Latest round of LG, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players begin retail invasion
By Donald Melanson 
posted March 3rd 2010 4:41PM
posted March 3rd 2010 4:41PM
We've already seen Sony's newest Blu-ray players turn up at retail, and it looks like they've now been joined by LG, Panasonic and Samsung's latest offerings. Those include the BD590, BD570 and BD550 from LG, the DMP-BD85 and DMP-BD65 from Panasonic, and a lone BD-C6500 from Samsung, although that's just the first of more to come from the company. No surprises with the prices or specs, but you can check out a slew of in-the-wild shots at the link below, or head down to your local Best Buy (or other retailer) to see if you're able to spot any of them first-hand yourself.
The only problem with (some of) these players is that some of the software is still buggy. The LG 590 simply trounces the ps3 in terms of functionality but it's buggy as hell (read the avs forum web site thread devoted to the 550/570/590 players) and it looks like the 570/590 may read NTFS formatted drives.
Okay thank you, I am not the only person who realizes that for the same price you could buy a PS3. I don't know who in their right mind would buy this instead of a PS3 regardless if you like games or not.
hmm
Its this idea that you can use cheap cables and get top quality from them that irritates me. Most of the people I know that have surround sound systems and HDTV don't even have it setup right because they "saved" money on those "rip off" cables at BestBuy yet their totally ignorant to the fact that their not hearing HD audio to go along with their HD picture on their $300 HTIB lol.
Now with 3DTV this will get even worse. If you plan to use a receiver for your video switching you better upgrade to one that is compatible with those "rip off" 1.4 HDMI spec cables. Or of couse you can be like some people that have commented and get your HT gear from Walmart and pretend your listening to high quality audio.
@V1cKdB
What on earth are you blabbering about? Sure, if you use a crappy, defective cable you'll have problems. However, there are plenty of inexpensive cables out there that don't cost hundreds of dollars that will get the job done. As long as the cable is terminated correctly, and has sufficient bandwidth, then you won't have a problem.
You keep yacking about HDMI 1.4, but nothing in that specs adds anything of significance to the average consumer.
- HDMI Ethernet Channel: Nice, but *no* monitor supports this AFAIK
- Audio Return Channel: Nice, but not a big deal. Most people with home theaters switch everything through the receiver anyway
- 3D Over HDMI: Big freakin deal
- 4K x 2K Resolution Support: No consumer grade monitors support this, and there's no source material, either
- Expanded Support For Color Spaces: Useless at this point
- Micro HDMI Connector: Doesn't have any bearing on picture quality
- Automotive Connection System: Sorry, but I don't have a home theater in my car....yet.
Mark
@Spiny Norman
So I guess this whole 3D thing isn't a big deal huh? Also, I never said that you should use a cable that costs "hundreds" of dollars. I basically said if you want 3dtv AND HD audio you need 1.4 spec cables. Simple as that. $10 cables from Walmart just won't do..sorry bro.
Its not uncommon for an audiophile to spend a small fortune on his/her cables. My buddy has a pair of speakers he paid over 5 grand for. Just the pair. Thats not including his amp/preamp. He's pretty passionate about 2 channel audio. He knows his stuff. I do too. If your happy with your setup...cool.
Its just that this sounds a lot to me like people who can't tell the difference in black levels on an LCD to a plasma. Some people just don't understand and thats ok but keep your advice to yourself if you don't know $hit.
Name one Blu-ray player that can do all of the following: full web browsing, DLNA, save media locally and Netflix.
Most people overlook one important advantage that the PS3 has over all standalone Blu-ray players.. ongoing firmware updates that keep you from buying a new player.
Let's say someone bought a standalone in 2008.. if they wanted to get full HD audio support, Wi-Fi, Netflix and 3-D, they would have bought at least 2 more Blu-ray players since then (totaling more than the PS3). I've gotten all of that and I bought my PS3 in 2007!
I feel that many of you overlook one thing, not everyone on earth are blog craving techies who use every single feature on their products. 300 bucks is too much for a blu ray player with wifi sure, ill agree. But considering they will go on sale for 220 in two weeks then i see no problem the average (usually older) consumer buying one with their new HDTV. All of the new sony, samsung, and LG players are sleek. I went into my local BB and checked em out. The LG (550) impressed the most for the price, with netflix, vudu, cinemanow, picasa, accuweather, and pandora for 150 is nothing to balk at. Granted the salesmen will see if you are an idiot and try to sell your a 70 dollar cable.
My best friend works at a magnolia center in BB. He, and everyone he works with is well aware that the monster HDMI cables are overly high priced, but the way he puts it, "if someone will buy those cables, why wouldn't i sell them to them? its just good business". makes sense to me,
PS3's are great pieces of technology, and great value, but people on here fail to realize that they are a little harder to use than a blu ray player (especially with the supplied controller). And you can get a blu ray player with netflix streaming for under 100 bucks now at BB too. Buy your cables elsewhere, but the person who bought walmart sony ("Its a bravia, as everyone wants to point out") probably doesnt do their hw enough to want a PS3
I feel that many of you overlook one thing, not everyone on earth are blog craving techies who use every single feature on their products. 300 bucks is too much for a blu ray player with wifi sure, ill agree. But considering they will go on sale for 220 in two weeks then i see no problem the average (usually older) consumer buying one with their new HDTV. All of the new sony, samsung, and LG players are sleek. I went into my local BB and checked em out. The LG (550) impressed the most for the price, with netflix, vudu, cinemanow, picasa, accuweather, and pandora for 150 is nothing to balk at. Granted the salesmen will see if you are an idiot and try to sell your a 70 dollar cable.
My best friend works at a magnolia center in BB. He, and everyone he works with is well aware that the monster HDMI cables are overly high priced, but the way he puts it, "if someone will buy those cables, why wouldn't i sell them to them? its just good business". makes sense to me,
PS3's are great pieces of technology, and great value, but people on here fail to realize that they are a little harder to use than a blu ray player (especially with the supplied controller). And you can get a blu ray player with netflix streaming for under 100 bucks now at BB too. Buy your cables elsewhere, but the person who bought walmart sony ("Its a bravia, as everyone wants to point out") probably doesnt do their hw enough to want a PS3