Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player with HDMI Cable Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Enjoy a whole new world of Blu-ray technology. Upgrade your entertainment experience at your home. Enjoy a new phase of high definition
pictures and Bonus View Features.

Blu-ray Disc playback for sharp images in full HD 1080p
Blu-ray discs can hold high definition data, with 1080p resolutions pictures, which are full high definition images. Be prepared to experience the best quality picture in today’s technology.

Bonus View
Enjoy picture-in-picture content and audio played during the main feature if elected on the disc menu. (Bonus View is available only on select movie titles.)

HDMI Output and HDMI Cable is included
HDMI or High-Definition Multimedia Interface is an all-digital audio/video interface which can transmit uncompressed streams. HDMI also incorporates Digital Rights Management technology. It is a modern replacement for older analog standards.

Deep color output for vivid images
The real world has unlimited colors! With our NB500SL9, you will be able to enjoy deep vivid colors created in nature on your TV screen.

24 fps for cinema-like images
24 frames per second (fps) output to create cinema-quality pictures. Experience this technology for smoother natural images.

CD and DVD Compatible
The NB500SL9 Blu-ray Disc Player is CD and DVD Compatible, so you can still be able to enjoy your existing media content with advanced video and audio technology.

Product Description
Enjoy an exceptional home theater movie experience on your HDTV with this Sylvania 1080p Full HD Blu-ray Disc Player. The full high-definition video playback up to 1080p resolution for offers increased sharpness to deliver a more true-to-life picture and incredible viewing. It also upconverts the standard definition of regular DVDs up to 1080p over an HDMI connection for enhanced DVD picture quality. The included HDMI  cable transfers the high-definition video signal to your HDTV without the signal loss common when a signal is converted to analog, so get excellent picture and sound quality, free from noise. Plus it’s loaded with other cool features such as picture-in-picture capability, pop-up menu options and SD card compatibility, so you can maximize your multimedia experience.Sylvania 1080p Full HD Blu-ray Disc Player with HDMI Cable Features:Easy and simple connection to your HDTV via an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) cable  HDMI Deep Color - Deep Color reduces the posterization effect of the playback image Multi-channel surround sound - provides audio so rich and vibrant, you’ll feel as if you’re really there Picture-in-Picture capability - some BD-video (Blu-ray Disc video) discs have the PIP (picture-in-picture) function which enables you to display the secondary video in a smaller window within the primary video; allows you to see the shots the director saw before special effects came into play, to view the sketches that became the sets, or to view the faces of the commentators as they goof on their faulty stunts, all juxtaposed with the final film Pop-up menu - some BD-video have a pop-up navigation menu that can be called up and be operated on the TV screen without interrupting the playback Full backwards compatibility with DVD and CD ensures that you can continue to enjoy your current audio-video collection View JPEG files off of SD, SDHC, MiniSD or MicroSD cards (sold separately) Play back JP

Sony BDP-S1 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Product Description

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
The new BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc home player from Sony offers a host of new high-definition entertainment possibilities. The BDP-S1 features 1920 x 1080p output, the highest HD signal output currently available through a HDMI connection. If your HD-capable television does not have an HDMI connection, you can still get the Blu-ray experience – the 1080i analog output allows for HD-capable televisions without HDMI to enjoy Blu-ray Disc features. The BDP-S1 is also compatible with standard DVDs with the added feature of 1080p upscaling through HDMI, which gives new life to existing DVDs libraries3. BD-Java interactivity will further enhance the BD entertainment experience, allowing for development of advanced interactive features. Its sophisticated design, with blue glass front, will compliment any decor. Bring your home entertainment experience to a new level with the BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc home player

Complete Feature List

• Blu-ray Disc / DVD Playback2
• Video Codec Format : MPEG2/MPEG4-AVC/VC-1
• Full HD 1080p Video Output through HDMI connection1
• DVD Upscaling to 1080p3
• Picture Mode Settings
• Uncompressed Multi Channel Linear PCM Output
• Dolby® Digital Plus(Dolby Digital audio stream only), Dolby TrueHD (Dolby Digital audio stream only) dts®-HD — (dts audio stream only) Digital Out and decoding capability
• Dolby Digital and dts 5.1channel Output
• Multi Channel 192KHz/24bit Audio D/A Converters

• Rigid Beam Construction
• Separated Audio Circuit Board
• Highly Tuned Audio Parts
• Drive Bracket for stability of drive system
• Individual Speaker Setting
• Off Center Insulator Feet
• BD-Java Interactive Capability5
• Pop up Menu
• Quick Set Up
• FL Off/Dimmer Mode
• Screen Saver
• MP3 and JPEG Playback from DVD Media4
• Parental Control
• IR In
• Multi Brand TV Control Remote
• Sophisticated Box Design with blue glass front

More About Blu-ray
The format provides five times larger capacity than today’s DVDs, with unprecedented storage capacity of 25 GB (single-layer) and 50 GB (dual-layer). Blu-ray Disc players will be fully backward compatible with current DVD formats, delivering entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology.

Blu-ray Disc provides picture quality beyond anything available, with full capability 1080p/24 resolution in Blu-ray and Up to 40Mbps bit encoding – 5X current DVD. The theater quality “uncompressed” audio supports 8 channels of Liner PCM, Up to 32 streams of audio, interactive capability, seamless menus, integrated games, hi-def bonus and educational features. Java will allow for more dynamic, more sophisticated interactivity.

Expand your workd with Sony products using Blu-ray Disc technology. It;s the heart of an outstanding line of Sony products with Blu-ray Disc technology that extends beyond the boundaries of high-definition and opens the new vistas for creativity, enjoyment, and interaction.

Discover unsurpassed picture quality and uncompressed audio on supporting media that goes beyond any other format you’ve seen. Immerse yourself in the unrivaled detail that lets you experiencemore in every movie, every game.

Samsung BD-UP5000 1080p HD-DVD Blu-Ray Disc Combo Player Reviews

Customer Reviews

By Kevin

I picked up a BD-UP5000 when limited quantities appeared in mid December 2007 and have been quite happy with the unit. It’s my first venture into HD disc playback and having a single box to play all DVD formats was essential. This player delivers excellent picture and sound quality (including exceptional SD DVD upscaling). Less than 10% of HD DVD and Blu-Ray titles have only a TrueHD track which will output as 2-channel stereo. Most discs have other tracks that can be selected: Dolby Digital, multichannel PCM, DTS, etc. So lack of multichannel TrueHD isn’t as big an issue as it may seem. Still even one title that limits you to 2.0 is frustrating. Lockups and strange behavior when loading and playing some discs is frustrating, but from what I’ve read most players go through growing pains and the content providers are at least part of the problem because they can influence the way the player behaves with custom menus and features.

The 5000 has a Silicon Optix Reon running HQV SD upconversion. SD DVD quality is amazing. You need HDMI/HDCP video as the analog components are limited to 480p based on licensing constraints. The HDMI output supports 1080p60 and 1080p24 as well as other more common rates. 1080p24 is noteworthy since it sends a film to the display at it’s native frame rate of 24 frames per second without introducing a 3:2 pull-down sequence. However, the display must be capable of receiving 1080p24 AND have a refresh rate of 72 or 120 Hz to completely eliminate motion “judder”.

The 5000 will decode Dolby Digital and DTS encoded sound tracks to multichannel PCM and ship them out via HDMI. Or the player can be placed in “audiophile” mode which sends the undecoded bitstream to the receiver for decoding there, again via HDMI. Some audio tracks can be sent to the receiver via S/PDIF optical or coax connections, but not the higher bandwidth tracks such as multichannel PCM. You must have HDMI for those or use the 7.1 analog outs. The “reencode” mode converts all audio formats to DTS, allowing you to get multichannel audio to your receiver via S/PDIF optical/coax if HDMI isn’t an option.

The 5000 has had a rocky start and is still somewhat unstable and lacks key features. While it was announced the first part of 2007, it didn’t ship until mid December 2007. Many of the disc compatibility problems have been fixed by a firmware update released in mid January 2007, but there are still some discs that have problems. The 5000 suffers from random lockups requiring a power cycle and lacks support for the advanced audio formats: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD HR/MA. In addition, standard definition discs are always stretched to 16:9 even for 4:3 content. Most TVs and displays can’t unstretch the image without reducing the size as well.

A Samsung engineer working on this product indicated they are aware of the problems and missing multichannel audio support. He said they are planning a major firmware update in the May 2008 time frame. Speculation at AVS Forum (the 5000’s user thread is 3000+ plus posts!!!) is that Samsung relies on Broadcom to supply DSP firmware, so it may really Broadcom we’re waiting for. This makes sense since the BH200 has the same audio format limitations and uses the same chip. Firmware updates can be done via an ethernet connection to the 5000, or you can download an ISO CD image from Samsung’s web site and burn an undated disc from any PC or Mac. (Mac update procedures are not documented but work fine: use Disk Utility or Toast Disc Copy to burn the image file; do not use Finder’s burn mechanism.)

Samsung announced the BD-UP5500 at CES January 2008 with availability in the May 2008 time frame. The 5500 is not a true replacement for the 5000 since it does not have the Reon upconverter, nor does it have multichannel analog outputs. Price should be lower than the 5000. This might be an option for some, but the lack of the Reon/HQV is a big deal for me since there are many more SD DVDs than Blu-Ray and HD DVD combined. Those that have a separate audio processor may also need the multichannel analog audio outputs. The 5000’s true replacement will be the BD-UP6500 due out late in 2008.

Blu-Ray Java and HDi allow content providers to “enhance” the viewing experience with additional material on the disc and/or downloaded from the internet. Personally, I just want to watch the movie as the producer/director intended. The 5000 is currently Blu-Ray BDJ 1.0 with a promise for 1.1. The 5500 will have to be BDJ 1.1 based on Blu-Ray specs/timetable. The 5000 (and 5500) will never be BDJ 2.0. The 6500 should be BDJ 2.0. The 5000 is supposed to support HDi but haven’t tried it.

If you want a single box solution that can play most of the HD DVD, Blu-Ray and SD DVD discs, and can live with the limitations at least until firmware updates are available, the BD-UP5000 is worth serious consideration.

Your only other choice is the LG BH200, but it doesn’t have the Reon HQV upconversion or multichannel analog audio outputs. Other than that, the 5000 and BH200 have essentially identical features with similar prices: $750 for the BH200 on Amazon, currently.

However, if you need onboard decoding or bitstreams of Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD MA, Blu-Ray and HD DVD playback and can’t wait for firmware updates, you’ll need to look for separate Blu-Ray and HD DVD players.

Denon DVD-2500BTCI Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Player

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Go beyond standard processing with the ultimate Blu-Ray/DVD/CD digital transporter for the digital purist. Combining top-of-the line audio/video standards with a rigid, multi¬layered construction, this breakthrough transporter eliminates outside interference to deliver unrivaled playback from a wide range of digital sources. And all this performance is delivered to your HDTV via HDMI.  The DVD-2500BTCI is a Blu-ray disc transport that outputs video and digital audio signals via an HDMI port. When connected to a Denon A/V surround amp with an HD-format decoder, such as the AVR-4308CI, the DVD-2500BTCI’s transport features can be used on their own to enjoy high-quality video and audio.

Features

• Separate blocks to suppress interference between circuits
• Precision Drive Mechanism — a Denon original
• 1080p output to bring out the full quality of film
• HDMI 1.3a output for HD video and audio signal transmission with deep color and high bit-rate audio output
• High-grade I/P conversion and scaling up to 1080p
• Supports DivX file playback
• Includes easy-to-use control unit

Plays a Wealth of Media Formats

• Disc Formats: BD-ROM (BD Video), DVD-Video, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW (VR mode supported), CD, CD-R/RW, and PC formats such as MP3, WMA, and JPEG written onto CD-R/RW discs.
• Memory Card Formats: MP3, WMA, and JPEG files on SD, SDHC, miniSD, and microSD cards
• DivX: Files recorded in the DivX moving picture compression format on DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW

Supports Extended Functions for BD-Video

Sub-video data recorded with movies on BD-Video discs can be enjoyed in a sub-screen along with the main screen.

Panasonic DMP-BD10AK 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Reviews

Product Description
The DMP-BD10A features an audio upgrade package that brings high end surround audio to the viewing experience via the inclusion of 7.1 channel surround, Dolby True HD and dts-HD High Resolution Audio decoding technology. The DMP-BD10A also incorporates Panasonic’s proprietary EZ-Sync system for integrated one-touch operation of Panasonic home-theater components.In addition to playing pre-recorded Blu-ray movie discs, the DMP-BD10A plays conventional standard-definition DVDs and conventional CDs. Other key features of the DMP-BD10A include proprietary P4HD technology for performing IP conversion at the pixel level for ultra-fine details, a 297MHz 14bit Video D/A Converter with 4X oversampling, video noise shaping that improves signal-to-noise ratios by shifting noise to an unused band, and theoretical support for nearly 4400 billion colors. The DMP-BD10A also incorporates Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital and dts decoding, and BD-J (Java application) interactive capability.

Customer Reviews

By Peter

This player will start the movie from where you stopped it or even if you power it off unlike other players where if you press stop or power off will go back to the very beginning. Excellent picture and menu controls. Comes with 5 Blu-Ray Discs in the box and you also can mail a rebate form in for 5 more discs.

By J. York

I’m quite pleased with the Panasonic DMP-BD10AK. That said, if you’re now in the market for a high-end Panasonic Blu-ray player, I suggest you wait for the just-announced Panasonic DMP-BD50. The BD10AK is discontinued and it’s replacement seems to be the DMP-BD50. The DMP-BD30 looks nice on paper but it seems to be targeting a lower price point (ie. fewer features).

I went with the BD10AK because I needed the analog decoding built into the player as I have an older AVR that cannot decode the new higher definition audio formats. With the BD50 now announced, it is best to get that instead.