Get Ready for Blu-Ray 2.0
April 1, 2008
We waited for the Blu-Ray vs HD battle to be over for a long time. Now that Blu-ray has won, we find a new standard creeping in. Welcome Blu-Ray 2.0.
So whats the difference in 2.0 versus whats already out there? I mean, a Blu-Ray player is a Blu-Ray player right? Well, not exactly. You see Blu-ray has profiles which determine what features are available for playback.
Let me try to break it down for you.
From the first Blu-Ray player released until around November 2007, they were all profile 1.0 players. They offered no local storage, no Internet capabilities and a secondary video and audio decoder was optional.
Profile 1.1 aka “Bonus View” players are being sold now along side of the Profile 1.0 players. Profile 1.1 players allow for picture-in-picture content which allows you to browse other features while the main film is running. To do this they had to include local storage which is at minimum 256k. These added features mean that Profile 1.1 players also have a mandatory second video and audio decoder.
Profile 2.0 aka “BD-Live” players are set to be released this year. They include a local storage upgrade over Profile 1.1 players. This takes local storage from 256k to 1 gigabyte. Along with the added memory, Profile 2.0 players will have an ethernet port for Internet access. Once you are hooked up to the Internet, BD-Live will give you access to content such as online shopping and games.
Both Sony and Panasonic have already stated their plans to make BD-Live players. The Sony BDP-S550 will be priced at around $500, and Panasonic’s DMP-BD50 will be between $500 and $650. Both should be available this fall.
Tags: blu-ray, Blu-Ray 2.0, blu-ray news, blu-ray profile 1.1 players, blu-ray technology. profile 2.0, bluray dvd player, bluray player, bluray players, dvd, dvd player, player, sony bluray, what is blu-rayPanasonic DMP-BD10AK 1080p Blu-ray Disc DVD Player Review
November 3, 2007
So, you bought a new HDTV but the image doesn’t look very good when you play a DVD. It looks like the old TV did before upgrading huh?
Thats because your HDTV can only display the best that it is given. So, if your DVD player can’t send out 1080i or 1080p resolution then no matter how much money you paid for your HDTV, the DVD’s will look just like they did before you bought it.
There is a solution and it’s called Blu-ray. Blu-ray is fast becoming the new standard in high-definition DVD players and for good reason. Blu-ray discs can store 25 - 50 GB of data. Thats 5 to 10 times that of a regular DVD. Blu-ray also has the highest image quality of up to 1920 x 1080 at 40 Mbit/sec. Well, enough about the technology, lets get going with the review of this DVD player.
First off, I like the look. It is sleek and simple. It’s appearance will compliment any entertainment center. If there is one thing I hate it is having the light off, watching a movie, only to be distracted by some blinking, bright, blinding, blue LED light from an electronic appliance. None of that here, it has an easily readable display but it’s not blinding when the lights are off. Thank you Panasonic.
The DMPBD10AK is the only Blu-ray Disc player capable of decoding Dolby Digital Plus which is a new surround sound format that uses less compression than regular Dolby Digital. It can support up to 8 channels of surround sound. Very nice!
Panasonic has really impressed me with this one. It very quick to respond when loading a DVD. The options are great and it has 4 different video outputs (only one is HDMI though), and can plays BD-R, BD-RE, BD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, JPEG Photo disks! All of this with combined with 1080p resolution and what you have here is one power house of a DVD player.
Overall
If you want a high-definition player capable of the highest quality while also able to support the latest in sound technology, then you have found the right DVD player. This is an awesome DVD player that will make your entertainment center come alive. We highly recommend this player.
Price Comparison
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LG Super BH100 High-definition HD DVD / Blu-ray Disc Player
October 29, 2007
So, you want an DVD player that will produce a high definition picture but you are torn between HD and Blu-ray? Well, look no further. The LG BH100 is here. But, does it work like it claims to?
The answer is yes… but wait, before you go run out and buy one, let us break it down for you.
This is an exceptional achievement in home entertainment. Now you don’t have to have 2 DVD players sitting in your entertained center. But, like with everything, there is a drawback. The price is hefty although it has come down since it’s introduction but it still puts a dent in your wallet, unless you are Donald Trump.
It also has limited HD functionality. Yes, it plays movies in HD without a problem but, the advanced features of the DVD will not be available. To me this means that this is more of a Blu-Ray DVD player that will play HD DVD’s. Oh, and although it says this is a 1080p DVD player, you may have some issues if you have older HD TV’s. It may downgrade it to 1080i. Check with LG for compatibility issues.
Other the the above mentioned gripes, it does what it claims to do. It has a beautiful picture and sleek design that will compliment your entertainment center. It will also play DVD-Video, DVD-R & DVD-RW, and DVD+R & DVD+RW. It has selectable 720p/1080i video upconversion for regular DVD and Built-in audio decoding for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD (2-channel), DTS, and multichannnel uncompressed PCM. It also has all of the standard A/V outputs, including 5.1-channel analog audio outputs and a port labeled LAN which I am guessing is for firmware updates.
Overall this is a nice DVD player that is feature rich with lots of plugins. It should be a nice addition to your collection if you choose to buy and you can look past the gripes.
Where to Buy - LG Super BH100 HD / Blu-ray DVD Player
Only - $799.99
Only - $599.00
Only - $799.99
Only - $799.99
Only - $999.99
Only - $774.99
