 1080p 24Hz mode for Blu-ray
  • High fidelity audio with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio onboard decoding and bitstream output
  • Versatile audio connectivity including HDMI, 7.1ch analog, coaxial and optical digital outputs. Supports native DSD over HDMI for SACD playback
  • Ultimate convenience including PAL/NTSC conversion, dual USB ports, fast disc load times, responsive remote control, and built-in 1GB storage

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Customer Reviews For OPPO BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD and DVD-Audio (Black)
Universal Bargain
 
Review Date: February 3, 2010
Reviewer: R. Clark, Ridley Park, PA United States
You should look closely at this player if any of these descriptions fit you:

-You own SACDs or DVD-As and want to play them on the same player you use for Blu-ray and DVD;
-You want to upgrade to a universal player that can transmit all audio and video formats (including SACD and DVD-A) via HDMI;
-You own a high-end video processor (separately or built into your receiver or display) that you want to use instead of the one built into your player;
-You own a processor that does not accept HDMI but does have analog 7.1/5.1 inputs, and want to use them to hear lossless audio (TrueHD/DTS-MA) from Blu-ray Discs.
-You prefer to do business with a smaller company that has a reputation for responsive and effective customer support.

You are not the target market for this player if:

-You require that your streaming solution (for Netflix, Amazon, YouTube etc.) be part of your Blu-ray player -- this player does not stream;
-You own a very large display and need the very best available upconversion of standard DVDs (which would make you a candidate for Oppo's $499 BDP-83);
-You don't want to spend more than the minimum for standard Blu-ray audio and video performance, and you have HDMI-enabled equipment.
-You feel you can benefit from the audio performance of very high-end DACs for stereo or multichannel analog audio (which would recommend the BDP-83 or BDP-83SE).

While I've only had my BDP-80 for a few days, I've become very impressed with the thoroughness and elegance of its design. This is a very well thought-out player, aimed at users who have a reasonable grasp of the technology they're using.

I should note that I did not spend much time on the file-playback capabilities of this unit. I did play a couple of MPG files I had on a thumb drive (there's a port on the front of the player) and found a very nice menu and very straightforward operation. There is a long list of supported file formats.

Some of the things that jumped out at me:

-The very well-packed player arrives, inside the box, wrapped not in plastic, but in an Oppo tote bag made from recycled material.
-The manual is clear, well-written in English, and printed with premium materials. (Updated versions can be downloaded as well.)
-A 6' HDMI cable is included.
-The unit has a very solidly-built feel to it.
-It is silent in operation (no cooling fan) yet does not run hot.
-Tray operation feels and sounds solid, well-damped, and not a bit flimsy. There is no ambiguity about whether the disc is properly centered in the tray.
-Menus are attractive and unambiguous.
-The remote has a number of unusual but useful controls, but is still comfortable and intuitive for basic operations. (Note that it is not backlit; the backlit version costs more and is available direct from Oppo. This is moot if you plan to use a universal remote, as I do.)
-The player is very quick in all modes of operation. It powers up and boots very fast; the tray is ready to open in a few seconds. Blu-ray operations are on a par with the PS3; other types of discs load and play as fast as most regular players.
-In my installation, at least, I connected to my home network, the player immediately configured itself, contacted the mothership, found and downloaded the latest firmware, all in a couple of minutes.

Detailing every feature of the player and remote would basically be to reproduce the owner's manula which, since it's available as a pdf on Oppo's site, you can do for yourself. So I'll end by saying that the player appears to do everything that Oppo says it will do, and does it quickly and without fuss. The company includes a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, and has an excellent reputation for customer support.

You can pay a lot less for equivalent performance in Blu-ray playback via HDMI, even in players with support for streaming services. If that's all you need there may be no reason for you to pay more for a player like this. But particularly if you can use a universal player with Blu-ray, this is not just a great performer, but it's a stone bargain.




Budget Audiophile's Best Universal Player
 
Review Date: March 3, 2010
Reviewer: R. Fleischer, Skokie, IL USA
Here was my problem. My old Sony Esprit series CD player was on its last legs. I had a lo-fi DVD / VCR. I own several dozen hybrid SACD's that I could only hear as CD's. I wanted, no, needed, a quality universal player.

The rest of my system has very nice equipment, the kind of equipment that fellow audiophiles on a tight budget appreciate. My home theater speakers are Magnepans, my multichannel receiver was a high quality Yamaha, and I used my old Carver M1.5t amplifiers to amplify the main MG12/QR's and a Dahlquist subwoofer.

I wanted something to play SACD's and CD's at a high quality, multichannel for the DSD streams and as a bitstream for traditional CD. I also wanted to up-convert DVD signal. Did I need Blu-ray? No, but when you can get it for free, why not?

The OPPO BDP-80 is the ONLY universal player in the world that includes Blu-Ray, and SACD on the same platform, and costs only $289.00! That is phenomenal.

After several weeks listening to the unit, hooked into my system via both HDMI and optical digital, I have these comments.

The CD bitstream, acquired via optical digital, is at least as good as my Sony was. The sound is clean, pure, and accurate. SACD, acquired as a discrete multichannel output, is excellent. I can finally hear the improvement that DSD provides; a more open high end, more "air" around string instruments in the orchestra, more ambiance in jazz recordings. I've been missing something, and this is the answer for serious home reproduction of fine music.

The pleasant surprise - MP3's via the USB port! I am shocked that better quality MP3 input (320 kbps) sound almost as good as CD's. And it is trivial to move files onto a thumb drive, and play them on the player. I am shocked at how often I use this little gem of a feature.

Video is vastly improved. All of the up-converted signals from traditional DVDs are sharp, far better than the lo-fi players I used to use. The ability to get clean Dolby Digital signal over HDMI is a huge improvement, as my receiver is not capable of decoding the new Blu-ray formats.

Here's my bottom line:

The only unit that can do all this, under a thousand dollars, is the larger OPPO! While I concede that the audio output of the larger OPPO is better than this unit,(heck, Lexicon takes the BDP-83, changes out a few capacitors, wraps a better box on it, and charges $3500!) this still delivers SACD, good CD, and MP3 in a single package, for less than $300.00.

And as someone who takes pride in getting a lot of audio bang for my buck... this unit delivers exactly what I want. I can put any media format in my house into one player, and get high quality audio and video, for a very nice price.

Bravo, OPPO!
Great Build Quality
 
Review Date: February 19, 2010
Reviewer: DC,
The first thing you will notice when you take this player out of the well packaged box it is shipped in is that it has a very solid feel, it's also deeper then most of the stuff made today by sony and others I like the deeper machines they fit better with all my other gear. My Sony and most new Sony's feel like the constructed of tin so you have what looks a bit fancier in some of the Sony's but really they all seem to be built like junk in the Oppo 80s price class, while I would love if the draw assembly had the liquid smooth quiet damped draw like my Yamaha's I did not expect this on th 80 and it would probably increase the cost to build it in so its understandable in this range, I would think the Oppo 83 has that at $200 more.

The picture when using its own upscaler chip I'm a little torn on, I think its quite good overall but it also has source direct that sends the signal direct to your set allowing your TV or High End Reciever to do the upscaling, this feature is not found on lesser machines, this also allowed me to test the upscaling capability in the Oppo 80 with what I have, and here's what I noticed if I feed the source from a well recorded DVD direct to my TH46PZ85U it seems to do a very good job at up scaling SD but on-screen titles and text seem to be handled better in my Pany then the 80, text seems cleaner and whiter where is the Oppo seems a little softer and not as white im not sure why but it seems that the 80 is less sharp on something's, this has nothing to do with the sharpness control in the player as you can't make the Oppo show text as clearly defined no mater how you set it.

Im not sure how the 83 compares in this test as I do not own one but thats somthing I notice right away please don't let that stop you however as the picture, sound and build are all quite high, do not expect an over procesed image as may be seen with many machines, this machine produces a much more natural picture then most mass market machines and I expect that from a smaller high quality company like Oppo Digital.

With this aside I would say the machine does a great job, it even played discs my sony machine wouldn't even play. In my sony some discs would lock up but the same problem disc plays fine in the Oppo.

So if what you want is a fast well made machine that will play most of what you toss at it I think you cant go wrong with this machine.

this player does not have the case flex of many other machines that is I mean that cheep box construction seen on so many others built today you can flex the case on others ... but the 80 it really is solid I would say that the case that the 80 was built around is thicker steel then other players out there, I have not confirmed this, but sure they cut some corners in the 80 like the true puck style feet that are on most high end gear like my Yamaha's and the Oppo 83 but I feel that's ok as they didn't seem to skimp in over all build at all and that's welcome and important in my book I really don't like junk.

So if you just want a cheep player that has Netflix stuff and buy one of the others that are less then this or even close to this you will not get this build quality in the other machines in my opin.
Full-featured bargain, audiophile review
 
Review Date: February 18, 2010
Reviewer: A. Keller, Sacramento, CA
I grew up in the household of a professional audiophile, became one myself, and I've seen them all. This player is a flat-out steal at this price. I replaced a Pioneer DV-610av-s with this unit, literally just swapped cables over, and used a USB drive to update the firmware. Amazing machine. I geeked out over it, big time.

Here's why you should pick this thing up:
- Every possible connector a low-budget audio/videophile wants: 7.1 analog outputs, digital coax, optical, HDMI, component, composite, S-Video, 2x USB, and ethernet
- Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders on-board, for hi def audio on the analog (7.1) outputs (for those of us still attached to our older Pioneer Elite receivers ^_^)
- Excellent DVD up-conversion...I've seen better, but we're talking wayyyyy beyond this price point
- Cheapest blu-ray you can buy with DVD-A and SACD AND analog audio outputs...I bought this player for this reason alone
- 96 and 192 khz audio options for compatible receivers
- Simple setup...intuitive menu, GORGEOUS manual (the thing was professionally printed IN ENGLISH), and HDMI cable included
- On-unit display screen has indicators for everything
- Quick eject/load time
- Great remote
- Beautiful packaging = enjoyable unboxing experience

Here's what irks me so far:
- No ability to have surround speakers set at different distances in the menu--you change the distance on one, the other changes too (although any decent receiver gives you this option, so not a big deal...)
- Short power cord (again, not a big deal)
- No backlighting on the remote (big deal = no)

Oh, and shipping with UPS is garbage...I signed up for 2-day delivery, UPS showed up after my apartment's front office was closed and couldn't get in, so I called to have it ready for pickup that night, drove out there only to find they never pulled it off the truck, and had to call back to make sure they delivered it during business hours. And when I called to have the operator send the driver the code to our gate, the operator said "our drivers don't have cell phones". WTF? What is this, 1982?

Buy this thing already. Just don't ship with UPS.
Outstanding value for excellent all-around Blu-ray Player
 
Review Date: March 10, 2010
Reviewer: Nathan Price, San Antonio
I currently own an OPPO DV-980H up-converting DVD player that I've had for a few years now. I loved it when I got it and still do, but this new player far exceeds that one all the way around. This player is super quiet, unlike the DV-980H which is quite noisy at times. It does a better job up-converting DVDs and has a source video mode where it will leave the output as is so you can allow your receiver or TV to do the up-converting instead. The overall look and feel of the physical unit is great, it's almost as thin as any good DVD player plus it has a USB port on the front for loading up movies or music that way. It supports just about every audio and video format out there, however I have noticed some strange artifacts/pixelation that occurs on a couple videos I encoded using the newest H.264 encoding standards. I'm sure this will be addressed in future firmware updates, OPPO is always good about keeping their firmware up-to-date and it's super easy to upgrade. It supports all the latest and greatest Dolby audio formats along with many others and can output the sound to your receiver as is (bitstream) or convert it to LPCM first for better compatibility if your receiver can't decode it. The menus and navigation are much improved over older models and the manual is very well written and explains everything well.

If you are interested in playing many different formats of audio and video, this is definitely for you. If you don't need the higher-end video processing for DVD up-conversion that the BDP-83 provides for a premium, get this one instead. You just can't beat what you get for the price. I have a Netflix Blu-ray subscription and ever disc I've watched so far has worked flawlessly. There will always be more potential problems with ripped and burned audio and video because of the multitude of encoding formats and methods used.

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