Blu-ray is an optical disc format that offers a significant upgrade over DVD in terms of picture quality, and the new Ultra HD Blu-ray format further improves the video experience, with higher resolution, better color, and support for High Dynamic Range. Blu-ray and Ultra HD discs also deliver a better audio experience, supporting high-resolution audio via DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD soundtracks, as well as the new Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D audio soundtracks.
Buying a Blu-ray player can be complicated, but we are going to simplify things for you so that you can find the right player for your system at the right price. Here are some resources that you might find helpful if you are doing research on what player to buy next.
• 16 Terms That You Should Know Before You Buy A Blu-ray Player
• Five Tips to Successfully Set Up Your Blu-ray Player
• Blu-ray Player Education and Information
• The Color's the Thing That Will Make 4K So Amazing
• What You Need to Know About HDMI 2.0
• What Quantum Dots Mean to Your Next UHD TV
• High Hopes for High Dynamic Range Video
• Dolby Vision vs. HDR10: What You Need to Know
How do you like to watch movies for the first time?
LG's UBK90 is a basic, no-frills Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Unlike earlier offerings in this category, though, the UBK90 adds support for Dolby Vision encoded content found on both...
Adrienne Maxwell reviews Sony's $200 UBP-X700, the lowest priced Ultra HD Blu-ray player in Sony's line. It omits some features found in the higher-priced models but adds support for...
With the recent proliferation of Dolby Vision content, Sony decided to release a new line of Ultra HD Blu-ray players this year, all supporting this high-performance HDR standard. The...
In the middle of Sony's 2019 Ultra HD Blu-ray player lineup is the UBP-X800M2 priced at $299. The M2 in the model number signifies a revision over the original...
Panasonic has been making quality Ultra HD Blu-ray players since the format's inception, but it's only been since the demise of Oppo that enthusiasts have really started taking the...
Kaleidescape has had a very eventful existence. The company that has become synonymous with the high-end movie server spent its early years battling the movie studios over its DVD-based...
Sony's UBP-X700 is the least-expensive Ultra HD Blu-ray player in the company's 2019 lineup. Presently priced at $199, it's also the least expensive player on the market that supports...
Adrienne Maxwell auditions the Xbox One X gaming console to answer the question, "Can it serve as your complete all-in-one media player?"
It's that time of year again--when the HomeTheaterReview.com staff looks at all of the products we reviewed this year and picks the best of the best. We've tried to...
Adrienne Maxwell reviews the UP970, LG's first entry in the Ultra HD Blu-ray category. The UP970 is the first sub-$300 player scheduled to support Dolby Vision HDR, but it...
Dennis Burger reviews OPPO Digital's audiophile-oriented UDP-205, a UHD universal disc player with high-quality DAC/preamp/headphone amplifier functionality.
Adrienne Maxwell reviews Sony's UBP-X800, a universal Ultra HD Blu-ray player that supports SACD/DVD-Audio playback, offers Bluetooth audio output, and features streaming services like Netflix, VUDU, and Amazon Video.
Adrienne Maxwell explores the brand new UDP-203 player from Oppo Digital, which combines Ultra HD Blu-ray playback, hi-res audio support, and HDMI switching into one well-built box.
Adrienne Maxwell reviews the BDP7501 Ultra HD Blu-ray player from Philips. How does it compare to its limited competition in the Ultra HD Blu-ray market? Read on to find...
Samsung's UBD-K8500 is the first Ultra HD Blu-ray player to hit the market. Adrienne Maxwell puts the player through its paces to see how it performs.
Samsung's 2015 Blu-ray lineup includes four models: the BD-J5100, BD-J5700, BD-J5900, and BD-J7500. All four players include access to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, VUDU, YouTube, and Pandora,...
Adrienne Maxwell checks out LG's BP550, a 3D-capable Blu-ray player with built-in Wi-Fi, Music Flow support, and smart apps like Netflix, VUDU, and more.
Following up on his review of the Arcam AVR750 AV receiver, Dennis Burger now explores the company's UDP411 universal disc player, which (like the receiver) has an audiophile emphasis...
"Where do we go from here?" That's the question Oppo Digital had to ask itself after putting out the highly regarded BDP-103 and BDP-105 universal disc players in 2012....