Panasonic DMP-BD35 & DMP-BD55 Blu-ray players officially official, still unpriced

Say hello to the successors of the short-lived Panasonic DMP-BD50, the new DMP-BD35 (above) and DMP-BD55 (after the break) check off every feature we can think of for a new Blu-ray player, complete with a slim profile (49mm high on the BD35) and hopefully low, low price thanks to a 45nm 3rd-generation UniPhier processor. Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD MA audio support, with internal decoding or bitstreamed output in full 7.1 (plus 7.1 analog audio outs on the DMP-BD55) on top of fully BD-Live / Profile 2.0 compatible hardware finally promise no-compromise hardware for Blu-ray buyers. Release dates and pricing information? Your guess is as good as ours, for now.

DMP-BD55:

[Down @ Aug 28th 2008 5:15AM]

"check off every feature?" I bet it doesn't have a hard drive

[Zzephyr @ Aug 28th 2008 5:59AM]

...or a can opener

[bobtheHDbuilder @ Aug 28th 2008 8:26AM]

It's a blu ray player, it has built in persistant storage (hard drive). Profile 2.0 has up to 1gb.

[webterractive @ Aug 28th 2008 5:56AM]

Yawn....

[dj496 @ Aug 28th 2008 7:23AM]

Yawn? Unless you're yawning about the blu-ray format as a whole, give me a break. These two players are brilliant full-featured BD players, the only things to possibly yawn about are what we don't know yet (pricing/release date).
FINGERS CROSSED for these last two criteria. *Really* crossed.

[Tom @ Aug 28th 2008 9:29AM]

Rumor has an October release. If that's the case, maybe we'll see it in February (considering the delays the BD50 suffered).

BTW, the BD50 is no longer available directly from Panasonic. Some are speculating that it's discontinued so that Panasonic can focus on the BD35 & 55.

[Mark @ Aug 30th 2008 11:41AM]

Does anybody even own or care about blueray anymore?

[WeaponX @ Aug 31st 2008 2:37PM]

Please, the lg netflix blu ray player will be here in a month, be 2.0 compliant and download netflix movies for around $300.00......so, i believe yawn is appropriate.

[Boss57 @ Oct 17th 2008 2:47PM]

That's great about the netflix streaming option, but the Panny bd55 is the real deal for those of use with older receivers without HDMI. I am psyched about the 7.1 outputs of the bd55 so that I can hook it up to the 7.1 inputs of my Denon 3802 receiver. I can still send upconverted video directly to my TV over HDMI instead of through my receiver. With the ability to send DTS-HD Master Audio over the 7.1 analog outputs, this is the player to beat in this price range. I looked at the Sony S550 which is similar for $399, but it doesn't have slow-mo or frame advance. It also will sell for $399. They are taking pre-orders for the Panny bd55 on various websites now. IMO, it also beats the Samsung 2500 (or 2550 -Best Buy store specific model) b/c those players only send DTS-HD Master Audio over HDMI which I don't have. If that doesn't bother you then, the Sammy looks like a good player too at $399. See a positive review of the panny in the Nov 2008 Sound and Vision Magazine.