Buying Guide: Best Blu-ray player 2011: 10 recommended
Posted by best tv deals staff | Posted in Tv | Posted on 28-04-2011
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When big and bulky Blu-ray players first appeared a few years ago they were all about high definition.
Back then, simply getting HD content into your HD Ready TV was the hottest ticket in town – and it came at a high price.
Come 2011 and those first-gen players seem light years away, Now we’ve got super-slim machines with loading times in single figure seconds, 3D Blu-ray playback, 2D-to-3D conversion, movie streaming and all kinds of networking and digital file possibilities.
Most of those features are now standard and shouldn’t be considered particularly high-end, though the likes of iPhone App control, genuinely engaging online content hubs that include BBC iPlayer, and built-in Freeview HD tuners are harder to find.
Here are ten of the best Blu-ray players to give you a flavour of what’s available, but do expect a slew of new machines over the summer months.
1. Panasonic DMP-BDT110 – £190
The company that invented the active 3D format isn’t too keen on the interactive side of Blu-ray; this entry-level 3D machine lacks any built-in BD Live storage, but otherwise this is an exceptional deck.
2D and 3D pics are sparkling and conversion between the two isn’t bad, either, though it’s Skype video calling and DLNA networking (via wired LAN unless you buy a WiFi USB dongle) that will appeal to just as many.
2. Sony BDP-S570 – £150
High on features, but low on price, Sony’s 2010 range of Blu-ray players are now going for a song – and their combination of features and performance still stand-up to 2011′s competition.
The user interface, a copy of the Xross Media Bar on the PS3, is superbly intuitive and very responsive using the no-nonsense remote control. Add 2D and 3D pictures par excellence to a host of online content (including BBC iPlayer and LoveFilm), Wi-Fi and 1GB of storage for BD Live, and it’s a mighty tempting package.
Read our full Sony BDP-S570 review
3. Samsung BD-D6900 – £250
We’re surprised at how few Blu-ray players double-up and include Freeview HD tuners, which makes Samsung’s UK-specific BD-D6900 all the more standout.
Excellent pictures flow from 2D and 3D Blu-ray discs as well as from the likes of BBC HD and ITV 1 HD, but it’s the appearance of Samsung’s new Smart Hub online portal that most impresses. Also includes 2D-to-3D conversion, and digital file playback via DLNA networking, USB and NAS drives.
4. Denon DBP-1611UD – £400
Wrapped up in a typically dour, albeit durable, black metal casing comes Denon’s first 3D Blu-ray player – and it’s a cracker.
With 1GB of built-in memory for enjoying BD Live functions, there’s no necessity for a rear USB socket, but there is one around the front for memory expansion or for reading multimedia files.
There’s also access to YouTube and DLNA networking, and although the onscreen menus are a tad basic, the DBP-1611UD wins friends with its accurate colour fidelity, smooth moving images and exceptional detail in even the most gloomy of scenes.
Read our full Denon DBP-1611UD review
5. Sony BDP-S470 – £120
Sony is attempting to get 3D compatibility into your lounge whether you like it or not with a bevy of well-specified 3D Blu-ray players that include the incredibly affordable BDP-S470.
DLNA networking and BBC iPlayer are possible, though only via wired Ethernet LAN unless you buy a dongle. That’s where the bad news ends; SACD compatibility is a surprise extra alongside cracking 2D and 3D pictures and disc loading in single figure seconds.
Read our full Sony BDP-S470 review
6. Panasonic DMP-BDT210 – £210
Here’s a convincing argument for spending more than the sub-£100 supermarket prices for bog-standard Blu-ray players; 3D playback, 2D-to-3D conversion, built-in Wi-Fi and a touch-free sensor that enables the disc tray to open with a simple wave of your hand.
In fact, you can banish the remote completely thanks to a free iPhone app that both mimics the remote control hardware and has its own gesture controls. A polished effort for 2011, again with Skype Video calling.
7. Yamaha BD-S667 review – £230
The original proponent of home cinema and multichannel sound came to the Blu-ray party a little late in the day, but Yamaha has been playing catch-up very fast if the BD-S667 is anything to go by.
A mid-range option and strictly 2D, this rather dull looking unit is nevertheless a top performer with Blu-ray and digital files; in our tests it aced every file we could think of via a USB stick, NAS drive and from a PC using DLNA networking.
Read our full Yamaha BD-S667 review
8. Panasonic DMP-BDT310 – £260
3D picture adjustments and 2D-to-3D conversion and the additions for those serious about the third dimension, but elsewhere this flagship deck’s dual HDMI 1.4 outputs, built-in Wi-Fi (to power Viera Cast) and DLNA networking make it perfect for home cinemas.
Skype video calling is reserved for those who buy a £130 HD Communication Camera from Panasonic, but the excellent iPhone control – using a free app – is for all to revel in.
Read our full Panasonic DMP-BDT310 review
9. LG BD570 – £125
LG was an early advocate for network Blu-ray players – and the result of that is the BD570, a disc spinner that equals or exceeds many dedicated network media streamers.
If you have music or video files on your PC or a NAS, as well as a significant disc collection, this do-it-all deck could be a perfect buy. And while it’s not videophile grade, even in a high-end cinema environment the player doesn’t disappoint. Currently going for a knockdown price, too.
Read our full LG BD570 review
10. Oppo BDP-83SE NuForce Edition – £1,300
A Special Edition of Oppo’s long-lost European Blu-ray debutant, the BDP-83 – with some additional pixie dust from high-performance amplifiers company NuForce – this player is battleship grade.
A universal model, it can play Super Audio CDs and DVD Audio discs, as well as the usual roster of BD, DVD and CD platters, and DivX HD and its ilk, too. A spectacular analogue audio performer that doesn’t fatlter with MP3s, this is the deck for audiophiles – and its resolutely 2D Blu-ray video ain’t bad, either.
Read our full Oppo BDP-83SE NuForce Edition review
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