Samsung BD-D7500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)I upgraded to the BD-D7500 when my BD-D6800 blu-ray player stopped working after 6 months (froze up in the middle of all movies). I was upset with crosstalk in 3D on my UN55C8000 TV set. I always assumed the problem had to be the TV or the glasses or the media. I played the 3D blu-rays I have and low and behold where I had seen crosstalk there was none. It absolutely floored me. I was very happy with this unexpected benefit. Crosstalk was the biggest problem I could see with 3D on the Samsung 2010 models. Who knew adding a 2011 player would fix it. Comparing this setup with the Panasonic top of the line 3D sets (usually acknowledged as the best 3D), it stands up very favorably.
All other features work very well. I like the interface better than the 2010 models. I haven't tried "Smart Hub" yet.
The form, finish and light show are just great. I prefer to lay it flat on top of my TV stand rather than stand it on edge as pictured I placed some plastic bumpers on the glass top to lay it on. It's a real showpiece.
Samsung really came through in the warranty coverage of the BD-D6800. They only charged $53 for the upgrade to the top of the line. I would absolutely recommend the player.

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3DTV Corp 3D Window DLP-LINK 3D Glasses (2 Pairs) Review

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(More customer reviews)The glasses I received from 3DTVCorp were model VA-DD1. They came in nice boxes with protective bag and microfiber cleaning cloth. I have a Mitsubishi Laservue L65-A90 DLP TV and I had the Mitsubishi 3D Starter kit. The glasses that came with the kit were IR based. Well it seems all Mitsubishi DLP TVs made before 2010 have DLP Link on and it can not be de-activated. So when I used the glasses in the 3D Start Kit I was getting a terrible overly saturated red image. It wasn't until a little research that I learned that the red I was seeing was an artifact of DLP Link. So I purchased some of these DLP Link glasses and the red is gone and the 3D image is exactly what I expected to see from my laser DLP TV. So anyone with a Mitsubishi DLP TV that is a 2009 model or older, or a Samsung DLP TV they can't DLP Link off on should get these glasses. They perform well and cost less then the other ones here on Amazon.

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Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(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.

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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.

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Sony BDP-S580 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)[This is a long review warranted by the number of features of the BDP-S580. I want to try to provide as much relevant information as I can in an attempt to make this as useful to you as possible. If you only want a one line "this is great" review, I apologize, but some folks like details :) I know I do.]
IMPORTANT NOTE: I have added a number of updates and edits over time to keep this review up to date. Be sure to check those as they can show resolutions to earlier problems I experienced. Typically I left the original issues in place in the review, followed by an Edit with a resolution, so that other people running into the same problem may be able to find answers.
Some background...
This was bought to replace an older Sharp HP20U Blu-Ray player and some of the features of a DLink DSM-520 network media player. After also having owned the Sony BDP-S570 (the prior model to the S580) for a short while as a first replacement effort, I decided to return that and get this newer BDP-S580 model instead in the hope they might eventually fix or improve on a lot of the DLNA flaws in the 570.
Let me say up front that I do like this unit, but have some concerns.
I am running wired connection over gigabit LAN with CAT6, although this device only has a 100M ethernet connection, and use the fastest available Charter service where I typically get 15 to 28 Mbps download speed at any given time. I am using HDMI connections through a receiver to a Sharp 1080p TV.
First the good...
1) Blu-ray load times are far faster than many other devices out there. This was one of the main points I wanted to get with the unit. In fact the prior BDP-S570 release is still one of CNET's fastest ever loaders, even with the 'quick start' feature turned off, and this is comparable. I do recommend leaving the fast-start option off in general in order to save energy; the money cost of keeping the device in a kind of startup mode is not worth it if the player can get up to speed quite quickly anyway. As a load speed test, I used the "Avatar" BD, the worst loader by a long shot among disks I own. Avator took over 5 minutes to get to the main menu screen on my old Sharp, and on the Sony it gets to the main menu in around 2 mins 50 secs. This is still not quick, but remember that this is the worst loader I have ever seen. Other BDs such as "Master and Commander", "Cars", or "300" all got to their menus within around 30 secs, and by getting to the main menu, I mean it had to go through all the FBI copyright warnings etc.
2) The unit is quiet when playing a disk. Not silent, but seems better than the S570 and far better than the old Sharp. Note that when you leave a disk in while using other features of the s580, it still makes some noise as if it is always keeping the BD ready to go. I suppose this is no bad idea for a quick launch when you choose the BD from the menu system.
3) The BDP-S580 uses Sony's standard XDB interface that can be found on the PS3, PSP etc. I like it but some don't. In my opinion it is quick, clean, simple to navigate, and this particular device seems to respond very quickly when scrolling the icons/options (some have seemed more sluggish).
4) I had no issues with buffering, stuttering or pausing during playback of online video. I used Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, YouTube, and the Hulu Plus free HD video to test. No issues during playback of online audio either using Pandora, NPR, Slacker. However, please see notes below in the 'bad' section that relate to actually getting the streaming to start...
5) DLNA playback of Audio files is good and the interface is fast and responsive. Much faster than the Dlink DSM-520. All files have played great so far, and include .wma and .mp3 formats. Note that this comment is in regard to AUDIO FILES ONLY, see the 'bad' section for my thoughts on VIDEO files across DLNA...
6) Picture quality from BD is better than my Sharp player. I believe this is largely due to the deep color system that Sony uses. In fact there are several levels of color depth you can choose if you feel inclined to do so (I just left mine on the Auto setting)
7) Upconversion of standard DVDs is excellent. Most BD players that upconvert DVDs do it well, and this is no exception.
8) The "direct attach" USB drive option is improved in the S580 over the S570. This is where you use some kind of external USB drive - portable drive, desktop storage or even USB stick - and plug it directly into the USB port on the S580 to access files on it. There are 2 USB ports on the S580 which is helpful, one front, one rear. With the 570 you could only use FAT formatted drives which are generally not a great idea, but the S580 is now improved to allow use of NTFS formatted drives.
9) It has a general Internet Browser. This is useful but limited. I have run into issues where pages are not very navigable (msn.com) or where they fail with a reported 'page is too big' error (hulu.com). Where possible, using 'mobile' versions of the web page tends to be best.
10) You can pair this player to a compatible TV etc to allow one to control the other via HDMI. I turned this off to reduce 'overhead' since it will do nothing for me with my Sharp TV and receiver, but I wanted to note this.
11) Media types that can be played from a directly attached USB drive are numerous, and include the following (taken from the Sony BDP-S580 manual as of 3/25/11 - take note of the "*" numbers and check the info underneath!):
VIDEO File format Extensions:
MPEG-1 Video/PS*1*2, MPEG-2 Video/PS, TS*1*3 (".mpg," ".mpeg,",".m2ts," ".mts")
MPEG-4 AVC*1*2 (".mkv," ".mp4,",".m4v," ".m2ts,",".mts")
WMV9*1*2 (".wmv," ".asf")
AVCHD*2 *4
Xvid (".avi")
AUDIO File format Extensions:
MP3 (MPEG-1 AudioLayer III) (".mp3")
AAC*1*2*5 (".m4a")
WMA9 Standard*1*2*5 (".wma")
LPCM (".wav")
PHOTO File format Extensions:
JPEG (".jpg," ".jpeg")
What the *Notes mean:
*1 The player does not play coded files such as DRM.
*2 The player does not play this file format on a DLNA server.
*3 The player can only play standard definition video on a DLNA server.
*4 The player plays AVCHD format files that are recorded on a digital video camera, etc. The
AVCHD format disc will not play if it has not been correctly finalized.
*5 The player does not play coded files such as Lossless.Now the not so good...
1) I wanted this to be a replacement for my old DSM-520 network media player. I knew from bad experience with the s570 that this would not be possible, and you can see from the list of formats above with the *2 note against them that Sony does not expect those to play. Essentially MPEG2 and a subset of AVI are the only video formats that 'might' work. These notes here are to warn others, and don't directly affect my rating since I expected it, although I am hoping future firmware releases might improve the offering. While the s580 is DLNA certified, this means that it essentially only needs to be able to play a VERY minimum range of video formats, and even then, depending on things such as the specific codecs used, it still might not work. I have a number of video files in several different formats - none of which will even be seen to allow me to try to play. This includes .mp4, .vob, .iso, .avi, .m4v, .wmv all shared from a Iomega network storage device pushing out via a built in media server. [see edit below]
***
[EDIT 4/2/11] After getting a replacement unit, I am now able to see and play .mpg, .mp4(when renamed to .mpg), some .wmv, some .avi, all .vob. My original lemon would not let me even see these, now I can see and play. I am leaving the original note in place to help others who might run into the same problem.
***
Assuming you have a number of different format video files, if you want to be able to play ALL of your video files across your network to the BDP-S580, you will either need to use a media server that will transcode your files on the fly to something like MPEG2, manually convert all your media to a format that is supported (prohibitively annoying for most people) or get a different network media player instead of this.
(A reminder: the above note is really only regarding Video files on DLNA. My music files all behave beautifully so far, and include .wma and .mp3)
2) Playing of online video files. As I mentioned previously, playing online video files is great, but getting to them or getting them to start can be quite a slog. For some reason it takes ages (well, maybe 1-3 minutes) to get them to start. I'm not sure what the issue is. I'm running wired, not wireless. When I get the media playing I can see that I am getting over 18Mbps consistent download speed. When it runs, it can play high def files with no apparent issues. Its just connecting to the individual services, and in some cases opening the files when you get there, that takes so long. What's odd - again - is that I don't recall this being a problem with the BDP-S570 (the OLD model). I did set a static IP address and network info just in case it helped, as mentioned by another reviewer, but it made no difference for me. [see edit below]
***
[EDIT 4/4/11] This issue has been resolved by assigning a free public DNS server (8.8.4.4) as my primary DNS server in the network configuration. Originally I had this set to my local DNS server (my 192.168.x.x router). I don't know why this would really make a difference and I have never had any other issues with my DLink DIR-655 router serving as my DNS server before, however this does indeed resolve my problem. I no longer have any connectivity issues when connecting to the online video services like...Read more›

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Toshiba BDX2200 Wifi-Ready Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)Maybe it was just my particular player but after two days the unit stopped working properly. The first day everything worked perfectly, including the internet hookups to watch Netflix. I hooked it up with HDMI cables and watched both Tron Blu-Ray movies with no problems. The next day when selecting an episode from Netflix the video went out, but the sound was still there. I turned off and on the player and it worked fine for about six hours. Problem continued on the second day with several episodes of audio but no video. Turning off/on the player didn't work this time. Finally the video went out entirely and I wasn't able to get it back. I changed the hookups from HDMI to component thinking that might have been the problem, but the problem continued. Today before I returned it from where I bought it I tried it with component cables again and for whatever reason the video worked this time. However now the power button doesn't work on the unit. The only way to turn it on was with the remote.
Maybe it was just a bad luck player, but if it doesn't work properly it's of no use to me. When it did work it was excellent though which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of one.
Notes: Loading of Netflix was about twice as long compared to any other device I've used for Netflix (XBox 360 and Wii).
Loading of Youtube was just as fast as my regular PC.

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Panasonic DMP-BDT210 Integrated-Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)The player is great. The menu system is the best I've used in a player and I returned both a Sony BD560 and a Samsung 6500 before getting this unit. Just a few notes for those that might be thinking of getting it this player.
#1 The internet options are extensive, new options to me like Amazon streaming and Skype, mixed with the mainstay apps like Netflix, Pandora, and many more. make this player very attractive to the streaming and online entertainment user.
#2 The firmware the unit currently ships with will not let you get into the Internet streaming apps or anything for that matter until you update the firmware. Updating the firmware from the 1.09 firmware it ships with will not work as of this date via wireless or wired internet connections. The secondary option is to burn the frmware to a disc. This you think would be straight foward, but it isn't. Using Windows 7 or Vista, you MUST create an ISO 9660 ONLY... I went through 3 coasters before this player could properly read the Firmware update disc I created to bring it up to 1.47. Using any other ISO format will fail.
#3, Netflix... I have 2 accounts, one old, one new and active. Got them mixed up during the install process and had my OLD netflix account essentially bound to the unit. No way to empty the cache, or sign-out and login with a new username and password (It doesn't use the code on screen method like a lot of players, you actually log into netflix from the machine) To wipe out the incorrect netflix ID, I had to factory reset the Blu-Ray player. Which meant setting everything up again. My shared drives (You can map a shared folder on your network to play files, very nice) Wireless, everything had to be set up again.
#4 No on board memory. It supports SD cards for Storage for Blu Ray online features and other apps, but it has no storage of its own. I personally found this to be nice, especially given I have many SD cards laying around from 1 to 8 gigs in size. But if you want to take full advantage of extras on Blue Rays, add the cost of an SD card to your price (Or possibly USB thumb drive??? haven't tested) in order to have on-board storage.
This player is fast, has an outstanding menu system. A very reliable network interface (Take note Samsung!) and has some nice next-gen features such as touch-less ejecting, kind of novel, but I did find myself liking it.... having come from the Samsung 6500 just recently, I found the fact that the player keeps you informed with on screen displays as to what it is doing if their are the common loading delays when first starting Blu-Rays for instance, a very nice change from the black of screen of questioning I always had with the Samsung model. And Sony's 560 had a very lame netflix interface so that wasn't an option for me after seeing it, given I use streaming a LOT.
For the 2011 models, I'd like to see the offerings from the competitors before I whole heartily recommend this one, but I'm very happy with my purchase. Panasonic seems to know what they are doing with UI's, UI user Feedback and general tech savyness in their Blu-Ray players. (aside from the current Firmware glitch)


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Sony BRAVIA KDL55EX720 55-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)*UPDATE* May 19, 2011
I've had this TV for over a month now, and just wanted to provide an update:
Picture: CUSTOM SETTINGS! Out-of-the-box, the picture isn't the best quality. There is some graininess, a noticeable soap opera effect and some blockiness with moving pictures. EVERY owner should calibrate the settings to their liking. Also, it's very important to turn off the ECO sensor -- your TV will be much, much brighter. I followed the custom settings on flatpanelshd.com, where the reviewer tweaked the settings for best picture output, down to advanced settings like B-Gain and R-Gain. From there I messed around with the other settings until I found a picture I'm very happy with.
Comparison: Two of my friends bought a 55-inch LG LW5600 and I've spent a good time watching their TVs. The LG uses passive 3D so the glasses are super cheap and comfortable -- I hate to say it, but the 3D on that TV probably looks better overall. They also brag about an 8 million to 1 contrast ratio whereas the Sony EX720 is 2 million to 1. What that means is the LG has a brighter range of vivid colors. BUT after tweaking my settings, I was able to get comparable color results AND the picture on the Sony is noticeably clearer -- you couldn't get a soap opera effect on the LG if you tried. The MotionFlow 240 actually seems to make a difference as I can see wrinkles on The Most Interesting Man in the World's face that I couldn't see on the LG. Plus the LG had a lot of choppiness when watching sports, it might have been the cable or the TV's 120hz processor.
Still a five-star rating for a clearer picture than the LG and enhanced picture with tweaked settings. Original review below.
*From April*
Picture: Very good. Granted I was watching a 37-inch LCD that was almost six years old, so even watching a crayon drawing on wax paper would be an upgrade. But I watched ESPN HD, Avatar HD in HBO and a bunch of other random things. There was no noticeable clouding (blobs of light on the screen) at all. I was pleasantly surprised that there really wasn't a soap opera effect on the movies and shows I watched.
More Picture: It's true that this isn't a "true" 240hz TV. It's marketed as a MotionFlow 240hz, which basically means that it's 120hz but has some sort of technology that Sony made up to "bring the frame rate up to 240hz." That being said, I probably wouldn't be able to notice the difference between 120 and 240hz anyway. I do wish the picture was a little bit brighter, but it's super easy to adjust the settings. Also, the black levels weren't as black as I'd like. When watching a show with a lot of black screen, it still looks a little gray compared to the black frame lining the TV.
Sound: GREAT. You know how sometimes you're watching a DVD or a TV show and the music and background noises are super loud and the voices and dialogue are super quiet, and then you have to turn up the volume to hear the dialogue, but then quickly turn it back down because some booming music scares the crap out of you? Not so with this TV. Apparently it's got some technology that detects dialog and will automatically soften the background sound and amplify the voices. Plus, when you change the sound setting to "S-Force Front Surround," there really is a noticeable difference in the quality, the sound does seem to echo more under this setting.
3D: Suh-weeeeet! Ok, there are definite cross-talk issues -- which is a term I learned by reading a bunch of reviews. You will see double images at certain points, but EVERY TV review I read suffers from this issue because it's a new technology. My DirecTV offered four 3D channels, one was a nature show channel that rotates shows about dinosaurs, ocean life, and space stuff. I spent four hours straight watching this channel and now know a bunch of random facts about dinosaurs, ocean life and space stuff. I invited three people over and the four of us watched this channel for hours. There were parts of the ocean documentary where schools of fish looked like they were a few feet out of the screen. And a freaking Brontosaurus totally peered into my living room -- I wanted to pet him. Even on large landscape pans, the depth perception was amazing.
Remote: Effin' BRILLIANT. I don't know why, but instantaneous response from the remote made me pretty damn happy. I had Time Warner Cable TV before, and it would do some crap where you'd be pressing the remote buttons and nothing would happen, and then like 15 seconds later everything you pushed would happen at once. DirecTV is better but would still lag sometimes. But this TV and it's default remote are like sweet lovers that orgasm at the same time. There is no lag time and the interface screen is ridiculously simple to use and navigate -- even for not-really-super-techy-guys.
Interface and Settings: Awesome. Navigating the settings is intuitive and simple -- it looks a lot like the PS3 interface. Everything's is laid out in Layman's terms and spelled out so clearly that even A GIRL would have no problems using it. There's even little features like naming the different display inputs AND ADDING AN ICON TO THEM?? So now when I change Display modes between DVD, DirecTV and Xbox, it very coolly displays those titles on the screen, AND HAS THE ICON I PICKED NEXT TO THEM! W00T! And changing the settings is cake. You can go directly into many of the main settings (like display, sound, etc) directly from the show you're watching instead of going into the menu.
Wireless and Internet Apps: This does NOT come in with built-in WiFi, but I plugged it directly into my router with a network cable. Done dada. I was getting good connection speeds with Youtube, Qriocity and Hulu. My only complaint is that it probably takes a little getting used to spell anything out -- kind of a weird alphanumeric style that you'd get when you spell something out using a numeric phone keypad.

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Sony BDP-BX57 Blu-ray Disc Player, 3D-ready with built-in WI-FI Review

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(More customer reviews)This player is the same player as the Sony S570 except it is sold primarily at Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club. The unit can be purchased at those place for $199. The unit plays Blu-Rays very well, loads fast and the picture quality is excellent. The same can be said for DVD's. The BDP-BX57 is hooked up using a Sharp Aquos 1080P LCD HD TV via HDMI. The internet streaming content is the reason I purchased this player. I have connected it with a wired connection and a wireless connection both without any problems. I have a solid and fast cable modem connection and was really looking forward to streaming Netflix like I can on our PS3 that is in the Family room. Even with the latest firmware, Netflix can be a bit choppy or buffer often. The PS3 unit never buffers despite the same wired connection. I had the Video setting from the Sony player on "Auto" which defaults to 1080P. Apparently, there must be a firmware issue with the Netflix and the unit possibly trying to upconvert the video? Interestingly, when I changed my Video setting on the Sony to 1080i, the Netflix buffering went away and it hasn't reoccurred. This shouldn't be an issues since you aren't getting 1080 from Netflix even when streaming HD content. Still, I shouldn't have to default the setting to 1080i when the unit is hooked up to a 1080P TV via HDMI. Nonetheless, it seemed to be the fix for me at least until the next firmware update. I contacted Sony about this issue and was routed offshore to a help desk employee who said it was a Netflix issue. This defeinitely isn't the case since the PS3 implementation of Netflix never buffers from the same wired connection on 1080P. I found tech support to be very disappointing and the person wasn't as knowledgeable as expected. Lastly, the remote on the unit isn't very good. If you want to use the remote to control your TV, there are codes in the back of the manual but the manual doesn't tell you how to enter the codes. After searching the internet, you have to hold the TV power button down on the Sony remote while entering the codes and it works fine to control the TV's on/off, input selection and volume.

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Samsung BD-D5700 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)It surprises me how many negative reviews I read about Blu Ray players in general that have nothing to do with the player, but has everything to do with the person's lack of knowledge about electronics. While researching for a Blu Ray player for my parents, I came across a guy who gave a player a negative review because the player's box didn't tell him that the cable modem that he was using wasn't capable of supporting two Ethernet connected devices and that he would need a router for the player and his home computer to be hooked to the internet at the same time. It is not the Blu Ray manufactures job to inform the customer of basic facts. That would be like getting mad a car dealership for not telling a customer that the automobile needs gasoline to work correctly.
The next one that drives me crazy is when people complain about firmware updates. Wake up people. Your player is a dumbed down computer that is made especially for videos and will need updates from time to time. Do you get mad at Microsoft every time your home computer gets updates? No, you don't. It may be annoying, but you do it anyways because you know it will make your computer run better. Also, whining about needing an update right out of the box is plain stupid. In fact, it makes me feel more secure about my purchase. It lets me know that the manufacturer is still working to make my device better even after they have my money. And it lets me know that if any new apps are released, my player may be able to handle them and, once again, make my home theater experience better.
The Samsung BD-D5700 was purchased because of the Built-in WiFi (I really have no idea why they even make WiFi Ready Players). I researched and compared all of the mid-priced Blu Ray players with Built-in WiFi and it came down to either a Samsung or Sony. I wanted the Hulu Plus App and these were the only two with that option. Both the Samsung and Sony models had decent reviews but each had a few negative aspects. The Samsungs had a slow load time reviews (time it takes to power up the player and play a movie) and the Sony models apparently had some spotty WiFi video steaming (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube). This player was going to be used at my parents on an N wireless router, so the Sonys were out. But a few weeks later I ended up buying a Sony that I hooked up to a hard line in my own house. Both work amazingly and have not had a single issue. But then I knew what situation each was going to be used for and planned ahead. And just so this review is complete, the Samsung does not load as fast as the Sony, but it is nowhere near the wait time as the earlier Blu Ray players.


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Sony BDP-S380 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased two of these - one for myself and one for an out-of-state friend. I'm using mine with a Sony Bravia 1080p flat screen; my friend is using hers with an older 30 inch CRT TV (4:3 aspect ratio) until she gets around to taking her flat screen out of its box.
I was thinking about getting a unit with built-in WiFi, but before making the purchase(s), I did some research online and heard (read) some horror stories about streaming via WiFi that were, let's say, somewhat less than complementary (glitches, disconnects, freezes requiring reboots, etc.), so I decided to purchase this unit BECAUSE it didn't have WiFi (why pay for a feature that I'm not going to use?). I already have a Sony BDP-S370 (using it with a Samsung flat screen) and like it a lot; I would have bought two more of them, but they weren't available directly from Amazon when I ordered, so I got these - I prefer buying from Amazon for their returns policy. Also, the BDP-S380 supports 'vudu' AND it has an on-screen digital throughput speed readout (in Mbps) which appears when streaming is starting up - both welcome additions!
My setup took about 15 minutes from the time I opened the box until I was watching discs, Amazon VOD, and Netflix (the only ones that I've set up so far). I connected the BDP-S380 to my TV via HDMI, and my LAN via Ethernet cable and everything just worked (of course, I had to set it up for my Amazon and Netflix accounts, but that took less than five minutes each). After going through the on-screen quick start menus, the unit told me that there was a firmware upgrade available, so I told it to do it, and a few minutes later, it finished and turned itself off (normal when upgrading firmware).
My friend's setup took a bit longer, since she had never set one up before and I couldn't see what was happening while I tried to talk her through everything (from memory). She connected to her TV using the (supplied-in-the-box) AV cable. Because her TV was 4:3 aspect ratio, some of the menus didn't display legibly, which is probably what made things take a bit longer. Anyway, we got everything working properly within about 20-25 minutes.
One thing of note I would like to mention is this: all BD players manufactured after 01/01/2011 have DRM firmware which prevents HD signals from using any output other than HDMI. For me, that was no problem since I was using HDMI; since my friend was using AV, everything was displayed on her TV in SD (not really a problem since that is all it's capable of displaying anyway, and she'll be using HDMI if she ever sets up her flat screen *:^).
I'm very pleased with this unit (and so is she). Its outputs are crisp and solid, its user interface is staight-forward and easy to understand, and its physical size, shape, and appearance should fit in anywhere.
Definitely a 5-star device.
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NETFLIX Note (04/15/11):
It seems that Netflix is no longer limiting selections to your Instant Queue! There is now a choice entitled "Top Picks For You" -- also, you can now press "Options" on the Remote and when you select "Categories >" you will be presented with a Category list from which you can search and select movies! Yay!!

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Marantz UD5005 Blu-Ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I am curious as to some of the reviews for this player. Chris Dobbins made several comments that have no foundation with respect to the quality of this player. the biggest gripe I heard and not one for me is lack of wireless connectivity easily fixed with a netgear WNCE2001, I have used this device to make non wireless devices connect via wireless. its not plug and play it requires a few simple steps to make it work. the other thing that is some what unfair are the comments about the ingredients to make a cake and no mention of how the the cake finally turned out. what I mean in the simplest terms are if you have a great bluray player like the UD5005 and lack luster equipment and cables how do you expect to benefit from the quality your are paying for in the player. side note, I ungraded from a samsung to the marantz , there is no comparison . not to knock the samsung player but you don't realize what you have been missing until you can see and hear the difference. yes the samsung has lots of bells and whistles that the marantz does not, but the marantz is a Bentley and the samsung is a Kia, both admirable automobiles but ultimately we all want to drive the Bentley. Build quality is first rate , solid metal construction with a 3 year warranty lets you know much the company backs all that quality. A whisper quiet drive system could not even tell it was on. after watching some clips from recent blurays like TRON and Avatar on my 7.1 surround system ( a 65 inch Panasonic TH-65VX00U , Main sound is provided by a pair of Polk LSI 9's powered by a Nikko alpha 230 the rest of the 7.1 one setup is powered by a B&K AV5000 power amp running center sides and rears ) on both the samsung BDC6500 and the Marantz UD5005 the differences are staggering, and let me preface this by saying I loved my samsung , but sorry samsung we are getting divorced . The UD5005 has the most incredible picture and sound quality, truly black black levels and crisp sound reproduction. the opening scenes from Avatar after the shuttle leaves the main ship in orbit and heads to planet surface , as the shuttle lands you can hear the lightweight helicopter gunships they can be heard clearly but are lost on the samsung , its all in the details, and the detail on the UD5005 is what will set it apart and why its worth the extra money . picture detail and sound are spectacular but this is just my opinion remember . bottom line is all about keeping your system proportionate , there is no point in buying this player and watching it on a $600 TV and hooking it up with cheap radio shack cables. getting the best sound out of your player means having good audio and video equipment and every thing from the disc in the player to sound coming out of the speakers needs to be as good as is possible. what you are paying for in the UD5005 is all about fidelity , not bells and whistles after all its ultimately a way to reproduce your favorite movies on bluray not watch youtube and stream poor quality movies from netflix , don't judge it on what it does not do, judge it on what it does well, playback of bluray movies the way that they should be, with crystal clear picture and awesome sound reproduction

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

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE - July 2010
New features added to Network
Tageschau - Daily News feed in German
Pandora - Internet Radio
Fox Sports - Coming Soon
Twitter - Coming Soon
5 Stars sounds really generous, but for the money this is a GREAT Network ready BDP.
This is the third network BDP I have set up and used, I recently reviewed the Samsung BD-P1590 - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling - Netflix, Pandora against which (for similar money) this is a far superior machine. I also think the picture quality and upscaling for SD DVD's in much better than the similar priced LG BD 370 Network Blu-ray Disc Player
Running several Blu-Ray movies for testing, including BD live enabled content, boot times were very fast. The quick set up guide asks you about this and explains that it uses more power in standby mode, but it's worth it for very quick loading.
Blu Ray looks SUPERB - Panasonic web site says (PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus is a high quality image-processing technology developed to precisely process each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc video signal in the vertical direction) Sounds geeky, but the picture is great at both 1080i and 1080p. By default the 24fps is set to off, but if you have a home set up that supports it, it's easy to switch back.
SD Card slot, and USB interface great for home pictures, movies and photo's, very easy to use. Nicely tucked away under a discreet panel in the front so no fiddling among the back wires.
Out of the box set up for networking took me about 15 minutes.
Very easy on screen instruction, easy to use remote, and set up can be either set to easy mode, or you can revisit the main menu at any time for finer adjustments on audio, video output, resolution and aspect ratio etc.
The more involved set up options are however a little limited if you are used to close to pro tweaking on high end visual and audio equipment. But then again, this is an entry level kind of priced machine.
What do you get for network? The VIERA system is a breeze, nice graphics, menu screen and options.
I hard wired mine to the back Ethernet port with a Cat6 cable - Cat5 works without a problem, but for streaming (especially HD content) the Cat6 made the Netflix signal bar light up to HD most of the time.
It is wireless ready. You can use a USB dongle (takes some tweaking) or better still a Linksys by Cisco Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter. What's nice is that(unlike Samsung) you don't have to buy a special adapter.
My preference would always be to hard line, but if that's not an option, and you must have wireless (assuming you have boat loads of bandwidth) you can buy an adapter, or pay $80 more and buy it's big brother the Panasonic DMP-BD85 WiFi Enabled Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black)
Whats on the Network?
1)Netflix - unlimited free streaming movies (a lot in HD if your connection is good enough) documentaries, and TV shows from their "Watch Instantly" library, if you are a current subscriber of at least their $8.99 plan - free trial available.
2)Amazon on Demand - Bags of movies and content to rent, buy, or even view free webisodes, trailers, documentaries and so on. Not a huge thing for me personally as I like Netflix, but very nice to have. Simply activate online at Amazon and you're there - very easy on screen user friendly menus.
3)Blomberg - Sort of on screen RSS feed with stocks, bonds and news headlines. Nice to have but not essential.
4) Weather forecast, enter your zip code and set to default, or store multiple sites across the US for up to date weather news and information. Again, not something I need but nice to have.
5)Picasa Web albums - share pictures with friends and family, look at your own, and other albums on your TV. Nice feature.
6)You Tube - browse, or log into your account online
7)Coming Soon?? - Your guess is as good as mine, could be for VUDU or something else, at least they are thinking ahead, and have the settings already started.
What you don't get.....
1)Pandora - a quirky to use online streaming internet radio site that's free with a lot of music. Doesn't float my boat either, I don't like radio sites that choose my music based on a song, or an artist - there are over 30,000 online internet radio stations that are free, Pandora doesn't let you search any particular station in any part of the World, just their selections on what they think you like.
2) Blockbuster Online - unless you have an account and use the in store returns on DVD and Blu stick with Netflix, their watch instantly movies are free with membership.
3)VUDU - next generation 1080p streaming to rent and buy, this would have been nice to have, but I can live without it for now. Amazon more than makes up for it as far as I'm concerned.
4) Any others I may have forgotten about (I'm sure there are more out there)
Sum up
PROS
Excellent value for money
Looks sleek, discreet and runs quickly AND quietly (unlike some BDP's)
Very easy to Set Up - VIERA interface for online content is great.
Superior BD playback picture and sound quality - just when you thought it couldn't get better
Great upscaling, best I've seen on a machine of this price or on any machine without a REON chipset.
USB, SD slots on front convenient and discreet
Optional "wireless ready"
Nice Remote
CONS
No 3D - even if the content isn't there yet on BD live, you know it's coming. Only the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Disc Player in this price range is equipped. This would have been nice
No onboard memory - BD live requires a USB or SD, but that's the same for most machines
No VUDU on networking - not a deal breaker, but may be for some.
Bottom line.................Great machine if you want to get into network and streaming movies. Quality and everything else for the price is unbeatable.

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Start watching your favorite high-definition movies almost instantly with the Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-ray Disc player, which features an ultra-fast 2-second boot time. You'll also enjoy BD-Live and Panasonic's VIERA Cast functionality for accessing Internet video content thanks to the Ethernet port and Wireless LAN capability (DY-WL10 wireless LAN adapter sold separately).
It also includes both a USB port and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot, making it easy for you to view and share both digital still images and HD video recorded with an HD camcorder in the AVCHD format. Other features include compatibility with a wide variety of disc formats (including standard DVD movie discs), Energy Star certification, and Panasonic's VIERA Link function--allowing you to operate multiple audio/video components using a single remote via HDMI. Additionally, Panasonic's lineup of 2010 BD Players are designed to reduce power consumption and also feature a slimmer, more efficient design to reduce packaging waste.


Key Features
High-quality image processing via PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus technology for clear and vibrant color reproduction that is faithful to the original film (learn more).
High-definition audio decoder (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Essential) takes advantage of the 7.1 channel surround sound now incorporated in Blu-ray Discs.
VIERA Link utilizes HDMI to enable control all VIERA Link combatable products with one remote.
SD memory card slot enables you to play your photos and movies taken with digital cameras and camcorders by just sliding in an SD memory card into the SD slot.

What's in the Box BD Player, remote control (with batteries), power cord, operating instructions
VIERA Cast Online Content Panasonic's VIERA Cast service allows you to stream movies, TV shows and music from a variety of sources without the need of either an external box or a PC. Powered up with Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, you can also access YouTube, Picasa, Bloomberg, and other Internet sites from the special VIERA Cast screen. And as additional sites are added to the 2010 VIERA Cast service, they are added automatically. You'll need to be connected to your home network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi (using an optional Wireless LAN adapter).
Specifications

Disc/Media Compatibility

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Experience Movies Like Never Before The DMP-BD65 employs the PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus. Developed in collaboration with Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, this high image processing technology reproduces clear, vivid colors that are faithful to the original film.
Panasonic's Blu-ray Disc players employ high precision 4:4:4 signal technology, which working in tandem with PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus processes each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc video signal in the horizontal direction to compliment vertical direction processing. P4HD (Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD) is another technology that contributes to the superior picture quality of the Blu-ray players. P4HD processes more than 15 billion pixels per second and applies the optimal processing to every pixel.
Panasonic's Blu-ray Disc players further utilize 16-level motion detection to categorize the image motion of each pixel into one of 16 levels; diagonal processing to detect diagonals and correct the pixels accordingly; 1080p up-conversion to up-convert content recorded in the 480i/p or 720p format to 1080p.
This Blu-ray Disc player also provides 1080/24p output, reproducing cinema images from a Blu-ray Disc and DVD in their original 24p form with no need for conversion--enabling you to enjoy cinema images in the same format used in cinema with a 1080/24p-compatible TV.
Complimenting the HD audio codecs, the BD65 Blu-ray Disc player features 96kHz surround re-master, a function that enhances the sound quality of CDs and other sources, and even improves the quality of the multi-channel audio data on Blu-ray Discs and DVDs.

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Sony BDP-BX37 Blu-Ray DVD Player & Streaming Internet Review

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(More customer reviews)I haven't used this much for Blue Ray DVDs, but so far no problems.
But there are a couple of issues that really compromise this player:
1) It doesn't come with wireless communications built in and so far I haven't found a generic usb wireless dongle that works with it. So if you need wifi and have to buy Sony's add-on communications device, then you might as well just buy a higher end model that already has wifi.
2) all of the above makes this especially important: BD Remote on your iphone or ipod won't control the unit unless it's connected to wifi.
To do over, I would have bought a model with wifi built in.
UPDATE 3/2011: I finally found a simple way to connect this to wifi in my particular system. I have an Apple Airport (handy device) plugged in behind my A/V rack and connected to my audio reciever so I can stream music wirelessly from computers on my home wifi to my A/V system. But the main designed purpose for the Airport was to serve as a bridge between wired network devices and wireless networks. So if you have an Airport, just run a network cable from the back of this BluRay player to the Airport and the player is networked! Even if you don't have an Airport, you can buy one for not much more than Sony charges for the wifi dongle specific to this player. And with the Apple device you get a lot more functionality.


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Genuine Samsung Blu-Ray Remote Control AK59-00070D for BDP1500, BDP2500, BDP2550 Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace a lost remote control for my Blue-Ray player. It does everything my old remote did. I am happy with this product.

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Sony BDP-S570 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)The sony S570 is a great player. The fast load system is excellent and much faster than the older 300s models. The setup was easy (it walks you through each step) I use the wireless N router and the speeds are awesome. Seamless integration with our Netflix account and the ability to watch Youtube videos is a great addition to what the player can do. Great 1080p picture and good upconversion of dvds. Do not be afraid of this player. If you have a netflix account or would like to watch youtube videos on your TV- this is your player. Also on a side note- you have several other choices besides Netflix and youtube. You have Amazons video on demand service and several other free video services.

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Begin enjoying Blu-ray 3D movies in Full HD 1080p or DVDs in near HD quality faster than ever with the Sony BDP-S570 Blu-ray Disc Player. Wirelessly stream photos, videos and music or instantly access a wide variety of entertainment apps including: Netflix, , Pandora, Slacker, Picasa, YouTube and more. You can also turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a remote control by downloading a free app.

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