Showing posts with label dlna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dlna. Show all posts

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Samsung BD-C6800 1080p 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Samsung BD-C6800 1080p 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Got the player a few days back. Initial setup was a breeze. Got connected to the internet over wifi very easily. It downloaded some apps and things were up and running. I tried things like netflix, pandora, youtube, accu-weather, google maps, sudoku etc and it was just amazing. Then I got to the real deal - playing a BD and it was quick, fast and fun. I had trouble doing the firmware upgrade (optional) over the network but then I read on some forum that usb upgrade was easier, that turned out to be true and things were done in no time, the procedure for which was available on samsung's site. So far i'm quiet satisfied by the video and audio performance along with the elaborate apps and games that work on this.
I've used it via hdmi with my lcd tv and hd projector. I've tried both analog and optical audio out with the tv and the 5.1 receiver respectively. The remote is easy to use and has good range (bounced signals worked great, never had to point it to the player). Of-course it takes time to punch in the user id etc for the internet apps, but that is a one time setup.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung BD-C6800 1080p 3D Blu-ray Disc Player

Turn your living room into a full-fledged 3D multimedia center, with the Samsung BD-C6800Blu-ray Disc' Player.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Samsung BD-C6800 1080p 3D Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Saturday, December 29, 2012

LG 60PX950 60-inch 1080p 3D Ready Plasma HDTV Review

LG 60PX950 60-inch 1080p 3D Ready Plasma HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have had this TV for about three weeks now, and I am very impressed. The features are very comprehensive with internet capabilities that not only includes Netflix and Vudu, but also Yahoo Widgets. And every time you enter its internet capabilities, it makes a quick check for updates, so it should be easy to pick up enhancements if/when LG introduces them in the future. The TV comes with two remotes, one of which has a motion sensor (think Wii) so when you wave it in the air it moves a cursor around over menus on the screen. I think that's a great concept and it works well for basic menu function. The USB port reads external hard disks with all of the different content I have thrown at it without any problems, and it has a great interface for navigating the folders.
The picture quality is excellent as compared to the 65 inch 1080P Mitsubishi I replaced, but also as compared to the other 6 TVs in my house. Nothing beats the last generation plasma screens in brilliance and contrast. I actually still find myself starring in amazement at the quality of the picture while watching shows.The 3D features are much more than just a gimmick. I have four 3D movies, of which "A Christmas Carol", "The Grand Canyon", and "Under the Sea" are absolutely spectacular. The latter is provided free with the BX580 3D Blu-ray player after sending in a coupon (I received it in the mail after about two weeks). I wear eye glasses when watching TV, and I was concerned that it would be a hassle to have the 3D glasses "on top" of those, but the 3D effect is good enough to make it worthwhile.
The sound quality of the TV is what you would expect, but isn't of much interest to me since I have it hooked up to a Pioneer VSX-1020 amplifier. Sure sounds great through the amplifier and my Harman Kardon speakers. One item of some concern, however, is that the "HDMI-CEC" (or LG's Simplink) doesn't work quite the way it should with that amplifier and I am not able to fully control the receiver through HDMI. However, using a Harmony remote provides much of the same capabilities.
Mounting a 60 inch plasma is not an easy job (it is heavy, and not easy to lift - even for two people), but it sure pays off with the way this TV looks! It doesn't have a frame in the normal sense. Just one large glass panel. And it looks great - very clean and almost decadent. I used the Simplicity SXDP4 for the mount and it gets it as close to the wall as possible for this TV if you get angled plugs (HDMI, Toslink, and Coax - the last two are only needed if you get over-the-air broadcast), and an Ethernet cable with a very short plug. It's a tight fit, but it looks fantastic!
This TV is excellent in almost every way and highly recommended! I would buy it again in a heartbeat!
**** UPDATE **** I have recently discovered that the audio output (e.g. from the optical out cable) from Netcast (e.g. Vudu, NextFlix, etc.) on this TV is only 2.1, which makes those pay services useless for any serious home theater viewing with this TV (I will instead need to use my LG blu-ray, which is also equipped with Netcast and with true surround sound output). Therefore, I reduced my rating by one star. I sure hope a firmware upgrade can fix this in the future, and that such an upgrade is possible. If you bought the TV and the lack of surround sound from Netcast bothers you, let LG know!
**** UPDATE #2 **** Apparently, LG listened! This evening the TV found new firmware and updated itself, and I am now getting Dolby 5.1 surround sound from Vudu!!! I no longer have any complaints about this TV, and I have now had it for almost two months.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 60PX950 60-inch 1080p 3D Ready Plasma HDTV



Buy Now

Click here for more information about LG 60PX950 60-inch 1080p 3D Ready Plasma HDTV

Read More...

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Samsung HW-D7000 HW-D7000 Blu-ray/Reciever (Black) Review

Samsung HW-D7000 HW-D7000 Blu-ray/Reciever (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I had to return this item for refund. Not sure if the problem is just with this model or other Samsung recievers. Just a few minutes after turning it on, a message comes up saying "PROTECTION" and turns off. I called Samsung support. They said this is due to an overheating issue. There was several inches of space around the receiver for ventilation. They had me reset the receiver and had the same problem. My options were to send to Samsung for repair or send back to Amazon for replacement or refund. Amazon would not replace it, they only offered a refund. I don't believe they're even selling this model any longer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung HW-D7000 HW-D7000 Blu-ray/Reciever (Black)



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Samsung HW-D7000 HW-D7000 Blu-ray/Reciever (Black)

Read More...

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I already own a Sony BDPS-360 downstairs as our main Blu-Ray player, but wanted a streaming player for upstairs (an Xbox360 takes care of that downstairs). Since I won't have a 3D TV for quite some time, and have wired ethernet running to the appropriate room, the 470/570 offer me nothing over this player, so I bought the 370.
Blu-Rays are very quick to load. Checked out Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and the biggest delay in getting to the movie was skipping the previews up front. Menu was up in just a few seconds, and the movie launched very quickly after that. Maybe 30 seconds from putting the disc in until I was watching the movie.
The remote does have an Open/Close button on it. That was not a big deal for me with the 360, but others complained about it so I thought I'd mention it.
Streaming takes a bit of setup, with the biggest item of note being that you need to register your Blu-Ray on internet.sony.tv before activating the streaming features. I had fits trying to create an account directly on that site, but creating a SonyStyle account first and then activating here worked much better. This works similar to Netflix activation in that you get a 4 symbol code from the player, enter it into your account, and now the Blu-Ray is activated. I then needed to go through the typical Netflix activation, getting another code from the player and entering it into my Netflix account. Amazon VOD linked directly to the Sony account and was then available on the player. Instructions for each of these are included in the screens on the Blu-Ray player, where it will provide the codes and the website address, and you then go the computer and finish linking from there.
Netflix works only off your Instant Queue, so you need to add movies to that queue on the website (or from the Xbox360 or other device with a full browser). Amazon VOD seems to have a fairly complete browser included. Netflix HD quality was reasonable, but most importantly about what I get on the computer or Xbox360; the player does not interfere in any way. This player was my first experience with Amazon VOD, and I must say the Sample HD clip (Superman Returns) was a lot higher than I expected, and actually better than most OnDemand offerings I get from my cable company (TWC NC).
So for Blu-Ray playback and Internet streaming, the box does a really good job. I wish the Netflix interface was more robust like the videogame consoles have, but actual playback and access to the Instant Queue works fine.
(Updates for this paragraph below) The big disappointment, and the one that keeps it from getting 5 stars, is that the SonyStyle page for the player lists DLNA as a feature. This is the standard for letting media devices connect to your computer and stream video / pictures / music over the network. Services like PlayOn also support this. DLNA, however, is not actually active on the player. From checking other sites, no one knows yet if this will be available in a future firmware update, or if the site is incorrect. If DLNA support is critical to your decision making, you may want to hold off until there is some answer on the DLNA picture.
Aside from that, I'm really happy with it as Blu-Ray player and Netflix/Amazon VOD streamer.
I have not yet tried a standard DVD, or any of the music streaming services. I'll update this review if anything changes as I use the player more.
UPDATE MARCH 1, 2010: Sony has updated the product page and changed the footnote for DLNA support. It is now due in a July 2010 firmware update. That's good news, and once the firmware ships I'll try to remember to report back on how well it works. If it works well the review will probably bump to 5 stars, as this is a pretty full-featured, fast, stable Blu-Ray player for under $200, especially if like me wireless and 3D are just not important to you.
One other bit of info for those who buy the player: if you have a Vizio TV, the remote code to use appears to be "04". It's not in the manual, but I tried this after a web search revealed others using the code for other Sony remotes, and this works for turning the TV on and off and changing the volume. The INPUT button does not work for me, though. The manual also seems to be missing the instructions for changing the TV code, but thanks to the manual for the S360 I have downstairs, the instructions are to hold the TV power button on the remote, enter the code, then release the TV power button on the remote.
UPDATE JUNE 9, 2010: The long-awaited DLNA firmware is now available for download. This is working great with my Windows Media Center (from Windows 7), with all my pictures, videos, and music available. One gotcha here is that the Sony has separate menus for all 3 categories, and you must play content from the correct category, even though all files show up under all options. So, for example, if you select your Windows Media Center server from the Video section, it will also have a folder for Pictures and Music, but every folder under those will show "no playable files". All the videos will play fine. It will be similar if you go to Music, except that only the music folder will have playable files.
However, at this time PlayOn is incompatible. The PlayOn server shows up, and you can browse and select videos, but all videos return a "This file is corrupt or unsupported". I've submitted a help request to PlayOn, and from the PlayOn forums it looks like others are as well, so we'll see if PlayOn can make a change, or if this needs to be reported to Sony. My Xbox360 streams the PlayOn stuff fine, so it's not a global issue with my setup.
On a different note, I've also since tried several standard DVDs and done some music streaming, and those features work fine. Others might be picky somewhere about DVD upscaling, but I've never really noticed an issue with this or any player, so I wouldn't worry about it. You do need to be aware that there are settings in the video setup to control the aspect ratio, so if you want a 16x9 picture (not letterboxed), you need to change the aspect ratio settings off "original". Aside from that, DVDs have played perfectly for me. And streaming music seems to work okay with the little I've done.
UPDATE August 9, 2010: PlayON has released updated software that fixes the streaming issues with this and potentially other players. Now that the DLNA support is working for all the stuff I want to stream, I've upped my review to 5 stars, as I have no complaints at all with it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player


Enjoy Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD1080p and improve the quality of DVDs to near HD with the Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player. Play your favorite movies faster than ever and access a wide variety of movies, TV shows, and music streaming from the Internet plus turn your Apple iPhone or iPod touch into a remote control by downloading a free app.
Enjoy Blu-ray Disc movies and DVDs or connect to the internet and access movies, TV shows music and more.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I was excited to get this player. I had been waiting a long time for one that had a good set of features and a reasonable price. Overall, in the 2 weeks I've had it, I've really loved it. I'll go over the good and the bad of this Blu-ray player.
First the bad:
The remote, like all Sony remotes, are very basic. It handles the Blu-ray player functions fine. It also has built in TV remote functions as well. I have a Sony Bravia TV that is about 2 years old. However the remote doesn't work for about half of the functions, making this remote useless for controlling the TV. The remote can be set to a handful of TV brands. You would think that it could at least handle a Sony TV properly.
NOTE: When registering the device on the Sony site, this model is not listed (as of this review). I selected the model S570 instead and that worked for me.
When playing a Netflix movie, one time the movie locked up the player. It didn't respond to the remote, then completely restarted itself. Of course it didn't remember where it had stopped in the movie and I had to search to find where I was to finish the movie. Hopefully this doesn't happen often.
At the time of this review DLNA has not been included with the player and will be available later, so I could not test this out. Being that it isn't relly a new thing, you would think that they'd have this already included.
AVI file playback is only avalable to Canada players.
The buttons on this box are tiny and the labelling is just as small and hard to read. Pale white print on black is always hard to read. In a dark area it is nearly impossible, even with the little light that it shines on the lower button panel, so using the remote is the way to go. Don't forget it when you go to load a disc. You'll probably end up memorizing button locations if you like to use the buttons on the player itself.
If you are playing a disc and decide to stop play for any reason, it exits disc mode entirely, connects you to Gracenote, and returns to the Xross menu. Forget about returning to where you stopped. You have to go back to the very beginning of the disc loading process.
You have to point the remote directly at the player to get it to do anything. It's very picky about this.
The good:
This is a very nice machine. It oozes high-tech. It is small and lightweight and no bigger than the slim Sony upconverting DVD player it had replaced. They could have used the exact same case for it.
Load times are excellent. There is a setting that can have it load even faster if you don't mind keeping it powered in standby mode.
The Sony Xross menu system makes sense and is easy to navigate. The menu is in 1080p, so it looks smooth and not cheap like other older players have done.
Setup was a breeze. Plug in your connections and power it on. You're ready to go. You just have to register the device with Sony and Netflix and Amazon if you use those services. Simple and quick. Sony already had a software update for the player, so I had it do the update and it was done after a few minutes.
There are a number of on-line sites you can visit for music, music videos, a handful of movies and other misc. on-line video content. Assuming that the original on-line content is in good quality, the video picture quality is very nice.
You can use your DVDs to play your own content. You aren't restricted to using the USB connection. If you have a supported video or audio format stored on a disc, you can play it on this player. Really awesome.
I look forward to the DLNA support coming later. I'll be able to connect to my PC where I have my own video and photos stored there.
Standard DVD playback is excellent. This is not just upconverted playback. It also puts it in 24p and it also appears to have cleaned up the DVD picture quality, so it's seriously close to Blu-ray quality. For your regular movie you'll start to ask yourself if you really need those Blu-ray discs after all.
Blu-ray disc playback is, of course, excellent. If you haven't had one before, you'll see colors and depth that you've not seen before on a TV screen. Details are sharp and it's performed without the slightest hesitation in this area.
3D support is coming later for this player. I probably won't use this, but it's good to know that it's going to be there if I do decide to go that route.
Overall, this is something that I've thoroughly enjoyed and I expect I'll be using for years to come. Some of the issues can be overlooked and some can be fixed with software updates if Sony decides to do so. A universal remote is in my near future. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Update: April 12, 2010
Sony has sent out a firmware update for this player. It mainly gives you some enhancements to Gracenote and for the photo slideshow feature. Still no DLNA.
I have a SanDisk Cruzer 8GB USB device where I have some video. I tried using this in the front USB input in order to play my video. However I got a message that the USB device is not compatible. Apparently you can't use just any USB storage with this player. The manual says nothing about limitations in this area. My old 2GB drive works fine.
Update: June 11, 2010
Sony has now added an update to play 3D discs! You may turn the 3D it on or off or keep it in auto mode.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray Disc Player


Enjoy Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD1080p and improve the quality of DVDs to near HD with the 3D-ready Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Disc Player. Play your favorite movies faster than ever and access a wide variety of movies, TV shows, and music streaming from the Internet plus turn your Apple iPhone or iPod touch into a remote control by downloading a free app.
Pair this 3D Blu-ray Disc player with a BRAVIA 3D HDTV and create the ultimate at-home 3D viewing experience.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Friday, October 19, 2012

Sony STR-DN1020 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver (Black) Review

Sony STR-DN1020 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Howdy!
It's been a banner fifteen months. I've been able to slowly upgrade to my A/V system from a crappy one to one of extraordinary magnitude. Yes... my days of watching "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" on the Sony Betamax are over. Now I've been out of the A/V game for some time and have been boning up on what the new technology has to offer. There is amazing gear and technology that is available to people at great prices. The journey I've made, and I'm not talking about the band that replaced Steve Perry with a dude they found on YouTube, has allowed me to update my A/V gear to include the following...
1 Sony STRDN1020 Receiver
1 Sony Bravia NX 800 Series 52' LED TV
1 Sony PS3 Slim 160GB
4 Mediabridge HDMI cables
1 Belkin Subwoofer Cable

Sure I'm a loyal Sony customer, but it's because they have treated me well over the years and I have the stash of still working, but outdated, gear to prove it.
Current SONY holdings...
1 Sony Betamax (1982) Make an offer!
1 Sony VHS Player (1985)
1 SONY HIFI VHS Player (1986)
1 Sony Laserdisc Player (1990)
1 Sony 36" Bravia TV (1995?) Estimated weight 2.56 metric tons
1 Sony 5.1 receiver (1999)
Now I don't want to come off as a Sony snob so I do want to mention that I have the following non-Sony items in my electronic stash.
1 Hasbro Litebrite (1981) Crystal clear pixel display but runs a little hot.
1 Hasbro Easy-Bake Oven (1975) A man's got to eat but runs a little cool.
1 Motorola M500 Bag Phone (1978) Looks great in my 1982 TransCamaro with the T-TopsSo here's my review of the Sony STRDN1020 receiver.
DELIVERY:
It took a week for the arrival but that's because I live in the middle of nowhere (Think Rudolph's trek to the land of broken toys) and didn't pay for expedited shipping. At time of delivery the UPS guy was very impressed with the receiver and it's features having read them off the box. He threw in a pair of complimentary fist bumps. That alone has to be worth one star on the review scale. The box was sealed to protect that "New Stuff Smell".
SETUP:
Well it took longer to extract the old receiver and 83 miles of attached RCA and S-Video cables then it did to install the STRDN1020 and the 3 HDMI, 1 Subwoofer, and 1 network cables. God bless you HDMI inventors wherever you are.
Actual setup was about an hour with 70% of the time spent trying to attach five speakers to the receiver's rear terminals. Folks... PLEASE don't be a cheap a-hole like me... get yourself some banana plugs. I have learned my lesson. NEVER again will I risk peersonal injury to hook up some speakers. Can you really put a price on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? I hope I don't miss any work ... my dog needs braces.
The included manual was easy to follow and there is a chart on how to hook up your speakers and other components. I initialized the receiver and set up the speaker pattern, network, and audio calibration in about fifteen minutes. The GUI is easy to use but not as intuitive as the menus used on Sony's PS3 and TV's, whatever the heck they call it.

SOUND: All Connections VIA HDMI
Bluray VIA PS3 - This rig sounds great. I have a 2002 JBL 5.1 set up and they've never sounded better. Do you know that scene from "The Notebook" where the crew is robbing the armored car? Of course you don't it doesn't exist. God I hate that movie and the unrealistic bar it has set for us working men. Jim Rockford should be ashamed of himself. Anyway... you probably know the opening of the movie "Heat" where Deniro, Waynegrow and the boys, extract some goodies from the armored car. Now I have the movie on VHS HIFI, Laserdisc, DVD, and Bluray so I guess you can say I'm familiar with the audio recordings and playback of each format. The sound of the receiver and bluray was absolutely phenomenal. It really made the movie more intense. I almost called 911 to report a robbery in progress. I can't wait until they release Breakin' 2: Electric Boogalooo bluray. It's 'gonna be some insane sound!
TV - The Audio return channel is a great feature since I utilize our Sony TV to watch Netflix and Amazon on Demand, and to stream my computer's music. All three sources sound awesome and bring more bang to what are already incredible TV features.

PS3 - I played Call of Duty/Black OPS on the PS3 and once again phenomenal sound. In multi-player mode I can now hear those Orange County punks sneaking up behind me. Sure, they still kill me but now they have to look me in the eye when they do it. Backstabbers!
Cable Box - Great Sound. You feel like you are actually in the middle of one of the fights between the Real Housewives of New Jersey until you realize that you aren't because you have your "Stuff" together. Warning! Those A.S.P.C.A commercials with Sarah Mclachlan are now 10 times sadder.

Tuner: Don't useVIDEO:
I have had no video issues. All connections VIA HDMI. The Cable HD looks great. No sync issues with audio and no loss with running the cable through the receiver instead of straight to the TV.
BRAVIA SYNC Sure it's proprietary and only works on Sony gear but it works great. Hooray for me! Proprietary functionality is my one gripe with Sony but you Apple folks have zero right to complain.
Conclusion
I'm looking forward to growing old or should I say older with the receiver. I look forward to firmware updates that may extend the usefulness of the receiver. This may not be the best receiver on the market at the best price but it does everything most people will need and is very simple to operate. With this Sony, I won't have to send my wife to a three day course at a distant Ramada Inn to learn how to operate the damn thing.
I will update this with a review of the network functions once I've had time to utilize them. Also, I don't roll with Apple products so I will not be using the included Ipod dock.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony STR-DN1020 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver (Black)

Maximize your entertainment experience with Sony's STR-DH1020 receiver. Connect seven HD sources,11 listen to your iPod9 and improve the quality of streamed music. Plus, enjoy incredible 7.1 channel sound quality while you watch 3D sports movies and games from connected 3D devices.4 You can even improve video quality to near HD.6 This great receiver also features an easy-to-use control menu for simple control and a convenient audio calibration set-up so you are assured the best possible listening experience

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sony STR-DN1020 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver (Black)

Read More...

Friday, July 6, 2012

Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black Review

Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
My choices for an entry level replacement receiver were between this and the Sony STR-DH720. I picked the Pioneer as I was replacing a 10 year old Pioneer that had just recently started acting up and I was quite happy with. This receiver is plenty loud, but I do have two primary complaints. My first (and biggest) is the fact that it doesn't seem to support ARC or Standby Passthrough unless you enable "Control via HDMI" which only works with certain pieces of equipment as is only spelled out in the manual. On the website, they simply have a check-mark next to both features, so I didn't expect either to have caveats. Perhaps I am wrong in thinking that the HDMI signal should pass through the receiver if it is in standby regardless of whether "Control via HDMI" is turned on and regardless of the equipment being Pioneer-compliant, but I feel it was a bit misleading in my mind. Please note that I am no A/V expert, so take what I say with a grain of salt and please research for yourself. In the mean time I am considering leaving the HDMI switching to my display and making use of the dual optical inputs like I did with my old receiver. My other complaint is that the on-screen-display (OSD) is only output through the RCA ports and NOT through HDMI. After purchasing brand new 1.4 HDMI cables and attempting to rid myself of all of the other optical-toslink, etc. cables, I find it a bit retro that you would only allow menu setup to happen through RCA video out. Just my opinions, decide for yourself, but given the info I have now, I believe I would've went with the DH720 and hoped for the best.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black

The Pioneer VSX-521 features a Bluetooth wireless audio option with 550 watts of high powered 5.1 home theater audio playback. Other features include 4 HDMI 1.4a 3-D ready inputs, hi resolution Dolby and dts multi-channel audio playback from Blu-Ray discs, Pioneer's proprietary Auto MCACC room calibration system, and On-Screen display.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver, Glossy Black

Read More...

Sunday, March 18, 2012

LG BD570 Network Blu-ray Disc Player Review

LG BD570 Network Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Having reviewed previous LG Blu-ray players, including the vaunted BD390, our expectations for the BD570 were pretty high and happily, LG does not disappoint. While some of LG's competitors (notably Pioneer and Sharp), think audio/video performance is the only thing that matters, LG embraces the idea that convenience and choice of media and distribution format are also important to many consumers. So the BD570 includes one of the richest media playback offerings of any Blu-ray player, including internet streaming from Netflix, CinemaNow, VUDU and Pandora. The player also supports DLNA networking so it can access audio and video files on a home network as well. For those who have a library of videos on their computers, the BD570 supports Divx, Xvid and MKV files as well as a number of other formats and codecs.
As far as load times are concerned, the BD570's are decent but not winning any speed records. It offers a 17 second overall bootup time (while it loads all of the aforementioned content options in the menu) - this makes it 3 seconds faster than the Pioneer BDP-320 which offers no multimedia options. Standard DVDs load in about 12 seconds, Blu-rays in 23 seconds, and BD-JAVA-heavy Blu-ray Discs like "Pirates of the Caribbean" in 32 seconds. This is pretty close to parity with the fastest models of 2009 (including OPPO's BDP-83) but it seems like they could have improved things a bit with this whole new generation of players.
In terms of performance, the BD570 delivers Blu-ray Discs in excellent audio and video clarity (as it should), and performs most of the difficult tasks of DVD upconversion right as well - excellent diagonal filtering and 3:2 cadence detection, for example. But it does not handle noisy source material very well (its noise reduction processing could use some work). Overall, as a DVD upconverter, it's very good but not outstanding.
What is outstanding is the built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi wireless networking. For us this worked right our of the box connecting to our wireless router, and streaming VUDU's 1080p HDX movies like nobody's business. And although the remote looks almost upside down compared to many other BD player remotes, the button layout is actually quite comfortable with the most popular buttons in easy reach of your thumb, and transport buttons (play/pause/FF/REW) raised and angled for improved ergonomics.
Overall, with its built-in WiFi, DLNA networking, multimedia playback and internet streaming offerings, combined with solid Blu-ray playback, the BD570 offers a good blend of performance and convenience for a fairly affordable price. Our complete review of the BD570 is available on Big Picture Big Sound (dot com).

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG BD570 Network Blu-ray Disc Player

BD-P, Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, BD Live, Advanced Audio, Quick Booting, 1GB Memory, Wireless 802.11n, DLNA, 7.1ch Analog Output, Instant Tray Open, 1080p up-scaling for DVD, USB Media Host

Buy NowGet 29% OFF

Click here for more information about LG BD570 Network Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Panasonic DMP-BD75 Ultra-Fast Booting Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Panasonic DMP-BD75 Ultra-Fast Booting Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have been waiting for this Blu-ray player since it was announced in January, bought this to use with my Panasonic VIERA TV set. VIERA link is the main reason I bought this -- it's for our exercise room, and my wife hates all the remotes. Great as a basic DVD/blu-ray player. Pop in a DVD, TV turns on, and sets the correct input. Also, one button selection of Netflix works great, and the new Netflix interface includes search. On screen interface is also very nice and easy to use. As will all new players, only has HDMI and composite video connectors, but single HDMI for video and audio is nice and is required for VIERA link.
Only reason for the 4 stars is DLNA (which in not just an issue with this device). Writing this in the hopes of saving at least one person the hours I spent setting this up. First, with my Windows 7 PC, the device was able to see and play the Windows Media Center .wtv files (I have a TV tuner card in my PC), so you can record shows on your PC and watch them on this player in another room. Compatibility with .wtv files was not mentioned in the manual, nor by Panasonic online support. Panasonic support also said that .mkv files would only play via a disk or the usb, but some of my .mkv files on my PC did play using DLNA (for some reason, only the files with an aspect ratio of 1024X576 or higher will play). Decided I needed a media server.
After trying Tversity, Playon, and Serviio, none of which would work with the DMP-BD75, I installed Mezzmo on my PC. Worked like a champ! The player sees all the files on my PC and they play flawlessly over my home network.
Remote will only control TV volume, power, and input, so if you switch to TV, you have to switch remotes. Don't know why in TV mode the number keys couldn't function to enter a channel number. Still, the remote will control all disc functions, Netflix, and all my video files via DLNA. One thing with the remote and VIERA link, the large power button turns on the player and will also turn on the TV at the same time. However, when you power down, using the large power button only turns off the player (which does make sense, you may want to leave the TV on). There is a second power button for the TV. If you turn off that button, both with shut down.
Overall, for just under $100 you can't go wrong. And if you aren't interested in DLNA or 3D, then this would be a 5 star player.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic DMP-BD75 Ultra-Fast Booting Blu-ray Disc Player


Internet-Ready Television

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Panasonic DMP-BD75 Ultra-Fast Booting Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Toshiba 46UX600U 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss) Review

Toshiba 46UX600U 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I think the rating on this tv is pretty much right on, 4.5 stars. To the people that rated it 2 stars, that is just harsh! You didn't order a tv and get a microwave - read the product description before you buy it. Anyway, having said that there are definite
Pros and Cons to this tv. Most if not all of them have been listed already but, in case you care what I think (I know, you don't) I will tell you anyway. I must warn you - I am a nerd, however I am not a tv nerd. I have found tv nerds are in a category all by themselves. I do love reading reviews by tv nerds though, haha, always cracks me up how they will give a bad rating on an option/feature that is like the latest/greatest but has not quite been perfected, anyway.
Pros:
-The picture quality is great
-The picture for the price is even better! Sure, you can spend $300 more and get a hyped up Samsung, but for my money this is just as good.
-It hooks up to the internet via WIFI and it's pretty damn solid from my experience
-It comes with the WIFI dongle (ok, I just wanted to write dongle in my review, ha).
-The DLNA server feature allows you to turn this into a media renderer (I turned my windows 7 machine into a mini media server and it is pretty good).
-It comes with YouTube and Vudu (which includes Facebook, Flickr, & Twitter, etc)
-There are enough HDMI outlets for most consumer needs
-It's an LED tv, so it's pretty damn thin (I read arguments that it is thicker than tvs in it's class - I also saw those tvs are like $300-$500 more and we are talking like .25 in. (one quarter of an inch). I think your wall mount is going to be thicker than your tv dill-holes haha jk, but seriously, under 2 inches is just fine. Unless you want to wait for OLED 46 in and spend $10k, mute point.
-There is a PC connection, but nowadays this standard on all HDTVs. The good thing is that you can connect HDMI to HDMI (if you have that support on your PC) and it works flawlessly. Actually, if you bought a computer in the last year or two it probably should have HDMI connectors, but amazingly still kind of rare I am noticing in PCs (which is completely odd). One downside to the PC input or any backside inputs on this tv is that they are difficult to reach once mounted to the wall. Most people maybe connect things before mounting I am guessing or have a better mount than I do (who knows)
Now, with all of these pros, there are definitely cons. I will try to list the obvious first and a possible solution.
Cons:
-No Netflix: ok, that does suck and I am not sure why a firmware update can't fix that seeing as how other Toshiba models have Netflix. Solution: go buy a $90 blu-ray player that supports Netflix (that's what I did). I think it's worth the tv investment saving a few hundred on the tv and spending on a blu-ray player (besides, Toshiba saved you $90 already by providing a WIFI dongle). And honestly, you just bought an HD LED 120 HZ tv, are you telling me you don't need/want a blu-ray player anyway??? Psssshht, haha
-True, there is lack of A/V RCA input. There is an option to use the A/V/Y but when hooking up the
Wii for instance, the video is black and white: Solution: another cable for $15. This is probably one of the main reasons I think the tv is only 4.5 stars. I mean I could argue that in the digital HD age A/V cables are dated, but devices still need to support it. I mean ok, so there is no VHS player built in, but we have far surpassed that technology, but we have not moved quite out of reach to not provide an A/V outlet.
-On a black/dark lit screen sometimes the text color is faded (or backlit)...I am thinking this is because of the LEDs and how that works to compensate for the darks, but I need one of those tv nerds to explain it and put a smile on my face haha. This is probably not even a con.
-DLNA media files supported, ok again, probably not a con, more of a gripe. If the con is against a feature in a pro, it's most likely just a gripe, haha. So with all the digital world evolving I find it a little weird that some HD file formats are not supported on this tv (for streaming) when it is an HD tv! I wasn't able to hear sound when
I streamed a blu-ray (I think mkv format or something). I could just burn it to a BD disc.
Ok, so my cons are more in depth because some of them are a stretch. I think almost all of the cons
have some workaround solution. I also strongly believe the pros outweigh the cons. I bought a nice tv for under or right at $1k, it offers some great technology and it looks awesome (especially for the price)! Ok, enough rambling - bottom line, this tv is well worth the price tag, if you rated under 3 stars you might want to reconsider or go in for an "evaluation". People giving this under 3 stars are probably the ones driving Kias and rating them 2 stars (you get what you pay for). If you want a Bentley for the price of a Kia, think again. This tv isn't the Bentley of tvs, but it also doesn't cost as much. I thinks its like a Porsche at the price of a Mustang. It is well worth the price for all the features it provides, there seem to be practical workarounds for almost all of the "flaws", and I would totally recommend this tv to anyone in the market for a 46 inch LED. THE END!!!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba 46UX600U 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)

Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity as well as a wide variety of on-demand entertainment with the 46-inch Toshiba 46UX600U HDTV with LED backlighting, which features a 1080p Full HD resolution. The stunning 3M:1 dynamic contrast ratio LED backlighting produces a clearer, crisper image and is supported by Toshiba's CrystalCoat high contrast screen coating and AutoView ambient room light analyzer. It also boasts Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz feature, which doubles the video frames from 60 per second to 120 per second to virtually eliminate motion blur--making this a perfect set for watching fast action movies and sports.
Toshiba's Net TV provides on-demand entertainment from such Internet sources as VUDU (with over 3,000 1080p HD movies) and Pandora for streaming of personalized music channels. You can connect the set to a wired home network via the Ethernet port, or connect to a Wi-Fi network using an included Wi-Fi adapter.

This UX600U Series HDTV provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more. Plus, the HDMI ports feature fast InstaPort switching for quick changes from one source to another. With the Gaming Mode function, you'll experience reduced game control delay and improved reaction time--perfect for PC gaming--and the Photo Frame capability with Auto Slide Show enables you to display slideshows of your favorite images when not watching TV programming.

Offering an ultra-slim Air Lagoon design that's less than 2 inches deep, this UX600U Series HDTV also features MP3 playback via the integrated USB port, a PC input, a removable stand, and Energy Star 4.0 requirements.



Toshiba Net TV Enjoy a new level of on-demand, Internet-based entertainment with the UX600U's integrated Toshiba Net TV capabilities, which includes a wide variety of entertainment and social networking applications. It provides access to VUDU Movies, which offers true 1080p HD, 5.1 surround sound and gives you access to over 3,000 HD movies on demand.
Additionally, video and photo services such as YouTube, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums let you share content with friends and family wherever they live. News services including the New York Times, AP, National Weather, and more, provide up to the minute information about the world around you. And, the customizable Ticker available at the bottom of the screen allows you to keep up to date with information from Twitter, News, Weather, or Stocks, automatically.

In order to provide simple and instant access to the Internet, the UX600 Series comes equipped with its own Wi-Fi adapter (compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n networks), delivering the latest content right out of the box and eliminating the need to purchase additional accessories. You can also connect to a home network via a wired Ethernet port.

Key Features
1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
PixelPure 5G 14-bit internal digital video processor increases gradation levels (4,096 levels, or 16x that of a standard 8-bit processor) to create smoother, clearer images.
ClearFrame 120Hz screen refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur, making this HDTV a great choice for fast action movies and sports. Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz system doubles the frame rate of an LCD TV from 60 frames per second to 120 frames per second using superior Motion Vector Frame Interpolation technology.
Resolution+ super resolution technology upconverts and enhances 480i/p and 720p input signals for a more detailed picture.
CrystalCoat prevents ambient room light reflections from washing out the television picture, creating up to 30 percent better contrast in bright rooms and allowing you to enjoy a deep, high contrast picture in all lighting conditions.
AutoView helps ensure an ideal image at all times for the day by combining an ambient room light sensor with incoming video content monitoring. AutoView automatically sets most of the TV picture parameters for you.
DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen--all controlled with just the TV remote.
Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital "cable-in-the-clear" broadcasts.
Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The "Warm" setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while "Medium" and "Cool" provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.


TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.



MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via 2 USB ports or SD memory card slot
REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
Ethernet port for connecting to wired home network.
Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you're watching
Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as "DVD Player" (instead of having them display as just "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2").
Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 400mm VESA mounting pattern)
Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
Dual band Wi-Fi adapter (802.11a/b/g/n) plugs into USB port (security options--WEP64/128, TKIP, AES, WPA/WPA2-PSK, WPS, None)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor

Connections
HDMI: 4 (HDMI-CEC) with 2 ports on the side
Component: 1 (on the side)
Composite A/V: 1 (on the side)
RF (antenna): 1
PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1
Digital audio output: 1 optical
Analog audio input: 3 pair (for each component and composite video input)
Ethernet networking: 1
USB: 2 (side)



Dimensions
TV with stand: 44.88 x 29.96 x 12.95 inches (WxHxD); 46.3 pounds
TV without stand: 44.88 x 28.07 x 1.96 inches (WxHxD); 39.9 pounds
What size TV should you get?



What's in the Box UX600U Series HDTV, remote control (with batteries), dual band WLAN adapter (WLM-10U1), removable stand, cleaning cloth, printed owner's manual
Toshiba 2010 REGZA HDTV Comparison
Learn More
Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

Buy NowGet 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Toshiba 46UX600U 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)

Read More...

Friday, January 20, 2012

Samsung BD-C5500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Samsung BD-C5500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have had the Samsung BD-C5500 Blu-ray player for about a week now and I absolutely love it. It was very easy to setup and worked perfectly right out of the box. It's smaller in size than the DVD player it is replacing but noticeably heavier. It starts up quickly and loads Blu-ray discs quickly too. The buttons on the front of the player are touch sensitive and don't give the user any tactile feedback so sometimes it's hard to tell if you have pushed them or not but at the same time they are cool and have a cutting-edge appeal. Some people have mentioned that they don't care for the remote but I find it to be very adequate and easy to use. I like the larger size of the buttons since I have big hands. The remote seems to work well at different angles and distances as well. When I first hooked up the player it did a firmware update and about a week later it notified me that there was a newer firmware and again did an update. It's comforting to see that Samsung is actively working to improve the device's firmware by releasing updates frequently if needed. I didn't know what issues/features the firmware updates were addressing because the UI on the player doesn't really tell you but Samsung does list what the firmware updates change/fix on their website. The device didn't have any problems connecting to my home network using a CAT-5 cable. It doesn't bother me a bit that this player doesn't support wi-fi out of the box. In my experience wi-fi is very susceptible to interference from other devices such as microwaves, cordless phones, and other wi-fi routers so using it to stream a high-definition movie could be problematic when you decide to pop some popcorn during the show or if someone calls you on your cordless phone. You'll always get better streaming performance from CAT-5. Plus, it's a lot cheaper than the players that do have wi-fi built in.
I have used this player to stream Netflix content from my Netflix instant queue. Before having this player we watched a lot of Netflix streaming content on our computer but watching it on the HDTV using this player has been a lot more convenient and sounds better on the home audio system than on the computer speakers. Streaming works very well and I haven't seen it skip frames or stop to re-buffer the stream. It takes a little longer to buffer the stream at the beginning of playback than my computer does but after a 15-20 second wait it's good to go so it's not a big deal. I have spoken with people who stream Netflix through the PS3 or XBOX and they have told me it takes about the same amount of time to buffer on those systems and I would imagine other Blu-ray players that stream Netflix would have similar performance. Some of the Netflix streaming content will stream in 720p resolution which looks and sounds great. One thing to note is that this player will only see titles you have added to your Instant Queue on the Netflix website. You cannot use the player to browse for different content and add it to your queue. This has not been very bothersome to me but it might bother some people. I actually like the fact that I can put titles in the Instant Queue for my children to watch and they can't browse around Netflix on the player and find adult content accidentally in the process.
Streaming music through Pandora has been great too. The Pandora app works well and has a good interface. You can give songs a thumbs up or thumbs down but only while the song is playing. It would be great if you could go back through the list of songs that have recently played and give them the thumbs up or thumbs down after they have played like you can on the Pandora website but that's not the way it works sadly. The quality of the audio seems very good and the time it takes to buffer the music is not even noticeable. We have really enjoyed having a device capable of using Pandora connected to the home audio/theater system.
I used the Blockbuster service to rent a movie for my kids. The video/audio quality was excellent and I had no streaming problems but the price was a little absurd. The movies cost about $4 to rent and you only have access to watch the movie for 24 hours from the time you first start playing it. At that price I would expect that you would get to watch the title as much as you want for 5 days just like you would do if you physically rented a movie from a Blockbuster location. I don't think I will be using the Blockbuster service very much unless there is a movie I really want to watch and I'm too tired/lazy to physically go to a Blockbuster and rent it.
Overall I feel like the device does a lot for how much I paid for it and is definitely worth the money. I have already recommended it to numerous friends and co-workers who have been looking to get a Blu-ray player. This is the first Blu-ray player I have owned and might possibly be the last since it's so feature-rich and works so well.
Update 4/14/2010:
I have had this player for over a month now and I have received 4 firmware updates I think. With the firmware updates the device has only gotten better. The updates didn't appear to add any new features but they have made the player more stable so it is less likely to freeze-up or stop working in other ways. Everything has been working flawlessly for me.
There is a new service called Vudu now that this player supports. I have not tried to use it yet but it appears to give you one free HD rental so that you can try the service. It looks similar to the Blockbuster streaming app. Most movies appear to have options to rent/buy the title in 3 different formats. HDX (1080p 5.1 Surround), HD (720p 5.1 Surround?), and SD (Standard Definition 480p and I'm not sure on the audio). I have watched a few trailers on Vudu and they stream fine but I haven't tried actually streaming a movie from Vudu yet.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung BD-C5500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

The BDC5500 can also wireless LAN ready (wireless LAN adaptor not included). Add to that AllShare™, which enables content to be seamlessly streamed between DLNA® devices, allowing you to play files stored on your PC through your Blu-ray player.

Buy NowGet 43% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung BD-C5500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Read More...

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Yamaha BD-S667 Blu-ray Disc Player, Black Review

Yamaha BD-S667 Blu-ray Disc Player, Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Unfortunately, JVC never released a direct successor to the XV BP1. Instead, the released the low budget profile 1.1 XV BP11 destined for closeout pricing at Sam's Club. Nearly 16 months after the JVC's release, I think I have found its successor, but strangely enough it's hidden behind a Yamaha label.
Prior Yamaha blu ray players (1065, 1900) were Sharp-based players that lacked any real redeeming quality save an opportunity for Yamaha receiver owners to have some commonality in their rack. Upon reading the press releases of the 667, a few things caught my eye - that worrying quick start feature was dropped and the inclusion of dlna made me wonder whose format the player was based. It did not appear to be Sharp-based (unlike the new Pioneer releases) and also lacked the usual Funai or LG look and layout that is generally easy to spot.
The 667 arrived Thursday afternoon and I have been pushing this unit through an abnormally high number of tests. Its GUI, OSD, and setup menu were very familiar in that they struck me as very similar to my Oppo 83 and 80. The initial setup and overlain setup menu were different in look and lacked a number of options the Oppos have, but had an overwhelming Oppo-esque familiarity to them.
The center-mounted disc drive is a bit pokey, opening in 10-12 seconds (very similar to the Oppp 83 EAP first-run drives), but load times were very fast and were only outpaced by the newest Samsung models. Upon checking synthetic deinterlacing tests, I knew we had found the very competent Mediatek chipset. In fact, its synthetic deinterlacing tests for film cadence matched the Oppo BDP-80 identically. Unfortunately, its video deinterlacing was not quite up to par with the Oppo BDP-80.
Real world DVD testing revealed a very competent player that could not quite match the Pioneer BDP-320's sharpness or the Oppo's accuracy in avoiding aliasing, but was damn close. The player's biggest deficiency is a lack of fine tuned noise reduction to bring a more detailed edge to the image. That said, the player is very versatile and offers the same smooth, accurate image other mediatek chipped players produce. The player offers a zoom function for dvds that is effective and similar to that offered in the Oppo 80, but a bit different in its gradients.
In respects of analogue audio, the 667 offers only stereo outputs that are adequate, but not inspiring in my testing. Moreover, it does not offer SACD or DVD-A playback like the Oppo (or even the Sony 470 for the former), but it does offer DLNA connectivity and Netflix streaming.
So why is this the next JVC XV-BP1? While its $329 MSRP is a bit stiff, it is currently heavily discounted and available for $250 in its second week of release. Should price pressure continue and it sells below $200, this might become my recommended entry-level player now that the Pioneer BDP-320 is scarce if not gone. It maintains the high quality dvd playback and speed very similar to the XV BP1, but with more modern features like DLNA and Netflix (yes, I know LG has had streaming for almost three years!). That said, prices have dropped considerably and arguing relative value is more and more difficult. The $250 mark is heavily competitive and you have older, discontinued models being closed at slightly higher prices (denon dbp-2010ci comes to mind). That said, with just a little more price pressure this player is ideal for folks looking for Netflix streaming, very fast disc loading times, DLNA connectivity and very good dvd playback. There are a number of players that give you more bells and whistles at a lower price (Sony BDP-S470 and LG BD570), but they cannot quite offer the dvd playback this mediatek chipped player offers. Highly Recommended at under $200; Worth Considering at $225.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha BD-S667 Blu-ray Disc Player, Black

The Yamaha BD-S667 Blu-ray Disc Player is the perfect way to jump into watching the latest high-definition movies and video. x.v. Color and Deep Color support along with the latest high-definiton audio decoders give you an experience unrivaled from traditional DVD video. Integrated Netflix support, HDMI 1.3 BD Live support and DLNA network compatibility keeps you connected to your entertainment beyond the disc.

Buy NowGet 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Yamaha BD-S667 Blu-ray Disc Player, Black

Read More...