We’ve had the Panasonic DMP-BD30 for a little while here is the US but our friends from the middle east are just starting to have a taste on the player. The middle east is definitely an emerging market, specially UAE and Dubai (I’ve heard incredible things about this place!). With plenty of disposable income, Arabs are very likely to buy the newer generation Panasonic DMP-BD30 in their country instead of having to bring the player from abroad. This will be the first Panasonic BD player available in the Middle East and also the first to carry profile 1.1. So for you Middle Eastern readers, here is an overview on your potential new toy:

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Design
We were happy to note that DMP-BD30 lacks the extremely annoying flip-down panel of its predecessor, the DMP-BD10A. While a large panel still conceals most of the BD30’s front-panel controls, the disc tray hides behind a separate, smaller panel that automatically flips down when you hit the Open/Close button. We definitely prefer this arrangement to having to manually lower the BD10A’s panel every time we wanted to change a disc. On the right half of the DMP-BD30’s face player is the LED display, which was sized to be easily legible from a seating distance of about 7 feet.

The good: Excellent picture quality on Blu-ray discs; 1080p output at 24 frames per second; DVD upconversion up to 1080p; HDMI 1.3b output; can output Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio in bitstream format; first Blu-ray Profile 1.1 player; SD card slot can play high-def video from AVCHD camcorders.

The bad: No built-in decoding for high-resolution audio formats; no Ethernet jack for firmware upgrades or future interactive content.

The bottom line: The Panasonic DMP-BD30 offers excellent video quality and is Blu-ray Profile 1.1 compliant, but those who want high-resolution audio will need a cutting-edge AV receiver.

You can read the full detailed review of the DMP-BD30 on http://reviews.cnet.com

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Specs

• Chipset- Panasonic UniPhier
• Post-processor- None
• BD profile-Bonus View (1.1)

Video

• Video resolutions-480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
• DVD upconversion-720p, 1080i, 1080p
• Video frame rates-60i, 24p, 60p

Media Compatibility

• BD media- BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE
• DVD media-DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM
• CD media-CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW

Playback video Compatibility

• MPEG-2 - Yes
• MPEG-2 HD - Yes
• MPEG-4 - Yes
• MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) - Yes
• VC-1 - Yes
• DivX - No
• DivX HD - No
• DivX Ultra - No
• XviD - No
• XviD HD - No
• JPEG - Yes
• JPEG HD - Yes

Playback audio Compatibility

• Dolby Digital - Yes
• Dolby Digital+ - Yes
• Dolby TrueHD - No
• Dolby TrueHD (bitstream) - Yes
• DTS - Yes
• DTS-HD - Yes
• DTS-HD MA - No
• DTS-HD MA (bitstream) - Yes
• PCM - Yes
• WMA - No
• WMA Pro - No
• MP3 - Yes
• OGG - No
• AAC - No
• AAC+ - No
• SACD - No
• DVD Audio - No

Connections

• HDMI - 1
• HDMI version – 1.3a
• HDMI audio output 7.1
• HDMI CEC - No
• DVI - No
• Composite - 1
• Component – 1
• S-video - 1
• Optical - 1
• Analog - 1
• Analog audio output - 5.1
• Coaxial - 1
• Ethernet - No
• Wireless - No
• Firewire - No
• USB - No

Converters

• Video DAC - 12bit / 148.5MHz
• Audio DAC - 24bit / 192kHz

Remote

• Universal - No
• Programmable - No
• Bluetooth - No
• Infrared - Yes
• Display - No
• Radio frequency - No
• Backlight - No

Other

• Parental lock - No
• Hard drive - No
• SD card reader - 1

Dimensions

• Width (cm) 43.02
• Height (cm) 5.97
• Depth (cm) 32.07
• Weight (kg) 3.31

Download the full User’s manual here!

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In general, the DMP-BD30 is a great quality player and gets the job done! However, keep in mind that the DMPBD50 is right around the conner. It is being released in the US soon so I am guessing it will be hitting your side of the world around the beginning of 2009 if all runs as expected. The Panasonic DMPBD50 is Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) Player with all the latest interactivity technology. If you want to know more about it before taking the plunge into a DMP-DB30 click here! and Here to check out what we’ve covered before!

Popularity: 42% [?]

If you have a Samsung BD-UP5000, life is not all that bad! Yes, your player won’t be seeing many HD-DVDs anymore but you now can upgrade your player to profile 1.1 with the new firmware v1.3 Samsung released. Even though you bought a Combo player compatible with Blu-ray profile 1.0, you can upgrade it to profile 1.1 (BonusView). The firmware was released 2 days ago and it is available!

This is a list of changes you will get with the new firmware:

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1. Upgrades current BD-UP5000 to profile 1.1
2. Upgrades BD-UP5000 with HD audio bit-stream output function.
3. Updates User interface based on BD profile 1.1
4. Improves playback compatibility in some movies

Click here to get the BD-UP5000 v1.3 firmware!

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Popularity: 54% [?]

The Blu-ray player Insignia NS-BRDVD is already being sold by Best Buy. Insignia is another one of those players manufactured by Funai, just like the Magnavox NB500MG9 and the Sylvania NB500SL9, that we covered on a previous post. Insignia also targets the lower end, cheaper market; according to them: (they are) “All about affordable and well designed technology”. The NS-BRDVD hasn’t even made to the Insignia website but is already available at a few Best Buy stores! They are sold exclusively at their stores for $349.99.

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The specs on the player are not very clear but this is what we could find out:

• Playback formats: Blu-ray, DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, JPEG
• Profile 1.1
  
• Video Output Resolutions: 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
• DVD Upconversion to 720p, 1080i, 1080p
• Built-in decoders for Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD high-resolution surround, plus lossless Dolby TrueHD (2-channel)
• No Media Card Slot
• No USB Port
• 1 Optical Digital Audio Output
• 1 Coaxial Digital Audio Output
• 1 Composite Video Output
• 3 Audio Outputs
• 1 Component Video Output
• 1 HDMI Output
• 1 Stereo Audio Output

I personally have not hear good things about Insignia. If I were to buy a BD-player today, I would spend the extra $50 and buy a PS3, which has higher quality and almost all desired features in a Blu-ray player. That’s just my humble opinion…

Popularity: 33% [?]

MagnaVox started selling a 1.1 profile Blu-ray player for 298 bucks, which has been spotted at Wal-Mart. This is definitely the cheapest option out there…Is this what many people have been waiting for to take the plunge and invest on a Blu-ray player? Maybe… MagnaVox is a second tier brand from Phillips but this player has been manufactured by the Japanese Funai, which also makes a few products for Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Sharp, Denon and others. Also hitting the market is the Sylvania NB500SL9, which can be pre-ordered at amazon.com at an affordable price of $349.99. This Sylvania player is also manufactured by Funai and basically the same as the MagnaVox NB500MG9, only different brand. If you are looking for a “entry level” stand-alone player, these two are a great affordable option but think twice if you are looking for more performance, you are still better off with a Playstation3!

Specs

- Profile 1.1 BonusView Picture-in-Picture
- Video Output Resolutions: 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p (1080p/24 and 1080p/60)
- DVD Upconversion to 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- Support for HD Audio Formats: (bitstream output, no internal decoding)
- HDMI Ver. 1.3
- Weight 9.5 pounds

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Here is a diagram of the MagnaVox Blu-ray Player:

Popularity: 100% [?]

Pioneer announced the European release of its BDP-LX71 Blu-ray player. It seems to be the tendency now and maybe it has to do with the economic situation in the U.S. but many products are arriving abroad first, usually Japan or Europe. Our European brothers will have the first hand at this profile 1.1 player that includes the latest audio and video technologies. The Pioneer BDP-LX71 will be released this summer across the Atlantic but so far no word on when it might come to America.The new player will support advanced audio formats with the ability to decode Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS HD and DTS HD Master high resolution audio formats. HDMI 12-Bit Deep Colour is newly implemented to deliver an exceptional range of hues and shades. According to Pioneer the player offers smooth, true-to-the-original performance of film based Blu-ray Disc movies.

Here are the specs announced by Pioneer:

• BonusView (a.k.a. Profile 1.1)
• HDMI 1.3a 12-bit Deep Color
• All Formats Advanced Audio Bitstream
• Decodes Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby True HD/DTS-HD/DTS HD Master
• Wolfson Professional Audio DACs
• Video Encoder 297 Mhz 12-Bit
• Jitter-free HDMI CD Audio with PQLS
• Video Adjust fine-tuning options
• 7.1 Channel Analogue Output
• Gold Plated Terminals
• Aluminium Front Panel
• Capacitance Touch Key Buttons
• New Graphic User Interface

Popularity: 25% [?]

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Although Sharp’s main focus is its LCD flat panel televisions, it also has some interest in the Blu-ray Disc market. Sharp’s new BD-HP50 Bonus View Blu-ray Player will be available in May for $699, which is well above the sub-$500 pricing of some Panasonic players. If the price will hold against the fierce competition remains to be seen. The player includes the Bonus View function (video picture-in-picture commentary), internal decoding of both the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD high resolution audio formats, and outputs a 1080p video signal via HDMI.

Sharp’s second-generation player will fall under the Aquos umbrella however this will be the company’s first Blu-ray player to feature Profile 1.1, which is already supported in certain Panasonic players and Sony’s PlayStation 3. Aquos Link will be available on the BD-HP50, allowing the player to work seamlessly with other Aquos products. It will also feature Aquos Link and Quick Start to load movies faster.

Sharp will continue to sell the BD-HP20 until April when they will decide whether to make another entry level player or enter the high end market. A BD-Live player is in the works, possibly by the end of the year.

Popularity: 29% [?]

The BDP-S550 was the first player announced after the end of the format war (back in February) but it is only scheduled to be released in the fall for about $500. This will be one of the few available players with profile 2.0 (Maybe until its release we will see more). I have to say that it looks very cool with its blue-ish color and not as chunky as others currently on the market. Hopefully Sony did a better job and this will be a better player, considering that the BDP-S300 was SSLLLOOOOOW. The BDP-S550 will be competing against the Panasonic DMP-BD50, which we posted on March 31st.

This model offers 7.1 channel Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby® Digital Plus decoding and bit-stream output, as well as dts-HD High Resolution Audio and dts-HD Master Audio decoding as well as 7.1 channel analog audio output. It supports AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color^TM (xvYCC) technology, an international standard for wide color space reproduction. The standard expands the current data range of video by about 1.8 times, allowing the players to output more natural and vivid colors similar to what the human eye can actually see. The player also features compatibility with an array of video formats, including BD-R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, CD, CD-R/RW (CD-DA format), and JPEG on DVD//CD recordable media.

Key features

• Supports BonusView, which means it is Profile 1.1 compliant and BD-Live Profile 2.0
• 1GB local storage
• Ethernet port for firmware upgrades
• Supports 1080p output at both 24 and 60 frames per second
• Onboard decoding for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio
• 7.1 analog outputs
• Bitstream output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio

Popularity: 33% [?]

Denon markets itself as a company with originality and high standards of quality, durability and innovation. Their players are actually not bad at all J and they compete for the higher end of the market! Now with the DivX certification the company will try to take an edge over the competitors; however, this player will have profile 1.1 so it does not support BD-Live and the newest profile 2.0. The new DENON Blu-ray Disc Player DVD-3800BDCI will hit the shelves in Japan and U.S. markets by the end of April with a price tag of $1.899.99.

The DVD-3800BDCI features the Realta sxT2 HQV processor and HDMI 1.3a for exceptional video quality with Deep Color support, and the Denon D.D.S.C.-HD circuitry for the highest level of audio decoding so you get master-quality sound with exceptional dynamic range.

Detailed Features:

Video Capabilities

• 10-bit Realta HQV video processor for advanced i/p and scaling
• 1080p/24fps output and Multi-Cadence Detection for accurate i/p conversion
• HDMI 1.3a output with 36-bit Deep Color support
• Latest Analog Devices Video DACs

Audio Support

• Denon D.D.S.C.-HD internally decodes new, higher-quality surround Dolby TrueHD soundtracks and can pass Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio via bit stream to compatible receivers
• Dual 32-bit floating point DSP, Burr Brown PCM-1796 audio decoders for all channels and Advanced AL24 processing for greater dynamic range
• Master clock design for accurate processing and reduced jitter noise

Advanced Interactivity

• Bonus View functionality, providing simultaneous audio and video options for greater interactivity

Digital Media Disc support

• Blu-ray, DVD-Video , DVD-R/RW, and CD Audio playback
• Decoding of MP3/WMA files on CD-R/RW
• JPEG/Kodak/Fuji photo disc support
• Divx ver.6 support
• SD card slot

Rigid Construction

• Multi-layered construction with dual-layered top shields and triple-layered bottom shields eliminates outside noise and vibration
• Newly developed transport mechanism and Suppress Vibration Hybrid (S.V.H.) loader stabilize disc drive for accurate playback

Popularity: 17% [?]

Denon is known for quality products and this is no exception! The DVD-2500BTCI is among the first Blu-ray Profile 1.1–compliant players, which requires secondary video and audio decoders for playback of Bonus View Picture-in-Picture interactive features. This kind of content has only been included on a handful of titles to date, but we’ll be seeing more now that supporting hardware is becoming more available. The front panel features an SD card slot for storage of additional content and also includes support for Windows Media Audio, MP3 files, and JPEG images.

This is also one of only a few players that supports bitstream transmission of lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. It does not support onboard decoding of the new lossless codecs.

The only advanced audio formats that the player decodes at full resolution are PCM (up to 7.1 channels) and Dolby Digital Plus. With Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks, the player decodes only the core lossy Dolby Digital and DTS tracks, which are output over HDMI as 5.1-channel PCM.

There are quite a few BD players on the market at this price point and below that decode Dolby TrueHD and output it as PCM over HDMI, including the PlayStation 3 at less than half the price.

The video side also has a few quirks. The supports all of the typical standard- and high-def output resolutions, including 1080p/60 and 1080p/24. It does not feature a source-direct output that simply outputs the native resolution of whatever is on the disc you’re playing. This feature, common to Sony and Pioneer Elite designs, allows the end user to take advantage of the video processing in their A/V processors or displays to make the most out of the video source.

You can select the video output by specific resolution or set it to Auto, which simply polls the display device and outputs the maximum resolution that the end display supports.

• plays Blu-ray high-definition discs (selectable output resolution: 720p/1080i/1080p signals available through HDMI output)
• plays DVD-Video, DVD-R & DVD-RW, and DivX® (v6.0) discs
• plays CD, audio CD-R & CD-RW, and MP3 & WMA CDs
• plays digital photo CDs (JPEG/Kodak/Fuji)
• selectable 720p/1080i/1080p video upconversion for DVD
• Blu-ray 1080p/24fps output capability
• supports Blu-ray Disc Final Standard Profile (Profile 1 Version 1.1) for added bonus features with compatible discs
• built-in audio decoding to PCM for Dolby Digital and DTS
• multichannnel uncompressed PCM output via HDMI
• bitstream audio output via HDMI for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio
• BD-Java interactive capability
• HDMI digital output (combines video and multichannel audio with HDCP copy protection)
• HDMI version 1.3a with Deep Color support
• SD memory card slot
• RS-232C port for third part controllers
• IR input and output for remote repeater systems
• rigid construction with dual-layered top shields and triple-layered bottom shields
• newly designed disc mechanism protects against magnetic influences, dust, and external vibration
• S.V.H. (Suppress Vibration Hybrid) loader ensures stable disc rotation

via: http://www.hometheatermag.com

You can get the DVD-2500BTCI here:

Popularity: 9% [?]