Panasonic unveils DMP-BD30 "next-gen" Blu-ray player

Panasonic's new DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player serves up those HD discs extra fancy, being the first player to meet the requirements for BD-Video Final Standard Profile 1.1. That means a secondary video decoder for picture in picture (such as director's commentary), and an extra audio decoder for working in sound from that second source or from interactive features. Other features of the $500 player include Deep Color Compatibility, HDMI 1.3B, 1080 / 24p playback, and an SD card slot that can play back 1080p AVCHD video from SD cards. We're not exactly sure when the DMP-BD30 is hitting the streets, but it seems poised to steal the delayed Samsung BD-UP5000's thunder.

[JeffinLA @ Oct 30th 2007 9:50PM]

HDMI 1.3B?? Give me a break. The HDMI standard changes every two weeeks!

[Fatima @ Oct 30th 2007 10:26PM]

Bull shit, 1.3 has been here since PS3.

[JeffinLA @ Oct 30th 2007 10:32PM]

You don't know what your talking about.

1.3B "B"... the PS3 is NOT 1.3B..

[Fatima @ Oct 30th 2007 10:48PM]

my bad, i just saw that.

[DAZA @ Oct 30th 2007 11:42PM]

These Blu-ray standards are ludicrous. There should have been a single set of rules from the start, much like DVD. Compatibility within Blu-ray players is surely being hindered, are the old ones upgradeable? Do you rely on the manufacturer to make new firmware before you can watch a movie? What if it bricks your player!

[JeffinLA @ Oct 30th 2007 11:43PM]

No worries. I've never seen standards change so fast for products like this. Look how long Wireless N is taking to get certified.

[Mark @ Oct 30th 2007 9:53PM]

not a dual-format player? pass...

[Zal @ Oct 30th 2007 10:07PM]

1.3B? Does this mean my 1 month old $1600 receiver with 1.3a is now obsolete?

[Geir E @ Oct 31st 2007 5:28AM]

your hdmi 1.3a recever is ofcourse not obsolete. The difference between 1.3a and 1.3b is actually nothing more special than stricter compliance standards for the manufacturers. yes, you heard me right. when you buy a 1.3b equipment it means it follows more strict standards than 1.3a equipment.

So nothing to worry about. My us$4,000 recever from four years back does not even have a hdmi input or output. nor anything more "HD" in the sound world than the later DD and DTS standards.

[Curtis @ Oct 30th 2007 10:19PM]

I looked over the last several months for information on HDMI 1.3b. Nothing? What does it offer over HDMI 1.3a?

Now ... if I didn't buy a PS3 this summer, this system would be on the top of my shopping lists :)

[sweeks @ Oct 30th 2007 10:23PM]

Does this thing have an ethernet port?

[dave @ Oct 30th 2007 10:45PM]

not bad for half a grand....except for the fact that waiting 2 years will probably save you half the price.

[yeahmon @ Oct 30th 2007 11:04PM]

At this rate, it would be free after rebate in that time

[T.H. @ Oct 30th 2007 11:28PM]

What should really irk consumers is that not only are we being fed beta software where we have to download a 50-300MB patch upon release, but we're now being fed beta hardware that gets patched every two weeks after release. Except in most cases the darned hardware can't be upgraded.

Early buyers get screwed even harder. Not only do you pay out of your rear for being the first on the block to get new toys, but you also get the distinct pleasure of knowing your hardware isn't fully compliant with products released for your hardware. Such as the Blu-Ray version revisions and the HDMI incremental updates. Sure, most of these revisions are backwards compatible with your hardware but that's still cold comfort when there's a shiny new feature on future Blu-Ray discs that you can't see.

[Waruwaru @ Oct 30th 2007 11:59PM]

does that mean the PS3 I got last month is obsolete already?

[ttringle @ Oct 31st 2007 10:09AM]

Unfortunately if there is a feature that 1.3b has that you really want, then yes, all of the PS3's sold only support 1.3a. But this is HDMI and it's not controlled by Sony or any one company it's a consumer consortium (yeah right) that is meant to help standardize these things. Fact is, it has had so many changes in it's short life that people can't get a handle on what supports what. WTF is the difference if it's the same connection with different levels of support? You might has well make it an entirely new connection and call it something different. Or, I don't know here is an idea for your next revision, build the ability to upgrade the HDMI portion of your hardware to support removable modules to support new HDMI versions, like um, PC's have been doing for near 20 damn years.

[jitty @ Oct 31st 2007 1:20AM]

HMDI 1.3B is bullshit. I'm pretty sure there is almost no difference between HDMI 1.3a and HMDI 1.3b. At least no where near the difference between HDMI 1.2 and HDMI 1.3. They basically just came out with it to annoy all the people who bought expensive HDMI 1.3a stuff recently...

[MichaelM @ Oct 31st 2007 2:18AM]

After reading the comments from everyone complaining about new standards and how early adopters get the short end of the stick, I'm starting to think the readers here aren't the techno-savy fanboy's I thought they were.

Guess my grandad cancelled his subscription to Popular Mechanics and is getting his technology news here now.

I keep telling you Granpa!! This is what happens with technology. It keeps changing, and if you buy the latest toys you're gonna pay for it. If you don't like it, wait until the stuff goes on sale at Walmart, and stop getting your news off the Internet.

Oh, and i'll be over next Sunday to help you reprogram the VCR.

[boing @ Oct 31st 2007 5:54AM]

a reasonable rate of improvement is good but tech companies rely on early adopters to help offset research costs and they need to show them a little more respect than they are currently getting. Whether it's self-bricking 360's or iphones whose price drops a month after sale early adopters are getting UNREASONABLY shafted.

[Jon @ Oct 31st 2007 7:52AM]

The majority of Engadget readers aren't really into technology. Getting the latest phone or gadgets does not make someone more tech-savvy.

[Videobot @ Nov 1st 2007 12:06AM]

Any word on compatibility with home Blu-ray burners? I understand that this has been an area that is has not been well supported, yet.i.e support for BD-R SL and BD-RE SL. I will wait if these are not supported as I already have some HD home video, I will eventually burn onto BD-R, when I get a Blu-ray burner.