DMP-BD30
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Panasonic's DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player falls to $259 -- are high prices behind us?
With Panasonic's Profile 2.0 DMP-BD55 Blu-ray player sliding in at $399 (and the BD35 at $299), Panny had to do something with that inflated sticker hanging on its DMP-BD30. When it originally launched back in October of last year, it was one of the fancier decks we'd seen -- evidenced by the $500 price tag. Today, said unit can be had for $259.99 (with free shipping to boot). We know, this is just the natural downward spiral of prices on aged units, but honestly, we think it's more than that. We think the time for lower BD player prices across the board is upon us, and we suspect that'll be magnified on the day after Thanksgiving. Call it a hunch (really, it's a hunch), but we reckon $300 for a Blu-ray player will seem outrageous by Q1 of 2009.[Thanks, Jason]
Panasonic issues firmware update for DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player
While not nearly as momentous as Sony's BD-Live-enabling update for its BDP-S350 (or Toshiba's latest / last HD DVD update, for that matter), Panasonic's most recent firmware issuance will still interest proud owners of the DMP-BD30. A fresh update has surfaced for users in North and Latin America, though Panny only explains that v2.5 improves "playability and stability." If that's enough detail for you, check out the read link to get started.[Thanks, Jerry]
First region free Blu-ray players available
Look no further for the follow-up to last year's multi-region Blu-ray players, with Bluraymods.com advertising a completely region free Panasonic DMP-BD30, available in either pre-modified or DIY kit formats. That's all 6 DVD regions and three Blu-ray regions for those keeping count, and it claims to still work with any firmware updates. The good news for import lovers is a price of €499, considerably less than previous hardware, or €69 for a mod kit. We're still not sure how well this will play with future DRM updates, but taking the leap appears to be getting cheaper and more convenient.
Panasonic treats DMP-BD30 owners to v1.8 firmware update
There's just something about a new firmware update that brings a smile to ours faces. Maybe it's the rush of not knowing what new features are just a click away. Maybe it's the anticipation of that nagging quirk finally vanishing. Or maybe it's a healthy mix of both. Either way, Panasonic DMP-BD30 owners can go ahead and get excited, because the outfit just loosed the v1.8 update. Curiously, Panny didn't bother telling us what the upgrade was for, and without a changelog in sight, we're really at a loss as to what alterations are in store. For you brave souls willing to give it a go, be sure and let the rest of us know what all goes right / wrong.[Thanks, Jerry]
Panasonic's DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player lands in Middle East
Panasonic's fairly well-regarded DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player has been available here in America for months on end, but it's just now getting shipped en masse to the Middle East. Reportedly, the launch marks Panny's first foray into the Middle East's Blu-ray market, but with the DMP-BD50 just waiting to globetrot, we have all ideas it won't be the outfit's last. No word on pricing just yet.
Euro spec Panasonic DMP-BD30: Now with DivX
Already available (and firmware updated) in the U.S., it looks like Panasonic's DMP-BD30EG/EE has a present for European and Russian buyers because when it launches this month, it will be the first DivX Certified Blu-ray player. With no indication of a firmware update to add DivX compatibility to U.S. players, that leaves U.S. buyers the option of the DivX compatible (but not yet certified) PS3, or waiting for Panasonic's DMP-BD50. Even in the post Stage6 world, DivX is a nice bonus to throw on top of Blu-ray playback while we wait for BD Live.
Panasonic issues firmware update for DMP-BD30
By our count, Panasonic's DMP-BD30 wasn't a half bad Blu-ray player from day one, but apparently, it just got a whole lot better. Effectively immediately, owners can surf on over to the firm's website and grab hold of the v1.6 firmware, which promises to fix the LFE audio issue that some were experiencing. Additionally, Panny informs us that BD-V (PiP) playability and HDMI compatibility are also improved upon, but no further details are given. Anxious to update? Head on down to the read link to get your download on, and stop on by the via to see how others have fared.[Via AVSForum, thanks Brian L.]
CyberLink's PowerDVD gets BDA Profile 1.1 certified
Forgive us if we are a little nostalgic of the days when companies would announce the availability of features, instead of just being certified to provide those features, but this is starting to be a trend. Maybe the BDA's certification process is so vigorous that the companies are more proud that it was able to achieve this certification, then to actually bringing the feature to their customers. Regardless, sometime during early 2008 -- isn't that today? -- PowerDVD customers will join the elite group of PS3 and Panasonic DMP-BD30 owners who can enjoy the latest Blu-ray titles with Picture-in-Picture.
Panasonic's DMP-BD30 already making the rounds
Despite the fact that numerous websites have suggested that Panasonic's highly-anticipated, Profile 1.1-compatible DMP-BD30 is experiencing delays -- not to mention the fact that Amazon apparently thinks the release date is closer to December 1st than last week -- we're seeing reports that at least some Blu-ray aficionados already own one. Granted, these same threads also point out that finding one in-store seems to be a bit more difficult than landing one online, but nevertheless, it looks like Panny's $500 BD30 (also seen as the BD30K) is already available in some form or another. So, dear readers, what gives? Have any of you already had the pleasure of enjoying a few films on a shiny new DMP-BD30, or are all these so-called early adopters just blowing smoke?Update: A number of our readers have successfully snagged this player (even in-store). If you've been waiting, now's the time!Read - Panasonic's DMP-BD30 delayedRead - Panasonic's DMP-BD30 on AmazonRead - Panasonic's DMP-BD30 being received
Panasonic's DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player already reviewed
The folks over at CNET aren't wasting a moment getting to know Panasonic's latest Blu-ray player, so why should you? Reviewers started off by praising Panny for getting a Profile 1.1-compliant player out before the actual deadline, and minor gripes about the DMP-BD10A (namely, the remote and the fold-down door) have been addressed satisfactorily. Additionally, it was noted that audiophiles would find lots to love courtesy of its ability to output DTS-HD Master Audio / Dolby TrueHD soundtracks in bitstream format, and sticklers for image quality are likely to be equally impressed. Put simply, this unit "performed excellently by properly deinterlacing 1080i signals to 1080p without artifacts or jaggies," and it managed to measure up quite well with other highly-regarded BD players when playing back films. All in all, the BD30 was awarded a 7.4 out of 10 rating, and we're pretty certain that adding an Ethernet jack and built-in decoders for high-resolution audio formats would've made this thing even more attractive.
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.
