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First Look at Samsung BD-D6500

Samsung BD-D6500 is one of many Samsung Blu ray player with built in 3D function. While 2010 models lacked 3D options in most part, 2011 models from Samsung all boast built in 3D capability with exception of few models. The BD-D6500 is a middle tier Blu ray player with middle of the road pricing.
The BD-D6500 is fairly similar to the Samsung's entry level Blu ray player, BD-D5500. The BD-D6500's feature set and performance is almost identical to the BD-D5500 player. The only real noticeable difference is the inclusion of built in WiFi on the BD-D6500 model. Otherwise, the BD-D6500 is remarkably similar Blu ray player compared to BD-D5500.

Features

Like the BD-D5500, the BD-D6500 is a Profile 2.0 player with 3D capability. It is fully compatible with the latest BD-LIVE contents. As expected, it can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS on top of media formats like MP3. One of the main selling point of Samsung Blu ray players is the Smart Blu ray player platform. Smart platform gives you option to download apps as well as enjoy all of the latest streaming contents. With Smart platform, you have access to Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu, YouTube, and Pandora. Samsung can add other streaming contents via updates. Also, you have access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The downloadable apps are fairly simple and straightforward. You have access to news feeds as well as weather. Also, there are some simple games like solitaire and poker you can download as well.

Design

The BD-D6500 is lot more aesthetically pleasing than the boring BD-D5500. The BD-D6500 have a "tiered" design instead of the flush rectangular design found on most Blu ray players. The most of the features are located on the bottom tier of the player including the LCD and playback function. The top of the player is finished in high gloss which can be a finger print and dust magnate. However, this does add some luster to the overall design of the player. The connections are almost exact copy of the BD-D5500. It comes with 2 channel analog audio output, 1 HDMI port, 1 USB 2.0 port, Ethernet port, and optical digital audio output. While the BD-D5500 comes with 2 USB ports, the BD-D6500 comes with 1. Otherwise, the overall function and connectivity is carbon copy of BD-D5500. The included remote is a pretty standard for a Samsung remote control. It has good layout and the button size should be pretty good for most people.

Video and Performance

Samsung's Ultra Fast play feature is also present on the BD-D6500. As with BD-D5500, this feature does add some speed to the overall booting and loading of Blu ray discs. Tested with 4 different Blu ray discs, I found that the average loading time between BD-D5500 and BD-D6500 was almost identical. That is to say, the Blu ray discs loaded within 40 seconds from boot up.

The video processing showed no discernable defects. Like the cheaper BD-D5500, the BD-D6500 showed no signs of video processing defects like moiré, jagginess, and motion blur. The overall video processing was tested with 2 separate Blu ray movies. Both had no problem with the video performance as well as bonus and BD-LIVE contents. As mentioned in BD-D5500 review, you will most likely not find any video processing defects in the latest Blu ray players.

Audio

The audio playback was spot on as well. There were no audio formats that BD-D6500 failed to properly decode. The media files like MP3 and WMA all played without any hitch. However, BD-D6500 does not play nicely with SACD, AAC, OGG, or FLAC file formats. Otherwise, the audio performance was pretty spot on.

Overall

It is pretty hard to differentiate all the different Blu ray players. Each model from Samsung boast similar internals and software. The only real difference seems to be the design and inclusion of WiFi and few other features. The high end models give you option to convert 2D to 3D image. If that's not what you need, the BD-D6500 is perfectly good player with included WiFi. It might be cheaper to purchase this model instead of BD-D5500 if you need a WiFi. If you don't need WiFi, the BD-D5500 is better option because of the price.

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Unbiased Review of Samsung BD-D5500 Player

With every manufacturers pushing for 3D technology, 3D capability is almost always integrated into the newest Blu ray players. Samsung is no different. With exception of few models, all of the new Samsung Blu ray players offer the 3D technology out of the box. Of course, you will need a compatible 3D television set to really enjoy the 3D features.

Features

The BD-D5500 is entry level Blu ray player from Samsung. While it is the cheapest 3D capable Blu ray player from Samsung, the BD-D5500 offers a lot of features found on more expensive Blu ray players. In fact, only worthwhile feature missing from BD-D5500 is the inclusion of WiFi out of the box. If you want the WiFi capability, you will have to buy optional WiFi dongle. Otherwise, the performance and features are fairly similar to the more expensive models from Samsung and other manufacturers.

The BD-D5500 is a 3D Blu ray player with the latest features found Profile 2.0 players. It is fully compatible with latest BD-LIVE contents as well as 3D Blu ray discs. Like most other Blu ray players, it can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS. Like the other latest Blu ray players from Samsung, it supports the Smart Blu ray player with Samsung app. With Samsung Smart platform, you can access Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu, YouTube, and Pandora. Also, you can access social network sites like Facebook and Twitter. There are a lot more apps specifically built for Smart platform that you can explore once you set everything up. With Samsung apps, you can download various games as well as news and weather apps. You can download games like Monopoly and various poker games.

Aesthetics

The overall design of BD-D5500 is fairly straight forward. While the uneven front fact from the top makes it different from run of the mill rectangle design, it doesn't make it stand out in terms of overall design. The tray is located on the left side of the player. The LCD and simple playback function buttons are centrally located. There is a front USB port with a nice cover if you are not using it. The connectivity include simple 2 channel analog audio output, HDMI, component video, USB 2.0 port, Ethernet port, and optical digital audio output. It does not come with extra HDMI or multi-channel analog audio outputs. The included remote control is pretty nice option. While it's not comparable to more advanced remote controls, it does have nice big buttons for important functions and the buttons are in a nice layout.

Performance and Video

With the new Blu-ray players, Samsung has touted the ultra fast play feature. According to Samsung, movies will load faster than previous Blu ray player. From boot up to playing, Samsung claims the time of 30 seconds or so. In the real world testing, I found that 30 second is fairly close on most discs. However, some discs did take longer than 40 seconds. Otherwise, it is pretty nice in terms of loading speed.

The overall video processing was excellent. Pretty much all the latest Blu ray players will not have any video processing defects seen on first or second generation Blu ray players. Typical first generation video defects like moiré, jagginess, and motion blur were all absent from the video playback. All of these defects were absent from the Blu ray disc as well as DVD playback. The BD-D5500 played media files without too much problem. MKV and Divx formats all played without any problems. However, few MKV files had problem displaying subtitles for some reason. Never the less, the overall video processing was spot on.

Audio

I had no problems with audio formats as well. It handled all the audio formats flawlessly. Even the high definition audio formats had no problem decoding on the player. The lack of multi channel analog output as well as extra HDMI port might be a problem for some users. Otherwise, the audio playback was perfect.

Overall

For an entry level 3D Blu ray player, the BD-D5500 packs in a lot of features for low price. You even have option to go WiFi if you choose to purchase the optional WiFi dongle. However, stepping up to the next model might be cheaper than buying WiFi dongle if you really need WiFi. For around $100, this is one the best low priced Blu ray player on the market today.

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Sharp come back: BD-HP25U

While Sharp has not been as popular as some of the other Blu ray player makers, it has been producing fairly decent Blu ray players. Unlike other major electronics makers, Sharp has been little late to the Blu ray player market. Consequently, they have been somewhat behind in terms of quality and features. Their first efforts were adequate at best and mostly relegated to basic entry level players. While their second generation was big improvement, it was still better to buy other more established brands. In 2011, Sharp introduced fresh line up of Blu ray players to compete with other big manufacturers.

Features

BD-HP25U is the first of five new Blu ray players offered by the Sharp in 2011. With the retail price of $179.99, the BD-HP25U is the entry level model. As expected, the BD-HP25U is Profile 2.0 player fully compatible with BD-LIVE content. As with all the new Blu ray players, it is capable of decoding every relevant audio formats. It can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, and DTS-HD Master Audio. It is also compatible with MP3 file format. The BD-HP25U will play Divx, AVHCD, VR, and MKV. The ability to play Divx and MKV should be a big bonus for people looking for a universal media player. Unlike other entry level players, the BD-HP25U is fully compatible with the 3D contents. Most other manufacturers have opted to forgo 3D compatibility on the entry level players. The internet streaming content is fairly limited compared to other players. It comes with very basic internet streaming contents like CinemaNow, Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube. You can also stream music via Pandora player.

Design

The overall design is similar to other flip down front face designs. The disc tray is located under the front face plate. the LCD and USB is located on the left side of the player. The playback buttons are located on the left side as well. They are placed on top of the player above the LCD and USB port. The connectivity is sparse compared to older generation players. The newer players like the BD-HP25U does not come with legacy connection that are not required by the high definition formats. HDMI, standard audio outputs, RJ-45 Ethernet, and additional USB port are the only options available for connections.

Performance and Video

The overall performance of BD-HP25U is fairly similar to other 2011 Blu ray players. The boot up and loading speed is in line with most other 2011 Blu ray players. While not as fast as some of the players, it was well within 3-8 seconds in booting and loading time. Most users shouldn't notice any delays compared to other players.

The video performance was competent as well. The usual video defects like moiré, jagginess, and motion blur were all absent from the Blu ray disc movies. Video defects were all absent on three different Blu ray movies. The overall DVD upscaling was somewhat disappointing compared to other players. The overall picture quality suffered compared to other top end Blu ray players. However, it was still better than non scaled DVDs on the high definition television. Overall, there was nothing to complain about in terms of video performance.

Audio

There were no problems with audio decoding. All the formats decoded without any problem. The high definition audio formats all decoded without any problems. The lack of file support other than MP3 was disappointing. I’ve yet to see any player that really had problem with audio decoding in 2010 or 2011 models. You shouldn’t have any problem with this player unless you are trying to decode other file formats.

Overall

This is pretty decent entry level player from Sharp. This is one of few entry level player to support 3D play back function. Priced around $120 at most retailers, this is not the cheapest entry level player. You can definitely find a better player at this price range with more features. While it does support Wi-Fi, you will have to buy a separate dongle. With the Blu ray players all having similar picture quality, it's the extra features that separate the players from one another. The BD-HP25U comes up little short against other similarly priced players.

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Panasonic DMP-BDT310 First Impression

Panasonic has put out some great Blu ray players in 2011. Even the low end model carried a lot of features including internet streaming. The top end models featured some interesting features like 2D to 3D conversion and built in Skype functionality. The low end model doesn’t share too many features with the other three players. However, each successive model builds upon previous model’s features.

Features

The DMP-BDT310 is the most expensive Panasonic Blu ray player in 2011. As such, it packs more feature than the previous three models. On top of the built in WiFi, the DMP-BDT310 adds an extra HDMI port. This might be a very important addition for those that need an extra HDMI port. Not all receivers are capable of passing HDMI 1.4 spec signals where it is required for 3D viewing. As such, you will need to pass audio and video via separate HDMI to fully utilize your older receiver. Other than this small addition, the DMP-BDT310 is essentially identical to DMP-BDT210.

Like the DMP-BDT210, the DMP-BDT310 is a Profile 2.0 player compatible with the latest BD-LIVE content. Unlike some other top end models, the DMP-BDT310 does not come with internal storage. The DMP-BDT310 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS HD Master Audio, and DTS high resolution Audio. As previous model, the player will also play the standard MP3 audio files. The media file format playback is carried over to the DMP-BDT310. The DMP-BDT310 can play most MKV files along with some Divx encoded files as well. We would have liked a better compatibility. As with previous two models, the DMP-BDT310 comes with Viera Cast. The Viera Cast includes CinemaNow, VUDU, Netflix, Youtube, and many other internet streaming contents. You also have access to news feeds as well as weather feeds from the Viera Cast platform. There are other internet streaming contents on top of the ones mentioned here. Also, the 2D to 3D conversion is present on the DMP-BDT310. As with other models, the 2D to 3D conversion feels little gimmicky at best. While the conversion does add some depth, it is not up to the standard 3D viewing found on conventional 3D discs. You can call and receive calls with optional camera for video conferencing via built in Skype capability. Also, it comes with answering service if you are away or watching a movie or away from the television. As mentioned earlier, the WiFi comes with this player and you do not need to purchase any additional equipment.

Design

The overall dimension and design is carbon copy of DMP-BDT310. The DMP-BDT310 comes with flip down front face design like the previous model. The disc tray and playback buttons are located beneath the face plate on the left and the right respectively. As with DMP-BDT210, the USB port is located in the middle of the player. The LCD is located on the right side of the player next to the playback buttons. The top of the player contains a gesture area where the tray can be opened with wave of hand. The connectivity options are exactly same as the DMP-BDT210 except for the addition of extra HDMI port. The back of player includes the two HDMI, USB, 2 channel analog output as well as simple video output. You also get the SD card slot for extra memory option. The included remote control has the dedicated Netflix and Skype button for fast and convenient access to these features. This is exact same remote control included in the DMP-DBT210 model.

Performance and Video

The overall loading and booting speed is on par with the previous model as well. As discussed in that review, the Panasonic Blu ray players tend to be little faster than most other 2011 Blu ray players. The video processing was top notch as well. Spot tested with three different Blu ray discs, the DMP-BDT310 showed no processing defects. Moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were all absent from the playback of two discs. Also, the bonus contents including BD-LIVE contents played without any problems. Like other Panasonic Blu ray players, the DMP-BDT310 did adequate job upscaling conventional DVDs. As noted earlier, the 2D to 3D conversion was not that great.

Audio

All audio formats played without any problems. All high definition audio formats properly decoded. As with DMP-BD75, it could not play the WMA files. Other than that, the audio performance was spot on. It would have been nice to see Panasonic support more digital file formats like AAC.

Overall

While this is the top of the line Blu ray player from Panasonic, it did miss out some important feature like internal storage. Instead of beefing up the top of the line model, Panasonic chose to include extra HDMI port. A little more feature would have been nice. If you don’t need two HDMI port, you can stick with DMP-BDT210 and save yourself some money.

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Unbiased Review of Panasonic DMP-BDT210

Panasonic has really done nice job adding additional features to their Blu ray players. Out of the four models introduced in 2011, three of them boast Skype calling, 2D to 3D conversion, and the Viera Cast streaming platform. Even the lower end model included some internet streaming options.

Features

The DMP-BDT210 adds few more features to the already impressive DMP-BDT110. The DMP-BDT210 adds WiFi as well as touch sensitive control to the DMP-BDT100 model. DMP-BDT210 is a Profile 2.0 player compatible with BD-LIVE content. You will need an external storage to enjoy some of the BD-LIVE contents. It can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS HD Master Audio, and DTS high resolution Audio. As with DMP-BDT110, the player will also play the standard MP3 audio files. Also, the DMP-BDT210 can play most MKV files along with some Divx encoded files as well. The file format compatibility is not as good as Samsung or other manufacturers. The Viera Cast found on the DMP-BDT110 is carried over to this model as well. The Viera Cast includes CinemaNow, VUDU, Netflix, Youtube, and many other internet streaming contents. You also have access to news feeds as well as weather feeds from the Viera Cast platform. There are other internet streaming contents on top of the ones mentioned here. The ability to convert 2D to 3D is something new on the Panasonic players. While not as good as movies filmed in 3D, it does fairly decent job of creating some depth to the picture. The Skype is also included on this player as well. You can call and receive calls with optional camera for video conferencing. Also, it comes with answering service if you are away or watching a movie. Unlike the DMP-BDT110, the DMP-BDT210 comes with integrated WiFi functionality. You will not have to buy a WiFi dongle to have wireless connectivity.

Aesthetics

Aside from the touch gesture area, the design of DMP-BDT210 is identical to the DMP-BDT110. The DMP-BDT210 comes with flip down front face design. The disc tray and playback buttons are located beneath the face plate on the left and the right respectively. As with DMP-BDT110, the USB port is located in the middle of the player. The LCD is located on the right side of the player next to the playback buttons. The top of the player contains a gesture area where the tray can be opened with wave of hand. The connectivity options are exactly same as the DMP-BDT110. The back of player includes the HDMI, USB, 2 channel analog output as well as simple video output. You also get the SD card slot for extra memory option. The included remote control has the dedicated Netflix and Skype button for fast and convenient access to these features. This is exact same remote control included in the DMP-DBT110 model.

Performance

The overall booting and loading speed is in line with other Panasonic models. The players are fairly fast compared to previous generation models. However, it does not significantly outperform other 2011 models. Never the less, you will notice the speed improvement even if it’s not that big. As with DMP-BDT110, the overall performance was faster on most cases. However, it did suffer from some slowdowns with few select Blu ray discs.

Video

As expected, the video processing was top notch. Spot tested with two different Blu ray movies, DMP-BDT210 showed no processing defects. Moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were all absent from the playback of two discs. All the bonus contents including BD-LIVE contents played without any problems. The upscaling of regular DVD disc was satisfactory. While nowhere near Blu ray quality, it did look nicer than regular playback. The conversion of 2D to 3D was spotty at best. As noted earlier, the conversion does add some depth to the picture. However, the overall effect is minimal and feels like a gimmicky technology at best.

Audio

All audio formats played without any problems. All high definition audio formats properly decoded. As with DMP-BD75, it could not play the WMA files. Other than that, the audio performance was spot on. It would have been nice to see Panasonic support more digital file formats like AAC.

Final thoughts

Aside from the inclusion of touch free operation and built in WiFi, the DMP-BDT210 is an identical player to the DMP-BDT110. This is in line with what manufacturers do with their new Blu ray player models. They don’t completely change the tech inside. Instead, they add little more features like touch free operation and built in WiFi. Buying the optional WiFi dongle with the DMP-BDT110 will easily be more expensive than buying the DMP-BDT210. At about $160 at most retailers, the DMP-BDT210 is definitely worth the extra money over the DMP-BDT110 model.

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Panasonic DMP-BDT110 Review

Panasonic’s 2011 Blu ray player models included three different 3D capable players on top of the entry level non 3D model. With the maturing of Blu ray technology, the price of the Blu ray players has gone down. All three 3D Blu ray players are priced under $200 at most retailers online. While the cheapest Blu ray player from Panasonic is priced around $100, the lower end 3D model isn’t priced that much higher. With little extra cost, you get lot more features besides the 3D feature.

Features

The DMP-BDT110 is the cheapest 3D capable Blu ray player from Panasonic’s 2011 line up. The DMP-BDT110 is a Profile 2.0 player compatible with the latest BD-LIVE contents. For a little price bump, the DMP-BDT110 packs in a lot more features over the DMP-BD75 model. The DMP-BDT110 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS HD Master Audio, and DTS high resolution Audio. The player will also play the standard MP3 audio files. Like the DMP-BD75, the DMP-BDT110 can play most MKV files without having to encode them again. The DMP-BDT110 includes the full Viera Cast platform instead of the limited internet streaming content found on the DMP-BD75 model. The Viera Cast includes CinemaNow, VUDU, Netflix, Youtube, and many other internet streaming contents. You have access to news feeds as well as weathers from the Viera Cast. On top of the 3D playback, you can take regular 2D images and convert them to 3D images on the fly. One of the more interesting features on the DMP-BDT110 is the integration of Skype. It comes with full featured Skype integration that includes answering service as well as video chatting. You will need to buy optional USB camera to have the video chatting. Also, the DMP-BDT110 is merely WiFi ready device. You need to buy optional USB WiFi dongle to have a truly wireless connectivity.

Design

Like a lot of the new Blu ray players, the DMP-BDT110 features the flip down front face design. This design adds little bit of flair to the overall design of the player. The disc tray is located on the left side of the player with the USB port located in middle. The LCD and playback buttons are located on the right side of the player. The back of player includes the HDMI, USB, 2 channel analog output as well as simple video output. You also get the SD card slot for extra memory option. If you do not want to buy the WiFi dongle, you have option to use the Ethernet port for wired internet connectivity. The included remote control has the dedicated Netflix and Skype button for fast and convenient access to these features. Other than that, the included remote control is fairly simple unit.

Performance and Video

As with DMP-BD75, one of the strong selling points of Panasonic Blu ray player is the speed of the player compared to other Blu ray players. The overall speed of DMP-BDT110 is similar to the cheaper DMP-BD75. While it performed faster against most players, there were some occasions where it was slower to load the same Blu ray disc. Overall, it is a fairly fast Blu ray player.

The overall video processing was very good as expected. Tested with two different Blu ray discs, the DMP-BDT110 showed no video processing defects. Moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were all absent from the playback of two discs. The upscaling tests on DVDs were flawless as well. The conversion of 2D to 3D image was decent at best. Don’t expect to get full 3D effect you get from the proper HD 3D mastered Blu ray discs. While you do get 3D effects, it is not as good as the movies properly shot in 3D and transferred to Blu ray disc. Overall, there was nothing wrong with any video playback.

Audio

All audio formats played without any problems. All high definition audio formats properly decoded. As with DMP-BD75, it could not play the WMA files. Other than that, the audio performance was spot on.

Final Thoughts

The DMP-BDT110 is a feature packed player at under $120. The inclusion of Viera Cast and Skype makes it worth the extra $20 over the DMP-BD75 model. Also, the overall video and audio processing was very good. If you do buy this model, I recommend updating the firmware to the newest version as I had some problem getting Viera Cast to work properly with Netflix. Also, if you need wireless connectivity, I suggest getting the DMP-BDT210 for the included WiFi. Other than that, DMP-BDT110 is a very capable player at a great price.

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Review: Panasonic DMP-BD75

The introduction of 3D technology has created more variety in Blu ray disc player market. Instead of the usual two or three new players each year, manufacturers are producing four to six different models to accommodate 3D technology. Panasonic is no different. For 2011, Panasonic introduced four new Blu ray disc players. The cheapest Blu ray player, DMP-BD75, is a non 3D Blu ray player aimed at budget minded consumers with no need for 3D technology. Even retailing at under $100, the DMP-BD75 is anything but low end in terms of features and performance.

Features

The DMP-BD75 is the entry level model for 2011. These days, even the entry level models will come with Profile 2.0 that is compatible with BD-LIVE contents. The DMP-BD75 is fully compatible with BD-LIVE contents as well as other Profile 2.0 specifications. As with most other Blu ray players, the DMP-BD75 can decode all known audio formats found on Blu ray movies. It can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS HD Master Audio, and DTS high resolution Audio. The player will also play the standard MP3 audio files. Surprisingly, DMP-BD75 can decode and play MKV files as well as some Divx files. While the playback of media files like MKV was supported, it had problem with some non standard video formats. Out of five MKV files tested, four played without any problems. It seems to lag little behind Samsung when it comes to MKV playback. The DMP-BD75 does come with limited internet streaming contents. It comes with Netflix, Cinemanow, Vudu, and Pandora as part of the internet streaming contents. This is somewhat limited compared to other players that come with complete internet platform that include downloadable apps. Even so, it still should be enough for most users.

Design

The overall design and weight is in line with other Blu ray players. It only measures 1.4 inches in thickness for slimmer design. Also, it only weighs around 3.5 pounds. The disc tray is located on the left side of the player. LCD and simple playback buttons are located on the right side. Strangely, the USB port is located in the middle of the front face instead of the side. It seems like having the USB port on the right side would have been more logical. Other than this anomaly, the DMP-BD75 looks like any other Blu ray player. Panasonic have simplified the input and output ports on the DMP-BD75. It comes with HDMI, USB, 2 channel analog audio output, and simple video output. It has done away with component and S-video outputs. Most users will only require HDMI output port and USB port for storage purpose. The included remote is adequate. It does have a dedicated network button for accessing Netflix and other streaming contents.

Performance and Video

The major selling point of the Panasonic Blu ray player seems to be the fast loading and booting time. While it was faster than most other players, it is not something to be truly amazed about. It shaves an average of 5-10 or less against most other 2011 players. In some instances, it failed to be faster than other players. However, it is faster in most cases.

The video processing is far more important than the loading and booting speed. The DMP-BD75 was flawless in its Blu ray disc playbacks. This is in line with most other 2011 models. All the typical video processing errors like moiré, jaggieness, and motion blur were absent in Blu ray movie tests. All three movies tested showed no video processing errors. However, the player crashed during the testing in one of the Blu ray discs. This did not happen again in other tests. Also, the DVD upscaling and playback was pretty good as well. While not as good as some other players, DVD upscaling did look fairly good on DMP-BD75.

Audio

All the audio formats found on the Blu ray discs played without any problem. The regular Dolby and DTS played without any faults. Also, the high definition audio formats had no problems as well. MP3 files were all correctly decoded as well as the MKV files. However, I could not get the player to play the WMA files.

Final Thoughts

In 2009, this would have been a top tier Blu ray player. However, compared to other 2011 models, this player does not measure up in terms of features. It does not have WIFI or more comprehensive internet streaming contents. Also, it lacks 3D playback capability. Even at this price range, you can find a 3D capable player with WIFI option. However, you most likely need to purchase WIFI dongle separately. If you want a basic Blu ray player that will have no problem playing Blu ray discs, the DMP-BD75 should be a great option.

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Blu Ray Review: LG BD640

Of the five Blu ray players announced for 2011, only two players were non 3D capable players. The BD630 and BD640 were considered to be low end models without the 3D capability featured on the other three models. While 3D has been the logical next step in home theater entertainment, it is still slow to be adapted by most consumers. Most consumers who have just bought large HDTV are reluctant to upgrade so soon to the 3D models. The lack of 3D contents except on Blu ray seems to have put some stop to the 3D momentum. The BD640 is almost identical to the cheapest LG player, BD630.

Features

Like the BD630, the BD640 is a non 3D Blu ray player. All the core features from BD630 is carried over to the BD640. Essentially, BD640 is almost identical to the BD630. Only true differentiation is the BD640’s ability to use WiFi instead of Ethernet cable for internet connection. The BD640 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, DTS, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD. Also, it can decode AAC, MP3, and AC3 for the media files you might want to play via your Blu ray player. Like the BD630, the video decoding option is robust as well. It can decode DivX, MPEG2 TS/PS, AVCHD, Xvid, and MKV without having to encode them in more standard formats. The ability to decode these file format should be a great bonus. As with BD630, the BD640 does not come with the SmartTV platform found on the high end LG models. Instead, it comes with some basic internet streaming contents. With BD640, you can access Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, and Youtube. If you just need Netflix, the BD640 should be more than adequate for internet streaming. The BD640 is a wireless enabled player. You do need to purchase the WiFi dongle to enable the WiFi functionality for wireless functions.

Design

Not surprisingly, the dimension and weight are identical to the BD630. The overall design is exact copy of the BD630 model. The disc tray is located on the left side of the player. The LCD and playback function buttons are located on the right side. The location of the USB port’s location is same on BD640 as it was on the BD630. Having USB port at the front should be convenient for most users. You will need to get an external storage device for some BD-LIVE content that require storage spaces. HDMI, Ethernet, Digital and analog audio out, component and composite video are all located on the back of the player.

Performance and Video

The overall speed and performance does not deviate from BD630’s performance. The BD640’s performance typifies 2011 LG Blu ray players. The boot up and load time is little slower than other Blu ray players from Samsung or Sony. While the load time of Blu ray discs suffered a little compare to other players, the DVD performance was less noticeable. Even so, the difference shouldn’t bother most users.
The slow loading speed was the only drawback on the BD640’s performance. The overall video processing performance was spot on. The more expensive model did not outperform the BD640’s performance. The overall difference between the BD690’s video processing and BD640’s processing was nonexistent. That is to say, there were no video processing errors on the BD640. The video processing errors like moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur were all missing from the playback of two Blu ray disc movies. While there were some video degradation from DVD upscaling, it was not as bad as some of the earlier Blu ray players.

Audio

The audio decoding performance also mirrored the other LG Blu ray players. The lack of 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog output was the only blemish on BD640’s audio options. Otherwise, the BD640 handled all the audio formats without any problem. The MP3 and AAC audio played fine from the USB thumb drive without any problem.

Overall

As with BD630, the BD640’s lack of WiFi is the only true downside of this player. While the BD640 is wireless enabled, you still need to purchase the WiFi dongle separately. For the price of the dongle, you can easily step up to the next tier Blu ray player and get more features like 3D and more internet streaming options. The inclusion of SmartTV platform would have been nice on this player as some people will not upgrade to 3D television any time soon. Otherwise, this is a very good player in terms of video and audio performance.

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Blu-Ray Player Review: LG BD630

LG announced more than the usual three Blu ray players for their 2011 models. With 3D technology slowly catching on with the consumers, it was expected most manufacturers to offer up different 3D capable Blu ray players. LG announced three different Blu ray players capable of playing 3D discs as well as two standard non 3D Blu ray players. In total, LG offered up five different Blu ray player to cover low end to high end. LG BD630 is the cheapest of the five offerings from 2011 models.

Features

The BD630 is non 3D capable player. While it can’t play 3D discs, it is fully functional Profile 2.0 player with BD-LIVE content capability. Like the more expensive models, BD630 can decode Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, DTS, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD. You can also enjoy MP3, AC3, and AAC audio formats from your media files. Also, the video decoding options are very similar to the more expensive models. It can decode DivX, MPEG2 TS/PS, AVCHD, Xvid, and MKV just like the BD670 model. This is one of few lower end models that can natively decode these video formats. One key difference between this model and more expensive model is the lack of SmartTV platform on the BD630. While the BD630 does come with some limited internet streaming contents, it is nowhere near the complete experience of SmartTv. Only the 3D capable players from LG have the SmartTV platform. Never the less, it does come with Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, and Youtube. You will need to hook up the player via ethernet port as it does not come with WiFi capability.

Design

The overall design is pretty straight forward. It doesn’t have any significant design change from the earlier version of the player. The overall dimension is in line with other Blu ray players. The LCD is located on the right side of the player with few playback function buttons. The disc tray is located in the middle of the player. HDMI, Ethernet, Digital and analog audio out, component and composite video are all located on the back of the player. The single USB port is located on the front the player. For some BD-LIVE contents, you will need to get an external storage device.

Performance and Video

As with the other 2011 LG models, the only drawback of BD630 is the lack of speedy loading times. The boot up and loading time is less than stellar on LG models. While it is still very fast, the other Blu ray players have surpassed LG in terms of overall loading speed. The difference is less than 10 seconds on most Blu ray discs and even less on DVD discs.

While the loading and booting speed isn’t as fast as other players, the overall video processing is definitely flawless. The overall video performance was very good on both Blu ray and DVD discs. Spot tested with three different Blu ray movies, the BD630 showed no video processing defects on all three movies. None showed moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur in any scenes including some action heavy movie. While the DVD upscaling wasn’t as good as some of the more expensive players, it was very comparable to the higher end models in most cases. The upscaling of DVDs showed very little video degradation on the high definition television. Even so, you should not expect full Blu ray like experience with the DVD upscaling. The BD630 should be perfectly fine playing any disc formats.

Audio

Except for the absence of 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog outputs, the BD630 does not present any problem in audio department. All the audio formats decoded properly including the high definition audio formats. The MP3 and AAC audio formats played from the USB and from the disc without any problems. Overall, you shouldn’t have any problems with audio formats unless you have some exotic formats.

Overall

From price and performance perspective, the BD630 is a definitely a competent player. While it is not laced with some great features found on more expensive players, it does offer up solid performance with some decent internet streaming contents. While it lacks more comprehensive internet streaming contents found on SmartTV, most users should be satisfied with the internet streaming contents found on BD630. If you can forgo 3D contents as well as WiFi, this is one of the best performing players at any price range. Also, the ability to play variety of media type is truly a big plus for the sub $100 player.

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Review: LG BD690

The LG BD690 represents the high end Blu ray player from LG’s 2011 Blu ray player line up. As expected, the BD690 comes packed with features and very good overall performance. True to LG’s past Blu ray players, the BD690 comes packed with great internet streaming contents. Being one of the first to introduce internet streaming contents on the Blu ray players, LG has always been one of the top manufacturers to include internet streaming platform on their Blu ray players. The internet streaming contents added to the overall value of LG’s already great performing players.

Features

As befitting the top of the line model, BD690 is packed with features. The Profile 2.0 player comes with 250GB internal storage. You will not need the external storage device to fully enjoy the BD-LIVE contents that require storage spaces. 250GB should be plenty for BD-LIVE contents as well as other media you want to store on the Blu ray player. Aside from the design and the internal storage, the BD690 is nearly identical to the BD670 in terms of features and performance. The BD690 is Profile 2.0 player with onboard decoding of most audio formats. It can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, and DTS-HD Master Audio. It can also decode MP3, AC3, and AAC for your downloaded or converted music files. If you do home video editing or convert various video files, you will enjoy having the ability to play them on your BD690 without having to convert them to other standard formats. The BD690 can decode MPEG TS/PS, AVCHD, DivX, and MKV file formats. You can enjoy internet streaming contents via LG’s Smart TV platform. You can easily download and customize streaming contents via the Smart TV. Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube, Pandora, Picasa, and AccuWeather are part of the overall platform. There are various other apps you can download as well. The BD690 comes with Built in WiFi or you can connect to internet via Ethernet port.

Design

As befitting the top end status, the BD690 does stand out from other players in its design. It has more polished and upscale design compared to the other models. Like some of the older Sony models, the BD690 has the flip down front face plate that covers the entire frontal face of the Blu ray player. The disc tray is located on the left side of the player with playback buttons and LCD on the right side. The USB port is also located beneath the playback buttons. While nothing radical, the flip down front face plate does add some class to the overall design. The included remote control is pretty standard affair. The button layout is logical and big enough for most people.

Performance and Video

In terms of performance and overall speed, the BD690 is nearly identical to the BD670. The overall video processing of Blu ray and DVD discs were flawless. The usual video defects like moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur were absent from the playback. The DVD upscaling was also very good. You will be hard pressed to differentiate between the BD670 and BD690 in video processing. The slower than expected loading and operational speed is present on the BD690 as it did on BD670. You can definitely see some slowness compared to other 2011 Blu ray models from Sony or Panasonic. Never the less, it is not as bad as first or second generation loading speeds. It is still very competent player even with little slowness.

Audio

There were no problems with audio processing. All the formats decoded without any problem. The high definition audio formats all decoded without any problems. MP3, AAC, and AC3 all played perfectly. I’ve yet to see any player that really had problem with audio decoding in 2010 or 2011 models. You shouldn’t have any problem with this player either.

Overall

The BD690 is an impressive player with built in storage. You can rip CDs directly to the hard drive on the player as well. You might have problem with copy right protected media to rip properly. Otherwise, it is a great feature to have. Also, the BD690 is a DLNA certified device if you are looking for a proper networking of the devices. The BD690 can be bought for around $280 at this time. However, if you don’t really need the internet streaming or the internal storage space, you can easily buy the lower end model and still end up with a stellar Blu ray player.

Video

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Top 10 Best Selling Blu-Ray Players

• Playstation 3
• Oppo BD 93
• Panasonic DMP-BDT210
• LG BD630
• Sony BDP S580
• LG BD670
• Sony BDP S380
• LG BD640
• Panasonic DMP-BD75
• Panasonic DMP-BDT110
• Panasonic DMP-BDT310

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