Blu-ray Player Reviews and Information

Blu-ray is an optical disc format that competes with the DVD and actually uses a blue (actually somewhat purple) laser to capture the information from the disc, which allows for better performance than the red laser used in traditional DVD players....Read More

Denon DBP-2010CI Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Denon's 2009 Blu-ray lineup includes three new models. The $699 DBP-2010CI is the middle child, offering a few more audio and control options than the $499 DBP-1610 but lacking the top-shelf features of the reference $4,500 DVD-A1UDCI. We have not......Read More

Denon DVD-1800BD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The DVD-1800BD is Denon's third Blu-ray player. With an MSRP of $599, it's also the least expensive model that Denon offers, behind the $1,999 DVD-3800BDCI flagship model and $899 DVD-2500BTCI digital-only transport. The DVD-1800BD is a Profile 1.1/BonusView player,......Read More

Denon DVD-2500TBCI Blu-ray Player Reviewed

In case you haven't heard, there is a new king of home video, and it's Blu-ray. Once you see a Blu-ray disc, the picture quality is so much better than that of a standard-definition DVD that it is nearly impossible......Read More

Denon DVD-3800BDCi Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The Denon DVD-3800BDCi is the flagship model in Denon's Blu-ray lineup, primarily because it uses Silicon Optix's highest level chipset, the Realta sxT2 HQV chip. The $1,999 DVD-3800BDCi is a Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player, which means it contains the secondary......Read More

Denon DVD-A1UDCI Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Denon's 2009 Blu-ray lineup includes three new models, ranging from an entry-level $499 player up to this reference $4,500 model. The top-shelf DVD-A1UDCI is not just a fully loaded Blu-ray player; it's a universal disc player that supports playback of......Read More

Goldmund Edios 20 BD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Somebody had to do it. The high end of Blu-ray players, even this early in the game, couldn't top out at $1,995 with a Denon unit, could it? Audiophiles want more and are willing to spend like sailors on leave......Read More

Harman Kardon BDP 1 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Harman Kardon has finally entered the Blu-ray player market with the release of the BDP 1. We have not performed a hands-on review of this player, but here is an overview of its features. This is a Profile 2.0 player,......Read More

Insignia NS-BDLIVE01 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The Insignia NS-BDLIVE01, sold exclusively through Best Buy, is the company's first Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player and is priced at an entry-level price point. We have not performed a hands-on review of the NS-BDLIVE01, but here's an overview of its......Read More

Insignia NS-BRDVD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The Insignia brand is sold exclusively through Best Buy retailers and includes products like TVs, DVD players, and digital photo frames. The NS-BRDVD is Insignia's first Blu-ray player, released in mid-2008. This is a Profile 1.1/BonusView player, which means it......Read More

Integra DBS-6.9 Blu-Ray Player Reviewed

Integra originally choose to back the HD DVD format, and we all know how well that worked out. The company is now making its first entry into the Blu-ray market, with the $600 DBS-6.9. You may notice that this product......Read More

JVC XV-BP1 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

JVC has finally entered the Blu-ray market with the XV-BP1, a lower-priced model that appears to be based on LG's Blu-ray design, as it sports the exact same user-friendly menu structure. We have not performed a hands-on review of the......Read More

LG BD300 Blu-ray Player With Netflix Reviewed

As pundits argue whether Blu-ray or broadband will define our home entertainment future, LG has circumvented the issue by introducing a player that can accommodate both. The BD300 ($349.99) is both a Blu-ray player and a streaming-media device. On the......Read More

LG BD390 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

LG's second-generation line of Netflix-enabled Blu-ray players includes two models: the entry-level BD370 and step-up BD390. We have not performed a hands-on review of the BD390, but we did review the first-generation BD300), and Blu-ray and Netflix performance should be......Read More

Marantz BD5004 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Marantz's 2009 Blu-ray lineup includes four new models: two lower-priced players (the BD5004 and BD7004) and two high-end, reference models (the BD8004 and UD9004 universal disc player). At $549.99, the BD5004 is Marantz's least expensive Blu-ray model to date. We......Read More

Marantz BD7003 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

As a follow-up to its flagship BD8002 Blu-ray player ($2,000), Marantz has now released a more-affordable model: the $800 BD7003. This is a Profile 1.1/BonusView Blu-ray player, which means it contains the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture......Read More

Marantz BD8002 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The BD8002 ($1,999.99) was Marantz's first Blu-ray player and remains the flagship model. This is a Profile 1.1/BonusView Blu-ray player, which means it contains the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback. However, it does not support......Read More

Marantz UD9004 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Marantz's 2009 Blu-ray lineup includes four new models: two lower-priced players (the BD5004 and BD7004) and two high-end, reference models (the BD8004 and UD9004). The top-of-the-line UD9004 is a universal disc player that, in addition to Blu-ray, DVD, and CD......Read More

Memorex MVBD2510 Blu-Ray Player Reviewed

The MVBD2510 is Memorex's first Blu-ray player and is priced as an entry-level model. We have not performed a hands-on review of the MVBD2510, but here is an overview of its features. This is only a Profile 1.1 player, which......Read More

Onkyo DV-BD507 Blu-Ray Player Reviewed

The DV-BD507 is Onkyo's second Blu-ray player and its first to support BD-Live. We have not performed a hands-on review of the DV-BD507, but here is an overview of the player's features. This Profile 2.0 player supports BonusView/picture-in-picture playback and......Read More

Oppo Digital BDP-83 Universal Player Reviewed

Audiophile cult favorite Oppo Digital has just entered the Blu-ray market with their much anticipated BDP-83 player. For the past several years, Oppo has been providing the market with very affordable DVD players, which have offered performance that competes with......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The $499.95 Panasonic DMP-BD30 was one of the first Profile 1.1 players to hit the market in late 2007. The Profile 1.1 designation means it contains the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback. However, it does not......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD35 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

At CEDIA 2008, Panasonic showed off two new Blu-ray players, the DMP-BD35 ($300) and the step-up DMP-BD55 ($400). Both players are Profile 2.0, which means they support BonusView/picture-in-picture content and BD-Live Web functionality, and both sport a new aesthetic......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The Panasonic DMP-BD50 ($599.95) is one of the first Profile 2.0 players to hit the market. The Profile 2.0 designation means it contains the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback, and it supports the BD-Live feature that......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD55 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

At CEDIA 2008, Panasonic showed off two new Blu-ray players, the DMP-BD35 ($300) and the step-up DMP-BD55 ($400). Both players are Profile 2.0, which means they support BonusView/picture-in-picture content and BD-Live Web functionality, and both sport a new aesthetic......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Panasonic's 2009 Blu-ray line includes two standalone players: the entry-level DMP-BD60 and step-up DMP-BD80. (The line also includes a Blu-ray/VHS combination player, the DMP-BD70V.) We have not performed a hands-on review of the DMP-BD60, but here is an overview of......Read More

Panasonic DMP-BD80 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Panasonic's 2009 Blu-ray line includes two standalone players: the entry-level DMP-BD60 and step-up DMP-BD80. (The line also includes a Blu-ray/VHS combination player, the DMP-BD70V.) The more expensive DMP-BD80 has all the features found in the DMP-BD60 and adds Divx playback......Read More

Philips BDP7200 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The $399 Philips BDP7200 is a Profile 1.1 player, which means it contains the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback. However, it does not support BD-Live Web functionality. The back panel sports the following video outputs: HDMI,......Read More

Pioneer BDP-320 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Pioneer's 2009 Blu-ray lineup includes three new models: the BDP-120, BDP-320, and Elite BDP-23FD. Happily, all three models are Profile 2.0, which means they support BonusView/picture-in-picture playback and BD-Live Web functionality. We have not performed a hands-on review of the......Read More

Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

In mid-2008, Pioneer released two new Blu-ray models, the Elite BDP-05FD and the standard Pioneer-branded BDP-51FD. The two models share many of the same features, with the $799 Elite model adding a few high-end touches to distinguish it from......Read More

Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The $999 Pioneer BDP-95FD is a Profile 1.0 Blu-ray player, which means it does not have the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback, and it does not support BD-Live Web functionality. The player's back panel features HDMI......Read More

Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-Ray Player Reviewed

Samsung's BD-P2500 ($499.99) is a Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player; it supports both BonusView/picture-in-picture playback and BD-Live Web functionality. Its other noteworthy addition, compared with earlier Samsung Blu-ray players, is the use of Silicon Optix's higher-quality HQV video processor, which......Read More

Samsung BD-P3600 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Samsung's 2009 line of standalone Blu-ray players includes three new Netflix-enabled models: the BD-P1600, BD-P3600, and BD-P4600. We have not performed a hands-on review of the mid-level BD-P3600, but here is an overview of its features. This Profile 2.0 player......Read More

Sharp BD-HP21U Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The BD-HP21U ($300) is the follow-up to Sharp's BD-HP20U, a Profile 1.0 player released in 2007. This is a Profile 1.1/BonusView player, which means it contains the necessary audio and video decoders for picture-in-picture content, but it lacks the BD-Live......Read More

Sharp BD-HP22U Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Sharp's 2009 Blu-ray line features two new models, the entry-level BD-HP16U and the slightly more expensive BD-HP22U. The primary difference between the two models is the addition of internal memory in the step-up model for BD-Live storage. We have not......Read More

Sherwood BDP-5003 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

With the format war safely behind us and Blu-ray named the victor, several manufacturers have gotten off the proverbial fence and begun manufacturing next-generation players, though few have been as affordable as the Sherwood BDP-5003 reviewed here. Retailing for $299,......Read More

Sony BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The newest addition to Sony's Blu-ray line is a Profile 2.0 player that offers a wide variety of Internet-based media options. Its $249.99 MSRP puts it at the lower end of the price spectrum for Sony players. We have not......Read More

Sony BDP-S1000ES Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Sony's Elevated Standard (ES) Series represents the company's top-shelf offerings in the receiver and Blu-ray categories. The newest Blu-ray addition to the ES Series is the BDP-S1000ES ($699.99). We have not performed a hands-on review of the BDP-S1000ES, but here......Read More

Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The $399.99 BDP-S300 was Sony's first "entry-level" Blu-ray offering, released in mid-2007. This is a Profile 1.0 player, which means it does not have the secondary audio and video decoders needed for picture-in-picture playback, nor does it offer BD-Live Web......Read More

Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Enter to win a Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray player. Contest ends 12/31/08.Sony has won the format war against the now-defunct HD DVD, but the Blu-ray still hasn't reached what many had hoped for in terms of market penetration.  The PS3......Read More

Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The BDP-S360 is the first of Sony's 2009 Blu-ray lineup to hit the market, replacing the popular BDP-S350. We have not performed a hands-on review of the BDP-S360, but here is an overview of the player's features. This entry-level model......Read More

Sony BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Player Reviewed

I know what you are thinking: "Jerry - you spent $2,000 on a Blu-ray player. Are you out of your mind?" Yes, I am out of my mind, for reasons other than my willingness to spend on my home theater......Read More

Sony BDP-S560 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Sony's BDP-S560 ($349.99) is a step-up model from the entry-level BDP-S360 ($299.99) released earlier this year. We have not performed a hands-on review of the BDP-S560, but here is an overview of the player's features. This Profile 2.0 player supports......Read More

Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

IntroductionSony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) has been covered in the press ad nauseum, and we're guilty, too. But no Blu-ray player guide would be complete without this iconic product, which is widely considered to be one of the best Blu-ray players......Read More

Yamaha BD-S1065 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Yamaha recently added two new models to its Blu-ray lineup. The BD-S1065 is the least expensive of the two, priced at $599.95. We have not performed a hands-on review of the BD-S1065, but here is an overview of the player's......Read More

Yamaha BD-S2900 Blu-ray Player Reviewed

The BD-S2900 is Yamaha's first entry into the Blu-ray marketplace; interestingly, while many big-name manufacturers are scrambling to cut prices in the Blu-ray realm, Yamaha has chosen a $1,199 price point for the BD-S2900, landing it squarely in the high-end......Read More