Blu-ray players with BD-Live for less than $300
Matthew Moskovciak, April 6, 2009
If you make the decision to go Blu, you want to make sure you don't buy a player that's outdated in six months. The best way to do that is to buy a Blu-ray player with Profile 2.0 support, also known as BD-Live. Profile 2.0 support means that a Blu-ray player is fully compatible with both the picture-in-picture commentary tracks associated with Profile 1.1 (BonusView), as well the Internet-enabled features associated with Profile 2.0 (BD-Live). If that all sounds like tech jargon to you, check out our full guide to Blu-ray Profiles.
The best current option is the Editors' Choice-winning Panasonic DMP-BD35. It decodes both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, plus it has great video quality on Blu-ray discs and DVDs. The LG BD300 is another interesting choice because it includes support for Netflix instant streaming, which means you can watch anything from Netflix's "Instant Queue" on your Blu-ray player. If you want Netflix support and are willing to spend a little more, there's also the Samsung BD-P2550, which also has support for Pandora, as well as even better video quality thanks to HQV video processing.
The Sony BDP-S350 is also a solid option. It features a unique compact design, has excellent video quality, and a Quick Start mode that turns on the player in 6 seconds. It doesn't have onboard decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio, but overall that's a minor issue unless you're an audiophile.
What if you don't care about Internet-enabled special features? Well, then there's no harm in buying an older (and possibly cheaper) Profile 1.1 player, although you'll miss out on all the future BD-Live features. Right now, we'd probably agree that it's not big loss--most current BD-Live features are pretty boring--but it's possible that the content will get better as disc makers get a better handle on the technology. If all you care about is cost, check out our roundup of Blu-ray players for less than $250.
| Product name | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
As shown: $299.95
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As shown: $399.95
| $299.99 |
| CNET editors' rating | |||
| Average user rating | |||
| Review date | October 15, 2008 | October 14, 2008 | August 05, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | The Panasonic DMP-BD35 represents the best value in standalone Blu-ray players, with excellent image quality, a comprehensive feature set, and a price that's significantly lower than the PS3. | The LG BD300 deftly combines Blu-ray and Netflix streaming in a single box, although there are better standalone players without Netflix. | The combination of its small design, solid feature set, and excellent image quality make the Sony BDP-S350 a worthwhile standalone Blu-ray player--especially if you can find it for less than $300. |
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| Features | |||
| Product Description | Panasonic DMP-BD35 - Blu-ray player | LG BD300 - Blu-ray player | Sony BDP-S350 - Blu-ray player |
| Product Type | Blu-ray player | Blu-ray player | Blu-ray player |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 16.9 in x 9.8 in x 1.9 in | 16.9 in x 10.9 in x 2.3 in | Info unavailable |
| Weight | 5.7 lbs | 6.6 lbs | Info unavailable |
| Media Type | DVD+R BD-ROM BD-R BD-RE DVD-RAM CD-R DVD+R DL DVD CD DVD+RW DVD-R DL DVD-R DVD-RW CD-RW | DVD+R BD-ROM BD-R BD-RE CD-R DVD CD DVD+RW DVD-R DVD-RW CD-RW | DVD+R BD-R BD-RE DVD DVD+RW DVD-R DVD-RW |
| BD Profiles | Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) | Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) | Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) |
| Upscaling | Yes ( Up to 1080p ) | Yes ( Up to 1080p ) | Yes ( Up to 1080p ) |
| Built-in Audio Decoders | Dolby Digital DTS decoder Dolby True HD Dolby Digital Plus DTS-HD | Dolby TruHD | DTS-HD decoder Dolby Digital Dolby Digital Plus DTS decoder Dolby TrueHD |
| Remote Control | Remote control | Remote control | Remote control - Infrared |
| Sound Output Mode | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
| Form Factor | Tabletop | Tabletop | Tabletop |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
| Buying choices | Pricing not available | Pricing not available | |
