How to choose a Blu-ray player

There’s only one way to take full advantage of your new 1080p HDTV, and that’s with a Blu-ray player. So I looked into some of the choices available.

First, a few things to keep in mind: Some DVD players may have 1080p output and up-sampling, but DVD video remains at 480i resolution, not Blu-ray’s 1080p. Also, upgrading to Blu-ray may require new cables; only HDMI cables deliver 1080p from a Blu-ray player to a TV. The mid-range players in this review all have HDMI connectors, but none include HDMI cables.

I looked hard to find visual differences between them, watching both Blu-ray and upsampled DVD movies, but failed. Image quality is exceptional and flawless, so choosing a player comes down to other issues.

With WiFi or Ethernet ports, all of these players connect to the Internet, which provides three advantages:

First, the player’s software is upgraded when bugs are found or new features are developed.

Second, connectivity delivers interactive features and more content using BD Live. I will add at this point that my initial enthusiasm for BD Live waned after I checked out a bunch of titles that suffered from frustrating navigation and offered little compelling content.

Third, I suspect Blu-ray player manufacturers are preparing to rent you the latest movies from the Internet, thereby replacing the local video store. For now, all you get is access to free online video, such as YouTube. There’s nothing like watching a miserable YouTube-quality video on your HDTV to make you feel really good about owning a Blu-ray player.

To help you make your choice, here are my observations on some of your options:

Toshiba BDX 2000 (Approximate price: $200)

Toshiba’s controls and disc tray are discretely hidden behind a dark glass door. Unlike the others, which download and install software updates directly to the player, Toshiba posts updates on its website for downloading. Fast-forward and rewind modes are better here than on most players. If you’re in a hurry or bored, movies with Dolby soundtracks feature fast playback with sound. This is the only player with a cooling fan. Luckily, it’s quiet. The BDX 2000 requires an SD card for BD Live, and is the only player without a USB port. This basic player displays photos from an SD card as a slideshow without the frills offered by the other players.

Sony BDP-S560 ($250)

When you press the eject button, the minimal front panel of the Sony player folds down to reveal the disk tray. Sony’s media bar navigation — the same as on PlayStation and Bravia TVs — is easy to master, but entering text is complicated. Internet connection can be wired or wireless, and, once configured, the latest version of the player’s software downloads and installs painlessly. BD Live only works with a memory stick in one of the two USB ports and seemed slow. Silent slideshows can be played from photo images in the USB port or a media server on your network.

LG BD390C ($250)

At 7 cm tall and 28 cm deep, this is the tallest and deepest player. It’s also the fastest and easily trumps the others with a long list of features. It’s capable of both wired and wireless Internet access. The attractive on-screen menus look as if they’re designed for 1080 resolution and can be customized with several alternate designs. The BD390C includes 7.1 analog audio outputs, and doesn’t require additional external memory for BD Live. Photo slideshows from USB or networked computers can include music. Online capabilities include YouTube video. It plays music, photos and video (in supported formats) from USB sources and networked computers.

Panasonic DMP-BD80 ($300)

Panasonic’s front panel is busier than the others, with a small door for the nimble-fingered. As soon as I connected the Ethernet cable to my router, the latest software downloaded and installed. The DMP-80’s comprehensive menu of audio and video options is available on-screen during playback. The player offers a fast-speed play mode with sound for both Dolby and DTS movies. It also plays photos, music and video (in supported formats from disc, USB and, sometimes, SD cards). It offers the best selection of slideshow options, including simultaneous audio playback. This player also provides the most extensive selection of online capabilities, including YouTube and Picasa web photo albums.

Recommendations:

If you have a TV that’s 1080p capable, any of these players will provide brilliant and clear video playback. From this group, I’d recommend the LG, for its fast start-up, attractive physical and on-screen styling and complete list of features.

Maarten responds to email sent to maarten@heilbron.com with the word Star in the title. He watches Blu-rays on his PS3 in spite of its noisy fan.