Review: First look at Panasonic DMP-BD55 blu ray player

20 Responses to “Review: First look at Panasonic DMP-BD55 blu ray player”

1. Anonymous says:

   February 26, 2009 at 1:25 pm

   Fantastic Blu-ray Disk Player
   I am very pleased with this purchase. Since my home theater receiver is four years old I had to connect the player directly to the television and the receiver. I set it up in mimutes and it connected to my home theater system via the fiber optic audio cable connection and to the television via the hdmi cable. Sounds and looks great. It would have been nice if the blu-ray player had a wireless connection similar to TIVO but I am working on the wireless bridge that has been described in other reviews.

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2. olderman says:

   February 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm

   This vendor is price gauging under Amazon’s name.
   The list price for the DMP-BD55k is $399.95. Amazon should disassociate itself from this vendor. Unbelievable.

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3. pajakolsn says:

   February 20, 2009 at 5:09 am

   Gotta Be Kidding!
   YES, this is a really fine blu-ray player. But $900.00??? Gotta be kidding. I paid $399 towards the end of last year. Don’t pay this ridiculous amount. Panny’s new models are coming soon.

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4. Anonymous says:

   February 16, 2009 at 1:16 pm

   Panasonic DMP-BD55K
   I understand this unit will be discontinued. The replacement is the same unit but with additional unneeded features. I love this BD-55. The picture and sound are suburb – it is small, yet looks good. The case doesn’t feel very strong, however, it really needn’t be. The only thing that prevents it from being awarded 5 stars for me, is that it is a bit slow in loading the DVD compared to my non-BluRay Denon I had before.

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5. Anonymous says:

   February 14, 2009 at 6:36 pm

   One of the Few Divx certified Blueray Players
   I bought this unit to replace my older Phillips DVD player in my media room, and the one reason was it’s ability to play Divx encoded discs, one of the few Bluray players that do. Since I now have a 42″ Vizio, I needed a Blueray player to play DVD ( upconverted ) and my starting collection of Blueray discs.

   Upconverted DVDs look like you are watching in ciinema mode, they look good, kinda of a warm grainy look to them, but you never mistake it for Blueray. Still watchable, so at least your collection of DVDs will still look decent when played back.

   I have mine hooked up HDMI direct to my Vizio, with RCA cables for the 5.1 going to my receiver ( my receiver does not have any HDMI inputs ).

   In addition to playing Divx discs ( those look passable like watching a vhs tape ), DVD discs and Blueray discs, it also plays BD-5 and BD-9 Blueray encoded DVD single / dual layer discs, at both 720p and 1080p encoding ( 1280 x 720 and 1920 x 1080 ) respectively, it will not play BD discs formatted for the Playstation, it also has no native support for MKV files, so the file structure must be in Blueray format. I have yet to try AVCHD direct from a HD camcorder via the SDHC card slot at front.

   I cannot figure out the Panasonic codes to get it working with my Vizio remote for simple turn off and turn on.

   On power up it’s a bit slow for the main menu to pop up, the same for eject. Going thru all the menus seems a bit sluggish, it not the most fastest menu I have ever sorted through, but it works. But I bought the unit for playback and there I have been disappointed.

   I performed the firmware update via the CD method and it worked fine, but you can have it connected via ethernet and have it automatically do the live update. The remote is programmable to control TV and receiver, but I use my Vizo remote for that aspect. The unit is nice and slim, so it fits in well in my AV set up stack. The back has a multitude of connection options, a good thing considering I am not 100% HDMI yet on the component input / outputs, this give my aging Denon receiver a few more years to live on.

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6. dawnh@visualterrain.net says:

   February 12, 2009 at 8:01 am

   Terrific Blu-ray Product
   I researched a number of players and this product is all it is cracked up to be. Plays all my old DVDs, has ethernet for firmware upgrades. Installed in a flash. Great value. No need to pay more, this unit has it all.

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7. m_s_johnst says:

   February 7, 2009 at 10:41 am

   Very happy with this player
   My first Blu-ray player was the Samsung BD-P1500. Almost every disc I played had problems. Audio would drop out, movies would freeze, etc. But this player has played every disc without problems. Highly recommended!

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8. Anonymous says:

   February 6, 2009 at 1:11 am

   average playback not compatible with samsung tv
   This product flashed or went blank screen when playing on my samsung A650.

   Samsung sent me a different hdmi cable but it didnt fix the problem, but I thought they knew something so I tried 3 other cables and finally one seems to work.
   
   Some kind of tolerance thing? who knows…

   Anyway, the picture was zero difference than the BD35k. The only upgrade is the audio. If you are not an “audiophile”, then dont bother with the extra $$ for this item.
   
   I have a yahmaha 2900 and the picture quality is noticable better than the BD55k. but for only a few hundred buck, the 55k is reasonable.

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9. stanp93 says:

   January 31, 2009 at 11:33 pm

   Blu Ray
   I did lots of research prior to purchasing the Panasonic DMP-BD55K. It had all the features I wanted and produces a great image on my Sony TV. It loads the software quicker (boot sequence) than other Blu Ray players I tested and is easy for my non-technical spouse to operate. I highly recommend this Blu Ray Player.

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10. Anonymous says:

    January 31, 2009 at 4:42 am

    Top Shelf
    Excellent product. Loads disks very fast, well worth the money! Panny has done it again!!

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11. Anonymous says:

    January 30, 2009 at 11:32 am

    quality product
    I’m not a technician, but I know quality when I see it. With all the products to consider in the DVD world, after months of shopping I settled on the Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray Disc Player. I was looking at other DVD players, but at our local BB store the sales lad said I should really consider the Panasonic’s latest line. I wanted something that would be trouble free while playing our older dvd’s. This unit upconverts and plays older dvd’s with no problems. It matches well with our new Samsung 46″ LCD that we also bought from Amazon. Blu-ray pic is like watching life in motion. I’ve never had a problem with Amazon purchases. Friends jaws drop when they find out they paid 100′s more for similar items like ours. Thanks Amazon!

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12. Anonymous says:

    January 30, 2009 at 10:32 am

    Great Blu-Ray, but what with the $$$$$$$$
    This is a very nice player which I bought for my older eqipment. It allows me to hook up 7.1 analog audio thru my Denon 3805 Receiver, and I use component for the Video being viewed on an older Mitsubishi HD Wide Screen 55 inch rear projection TV. When I can afford a new reciever and TV which allows for HDMI I’ll replace the older stuff, but until then, the DB55 does a very adequate job. Although, what’s with the $300 plus jump in the price here on Amazon.com? I saw the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera’s price jump since before Christmas from $279.98 to $308.92 as well.

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13. lbray@symmetricom.com says:

    January 27, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    Wait until March
    This unit is being replaced so supplies are tight…$300 to $400 overpriced. The performance and fixes are very good; exceptional for the previous price of $329 to $369. New unit planned for March; about $399.

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14. g-mania says:

    January 27, 2009 at 5:12 am

    Awesome player – timely purchase
    As I am sure you have read, this player has all the features and provides an excellent 1080p picture from standard DVDs, Blu-ray, etc. This player provides 7.1 surround sound in Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus to your receiver via HDMI so you get that “being in the theater” sound in your home. If your receiver lacks an HDMI connection, fear not because it will send 7.1 channels of analog signal to keep make your movie night complete. There are some nit-picky things about the remote set-up that could be better, but no deal breakers.

    The big issue now is price. Whether it was because of the accolades and awards this player has recently received, or just some cosmic coincidence, the price of this player has jumped two-fold in the last 30 days. At $350 dollars it was a great player at a great price, but at $700 a mere 30 days later there are other players you should at least consider. You can spend far more than $700 for a Blu-ray player if your finances allow, and that extra money buys you the best decoding hardware and software currently available. Unfortunately, you might not ever “see” the difference without a ISF calibrated top-of-the-line HDTV, but bragging rights come at a cost.

    So, if you are looking for an outstanding player, this Panasonic model is excellent on all counts. There are less expensive options from other manufacturers, but none that I have compared were even close when it came to picture clarity, color accuracy, contrast, audio options, etc. The one less expensive alternative where you lose very little from a features and performance standpoint is the Panasonic BD35K. It too has a loftier price than 30 days ago, but at $100 less than the flagship it should not be dismissed. Thankfully, Panasonic hasn’t increased their plasma TV prices by 100%…

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15. Anonymous says:

    January 22, 2009 at 9:18 pm

    panasonic blu-ray bmp-bd55k
    good looking unit,easy hookup,great picture and sound. have not had time to checkout all the features.

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16. Anonymous says:

    January 21, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    No HDMI
    The main reason for buying this model was that I could install it to my older sound system without HDMI. The sound is great and this alone saved me a fortune because I did not have to upgrade my perfectly good sound system. The picture quality is awesome and the unit works very well.

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17. Anonymous says:

    January 21, 2009 at 9:53 am

    very nice unit
    this is my first blu-ray player and most of the dvd’s that are blu-ray it is hard to tell the difference but it plays regular dvd’s and the picture is awesome

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18. Anonymous says:

    January 19, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    Great picture and value for the money!
    I received the movie “The Shining” in Blu-ray for Christmas. My guests requested to see it, (obviously not the “Miracle on 42nd Street” crowd). Nonetheless, the crowd was stunned by the picture quality.

    I am happy with my purchase.

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19. Anonymous says:

    January 19, 2009 at 10:50 am

    Great device… Blu-Ray discs: hit and miss.
    The BD 55 is a great machine. The controls are good it produces a miraculous picture… if the SOURCE is good. There are too many discs that are produced poorly, with poor (or just plain aggravating) navigation and dismal PQ.

    The BD55 produces a perfect BR image. It also does wonderfully well with SD-DVD’s, as I’ve compared it at length with my high-end Denon DVD player and see virtually no difference.

    The Analog decoding for 5.1 and 7.1 is extremely good. It greatly trumps the DD and DTS encodes regardless of their high bit rate.

    Some don’t care for the loading times, but they have not bothered me one bit.

    This is a great unit, and too bad it’s discontinued!!
    

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20. Anonymous says:

    January 18, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    An Excellent Blu-Ray Player
    The Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray Disc Player has performed better than expected making my standard DVDs appear close to HD when viewing. I would definitely recommend this product.

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BD-Live: Enjoy Additional Content via Internet (requires optional SD card) / PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus / Also plays DVD, CD, DiVX

Panasonic's two new slim, BD-Live compatible, feature-filled Blu-ray players, the DMP-BD35 and DMP-BD55, offer cutting edge technologies focused on producing the ultimate movie-viewing experience.

The BD35 and BD55 both feature an HD Audio Decoder (Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTSTM-HD Master Audio Essential), delivering 7.1-channel surround sound through a 7.1-channel receiver equipped with an HDMI terminal. The DMP-BD55 features high-end audio components and can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound.

Both models are equipped with an SD Memory Card slot that makes it easy to transfer images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera that uses SD Memory Cards and are compatible with Panasonic’s VIERA Link function so they can be operated by the VIERA HDTV remote control.

The combination of a Panasonic Blu-ray player, Home Theater audio system and a VIERA HDTV converts the home entertainment experience into a true-to-life cinematic experience. Consumers can now view and enjoy movies the way the film maker intended -- in stunning High Definition video and audio – right from the comfort of their own home.

Learn More

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True-To-Life Colors

The PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus video processor was developed after more than 15 years of collaboration between Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory and professional cinema studios in Hollywood. With PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, users viewing content on Blu-ray Discs enjoy crisp, vivid colors that are extremely close to the original.  A high-precision 4:4:4 function creates video signals in which each pixel of the signal from the Blu-ray Disc is color-compensated, so when the player is connected to a Panasonic VIERA HDTV, the colors are even sharper and more vivid.

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UniPhier System

UniPhier is a Panasonic-created system LSI developed by applying 45-nanometer processing to a consumer product – a world’s first.  This single-chip integration technology also contributes greatly to the BD35’s world's slimmest height of 49mm.

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Blu-ray Video Features

More Picture

See Everything Your HDTV Can Show You with Full HD. 6 Times the Picture Data on DVDs See everything your HDTV can show you. Blu-ray Disc's Full HD 1080p resolution produces over 2 million pixels per frame to produce a razor-sharp picture with unmatched depth and clarity that takes full advantage of the capabilities of today's 1080p HDTVs. That's six times the picture data contained on DVDs, which are encoded at only 480p. 24p True Cinema Video Output Most of all Hollywood movies are shot at 24 frames per second, and Blu-ray Disc movies are mastered at 24 frame per second. Blu-ray Disc Players can output films at 1080/24p for a true film-like experience at home, as well as 1080/60p for more traditional HDTV sets on the market. Backwards compatible and Upscaling All existing Blu-ray Disc players will play your standard DVD collection without a problem. And with built-in 1080p video upscaling, they'll look even better.

More Space

Blu-ray Disc has 5x more storage capacity than DVD, which allows more content to fit on the disc. The extra storage capacity also means more room for special features like inline navigation, Bonus View, interactive games, deleted scenes, director commentary and more
Navigate to special features, other scenes, or settings without leaving the content you are watching.	Bonus View lets you watch special features and commentary inline without leaving the movie.

More Bits

In the digital world, picture quality is not just about resolution, but also about bit rates. The higher the bit rate, the more data that is processed, typically resulting in higher video quality. DVDs have a maximum video bit rate of about 10 megabits per second (Mbps). In comparison, Blu-ray Disc is capable of video bitrates up to an incredible 40 Mbps. The bottom line, higher bit rates allow for the least amount of data compression for HD video that looks closest to the original video source.

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BD-Live

Both the BD35 and BD55 feature BD-Live compatibility which enables users to connect to the Internet to download images, subtitles and other data, and take part in interactive activities and multi-player games linked to bonus cinema content found on Blu-ray Discs. BD-Live is a Blu-ray feature that enables you to access  special content via an internet-connected Blu-ray player. Because it's not coded into the disc, BD-Live content is always updated, always fresh. With BD-Live, your Blu-ray disc is different every time you view it. Check out the latest previews,  download special scenes, exclusive features and ringtones, and participate in online communities or games. As BD-Live continues to grow and expand, even more features will become available, customizing features and content to your location or preferences.

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Life-Like Surround Sound

The BD35 and BD55 both feature an HD Audio Decoder (Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTSTM-HD Master Audio Essential), which supports the 7.1-channel surround sound newly adopted in Blu-ray Discs.  Users can enjoy 7.1-channel surround even with systems that do not support HD Audio -- as long as the DMP-BD35/55 is connected to a 7.1-channel receiver equipped with an HDMI terminal. The DMP-BD55 can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound by simply connecting to the DMP-BD55.

Dolby TrueHD, Dolby’s next-generation lossless technology developed for high-definition disc-based media, delivers tantalizing sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master.

• Delivers enthralling studio-master-quality sound that unlocks the true high-definition entertainment experience on next-generation discs.
• Offers more discrete channels than ever before for impeccable surround sound.
• Compatible with the A/V receivers and home-theaters-in-a-box (HTIBs) of today and tomorrow.
• Dialogue normalization maintains the same volume level when you change to other Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD programming.
• Dynamic range control (Night mode) enables you to customize audio playback to reduce peak volume levels (no loud surprises) while experiencing all the details in the soundtrack, enabling late-night viewing of high-energy surround sound without disturbing others.

The Panasonic BD55 goes a step further with a high-end audio design and components. Thanks to a 192kHz 24bit audio digital-analog converter and high quality insulators, electrolytic capacitors, copper-foil film capacitors and ultra-low-impedance electrolytic capacitors, the DMP-BD55 delivers the same kind of exciting surround effect and lifelike ambience as today's finest cinemas. The DMP-BD55 can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound by simply connecting to the DMP-BD55.

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HDMI Features

x.v Color

RGB Color Range

xvYCC Color Range

Standard RGB color space allows the display of a portion of the colors that are viewable to the human eye. The next generation "xvYCC" color space (Extended YCC Colorimetry for Video Applications), or "x.v. color" for shortactually offers  an available range of colors that exceeds what human eyes can recognize. Next-generation "xvYCC" color space supports 1.8 times as many colors as existing HDTV signals Lets HDTVs display colors more accurately Enables displays with more natural and vivid colors

Deep Color

So, where x.v. color expands the available range of colors your HDTV can display, Deep Color increases the number of colors your HDTV can display within that range, for smoother transitions from color to color. Lets HDTVs and other displays go from millions of colors to billions of colors Eliminates on-screen color banding, for smooth tonal transitions and subtle gradations between colors Enables increased contrast ratio Can represent many times more shades of gray between black and white

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Connectivity

Both models are equipped with an SD Memory Card slot that makes it easy to transfer images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera that uses SD Memory Cards. Simply insert the SD card into the DMP-BD35/55 and it plays AVCHD-format video images or JPEG stills in full 1920 x 1080 resolution on your flat panel HDTV.  The DMP-BD35/55 can also play slide shows, complete with background music. The DMP-BD35/55 models are also compatible with Panasonic’s VIERA Link function so they can be operated by the VIERA HDTV remote control. Inputs/Outputs HDMI Component Video Out (Y, PB, PR) Video Out 7.1 ch Audio Out analog Digital Audio Out: 1 optical, 1 coaxial SD Memory Card Slot Ethernet for Network

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Specifications

VIDEO

PHL Reference Chroma Processor Yes
P4HD (Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD) Yes
Precise Pixel Generation: Yes
16-Level Motion Detection w/ Pixel-Based Motion Adaptive Yes
Diagonal Processing Yes
3:2/2:2 Pull-Down Progressive Processing Yes
i/p Conversion for 1080p 4 Playback Yes
Up-conversion to 1080p 5 Playback Yes
Video D/A Converter 148.5MHz/12bit
Progressive Scan Yes
Digital Noise Reduction 3D-NR/Integrated NR
1080/24p Playback Yes
Deep Color Yes
x.v.Color Yes
Picture Mode Yes (Normal/Soft/Fine/Cinema/User)
Picture Adjustment Yes (Brightness, Color, Contrast, Sharpness, Gamma Correction)

AUDIO

Audio D/A Converter 192kHz/24bit
Dolby Digital/Dolby Digital Plus Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
Dolby True HD Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
DTS/DTS-HD High Resolution Audio Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
96kHz Surround Re-Master (for all formats)
Advanced Surround (V.S.S.) Yes
Night Surround Mode Yes
Dialogue Enhancer Yes
Dynamic Range Compression Yes
Audio S/N 115dB
Dynamic Range 100dB

CONVENIENCE

Super Hi Speed Scan Yes
Audio/JPEG Navigation Menu Yes
VIERA Link (HDAVI Control 3) Yes

INPUT/OUTPUT

HDMI: Support features: Deep Color, x.v.Color, High Bit Rate Audio
Component Video Out (Y, PB, PR) Yes
Video Out Yes
7.1ch Audio Out analog
2ch Audio Out No
Digital Audio Out 1 optical, 1 coaxial
SD Memory Card Slot Yes
Ethernet for Network Yes

FORMAT

BD-ROM Playback BD-Live
BD-RE / BD-RE DL BD-MV (BD-RE version3), BDAV (SESF), JPEG (HD)
BD-R/BD-R DL BD-MV (BD-R version2), BDAV (SESF)
DVD Playback DVD-Video
DVD-RAM Playback DVD-VR, JPEG (HD), AVCHD
DVD-R/-RW/-R(DL) 1 Playback DVD Video, DVD-VR, AVCHD, DivX® (DVD-R/-R DL only)
+R/+R(DL)/+RW Playback DVD-VR, AVCHD
CD, CD-R/-RW 2 Playback CD-DA, DivX (CD-R/-RW only), MP3 3 (CD-R/-RW only), JPEG (HD) (CD-R/-RW only)
SD Memory Card AVCHD, JPEG (HD)

POWER

Power Source  AC 120V, 60Hz
Power Consumption21W (approx)

DIMENSIONS

(H x W x D) 23/16 inches x 1615/16 inches x 913/16 inches
Weight 5.7 lbs

• Blu-ray Player
• BD Live / 7.1 Lossless Decode and Analog Output
• VIERA Link: Operate with your VIERA Remote Control
• SD Card Slot

Dimensions

• Height: 1.69''
• Length: 16.94''
• Width: 9.8''
• Weight: 5.73 lbs