Amazon.com Product Description Panasonic's two new slim, BD-Live compatible, feature-filled Blu-ray players, the DMP-BD35 and DMP-BD55, offer cutting edge technologies focused on producing the ultimate movie-viewing experience.
 The BD35 and BD55 both feature an HD Audio Decoder (Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTSTM-HD Master Audio Essential), delivering 7.1-channel surround sound through a 7.1-channel receiver equipped with an HDMI terminal. The DMP-BD55 features high-end audio components and can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound.
Both models are equipped with an SD Memory Card slot that makes it easy to transfer images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera that uses SD Memory Cards and are compatible with Panasonic’s VIERA Link function so they can be operated by the VIERA HDTV remote control.
The combination of a Panasonic Blu-ray player, Home Theater audio system and a VIERA HDTV converts the home entertainment experience into a true-to-life cinematic experience. Consumers can now view and enjoy movies the way the film maker intended -- in stunning High Definition video and audio – right from the comfort of their own home.
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True-To-Life Colors The PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus video processor was developed after more than 15 years of collaboration between Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory and professional cinema studios in Hollywood. With PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus, users viewing content on Blu-ray Discs enjoy crisp, vivid colors that are extremely close to the original. A high-precision 4:4:4 function creates video signals in which each pixel of the signal from the Blu-ray Disc is color-compensated, so when the player is connected to a Panasonic VIERA HDTV, the colors are even sharper and more vivid.
UniPhier System UniPhier is a Panasonic-created system LSI developed by applying 45-nanometer processing to a consumer product – a world’s first. This single-chip integration technology also contributes greatly to the BD35’s world's slimmest height of 49mm.
Blu-ray Video Features More Picture |  See Everything Your HDTV Can Show You with Full HD.
6 Times the Picture Data on DVDs
See everything your HDTV can show you. Blu-ray Disc's Full HD 1080p resolution produces over 2 million pixels per frame to produce a razor-sharp picture with unmatched depth and clarity that takes full advantage of the capabilities of today's 1080p HDTVs. That's six times the picture data contained on DVDs, which are encoded at only 480p. 24p True Cinema Video Output
Most of all Hollywood movies are shot at 24 frames per second, and Blu-ray Disc movies are mastered at 24 frame per second. Blu-ray Disc Players can output films at 1080/24p for a true film-like experience at home, as well as 1080/60p for more traditional HDTV sets on the market.
Backwards compatible and Upscaling
All existing Blu-ray Disc players will play your standard DVD collection without a problem. And with built-in 1080p video upscaling, they'll look even better. |
More Space | Blu-ray Disc has 5x more storage capacity than DVD, which allows more content to fit on the disc. The extra storage capacity also means more room for special features like inline navigation, Bonus View, interactive games, deleted scenes, director commentary and more | Navigate to special features, other scenes, or settings without leaving the content you are watching.
| Bonus View lets you watch special features and commentary inline without leaving the movie.
| More Bits  In the digital world, picture quality is not just about resolution, but also about bit rates. The higher the bit rate, the more data that is processed, typically resulting in higher video quality. DVDs have a maximum video bit rate of about 10 megabits per second (Mbps). In comparison, Blu-ray Disc is capable of video bitrates up to an incredible 40 Mbps. The bottom line, higher bit rates allow for the least amount of data compression for HD video that looks closest to the original video source.
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BD-Live  Both the BD35 and BD55 feature BD-Live compatibility which enables users to connect to the Internet to download images, subtitles and other data, and take part in interactive activities and multi-player games linked to bonus cinema content found on Blu-ray Discs.
BD-Live is a Blu-ray feature that enables you to access special content via an internet-connected Blu-ray player. Because it's not coded into the disc, BD-Live content is always updated, always fresh. With BD-Live, your Blu-ray disc is different every time you view it.
Check out the latest previews, download special scenes, exclusive features and ringtones, and participate in online communities or games.
As BD-Live continues to grow and expand, even more features will become available, customizing features and content to your location or preferences.
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Life-Like Surround Sound The BD35 and BD55 both feature an HD Audio Decoder (Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTSTM-HD Master Audio Essential), which supports the 7.1-channel surround sound newly adopted in Blu-ray Discs. Users can enjoy 7.1-channel surround even with systems that do not support HD Audio -- as long as the DMP-BD35/55 is connected to a 7.1-channel receiver equipped with an HDMI terminal. The DMP-BD55 can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound by simply connecting to the DMP-BD55.
Dolby TrueHD, Dolby’s next-generation lossless technology developed for high-definition disc-based media, delivers tantalizing sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master.
- Delivers enthralling studio-master-quality sound that unlocks the true high-definition entertainment experience on next-generation discs.
- Offers more discrete channels than ever before for impeccable surround sound.
- Compatible with the A/V receivers and home-theaters-in-a-box (HTIBs) of today and tomorrow.
- Dialogue normalization maintains the same volume level when you change to other Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD programming.
- Dynamic range control (Night mode) enables you to customize audio playback to reduce peak volume levels (no loud surprises) while experiencing all the details in the soundtrack, enabling late-night viewing of high-energy surround sound without disturbing others.
The Panasonic BD55 goes a step further with a high-end audio design and components. Thanks to a 192kHz 24bit audio digital-analog converter and high quality insulators, electrolytic capacitors, copper-foil film capacitors and ultra-low-impedance electrolytic capacitors, the DMP-BD55 delivers the same kind of exciting surround effect and lifelike ambience as today's finest cinemas. The DMP-BD55 can also output analog signals for 7.1-channel sound, so even receivers that are not compatible with HDMI can produce the newest 7.1-channel surround sound by simply connecting to the DMP-BD55.
HDMI Features x.v Color 
RGB Color Range
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xvYCC Color Range
| Standard RGB color space allows the display of a portion of the colors that are viewable to the human eye. The next generation "xvYCC" color space (Extended YCC Colorimetry for Video Applications), or "x.v. color" for shortactually offers an available range of colors that exceeds what human eyes can recognize. - Next-generation "xvYCC" color space supports 1.8 times as many colors as existing HDTV signals
- Lets HDTVs display colors more accurately
- Enables displays with more natural and vivid colors
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Deep Color  | So, where x.v. color expands the available range of colors your HDTV can display, Deep Color increases the number of colors your HDTV can display within that range, for smoother transitions from color to color.
- Lets HDTVs and other displays go from millions of colors to billions of colors
- Eliminates on-screen color banding, for smooth tonal transitions and subtle gradations between colors
- Enables increased contrast ratio
- Can represent many times more shades of gray between black and white
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Connectivity Both models are equipped with an SD Memory Card slot that makes it easy to transfer images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera that uses SD Memory Cards. Simply insert the SD card into the DMP-BD35/55 and it plays AVCHD-format video images or JPEG stills in full 1920 x 1080 resolution on your flat panel HDTV. The DMP-BD35/55 can also play slide shows, complete with background music.
The DMP-BD35/55 models are also compatible with Panasonic’s VIERA Link function so they can be operated by the VIERA HDTV remote control.
Inputs/Outputs - HDMI
- Component Video Out (Y, PB, PR)
- Video Out
- 7.1 ch Audio Out analog
- Digital Audio Out: 1 optical, 1 coaxial
- SD Memory Card Slot
- Ethernet for Network
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Specifications VIDEO PHL Reference Chroma Processor Yes
P4HD (Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD) Yes
Precise Pixel Generation: Yes
16-Level Motion Detection w/ Pixel-Based Motion Adaptive Yes
Diagonal Processing Yes
3:2/2:2 Pull-Down Progressive Processing Yes
i/p Conversion for 1080p 4 Playback Yes
Up-conversion to 1080p 5 Playback Yes
Video D/A Converter 148.5MHz/12bit
Progressive Scan Yes
Digital Noise Reduction 3D-NR/Integrated NR
1080/24p Playback Yes
Deep Color Yes
x.v.Color Yes
Picture Mode Yes (Normal/Soft/Fine/Cinema/User)
Picture Adjustment Yes (Brightness, Color, Contrast, Sharpness, Gamma Correction)
AUDIO Audio D/A Converter 192kHz/24bit
Dolby Digital/Dolby Digital Plus Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
Dolby True HD Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
DTS/DTS-HD High Resolution Audio Decoder Decode and Bitstream output
96kHz Surround Re-Master (for all formats)
Advanced Surround (V.S.S.) Yes
Night Surround Mode Yes
Dialogue Enhancer Yes
Dynamic Range Compression Yes
Audio S/N 115dB
Dynamic Range 100dB CONVENIENCE Super Hi Speed Scan Yes
Audio/JPEG Navigation Menu Yes
VIERA Link (HDAVI Control 3) Yes INPUT/OUTPUT HDMI: Support features: Deep Color, x.v.Color, High Bit Rate Audio
Component Video Out (Y, PB, PR) Yes
Video Out Yes
7.1ch Audio Out analog
2ch Audio Out No
Digital Audio Out 1 optical, 1 coaxial
SD Memory Card Slot Yes
Ethernet for Network Yes FORMAT BD-ROM Playback BD-Live
BD-RE / BD-RE DL BD-MV (BD-RE version3), BDAV (SESF), JPEG (HD)
BD-R/BD-R DL BD-MV (BD-R version2), BDAV (SESF)
DVD Playback DVD-Video
DVD-RAM Playback DVD-VR, JPEG (HD), AVCHD
DVD-R/-RW/-R(DL) 1 Playback DVD Video, DVD-VR, AVCHD, DivX® (DVD-R/-R DL only)
+R/+R(DL)/+RW Playback DVD-VR, AVCHD
CD, CD-R/-RW 2 Playback CD-DA, DivX (CD-R/-RW only), MP3 3 (CD-R/-RW only), JPEG (HD) (CD-R/-RW only)
SD Memory Card AVCHD, JPEG (HD)
POWER Power Source AC 120V, 60Hz
Power Consumption21W (approx)
DIMENSIONS (H x W x D) 23/16 inches x 1615/16 inches x 913/16 inches
Weight 5.7 lbs |
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 Finally... A Blu-Ray Player that's full featured and relatively inexpensive |
| Review Date: October 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: FH, Los Angeles, CA USA |
I felt compelled posting a review of the BMP-BD55 after receiving the unit today. I'd been holding off buying a standalone Blu-Ray player given the dearth of Profile 2.0 machines and along with their crazy prices. For those who aren't familiar with the Blu-Ray format, there are many different versions of Blu-Ray players that have varying functionalities lingering in the market today. They are: Profile 1.0, Profile 1.1 (this seems to have become the standard for the new low-end models), and Profile 2.0 (finalized standard). I will keep this review/opinion piece as free of tech-babble as much as possible.
You ay want to avoid most Profile 1.0 players. The reason why I say this is for the following reasons: 1. A large number of them are very slow at booting up. 2. They often have problems playing new Blu-Ray movies, some early models won't play some recent BD movies at all. Many of these machines do not come with HDMI 1.3, meaning you may not be able to get take advantage of the newer HD audio formats.
Profile 1.1 machines have been released in the last year and can play the vast majority of new discs but cannot take advantage of the new online functionalities and special features many new discs are shipping with. Also, updating the firmware can be cumbersome requiring a PC download, then that download being burned to a CD, and then that CD being inserted into your player, and then installed onto player.
Profile 2.0 machines are known as "Final Profile" or "Full Spec". These players come with a network interface, aka an Ethernet card. The Ethernet card allows you to connect your player directly to your home network. The significance of this is that with an Ethernet connection you will be able to directly download firmware updates to your player eliminating the several steps in the firmware updating process. Also, internet-based special features are available.
This is my first standalone Blu-Ray player. Since 2006, I have been using my Playstation 3 (60GB launch model) in anticipation of a full-featured standalone Blu-Ray player that didn't cost an arm and a leg. The moment I read the press release and technical specs of the BMP-BD55 I knew this was the machine to buy. The features that stood out to me are:
1. This machine has Onboard decoding of Dolby TrueHD/Digital Plus and dts-HD Master Audio audio formats, among others. This means, if you have an older receiver this machine can send the audio via bitstream or PCM, and you'll be able to enjoy the discrete audio mastered on the disc.
2. I have an older 7.1 Yamaha receiver HTR-5960 and it does not decodes the HD audio formats. **Correction** That is where your audio options begin with the BMP-BD55, as it can send decoded 7.1 and 5.1 audio to my receiver via the analog output. In other words you're not tethered, per se, to HDMI to enjoy 7.1 or 5.1 master audio and can put off buying that new receiver. The Optical Out interface supports DTS-ES, Dolby Digital EX, among more but 7.1 is down mixed.
3. Profile 2.0. Simple firmware updates, which are done automatically. Access to the internet-based special features, such as trivia games, extra behind the scenes, downloadables like ringtones etc..
4. This machine has an SD card reader. It can read SD cards up to 32GB (if the card has SDHC on it, then the Panasonic will play it). This means you will be able to view your Photos (from your digital camera: still or video), play MP3 songs, view Divx (aka those movies you downloaded from the internet), etc. I definitely recommend you getting an SD card because you may need it for future special internet- features (which are only going to get larger), as the onboard memory is rather limited. A class 6 8GB card can be bought here on Amazon for $12 and less.
5. Video quality (most important in my opinion). This machine has an excellent 1080p upconverting chipset. This means your regular DVD will look excellent. This machine also has 24p (also known as Original Source Output for those who are interested in knowing). Most movies are actually shot at 24 frames per second and this machine supports 24p for both DVD (via conversion) and Blu-Ray.
6. Price. This machine is an excellent deal for its price. Competing machines with the same or less features still cost well above $700MSRP (Denon and Pioneer ring a bell).
7. Nice Size. This player has a very nice profile and is the size of a typical DVD player. It's not razor thin but it's a substantially slim machine and Panasonic finally got rid of that annoying face plate that you have to manually lower and raise to access the disc tray, which the older Panasonic machines had.
My impressions and personal experience with this machine:
I've been using the Playstation 3 as my Blu-Ray player for almost two years and I believe this machine surpasses the PS3 in terms of Audio (7.1 audio output via analog, and solid bitsream for optical out), Audio/Video settings option (the same picture management flexibilities that exist on my HDTVs settings are available on the machine, allowing for greater picture control and flexibility). PS3 owners will know/appreciate this but I can finally use my standard/universal remote again.
What I like:
I personally found the BMP-BD55 has great colour, contrast, and noise reduction performance as viewed on my Panasonic 46" Plasma HDTV. I did a direct video comparison of several movies between the BMP-BD55 and the PS3 and the Panasonic performed better.
I viewed only areas of the films where the PS3 struggled, such as in sequences with diagonal objects (to test anti-aliasing performance), intense light dark scenes (to test contrast and brightness performance). Movies I viewed:
Blu-Ray: (The Matrix, Iron Man, Resident Evil Extinction, Babel, Disturbia, Unforgiven, Tekkonkinkreet, and The Corpse Bride). I found the BMP-BD55 had great Contrast and Brightness. Colour control is exquisite, hardly any noticeable colour artifacts.
DVD: The Incredibles, the Matrix, Evolution, The Time Machine, Bourne Ultimatum, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Black Dahlia, Moulin Rouge. I found the 1080p upconversion excellent; DVDs I bought 8 years ago look better than ever and the Aspect Ratio and pull-down performance is very good as well.
Audio Processing: The onboard decoding software and chipset are great. I sent the decoded HD audio channelized audio to my 7.1 receiver and it sounded superb. This feature is important, in my opinion, because my receiver has a hard-time converting new HD audio but the BMP-BD55's on-board chipset sends a crisp decoded signal to my receiver. As a result, it doesn't have to struggle with HD audio and only needs to farm out the audio to the assigned speakers.
Load times: I was thoroughly impressed with the boot-up and load times of the machine. From start to play it took me less than two minutes to load Iron Man
What I don't like:
1. Storage Space: Given online content is going to be downloaded, they could have added at 2GB SD card (probably would have cost them only $3)
2. Would be nice if they included a USB port.
3. This is a high definition movie player. Why the heck is the included cable a composite? They could have included a short HDMI or even an S-Video cable.
I highly recommend this machine for anyone looking to enter into the High Definition Movie Disc market or looking to upgrade their 1.0 or 1.1 player. I've seen this unit for $320 (prices will ultimately go down) but if that is too much for you, I highly recommend getting the BMP-BD35 as a more affordable alternative. The only difference between the BMP-BD55 and the BMP-BD35 are the 7.1 analog out (the 35 doesn't have that feature) and Divx support for burned DVD and CD-R/RW. Other than that, the machines are identical in terms of playback functionality and quality, as they have the same video and audio cards. In my opinion, this is a great deal for a full-featured Blu-Ray player; in terms of functionality, features, and Audio/Video quality you're pretty much set.
In conclusion: I feel this is currently the best stand-alone player (especially for the price) currently on the market and a legitimate and compelling alternative to the PS3; perfect for those who are simply interested in watching High Definition movies and want to enjoy the occasional internet-based extras Blu-Ray movies are starting to offer without worrying about a new "Profile". Technology always moves along but I think, with these new players, the manufactures have finally started releasing "finalized" Blu-Ray machines you won't have to worry about being viable for years to come.
I hope you found this useful and I thank you for taking the time to read my review/opinion. |
Best Blu-ray Bang for the Buck
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| Review Date: October 31, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Chris Boylan, Astoria, NY USA |
Many people have been waiting a long time for a Blu-ray Disc player like the DMP-BD55 to come along: one that supports native decoding and bitstreaming of *all* of the high definition audio formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, multi-channel PCM), with full Profile 1.1 and 2.0 support (BonusView and BD-Live), with reasonably fast loading times and good BD-Java interactivity, with outstanding Blu-ray Disc image quality and acceptable upconversion of standard DVDs. And I'm happy to say the BD55 satifies on all of these levels.
Although some say the PS3 is still the best Blu-ray Disc player, the PS3 lacks bitstreaming support for DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD (which some people want), and it does not integrate as well with a home theater system due to its lack of IR or RF remote control support. Yes I know all about the Nyko IR remote for the PS3, but that is missing some core controls like POWER so it will not get you the whole way there. Also, the BD55 (and its little brother, the equally impressive BD35) are actually less expensive than the PS3, and they've come a long way in disc loading and boot-up times such that these new BD players actually load some discs a little bit *faster* than the PS3 (details below). The PS3 still wins in overall boot-up time and in loading and interaction with BD-Java discs, but the new Panasonics are among the first to give the PS3 a run for its money in this department.
Where the BD55 wins over virtually all of the competition (including the PS3) is in its treatment of Blu-ray Discs, both from a picture performance standpoint and in the audio department. On the "big picture" front, the unit includes Panasonic's newly improved UniPhier chip which intelligently upconverts the native 4:2:0 encoding on a Blu-ray discs to 4:4:4 output. What this means from a layman's perspective is that the player restores missing color detail to each pixel in the 1920x1080 image. And while this doesn't make a big difference on smaller sized screens, it does noticeably improve color detail on the larger flat panel and projection screens which you're likely to find in a home theater system. Also, the BD55 has enhanced SD upconversion over its predecessors that makes watching DVDs a lot more enjoyable. It's not quite the equal the the best upconverting DVD players on the market, but it's not that far off either.
On the sound front, the BD55 includes 5.1 and 7.1-channel analog outputs with full decoding of multi-channel PCM, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. This makes it an excellent choice to add to a high-end multi-channel preamp/processor or receiver which lacks HDMI inputs. The multi-channel analog output allows you to take full advantage of the latest and greatest audio formats available on Blu-ray Disc. If you haven't heard these new formats yet, you're in for a treat as they exactly match the original studio recordings in quality and it can give your home theater system quite a work out! The BD55 is one of very few players on the market today that offers this feature (multi-channel analog out). The PS3 does not offer this. And while the Samsung BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 do offer multi-channel analog outputs, they do not currently offer native decoding of DTS-HD Master Audio (though there is some conflicting information as to whether this may be delivered in the future via a firmware upgrade).
For those with more modern surround sound equipment, the BD55 can output multi-channel Blu-ray Discs and DVDs in the native "bitstream" or it can decode the bitstream to full resolution uncompressed PCM. The choice is yours based on the capabilities of your specific home theater system.
One of the first things we measured when we got the BD55 in for review was the boot-up and disc-loading time. First and second generation BD players were painfully slow to boot up and to load discs. While the BD55 does take 24 seconds to boot up (vs. the PS3's 9 seconds), the BD55 was actually quicker to load a standard (non-Java) Blu-ray Disc than the PS3 - about 9 seconds faster, to be precise - and it was about 6 seconds faster to load a standard DVD. For a BD Java-heavy disc like "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," the BD55 loaded up the disc in about 45 seconds, which is only about 5 seconds slower than the PS3. The PS3, with its super-fast Cell processor, is still better (and quicker) in its interactivity with BD-Java-based menus and BD-Live, but the BD55 is certainly in the same ballpark. What's important here is that the delays in playback are short enough that they won't bother most people, and the huge improvement in picture and sound quality over standard DVD make Blu-ray playback on the BD55 worth the wait.
The DMP-BD55 is by no means a "perfect" player - all CE components have their quirks. SD conversion on specialized upconverting DVD players such as the higher end Oppo players or the Silicon Optix HQV-based players is definitely better than the SD upconversion on the BD55, but not so much as to bother me (and I'm pretty picky). Overall, the BD55 provides one of the stongest feature sets and performance packages available today, and it does it at a price in line with most home theater fans' budgets. So it gets my enthusiastic recommendation.
More information is available in our full review on Big Picture Big Sound. |
Best Blu-ray Player and I've tried Three
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| Review Date: November 12, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Aaron Sanborn, Nashville, TN USA |
Pros: Excellent Picture Quality for both Blu-ray's and Standard DVD's. Sound using analog output sounds amazing. It's 2.0 right out of the box. Can play pretty much anything. Has lot os extras in menu to work with. Slick and pretty dang cool to look at.
Cons: Not really a con but it uses SD cards rather than USB. But I guess that's actually a good thing so you can view photos and such.
Summary: I have tried three different players. I have a Samsung TV and thought that it would be a good thing to have a Samsung Blu-ray to go along with it. I had immediate problems with it. I then tried the Sony 350 which I had problems and some personal dislikes so I returned that one. After realizing I just needed to spend the money I went and picked up the Panny BD55. It is worth every penny. It surpases the picture quality and the sound quality of boththe Samsung 1500 and the Sony 350. The analogs out are great for anyone with an older receiver. The sound is fantastic. I picked up the incredible Hulk on Blu-ray and it was shaking the room. The menu is great and has tons of settings for those of us who like to tweak things. It is a beautiful looking player which you can easily find yourself staring at it. One thing that was very surprising is that the Vierra link works with My Samsung LN46A650 AnyNet function so the Blu-ray player and my tv will interact with one another. I turn the player on and the tv will turn on and change to the Blu-ray source. I turn the TV off and the player will turn off. It's pretty nifty. All in all it's a great player and probably the best that's out there right now. If you have the money go for it, it's worth it. If you don't need the analog out go for it's little brother the BD35. |
Really happy with this player
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| Review Date: November 23, 2008 |
| Reviewer: jj, CA USA |
| I'm really glad I waited for this model. Using the 8ch analog outputs it allows me to use my old Yamaha reciever that I really have grown to love the sound from. When on the analog output it gives channel volume adjustments within the player. It also simultaneously outputs optical digital so for the older formats I can let the reciever do the decoding and use the 5.1 features there. The configuration and menu features are great. Load times are fast enough for me. This is my first blu-ray player so I don't have comparisons. The pic quality is fantastic. I'm running mine at 720P as I have a 720P projector, so I can't speak to the 1080P features. For my set up this is a major upgrade. The upconverting to 720P for standard DVDs, mp3 and audio playback are all smooth and great sounding as well. |
It's a winner!
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| Review Date: December 11, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Ajay Date, Pune, India |
After reading all other reviews, I decided to go for this Panny BD55. My expectations were set very high and the player delivered them..all of them!!
The player looks quite impressive even when not powered on. Powering it, brings a cool blue cresent in the front.
Setting it up is very simple. Well thought questions on initial setup parameters takes not more than a minute and it's done! Hoooking it up with the receiver too is simple. I have an older non-HDMI receiver and this was the key reason for going in for 55 instead of 35.
Time taken from power up till you can insert the disc is longer than what the normal DVD player takes. However, it's not long enough to be painful.
The performance:
I played three different kinds of media to test. BBC's Planet Earth & Cars(BD), The Patriot (DVD) and then a classical flute (MP3)
Picture -BD
In both the cases, the pictures and colors are crisp and deep. Even in fast movements and action, the player keeps up with the details all over the screen. The forest and the flowers in Planet Earth literally bring the television alive!! You would feel as if the trees are right there in front of you. Smallest of the details in the forest come alive, especially when the camera pans around in slow motion, you feel you are gliding through the forest!
Cars puts the player into a different kind of world. The animations, reflections, shadows, the speed... all work beautifully!
Picture -DVD
The output is as good as any other high end DVD player. I didn't see much difference in the depth of colors and clarity from the ones I get from my regular DVD player (Pioneer DV525). This DVD player was anyway one of the best ones around and still puts out better performance on it's Component video than HDMI of many of the newer players!!
Audio - MP3
The audio processing is nice. The notes from the flute were rendered perfectly. I deliberately selected a solo flute performance. The listeners were immersed in the beautiful sounds of the flute... I forgot that I was merely checking the player. I listened to the whole 15 minute performance.
Remote:
The Remote keys are nicely spaced. You would not need the manual for most of the operations. The smart feature is programming the TV and Receiver codes to control power and volume. However, the Receiver list is limited.
What Panasonic should do:
1. Remote: make it look more like 21st century. It's very functional (good) but still looks like one from 90s.
2. Please please please provide an HDMI cable or at least stop providing the flimsy composite AV cable!!!! That's cheap and mean too!! |
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Awesome post! I recieved alot of money for christmas and I believe I want to buy this. Your wrote a great entry, absolutely the best I have seen so far. I will be looking forward to your next blog post. thank you again.
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