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Sharp BDHP21U Blu Ray Player Review

February 11, 2009



The Sharp Aquos BDHP21U is Sharp's second effort on the consumer Blu-ray disc player. The first effort, BDHP20U was a solid first effort from Sharp. This new player builds on the earlier model by adding high defintion audio support and Profile 1.1 support. However, it seems to lack the refinement and performance when it comes up against the Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung's Blu-ray players.

Features and Design

There's nothing new with the design of the player. It is pretty similar to the BDHP20U model in every aspect. The remote control can be quite useful if you have LCD Aquos television set from Sharp. The combination of Blu-ray disc player and the television set links them via Aquos Link which enhances the ease and speed of operation. This is similar to Sony's Bravia Sync with its Blu-ray player and the Bravia line of LCD television set. The other big feature is the fast loading speed. I'm not familiar with the earlier model BDHP20U's loading speed. But, according to varoius other reviews, it seems to be the big selling point for the Sharp Blu-ray disc players. The loading time is fairly fast compared to other manufacture's disc players. The lack of Profile 2.0 support is pretty dissapointing. And, the lack of ethernet connection limits its ability for firmware upgrade. The only other way to do it would be through disc flashing.

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Picture Quality

The video quality is fairly good. I did a lot of upconversion tests with regular DVDs due to its predecessor's trouble with the upconversion of regular DVD movies. I didn't notice any problem besides the normal problems of upconverting regular DVDs. The blu-ray disc played without problem. The colors were spot on and no noticeable artifacts or jaggieness. As noted earlier, the load time is faster than any other Blu-ray player tested. The audio options are definitely an upgrade from its predecessor. This model comes with onboard decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio. This should help with receivers that are not capable of decoding these audio formats. Also, the 7.1 channel and other standard audio output is supported through receivers.

This player is definite upgrade from the earlier model. However, it lacks the Profile 2.0 support as well as ethernet connectivity. If your not planning on using the BD-LIVE features, than this shouldn't be a problem. The Aquos Link feature is nice plus if you already own Aquos television. Also, the onboard decoding of high resolution audio is a nice plus. Overall, there are better players from Sony or Samsung or other manufacturers. However, this player should be cheaper than other models. And, if you already own Aquos TV this might be a natural buy.

Rating:

 


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Sharp Aquos BDHP21U 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Sharp Aquos BDHP21U 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $190.00
You save: $59.99 (24%)
  Eligible for free shipping!
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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-HP21U AQUOS Blue-ray Disc Player provides seamless operability via the AQUOS LINK function through the HDMI connection...

Features

  • Sharp BDHP21U Blu-ray Disc Player
  • Full HD 1080p/24 fps video output
  • HDMI digital Interface
  • 7.1 Ch digital audio output
  • Quick Start Mode: enjoy content quickly without delay

Written by admin · Filed Under Exclusive Reviews, Reviews, Sharp Reviews 

Insignia NS-2BRDVD Blu Ray Review

February 7, 2009



Insignia brand has enjoyed some success with their HDTV and Blu-ray dis players. Insignia, Best Buy’s in house brand, consistently delivered comparable products at lower price. Insignia’s first effort, NS-BRDVD, delivered acceptable performance for relatively small price. The player included Profile 1.1 and solid video quality for both Blu-ray and DVD formats. Good 1080p/24 mode playback quality was nice bonus. The audio support lacked the onboard decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio and TrueHD. However, it did have capability to output these formats in bit stream formats. Also, the overall operation time on the player was on the slow side. The player also came with bare minimum connectivity that lacked Ethernet or USB connections. In short, it was a minimal effort to bring a relatively inexpensive Blu-ray player to the market.

What's New!

The second effort, NS-2BRDVD, is a marginal upgrade to the original model. Aesthetically, Insignia has chosen to retain the overall shape of the original. The player retains the boxy look. The disc tray is located on left side of the player. The LCD dominates the middle and the directional dial replaces the single function buttons for the stop, pause, play, forward, and rewind. The NS-2BRDVD forgoes the SD card slot that was marginally useful in its predecessor. The remote control retains the basic shape and function.

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Audio and Video Features

The audio options are identical to its predecessor. It has no onboard decoding of DTS-HD Master Audio and limited Dolby TrueHD. However, it can decode Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution. It also has support for MP3 and WMA files. The player lacks connectivity for 5.1 or 7.1 channel audio outputs. It comes with standard HDMI interface, optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, composite video outputs, and component video outputs. Most users will want to utilize their HDMI interface to experience full 1080p resolution. With upgrade to Profile 2.0, the player comes equipped with Ethernet port as well as USB port. This is most likely the main upgrade over the previous model. Most of the newer Blu-ray movies come with BD-LIVE contents only supported by Profile 2.0. As of this review, the Profile 2.0 is not fully implemented on this unit. The upcoming firmware upgrade should fix this problem. The audio quality is on par with its predecessor. The sound comes out very crisp. The lack of some High resolution shouldn’t turn off buyers as it is difficult to differentiate them unless you own high end speaker system.

The video quality is on par with the original model. The problems with moire and uneven edges are present in some scenes. These defects are fairly hard detect unless you are specifically looking for them. For most viewers, you shouldn’t have problem with these defects. Moires can be prominent in certain fast sequences. From the test, it does not look like Insignia made any upgrades to its video processing. The upconversion of SD DVDs are fairly good over the HDMI. Overall, the video quality could be better. Normal users won’t find too many faults with video quality.

NS-2BRDVD supports most medias including various DVD medias and CD medias. It supports basic MPEG, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 AVC(H.264) formats. It lacks support for various MPEG-4 formats such as DivX, XviD, or WMV.

Conclusion

One of the chief complains about the original model was its slow overall performance. From powering up to loading disc, the unit took longer than most other players. Also, the player took longer than average to load Blu-ray movies. However, it didn’t have problem with regular DVDs. The performance did not improve with this unit. The player response time is very slow. When you press forward or reverse on the remote, it takes good 3 seconds for the player to respond. Also, the player needs good 40 seconds to power up before you can even open the tray to insert a movie. This might seem like a minor gripe but it does get tiring when you don’t get reasonable response time with the remote control. The lack of book-marking feature was also annoyance. Most players keep track of where you left off in the movie. This player does not keep track of the place. This could be a big deal for family who frequently switch out movies.

Pros

  • Price
  • Easy to set up
  • Upcoming Profile 2.0 support
  • Ethernet and USB connectivity

Cons

  • Only Profile 1.1 out of the box
  • Some video quality issues
  • Lack of high resolution audio decoding
  • No 5.1 or 7.1 channel output support
  • SD Card reader gone

    • Rating:

     

    Click here to buy Insignia NS-2BRDVD Blu-Ray Player at Bestbuy for $199.99




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    Insignia NS-2BRDVD Blu-ray Disc Player with 1080p Output Insignia NS-2BRDVD Blu-ray Disc Player with 1080p Output
    Sale Price: $69.98
      Eligible for free shipping!
    Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

    Features

    • Blu-ray Disc format compatible: For high-definition movie playback with resolution up to 5 times greater than DVD.
    • Delivers greatly enhanced video performance with standard DVDs: By upconverting their video resolution to HDTV compliant 720p
    • Plays BD-ROM discs: Backward compatible with DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD and CD-R/RW discs. Compatible with MP3, WMA and JPEG formats.
    • Built-in decoders: For next-generation Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD high-resolution surround, plus lossless Dolby TrueHD (2-channel).
    • HDMI output: Provides an uncompressed all-digital audio/video link for the highest quality connection and supports

    Written by admin · Filed Under Exclusive Reviews, Insignia Reviews, Reviews 

    Review of Sharp AQUOS BD-HP50U

    February 4, 2009



    With the release of their Blu-ray players, Sharp has tried to leverage its popular Aquos television line’s success into selling their Blu-ray players. Sharp named all three of their Blu-ray player with Auqos as part of the name. Sharp didn’t just use the Aquos name for the sake of using the name. Instead, they created Aquos Link function to integrate the Blu-ray players with the Aquos television sets. When you connect the television set and Blu-ray player with HDMI cable, you can control both units with single remote. Also, many functions and features are integrated for easier access with the Aquos Link. The two predecessor models, BD-HP20U and BD-HP21U, both had this feature. The BD-HP50U is definite upgrade from the BD-HP20U. However, BD-HP21U seems to have some advantage when it comes to audio options.

    Design

    The BD-HP50U comes in a very pleasant design. The basic design can’t really deviate too much when it comes to Blu-ray players. All of the players have basic rectangle/box shape. However, Sharp adds nice touch with motorized front face plate. Even if it’s another feature that might malfunction down the road. The front face feature nice looking logo for DVD and Blu-ray in the middle. The left side features the power button with LCD space on the right. The player has glossy finish for most of the surface. Not much has changed for the remote control. It looks exactly like the one shipped with BD-HP20U. At simple glance I could not find any difference.

    What's New?

    BD-HP50U’s features are similar to the BD-HP21U model. Both are Profile 1.1 players with ethernet port missing. The main difference seems to be in the area of audio output options. BD-HP50U supports analog 5.1 channel output whereas the BD-HP21U does not. Curiously, the BD-HP50U lacks the onboard decoding for the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio with only bit stream support for these audio formats. And, BD-HP50U retails for about $100.00 more. However, BD-HP50U does come with RS-232 port which might come in handy for HTPC users.

    Sharp has always boasted the operating time of their Blu-ray players. And, it is not an idle boast. This player as well as the older model boasts great time in power up and loading Blu-ray disc movies. Some players are plagued with slow response time loading time. Not this unit. You can literally pop in movie and enjoy them in less than 10 seconds like Sharp’s advertisement. However, this was with power off and with disc in the player. With power on disc loading time was not as fast. The response time between remote action and player response is seamless.

    Audio and Video Features

    The BD-HP50U supports most of the audio options. It can decode Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus. As stated earlier, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD MA can be bit streamed. If you want better onboard decoding option, you might want to look at BD-HP21U model. Regardless, the sound quality is nothing short of excellent. This player produced excellent sound for Blu-ray disc, DVD, or any music CD. If you own 5.1 or 7.1 channel speaker system, you will definitely appreciate the audio quality even without a top of the line receiver.

    The BD-HP20U had some problem with video processing as well as sluggish performance on detailed menus. It didn’t do too well with the moire and jaggie problems present in some sequences. The java based menus gave it hard time with stuttering issues. It was like trying to run a program on a very outdated computer. This player seems to have solved most of that problem. The java based menu did not trouble this player as it moved around without any noticeable stutters. As for moire and jaggies, it was less noticeable than the previous model. However, I could definitely detect them watching The Dark Knight. I doubt most users will notice these few defects as they were rare. Few scenes failed to process the picture cleanly without these defects. The standard definition DVDs looked as they should in upconversion, which is less than Blu-ray quality but definitely better than their native resolution. Overall, the picture quality was very good.

    Pros

    • Aquos Link
    • Decent audio options
    • Good design
    • Good remote
    • Good upconversion
    • Fast operation time

    Cons

    • Not Profile 2.0 compliant
    • Lacks ethernet port
    • Few visual defects
    • Lack of divx or xvid support

    Rating:

     


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    Sharp Aquos BDHP50 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Sharp Aquos BDHP50 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
    List Price: $449.99

    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-HP50U AQUOS Blue-ray Disc Player provides seamless operability via the AQUOS LINK function through the HDMI connection...

    Features

    • Sharp BDHP50U Blu-ray Disc Player, with RS232 Control
    • Full HD 1080p/24 fps video output
    • HDMI digital Interface, and Remote IR Input
    • 7.1 Ch digital audio output, and mororized front cover
    • Quick Start Mode: enjoy content quickly without delay

    Written by admin · Filed Under Exclusive Reviews, Reviews, Sharp Reviews 

    Review: Pioneer BDP-51 Blu Ray Player

    February 4, 2009



    Pioneer has consistently produced high quality audio and video equipments aimed at audiophiles and videophiles. Consequently, the consumer electronics they manufacture cost more than its competitor's products. The Pioneer BDP-51FD is aimed at higher end of the Blu-ray disc player market. The player supports most, if not every major audio formats. Also, the player incorporated Wolfson digital audio converter, which is stated as being professional grade audio component.

    The BDP-51FD's design really stands out from other Blu-ray players. Primarily, it looks like an extra blu-ray player stacked on top of a blu=ray player. This effectively doubles the size of the player. Also, it is definitely heavier than most other Blu-ray player. The tray and LCD are loaced in the center of the player with basic play back function on the right side. The back of the player supports the HDMI, component and composite video, S-video, 2 channel and 7.1 channel output, and two digital outputs. It's nice to have out of the box support for 7.1 channel audio output. The player also links up with your Pioneer Kuro television set like Sony and Sharp. The combination of Kuro tv and this player gives you extra convenience and features. This seems to be the trend with big manufacturers, linking their television set with Blu-ray disc players.

    I watched several blu-ray movies including Batman Begins, Ghost Rider, and Matrix. None of them showed any problems, which is on par with most other players from top manufacturers. No artifacts or jaggieness or motion blur. Also, the upconversion looked exceptional. Some players show definite signs of upconversion problems. Not this player. It upconverts with flawless accuracy.

    The real selling point might be its prowess in audio front. It can bit stream all formats to receivers without many problem. Also, it has onboard decoding of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, and DTS HD Master AUdio. This will be helpful if you have older receiver not capable of decoding these audio formats. Now, I'm not expert audiophile, so I didn't notice any difference between this player's sound system compared to other comparable players. This does not mean that there are no discernible difference in sound quality. It just means most consumers might not notice any difference in audio quality.

    This player debuted around June of 2008. This most likely attributed to the lack of Profile 2.0 support. This player only supports Profile 1.1 out of box. I'm not sure if there is planned upgrade via disc flashing. Even with dsic flashing, I don't see it supporting Profile 2.0 as it lacks ethernet connectivity. Ultimately, it's up to consumer to decide if inclusion of Wolfson DAC is worht the extra $100-150.

    Rating:

     

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    Pioneer BDP-51FD BonusView Blu-ray Player Pioneer BDP-51FD BonusView Blu-ray Player
    List Price: $599.00
    Sale Price: $499.99
    You save: $99.01 (17%)
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    Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

    Description

    Spectacular 1080p Picture Quality: The BDP-51FD provides up to 1920 x 1080p resolution for an unrivaled picture quality. And with True24FPS, now see your movies as the director intended Single-Wire Connection: One HDMIR 1...

    Features

    • The BDP-51FD provides up to 1920 x 1080p resolution for an unrivaled picture quality
    • Single-Wire Connection: ¿¿One HDMI¿ 1.3a digital connection is all you need
    • HDMI Control: ¿¿Master your home theater universe
    • Wolfson¿ Audio DACs: ¿¿Each DAC features a signal-to-noise ratio of 117db
    • BonusView Support: ¿¿Independent High-Definition simultaneous video streams

    Written by admin · Filed Under Exclusive Reviews, Pioneer Reviews, Reviews 

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