Samsung BD-P2550 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I was sold on the LG BD300 since I first heard about it a year ago and have been waiting for it ever since. I was planning on getting it until I heard about the Samsung BD-P2500 and figured I should at least research it a little before buying the LG, and boy am I glad I did!! That's when I found out Samsung made a sister model to the 2500, the BD-P2550. The 2500 and 2550 are identical except except for one feature, the 2550 adds Pandora Internet Radio. A small difference, you might think, but Pandora takes the purchase to a whole other level of enjoyment! As you can deduce, I ended up buying the Samsung 2550 and absolutely LOVE it! But since the 2500 and 2550 are so similar, and I've encountered a lot of people trying to decide between Samsung 2500/2550 and LGBD300, I figured I'd add my 2cents.
The main things that turned me off LG and onto Samsung were:
1- Samsung BD-P2550 has Pandora. I wasn't sure if I'd use this service or not so went to the website to check it out. I have to say, I really like the service and have been making good use of it via the Samsung. Sure, you can listen to Pandora on your computer, and maybe even hook up your computer to your home stereo system. But having it there and ready to go on the Samsung has been great! I really love it and love that I can listen on my home theater setup. I also have TVersity streaming to my home theater setup via my DirecTV receiver, and its possible TVersity can pick up Pandora too, but it would be lacking the same interface available on the Samsung BD-P2550, and the menus look great on my plasma TV. The Pandora feature alone beats the LG BD300 in my opinion, and the little extra money for the Samsung is more than worth it to me.
2- LG has NO internal flash memory while the Samsung has 1gb flash. This is useful for BD Live features and makes the experience easier and more enjoyable.
3-Samsung's video upscaling of regular DVDs is SUPERB! I'm very picky about video quality and I thought the picture looked spectacular. This is due to the superior chipset inside the Samsung, which LG is lacking. And naturally, Blu Ray disks look awesome too.
I admit, I never tried the LG so I'm not making a true test-drive comparison here. All I can say is I was totally sold on the LG and waiting a year for its release, but in the end, I'm glad I picked Samsung BD-P2550 at the last minute.
A word about Firmware updates:
Updates are easiest if you hook up your player to the internet via the network port on the back. This is also the only way to get BD Live content, so you may want to hook it up that way if you can. The player automatically configures the network settings and connects to the internet automatically. My player did need a firmware update, but the process was very simple. Just select the upgrade from the player's setup menu and it takes care of the installation by itself. The upgrade only took about 20min, then the player rebooted and I was good to go. No issues. No hassle. No sweat.
I have to give the Samsung BD-P2550 Blu-Ray player top marks. It's truly awesome and I'm glad I got it. I bought a Toshiba HD player last year before the bottom fell out on HD-DVD and then returned to Amazon for a full refund. I didn't mind returning it since most the disks I tried playing locked up and wouldn't play. But I was disappointed HD-DVD died. But in the end, everything worked out for the best and I'm very happy with this Samsung. And no disk lockups as with the HD-DVD I tried last year.
Incidentally, Netflix streaming actually looks pretty good considering it's not HD. And soon they'll be streaming HD quality, so that'll be cool to try. Maybe I won't even need to rent disks anymore and will just stream everything. Also, the player's menus and interface are clean and easy to use and it was a breeze to setup the player with my Harmony 1000 remote.
So between Netflix, Pandora, superior DVD upscaling and superb Blu-Ray picture, it's hard to beat the Samsung BD-P2550. It's a giant leap into future technology and will remain cutting edge for years to come. It's awesome!! Go for it!!!!


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Experience thrilling high-definition from Blu-ray Discs and even convert your standard DVDs to high-definition with this 1080p Blu-ray disc player. Ethernet and USB 2.0 interfaces allow you to access firmware upgrades. Also this Samsung BD-2550 Blu-ray disc player is NetFlix Internet streaming service capable, so you can stay home and enjoy movies at your fingertip.

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Sony BDP-BX1 - Blu-Ray disc player - upscaling Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, this IS the same player as the BDP-S350 however the remote included is a backlit remote that I believe is included with the BDP-S550 player. This BDP-BX1 also comes with a decent HDMI cable. Based on my research, Sony creates these different models at the request of the Big Box stores (BB, CC, etc...) to prevent shoppers from requesting they price match Costco, sam's Club, etc...
On to the Player:
This unit is profile 2.0 compliant. Blue ray discs load fairly quickly but the slight delay over standard DVD's takes a bit of getting used to. This is an inharent problem on any Blue-Ray player due to the sometimes heavy Java interface used for its menu structures. BD Live will require a USB memory stick to be inserted into the back of the player. I would suggest getting a 1 or 2 GB memory stick and just leave it there (not sure why Sony wouldn't include internal memory?). These memory devices are VERY economical at this point so this is no big deal. Be cautious when purchasing a memory stick though, many may not fit due to it's recession into the case a bit. I've read that the Kingstons work well.
Firmware updates are VERY easy; a "technologically challenged" person will have little or no problems updating the firmware if it becomes necessary.
I use the HDMI interface through my Denon 1909 receiver to my Pioneer plasma and the image quality is breathtaking; although this is expected from any Blue ray player. Standard DVD's play well and the image quality is as expected. It's upscaling ability matches my TV's upscaling abilities so no real improvement in video quality.
The audio quality is superb, though getting true HD audio (True Dolby Digital or DTS-HD) requires an easy change to the default menu setting (Select DD and DTS rather than bitstream if I recall correctly... just google it if having a problem); only do this if your reciever supports the HDMI HD Audio formats. DTS-HD in 7.1 (not too many movies in 7.1 but there are a few)is incredible and put a HUGE smile on my face to see my Denon reciever properly decode both HD-DD and DTS-HD. I notice only a small improvement from the HD audio (5.1) over the standard 5.1 audio and my system is a fairly good 7.1 audio system. The HD audio is NOT a reason to jump to Blue Ray but the image quality is.
The remote layout is acceptable and the backlit function is a nice feature. It lights up in a nice bright blue color rather than the typical boring greenish glow.
All in all I would highly recommend this player to anyone looking to jump into the Blue-Ray realm. If you have a nice TV that support at least 720P you will greatly appreciate Blue-Ray media. If you happen to have a reciever that supports the HD audio formats then you will find the HD audio to be the gravy.
With a good quality HD television, you will find that the upgrade to Blue-Ray from standard DVD is as large a jump as it was from VHS to DVD. Price points are finally making the Blue-Ray plunge a realistic jump for us mainstream folks rather than just the tech junkies.


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BD-Live brings you the next generation of interactivity, allowing you to download and stream bonus content such as additional scenes, shorts, trailers, movie-based games, and more. View feature provides "picture-in-picture" capability with select Bluray Disc titles - useful for viewing director or actor commentary while the movie plays. DVD Upscaling via HDMI gets the most out of your existing DVD collection by upscaling standard definition video to near HD quality. Precision Cinema HD upscale uses high bandwidth digital-to-analog conversion and processing to detect image changes at the pixel level, rather than at the level of whole scan lines.

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ZyXEL PLA400 200 Mbps Powerline HomePlug AV Desktop Fast Ethernet Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had a pair of PLA-400 running for about a year now and the only problem I would warn you about is this: house wiring is not always consistantly good. I have had to move it to different sockets looking for the best connection. Also have a pair of PLA-100's connecting a router in one building to a computer in another building, works but same thing. In fact the quality changed after a while and I moved it. Later I found a loose connection in a socket. They run hot and I did have to return one PLA-100 for replacement but overall they work good and I have no fear of using PLA-400 especially. About to buy another pla400 to connect a media center PC in the viewing room to view downloaded movies on a plasma screen. I think the powerline adapters are more reliable than WLAN.

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ZyXEL´s Powerline Series is an access extension solution to have your house completely networked with existing power lines. Thanks to the advanced HomePlug AV Technology, the PLA-400 v2 is capable of transmitting data at up to 200Mbps. It allows you to share network resources and enjoy Internet access through secure high-speed data connection over the house power lines you already have.

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Samsung PN58B860 58-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)From reading AVS forum I was ready to pull the trigger on a Panasonic G10. Then went to Best Buy to see them in person and this thing was just so much nicer in every way. I'm sorry Panny fanboys but the picture on the current models just looks dingy. The older ones were much nicer. Maybe they made too many compromises for the "eco" thing. And WAY reflective. Anyway, the Samsung came today, no more calibration that setting it to "movie" mode (will wait til after break-in for that). Watching a show about quasars & pulsars on DirecTV HD Channel (720p) and we are saying "whoo" and "wow" just like watching fireworks. The colors are vivid, but not harsh (like LCD's can be). No banding, jaggies. Incredibly detailed, but smooooth. It's just amazing. Flesh tones so natural it's like you're looking at a real person. This replaced a calibrated Samsung 56" DLP, which I preferred to anything I'd ever seen before (had it's caveats but LCD RPTVs were positively hazy at that time so I went with DLP since the rainbow thing was rare and didn't bother me - kind of pretty actually.) But this just blows it away. It's like the fog has lifted. Hot? Yes, it's putting off some heat; but I live in a cold climate (SF) so no big deal. Buzzing? If you put your ear right next to it (the hard drive in my DVR is way louder) but then I'm essentially at sea level, supposedly higher altitudes worsen that. Reflections? Yes, but nowhere as bad as CRT or (ahem) the current generation of MacBooks. It's glossy but subdued. For the first time I have an in-home viewing experience superior to a movie theatre. Just can't emphasize how natural the picture is. I hope Samsung & Panasonic will continue this technology. I love LCD TV for the kitchen, it's fine for watching the news, and great on the computer for static images, but this is a true videophile experience. Like MP3's (which sound great) vs full uncompressed quality digital sound. I can see how (especially sports oriented viewers) might prefer LCD - it's bright, sharp, vivid (especially if you're looking straight on - not so great off center). But if you want to see subtlety in light, shadow, cinematography - this new tech plasma is the way to go. Maybe the key is you need a technology where the pixels are producing their own light. The last time a picture was so smooth, natural, detailed to my eye were the last generation of Sony CRT Trinitron Wega sets. Perhaps OLED will be the next step up but I'm very happy with this. And Amazon's price, white-glove delivery, return policy can't be beat.The guys from Pilot unboxed it and made sure it was working before they left. Hauled it up 2 flights of stairs. I can't believe this marvel of technology was cheaper than a decent laptop.

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Samsung's new 8 Series plasma flat panel HDTV represent our finest innovations in design and performance. Samsung's 8 Series E-Panel technology combined with our Ultra FilterBrightTM Plus technology provides a stunning high contrast picture even in brighter rooms. It's not just the images on screen that capture your attention, the Ultra Slim cabinet is only 1.2, deep and gives you added versatility with its stylish vibe. The new Medi@2.0 connectivity package offers customizable online content via user-friendly 'widgets,' networking capability via the DLNA standard, and playback of your camera and camcorder via USB 2.0. Add 4 advanced HDMI inputs that feature Samsung's Anynet+ (CEC standard) technology making system control of compatible A/V devices like a Blu-ray player or HTIB system a one-touch operation. If you're looking for the best Full 1080p performance and advanced connectivity, Samsung's new 8 series plasma HDTVs are designed with this in mind.

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Philips 46PFL7705D/F7 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV with NetTV, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)Just wanted to give potential buyers a heads up on this TV. There are two models of this 46 inch TV that are almost identical and this can be confusing as you search for TV's that are LED, 120hz and internet connectable, both are but there are differences. One model is the 46PFL7705D/F7 and the other available model is the 46PFL7705DV/F7. The only difference being the "V". Here are the differences, the "V" model comes with Voodo software, MediaConnect Quick setup guide and USB Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11 b/g/n adapter. Per Philips technical service, the non "V" model is internet connectable via ethernet cable only, it is not wireless ready. If you want the wireless version get the "V" model.
Also know that you can go to Philips.com, select products, select 7000 series and then do a comparison of the two models. There is a box you can select that shows spec differences only. Trouble is, it shows no differences in the the two models at all as of this date (1-17-2011). But if you do a comparison of the 40 inch versions rather than the 46 inch version 7000 series TV's, "V" version verses the non "V" version, the differences do show up. I told the tech at Philips this info and he said he would report the problem. Anyway, just trying to help potential purchasers buy what they want and clear up the confusion here. (By the way, this probably explains the problem that reviewer Peter Pan is having). I bought the "V" version but it is in transit to me now. I wanted to get this info out, didn't want to hurt the ratings so I gave 5 stars even though I don't have it yet. Hope this helps.

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With an ultra-thin LED display that offers rich colors, stunning clarity, and dynamic contrast, the Philips 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV features the ultimate resolution standard and TruSurround sound for a cinematic viewing experience in your home. A variety of connection options make it easy to add additional entertainment devices, and you can use this state-of-the-art HDTV to view photos, play music, or as a monitor for your PC.
Innovative Technology for Smooth Moving PicturesWith a 1920 x 1080p widescreen resolution and an ultra-thin frame, the Philips 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV offers the ultimate high-definition standard, progressively scanning images to bring you a smooth, flicker-free image. The HDTV features Philips' Perfect Natural Motion technology, which works to eliminate juddering images and brings you smooth, clear moving images instead. With a 120 Hz rate (120 frames per second) for rapidly moving pictures and a super-fast response time of 2 milliseconds, this HDTV provides fluent motion and a vibrant picture even when there's a lot of action on screen. You'll need this kind of resolution for the latest DVD and Blu-ray releases.
Perfect Pixel HD Offers Exceptional Image QualityBecause the Perfect Pixel HD Engine works by enhancing each and every incoming pixel and matching it to the surrounding pixels, you'll see improved natural detail, vivid colors, and smooth motion with any signal type.
LED Lights for Superior ContrastRevolutionary LED lights generate brilliant light for the bright scenes and dim light for the dark scenes, giving you extreme contrasts and vibrant images with minimal power consumption.
Audio Technology Gives Surround Sound ExperienceEquipped with SRS TruSurround HD, the HDTV immerses you in a rich sound experience, giving surround sound quality with deep bass, high frequency detail, and crisp, clear vocals. For additional audio options, a Dolby Digital output is handy for connecting to your home theater system.
Multiple Inputs Cater to All Your Viewing NeedsYou can quickly and easily connect to a cable or satellite box, camcorder, game console, Blu-ray disc player, DVD player, PC, and more with the HDTV's multiple inputs. Four HDMI inputs with Philips' EasyLink let you control the connected devices with the same remote control you use with the TV, and a VGA cable is all you need for connecting your PC.
Ethernet Connection Offers Easy Access to Netflix and Net TVAn Ethernet connection point makes it simple to connect the HDTV directly to your home network for access to popular Net TV services, and it offers a way to take full advantage of all the watch-instantly TV shows and movies available through Netflix accounts that include streaming.
Energy Efficient Features Reduce Power ConsumptionThe HDTV's power-saving features include low standby power consumption and high-efficiency materials, which combine to give the HDTV its Energy Star rating.
The Philips 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV is backed by a manufacturer's one-year limited warranty.
What's in the BoxPhilips 46PFL7705D/F7 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV, TV base, power cord, quick start guide, user manual, registration card, remote control, and batteries for the remote control.

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Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)The P50G10 is my second HD Plasma experience, the first being a 2004 Panasonic, which still looks and works quite well. It has found another spot in our home to make room for the new G10 in our family room. When searching for and finally selecting the new Panasonic G10, I was comparing choices against this first experience considering both the manufacturer and the plasma technology. While I have a few smaller sized LCD's, mostly in the 20-32" range, I have never been overly impressed with the picture. The seem a bit cartoonish, even in HD mode, so I quickly settled on a plasma as my technology choice. Having made that decision the alternatives in terms of manufacturers narrowed quickly. Wh Pioneer exiting the Plasma business, and considering my experience with my original Panasonic plasma the brand decision was made. Selecting which model from Panasonic boiled down to scouring the 2009 product announcements and available reviews (CNET), and making the trade-offs on size, cost and availability. This all led me to the P50G10, which was a good fit on all points.
I have had the unit installed and working for 4 weeks now, and must say its been an extremely satisfying time. The G10 is a major step up, from my previous plasma, in terms of picture, inputs i.e. 3 HDMI vs 1, and ability to control each picture setting independently. I have tweaked the picture setting on the Standard and THX settings a bit to sharpen and brighten the picture a bit, but most of the other settings are very good out of the box. As the unit is stand mounted, and in a room with mostly indirect and overhead lighting there are no issues with glare or light reflection, from the main glass or its glossy black bezel.
In the process I also moved up to a Panasonic BMP-BD60 (will write a separate review on it) Blu Ray player and the 1080P picture is nothing short of amazing. As these are both Panasonic units they inter-operate with VieraLink which simplifies and automates the way the two units operate together, a nice but not essential feature. I setup a Wireless ethernet bridge (Linksys WET54G) to feed the VieraCast function on the G10, and it works flawlessly. At this time the amount of content available is limited, but one can see the potential, if Panasonic can bring more content services to this function. The G10 does employ a set of power consumption controls. There are both Input Idle and In-Activity based auto-power off modes to save on power consumption, which is good as plasma's are a bit power hungry.
To be balanced the G10 does have a few shortcomings. The sound from the onboard speakers is a bit thin. You can mitigate this some by pumping up the Bass control and turning on the Bass Boost, but its just not a rich sound experience. I think Panasonic can do better with some higher quality speakers and a small sub-woofer. I, and I suspect most others, have a surround system connected and utilize it for a better sound experience.
I also preferred when Panasonic placed the additional inputs into a trap door on the front of the plasma, the G10 has these on the left (facing) edge. To me it was more convenient and accessible to have these set of inputs up-front.
All in all, the G10 is a high quality Plasma with terrific features and future expandability. If offers a near perfect picture across multiple inputs and types of content.


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50" Plasma, 1080p, THX, Viera Cast, H.264, IP Camera Ready, PC Input, NEO PDP Panel which is brighter, Full-time 1080p TV lines of moving picture resolution, 3 HDMI, Native contrast ratio 40,000:1, Dynamic contrast infinite black 2,000,000:1, Game Mode, Anti Reflective Filter, 600 Hz Subfield Drive

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Samsung BD-P2500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)Very happy with this purchase! I'm glad to see Amazon has them back in stock. I have never had a problem with another seller - but I do prefer Amazon. I got my unit from a local retailer who I had a discount code for. With tax etc. I ended up paying what I would have paid on amazon. Unfortunately amazon now charges tax for us New York residents (not amazon's choice...)
I digress.
I was initially going to buy the BD-P1500 just for it's price point, but was drawn to this model when I found out about the Netflix feature.
The unit was well packed (nice to see manufacturers getting more conscious about being "green" with packing).
The unit is smaller than I expected and seems sturdy.
Box contained:
Player with permanently attached cord
Remote with batteries (aaa)
One AV cable (RCA red/yellow/white)
User guide
The anynet+ feature is nice if you have other Samsung components. I have a Samsung TV and because I used an HDMI cable to connect, the TV and Blu-ray player "talk" to each other. The player turns the TV on automatically and switches it to the correct input which is a nice convenience.
NETFLIX! This feature is so cool! The picture quality was amazing. I have the player connected to my linksys router with a cable using the net port on the back. I suppose you could do this wirelessly with some extra components. You have to log into netflix and cue movies on your PC, and then you can watch them on your TV through the player. It works really well. Note that this feature requires a firmware upgrade (see below for my complaint about this...)
Picture and sound quality seems wonderful!
Two small quirks/complaints:
1) Load time: It takes a good minute or so for a blu-ray disk to load initially. Once loaded response time is great, but that initial load time is long
2) Firmware upgrade: I connected the unit to my router and went to setup to have it check for an upgrade and was told that I already had the latest firmware, which I know I did not. If you turn the player on and don't see the Netflix logo on the home screen, you probably don't have the latest firmware. I went to the Samsung website, downloaded an update file which I then had to burn to a CD. Putting the CD in the player then sucessfully updated the firmware. I am not sure why the net upgrade option didn't work, but I have seen other users complain about this online. A mild annoyance. The CD upgrade took about 5 minutes. It is also upgradable by USB using a flash drive.
All in all, I am very happy with this!

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Samsung's BD-P2500 is BD-Live 2.0 Ready with an ethernet port so you can enjoy special interactive features, download extra content from the internet, and more. It has 1Gb of onboard memory and a USB port for memory expansion. You'll enjoy bold color and crisp details with full 1080p resolution. The BD-P2500 also offers breakthrough enhancements such as Hollywood Quality Video (HQV) processing and 7.1-Channel analog audio outputs creating a powerful HD audio-visual experience. Plays Blu-ray discs, upscales standard DVDs, and is compatible with BD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-R (V mode only), DVD-RW (V/VR mode), Audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and AVCHD discs. Movie night just got even more exciting - with the highest-quality audio and an incredible picture.
Key Features
Total BD Profile Compatibility right out of the box, lets you instantly enjoy the latest interactive features available, including BD Live (Profile 2.0) and Bonus View (Profile 1.1)
Lots of Memory and Easy Upgradeability: The BD-P2500 comes with a built-in, wired Ethernet connection, 1GB of internal flash memory, and a USB port for memory expansion
Full HD 1080p
HQV processing chip for the highest quality viewing of Blu-ray discs, upconversion of standard DVDs, and viewing of JPEG images
HDMI 1.3 output with xvYCC Deep Color support, and a 24fps film mode, exhibiting smoother, more natural playback of film-based material.
7.1-Channel Dolby TrueHD Sound and dts-HD Master Audio capable of decoding the latest high-resolution digital multichannel audio soundtracks
HQV Video Processor
In a perfect world, every disc's image that passed through your Blu-ray disc player into your HDTV would offer immaculate 1080p video with flawless color, impeccable detail, and nary a bit of pesky video noise. In the real world, though, pristine source material isn't available for every Blu-ray disc—due to age or neglect of the original elements—and there are plenty of movies and TV shows on DVD that you'll still want to watch on your Blu-ray player. HQV video processing is a great way of elevating those less-than-perfect video sources to a new level, and ensuring that you're getting the most out of your beautiful high-definition video display.
To do this, the HQV video processors built into better Blu-ray players employ sophisticated algorithms to alleviate the problems that often plague less-than-perfect video sources. HQV processors analyze multiple video fields at once to determine where frames match up and where they don't, and even which objects are in motion within those frames. In analyzing the video signal over time, the processor also determines the proper frame rate or refresh rate of the original video signal—whether it's a 24 fps film source or a 30 fps video source, for example—and makes sure that it is dealt with properly. HQV video processors are also great at minimizing video noise without scrubbing the image of all its fine detail, as well as restoring some of the detail that's lost as a result of aggressive video filtering during the Blu-ray or DVD mastering process. And unlike some competing video processors, HQV processors boast enough processing power to keep up with the multiple video streams (picture-in-picture and split screen) found on many new Blu-ray discs.
Stream Netflix Movies Right Over Your Player


BD-Live

Bonus View
High Definition Soundtrack Support and Output

Providing a truly immersive HD home theater experience, Samsung's BD-P2500 is capable of decoding the latest high-resolution digital multichannel audio soundtracks available. Out of the box, the player can output Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and dts as an uncompressed PCM signal, as a bitstream, or via the 7.1 analog outputs for cinematic sound that is comparable with the latest movie theaters. Additionally, dts-HD HR (High Resolution) decoding will become available with a firmware upgrade in the fall. The BD-P2500 will also pass these and dts-HD MA (Master Audio) as a bitstream output to a separate, external surround sound decoder.


HDMI Features

x.v Color RGB Color Range

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LG 50PK950 50-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As for most people who looked at the LG PK950, I was also torn between the Panasonic G25/G20 vs LG PK950/PK990. All reviews were in favor of the G25 for better blacks and picture quality. The PK950 had better aesthetic design, response times and less phosphor trails for gaming. In the end chose PK950 for flicker-free viewing. The protective glass was also a factor since my daughter broke our LCD TV with a marvelously aimed Wii controller and our 2 year old son used to doodle directly on said LCD screen.
PICTURE QUALITY: I went to Frys in Sunnyvale, CA where they had both side-by-side. Since the demo mode on both TVs were set to vivid, the G25 had a bit higher contrast(brighter) so I switch both to Cinema(54" G25)/THX Cinema(60" PK950) mode . This made it easier to compare picture quality (if remote not available, access picture menu from left side of TVs). The G25 seems to have better accuracy on colors but was a little dull. The PK950 had more pop color wise but was a tad reddish. The G25 had more details on the shadows but wasn't sure if it really had better black levels or if the brightness was just set higher(better shadow detail). So I switched the PK950 from THX Cinema mode to THX Bright mode. The PK950 now had similar levels of shadow detail and now was able to do a better evaluation. Both TVs had similar picture quality with these settings except that the PK950 was a bit reddish (not so bad and I was able to get calibration to get it fixed) but seems to have a better response time to fast motion scenes. Black levels were the same as far as I can tell. According to a [...] review, both the G25 and PK950 had the same black levels. For 3 non-consecutive days, I evaluated both TVs for 2-3hrs at a time and was at first going for the G25 for better color accuracy. What swayed me towards the PK950 was the G25 flickering while watching some DiscoveryHD channel scenes which wasn't exhibited in the PK950. I just couldn't get used to it. I went to some forums like [...] and confirmed that it wasn't just me seeing it. Having owned the PK950 for 3 days, I can say that I'm very happy with the black levels and the picture quality and now calibrated using the settings in the [...] pk950 review ([...]). I had to use the PC and some XBOX360 1080p games with black icons /scenes to properly evaluate the black level and I can confidently say the black levels are way better than most LCDs and other plasmas. G25 most likely has better blacks but potentially may have the floating black problems but maybe not. The PK950 also came without any dead pixels and had no visible problems with color accuracy including reddish tint using [...] calibration. The PK750 and PK950 also have an undefeatable sharpening/image processing (except if you label HDMI as PC and viewing 1080p content), but I don't even notice it so if you're not aware of it then the better. A firmware update is suppose to be in the works (see [...])
REFLECTIONS: If reflections are a concern as with all plasmas, I watch with all windows and 2 glass sliding doors open without shutters during day time. There are reflections from the glass doors. My viewing distance was from 10-12ft radius around the living room with the content viewable from all angles including retained black levels to 25-30ft away from the dining room. There are no reflections from the dining room where the sliding glass doors are situated but see some reflections in the living room from the glass doors. I guess I'm used to some reflections on glass panels like on a MacBook Pro so I don't mind much. Depending on angles where you sit like sitting from an angle behind the source of the reflection, removes some to all. I do think the TruBlack filter helps a bit but they need more work for daytime viewing. Nighttime is a different story. Even with all lights turned I don't see any reflections. Friends and family who came over 2 nights ago during a party at night (all lights on) thought we had a new slim LED LCD TV. When I told them it was a Plasma, they commented how there weren't any reflections at all and impressed with inherent brightness and color accuracy. No comments made on black levels and I forgot to ask. Overall, if you can control ambient lighting during daytime, you won't have anything to worry about with the PK950. At Frys, the G25 handled the reflections better.
IMAGE RETENTION: The PK950 still has image retention while playing some XBOX 360 games with static images (HUDs/icons) for 2+ hours but temporary. It's not something to worry about because they quickly disappear and that was when I wasn't using the "Orbiter" screen saver. Plasmas tend to get better with image retention after some break-in (100+ hours???). With Orbiter in place, haven't seen any image retention for now. By the way, the Panasonic 50" G25 (not the 54") in Frys Sunnyvale, CA has a permanent image retention on the upper right of the TV. Watch when you have a white background on the Panny 50" G25. This is why I didn't even consider image retention on the LG PK950 as a problem since all plasmas are susceptible even Panasonic's it seems.
GAMING: I played some XBOX 360 games on the PK950 including Super Street Fighter 4 and Modern Warfare 2 and I can say the input lag is hardly noticeable. I can still pull off Street Fighter moves without any timing adjustments. Online gaming had a more profound effect on my timings even on an LCD HDTV. The good news is that phosphor trails is hardly there in the PK950 compared to other plasmas ([...]). Modern Warfare 2 displayed a bit during a dark scene with some white 3D objects displaying some phosphor trails during a fast pan in any direction but hardly noticeable. Response times while playing Modern Warfare 2 is fast and you don't get that artificial motion processing you get with LCDs (my opinion). The Game picture mode seems to be the perfect AV mode for playing. THX Cinema and THX Cinema Bright dulls most colors but the deep blacks are retained in the Game AV mode anyway especially with black icons/HUDs. The [...] calibration seems to be ok for gaming as well.
WIDGETS: Only YouTube was compatible with the magic remote. Yahoo TV Widgets, Netflix, Vudu, and Twitter needs the regular remote for typing letters, numbers, and characters. It is a chore using the regular remote and prefer the magic remote like on the Wii to use the onscreen UI keyboard. The Yahoo TV Widgets is a bit slow and needs some improvements like caching maybe to lessen load times or that PK950 just doesn't have enough oomph. I'm used to the regular remote navigation with the ROKU Netflix box so it's not really a surprise how slow going it can be, but wished LG allowed third party keyboard/mouse to be supported. Waiting for Skype app since the LG AN-VC100 Video Call Camera is now available. LG hope you're reading this, keyboard/mouse support please for Skype chat and app usability. Haven't used Flicker and Picasa much. I wish Yahoo TV Widgets have more than 15 apps and had an IM widget. PK950 also come with free games and a Calendar. LG please add the ability to sync Outlook and Google Mail calendar with notifications...it'd the be one of the most used apps on the PK950 if implemented. You can't use THX Cinema, Expert isf, and other AV modes while using widgets but can still use regular Cinema, Sport, Standard, Vivid, etc and can change some color settings including brightness and contrast.
WIRED and WIRELESS: I tried both WIRED and the free WIRELESS dongle connections and didn't have any problems to setup. I only have a G router but was able to stream Netflix and Vudu in convincing full HD.
INPUT CONNECTIONS: PK950 can detect new connections like USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and Component or if the device connected to the input is turned on. It doesn't automatically switch and a confirmation box first asks the user whether to continue or not. PK950 is not 3D ready as far as I can tell.
MEDIA: LG has the best UI of all TVs I've seen in my opinion. It's easy to navigate through the menus. This is also true with their DLNA/USB media feature and the UI leaves you with a good experience even it is sometimes slow. Pictures, music, and videos in different encodings loaded without any problems. Even some big encoded HD videos that don't play properly in iPhones, Android, WM play just fine. Unlike widgets, you can change to THX Cinema AV mode, Expert isf mode, etc...
OVERALL: I recommend the 50PK950 to anyone shopping for a Plasma TV. My experience so far is great and have no regrets choosing the LG PK950 over the Panasonic G25.


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The ultimate in LG plasma displays is now available with the InfiniaTM PK950. Truly a marvel in plasma display design, it offers groundbreaking design elements, smart innovations like the anti-glare TruBlack Filter, THX certification and the wonders of broadband TV. Imagine anything you might want in a plasma display and it's been made a reality with the PK950.

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Ethernet To Coax HPna Adapter Network Homes with Satellite Tv Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this adapter to facilitate a hard line connection in my office (the residential gateway/modem that U-Verse uses had to be placed in another room) through the coaxial cable running throughout the house. I read elsewhere that people had been successful in using this device with U-Verse, and that contributed to my purchase of the device. On installation day, the U-Verse installer told me flat out that this device probably wasn't going to work with U-Verse, but that he would try it anyway. Plugging the device in, I was quickly watching U-Verse television, and surfing the internet, through ethernet cables attached to the device. The installer left, and I figured that everything would be alright. Installation day was a bit hectic (it took maybe four hours, for a pre-wired house) so I hadn't run any diagnostic or speed tests on the connection in my office, which was a mistake. I turned the television on, to check the quality of U-Verse's HD programming. Satisfied in the quality, I sat down at my computer to run a speed test using speakeasy. Instead of the 23/3 I should have gotten (23 megabits down, 3 up), I was getting more like 13/0.5. As soon as I started the test, the TV feed started sputtering and freezing. Doing many more tests, I was able to figure out that the TV was essentially eating bandwidth from the internet connection( and vice-versa over HPNA), and that the upload bandwidth was incapable of going over 0.5mbit due to some restriction of upload bandwidth over HPNA (which is only meant for TV with U-Verse, apparently). I did get the download speed up to around 18, with the television box off, but that doesn't matter much because when I went to the logs of my residential gateway, I saw that there were all sorts of errors being reported. I hoped that the errors were due to the box, and not to a bad U-Verse installation or faulty wiring, and I was correct. Removing this box from the wall, and resetting the logs, I didn't notice any more problems with my TV (I couldn't test the internet, for the obvious reason) and no more errors were being reported in the logs. I made the decision to send the box back to Amazon for a refund, due to the errors that were being reported. I'm not sure if it was an error in that one box, or an error in the entire line (I had read reports of the device working for others, after all) but I decided that running a dedicated ethernet line was a better option for me in the long term.
In conclusion, I wouldn't purchase this device if you are trying to use it with U-Verse internet and television. Can it get you on the internet? Sure. For the price though, you'd hope that it wouldn't simultaneously interfere with your television service, while causing all sorts of havoc to your connection (which, with U-Verse, means phone, internet, and television). I could have received a defective unit, and as such, I'm giving this item the benefit of the doubt (and 3 stars instead of 1). If it was defective by manufacture, and not defective by design, it may very well work for your purposes, but it didn't work for mine. For what it's worth, I've heard that this companies MOCA adapters work great, and it is a shame that U-Verse is HPNA instead. This box is an interesting idea (it must be a new one, because the veteran installer had never seen anything of the sort) but the execution is flawed.

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LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have to say that I'm impressed with this unit. The wait times are not too bad at all, and as others have said, the picture quality is excellent. Standard DVD upconversion is excellent. There are a few minor issues that I've found, which I'll get to.
Setup out of the box was quick and simple. I plugged it in and set a few audio options, video needed no adjustment from the defaults.
The network setup wasn't too bad, but I did have some issues with encryption. I also purchased a new wireless router (the Netgear RangeMax WNDR3300 Wireless-N Router) to replace the near-decade-old Linksys I have. I tried two different encryption types, and both both times the player could connect after entering the key, but refused to obtain an IP address. Disabling encryption on the router caused the player to obtain an IP address quickly, and setup was complete. Currently I'm running without encryption but with MAC address filtering. I'm okay with that, but I might go back and try encryption again now that I've downloaded a firmware update for the router. Other reviews state no problems setting up with encryption, so the problem might be specific to my setup.
Netflix functionality took a few seconds to set up. Anything in your "Watch Instantly" queue is displayed in the Netflix menu and you can rate any of them from the player. Unfortunately, at this time there is no ability to browse or search for anything that's not already in your queue. With the right connection, the higher quality video is quite good - as good or slightly better than standard definition cable. At this point, audio doesn't get any better than stereo, and while it's not crystal clear, it's not bad. Hopefully some new features will be added in future firmware updates.
The YouTube player is nice too. This supports searches, "Top Rated", "Most Viewed", "Recent Videos", etc. It's fun to play around with, and I'm glad the feature exists on this player, even if the novelty might wear off a little over time.
I did a firmware update this morning (it wasn't available yesterday), and now there is a new menu item for CinemaNow. I haven't messed with it much, but apparently you can "rent" a movie for around $3.99 or "buy" a movie for $15-$20. There's a section for TV, but it merely says "Coming Soon". I don't see the point in this really, since Netflix covers the rentals (for much cheaper), and the movies seems to be the same price as going out and buying the DVD. I'd rather have the DVD than an over-compressed soft copy for the same price.
I can't get the Media Server stuff to work at all [fixed! -- see updates below]. So far, I've dedicated about 6 or 7 hours to getting this to work. None of the other reviews have mentioned a problem with this, so I guess it must be me. I installed the included Nero MediaHome 4 Essentials software, and added a directory to share. I started the server fine, but the player constantly tells me "No Server Found". I have tried two different wireless routers and an infinite number of settings adjustments. My firewalls are off. I just can't get a break. As a software engineer with a degree in the field, you can bet that it's pretty frustrating for this to beat me. I'll update the review if and when I get it working. Others have not had the same problem as me, though. So I imagine that this is NOT a problem with the player.
There are also a number of little features related to the playing of DVD's and BD's that I like. The player remembers each movie's last position when it was stopped and/or removed. So the next time you start up that movie, it will resume where you left off.
The video settings are reasonably full-featured as well. Brightness, Contrast, etc. are all adjustable, and you can adjust colors manually (just the reds, just the yellows, etc.) Upconverted DVD's have a couple of NR options, and there's an auto-contrast feature which seems to work pretty well. There's also a zoom feature that let's you zoom in on a part of the screen to get a closer look. That's cool.
Overall, this player was definitely worth the money for me. I'm looking forward to the day when I can get the media server working, but even without that feature, I love this player. It's worth every cent. Great video, great audio, and instant Netflix that doesn't involve me using composite cables to mirror my laptop screen to the TV. Progress!
---------------- Update 05/27/2009 ------------------
Now I seem to be having an additional problem. I tried two DVD's that have an alternate picture-in-picture track that can be enabled. They pop up with a small video in the corner of the screen every so often when the option is turned on (like a video commentary track). I can't get either of them to play with sound. The video shows up but you can't hear anything. There is no mention of this in the manual, and nothing that I can find online about it. One person with the same problem (but a different player) said that their player had a "Secondary Audio" option that was turned off by default, and turning it on fixed the issue. This player does not have that option. None of the standard audio tracks contain the PIP audio. I've just about given up. If someone can tell me how to fix this, I'd be grateful. Otherwise I'd knock this down to three stars until it's fixed in firmware. For reference, the two Blu-Ray discs I'm talking about are Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder and Groundhog Day.
---------------- Update 06/05/2009 ------------------
Following the recommendation of xoco (see Comments), I changed the audio from Primary Pass-Through to DTS Re-Encode. This fixes the PIP audio track problem. I'm satisfied with that, although I'm not sure if I have lost anything by making the switch.
---------------- Update 08/25/2009 ------------------
SUCCESS!! Finally, I can see my PC as a media server. Whatever issues I had were fixed with the latest firmware download (BD.8.08.498.B). As soon as I finished the download and rebooted the player, my PC was visible in the My Media section. Nero MediaHome 4 still does not seem to work, but the standard sharing built into Vista works fine. That's the (very) good news. The bad news? I immediately shared one of my video directories to try it out. I tried a couple of videos that I had scaled down to 720p to put on Flickr, and even scaled down they were horribly choppy and slow. I may need to start messing with router settings again to see if I can fix this. Currently, the streamed videos are completely unwatchable.
Additionally, one of the previous firmware updates added high definition support for Netflix streaming. And they seem to have fixed an issue where the video quality was always lower than it should have been, given the speed of the connection. With a 22MBps connection, I was previously getting generally 50-75% "bars" on the quality scale. Now I'm usually getting 100% (HD), and sometimes one or two steps down from that when I'm using at peak times. It's a vast improvement. And the HD quality is better than I could have imagined for streaming video.

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Blu-ray Disc Player w/1GB Memory, 7.1 discrete analog output, BD-P, Netflix HD, YouTube, CinemaNow Full HD 1080P Output via HDMI, DVD 1080p Up-conversion.

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Panasonic VIERA TC-P42S30 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am the ecstatic owner of a Panasonic TC-L32X2 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock, so when it came time to move up to a 42" set for the living room (and move the 32" to the bedroom to replace the 27" tube TV), I mostly confined my search to Panasonic. I had considered the previous version of this unit (TC-P42S2) because it was highly rated on Amazon, as well as slightly less expensive, but I decided to take a chance on the newer model--even though it's so new that it has no ratings or reviews. (As of 3/27/11, however, this unit is less expensive.)
I ordered this TV on a Saturday and received it via delivery truck on Wednesday. Setup was painless (it is pretty heavy, though). I was pleasantly surprised to see that it supports Internet connectivity (although it wasn't something I was looking for, the concept has really grown on me), but less pleasantly surprised to learn that the wireless dongle (Panasonic DY-WL10 Wireless LAN Adapter for select Panasonic Viera HDTVs and Blu-Ray Disc Players) is another $99. For that much, I think I'll run a LAN cable. [I did; see below. Also see the comments for another wireless alternative.] I'm using the three HDMI ports for my Verizon FIOS set top box, Apple TV 2, and JVC XVBP11 Blu-ray Player. A set of RCA audio/video inputs takes care of my Pioneer laserdisc player. (Yeah, I'm old school.) I don't foresee using the SD card slot for anything but firmware updates, but I like having USB ports so we can watch our Flip movies in full HD glory--once I learn how to do it, that is.
I was very happy with my LCD TV even in the middle of the day; maybe that's why I never realized just how bright our living room is. The first time I tried to watch this TV from the couch, the reflection from the skylight was terrible. Around noon, the glare was nearly unbearable.
In late afternoon/full dark, this TV looks fantastic. It's so good, in fact, that I couldn't tear myself away from 2 Fast 2 Furious, which says a lot. The problem is that I do most of my viewing during the day, so I'm not sure that it's going to work for me in the long run. I'll have to give it a few more days. The preset color modes aren't perfect, but they're fairly accurate right out of the box. Both Netflix and iTunes movies streamed over the Apple TV look great. When I have some time I'll run Video Essentials to get the levels dialed in.
The speakers are adequate at low volumes, and there are separate bass and treble adjustments, but at normal volumes, certain low frequencies rattle the cabinet. It was particularly bad while I was watching Inception, but my wife even noticed it during "Top Chef." I know I'll eventually have to upgrade my 15-year-old Sony receiver (it has only RCA input, and the TV has only digital audio output), but it's a little irritating that I have to do it just to watch TV without annoying rattles. If the sound quality were better, I would be happy to give this TV a full 5-star rating. (If it were just about the picture, I would.) Additionally, I need to jack up the volume when I use my Blu-ray player--a problem I also have with my 32" TV. I suspect that the player's audio output level is lower than the DVR and Apple TV. NOTE: After the first few days of viewing, the rattles disappeared. Also, I wired up the DVR box and the BD player to the receiver, so I have big sound when I want it (unless I'm using the ATV).
One feature I will never use is called C.A.T.S., which adjusts the TV's brightness according to the room's light level. Evidently it's set to On in Standard picture mode, which I discovered by accident. After exploring the settings, I found it and turned it off. I want my TV to stay at a consistent brightness level no matter what the room light is doing. (I'll bet this is why the picture looked so bad at high noon. We'll see.)
So all things considered, am I happy with my purchase? Yes. The detail and clarity blow my mind. I'll test it with some more Blu-ray movies over the next few weeks and see how it performs during the day, but I think we have a winner. Welcome to the family.
Update 3/19/11: I ran a 50-foot ethernet cable (BluCables 50 ft CAT 5e LAN Network Ethernet Cable 350MHz) from my Verizon FIOS router to the TV. I wasn't able to connect automatically; after a few failed and frustrating attempts that made me consider buying the dongle, I manually input the network settings for the TV (the trick was finding and assigning an unused IP address) and bingo. Bonus: firmware updates over the 'net. I might move the Apple TV to the 32" in the bedroom, but the Viera Cast selections are limited. Netflix is essential and Amazon VOD is nice to have, but I really want Hulu. I'm still very pleased with the TV; my only minor gripe is the amount of heat it puts out. (I understand that this gets better. I hope so.)
Update 3/25/11: For those of you who, like me, are interested in getting Hulu via Viera Cast, I received this from Panasonic: "Thank you for your inquiry. This Model TCP42S30 includes a feature called EASY IPTV. Easy IPTV includes and is limited to: Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, Cinema Now, Facebook, Napster, & Amazon Video On Demand. Hulu is an application featured in Viera Connect which this TV does not have. The TVs that have Viera Connect & Hulu capabilities are:
PLASMA: TCP65VT30, TCP55VT30, TCP65GT30, TCP60GT30, TCP55GT30, TCP50GT30, TCP65ST30, TCP60ST30, TCP55ST30, TCP50ST30, TCP46ST30, and TCP42ST30.
LED: TCL37DT30, TCL32DT30, and TCL42D30
[Some models are not available yet and are still awaiting release in Late Spring / Early Summer 2011]"
Why there would be a difference between models, I have no idea. But there you go.
Update 4/14/11: I moved the Apple TV into the bedroom with the 32" TV and have been using Viera Cast to watch Netflix movies. I haven't noticed a single stutter so far. Picture quality appears to be the same as with the ATV. My only gripe is that there's no search feature, and the recommendations in each category are limited in number. The best way around this, I've found, is to use my computer to put movies into my Watch Instantly queue and move them to the top. I also replaced my BD player with an all-region JVC XV-BP10 so I can watch my Region 2 Godzilla movies. ("Godzilla vs. Megalon" didn't look this good in the theater!)

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Internet-Ready Television

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D-Link MediaLounge High-Definition Media Player (DSM-510) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off, I'd like to say that I firmly believe that digital media players similar to this one are the future of digital home entertainment. A simple and inexpensive device like that allows you to stream digital media to your home theater from your laptop, desktop or a dedicated media server located anywhere in your house. This is a great idea. This technology is here to stay. It's just a question of maturity. And, sorry to say, D-Link DSM-510 is not quite there yet.
I truly liked its design simplicity. There are no frills, but all essentials are there - WiFi, Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio and USB port. Exactly what I needed, no more and no less, in a small and neatly done package with clean and straightforward user interface.
However, the device is palgued by fimware bugs that eventually made me take it back to the store where I bought it.
First, the most obvious and the most stupid one is the absence of the on/off indicator. The blue light on the front panel goes on once the power adapter is connected and remanis lit whether the device is turned on or off. So you have to turn your TV on to tell whether it's on or off.
Second, there's no on/off or reset button on the front panel. Well... there's no buttons whatsoever, period. And boy, will you miss that reset button now and then. The only way to turn it on or off is by using remote control.
The most annoying thing is, the device's video output goes completely dark for no apparent reason once in a while and won't come back even if you power cycle it using remote. The device appears to be alive (you can ping it), but video output remains black no matter what you do. The only way to remedy from this is to physically disconnect power supply (there's no reset or power button, remember?)
I upgraded to the latest firmware version (1.01), but to no avail. By the way, firmware upgrade is done via Internet and went very smoothly, although at some point you're left wondering if it's hung up or what? Just be patient and wait for a couple of minutes for it to finish.
I'm really surprised and disappointed that D-Link's QA have not caught this nasty "black screen" problem. Hopefully, it can be fixed with a firmware patch. But until then, the DSM-510 goes back to the store shelf.
And D-Link, take note. If you want to enter consumer market, you have to change your attitude. Consumers are less forgiving than computer geeks you sell your networking stuff to. They won't tolerate bugs that require reaching behind the box and pulling the power cord.

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MediaLounge Wireless HD Media Player 802.11g USB HDMI Viiv

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Samsung BD-P3600 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When choosing a blu ray player, the choice can be confusing at times. After months of searching I now believe the best ones are the ones that match your needs most, after price point. Here is my review after a night well spent learning the ins and outs.
Pros-
Wifi-- This year Wifi will be all the rage. Set up with my samsung after a slight learning curve took 20 mins tops and once connected it worked flawlessy. I didn't even need to read the manuel. Superb and blazing fast!
Pandora--what a terrific gem of a music program. And its free! The learning curve is super easy and fun. I was able to program it from my mobile phone, and there it is two seconds later. I am a happy camper!
Netflix-- Great. super simple! Netflix needs more choices, but that is not Samsung's fault.
wifi dongle!- They could have charged for this. They didn't. Great!
cons, if it is one--The player feels flimsy upon first contact so that you almost want to be super gentle with it. As opposed to the sturdier players out there. If that concerns you, i suggest you hold a floor model first and decide for yourself. Also, still no hdmi plugs offered with the majority of players, this one included. Makes no sense at this point. Luckily i have spares.
Overall- a solid player, with wonderful audio and visual clarity. My test for blu ray, The Dark Knight. Looked amazing, sound oustanding. Test for upscale, Wall-E. Looked incredible and rich.
Nice job samsung!!! UPDATE: Not sure what all the griping is about for a select few, but I watched Punisher Warzone on this player, a hard hitting film if there ever was one and this player did not hiccup. Audio and visual clarity were fantastic!! Also just watched quantum of solace. No issues. A little lag in the load time but I suspect that has to do with the dvd not the player. Sounded and looked great!! Be cautious of those few on here who get one bad lemon and decide the whole basket is rotten.
Three and a half month update: Still no problems to report with this player. I have not had one single issue with any movie I have thrown at it and I have now played over 200 films on it. it's a workhorse. It also plays copies of pretty much any DVD you have burned from a computer hard drive. I'll say it again, great product!
This blu ray player has gone done in price remarkably since it first dropped. It's orginal asking price, for those of you coming to it now, was nearly 400.00 dollars. It is now nearly 50 percent less. This is a real steal folks.

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Samsung BD-P3600 plays Blu-ray high-definition discs (selectable output resolution: 1080p signals available through HDMI output only; 720p/1080i signals available through HDMI or component video) with selectable 720p/1080i/1080p video upconversion for DVD (upconverted video available through HDMI output only). There is built-in audio decoding for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential--Netflix video and Pandora music streaming (subscriptions to these services required). Player has 2 USB ports (1 front, 1 rear) for storing downloaded BD-Live material.

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Sharp AQUOS BDHP24 Blu-Ray Disc Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I haven't written a review for a while but I felt it my duty to let people know how useless the player was. Very unexpected from Sharp. I got mine on a sale new for less than seventy bucks but its STILL not worth the aggravation and I took it back, I was happy even to pay the restocking fee.
There is no comparison to my PS3 or the Sony DBP-S370 which I would totally recommend over this by a long way - please see my review on that item.
Good points, the box it came in was the high point (!), looks nice under my TV, smallish device, streams Netflix 'ok' (although on the current firmware unable to search).
Bad points, cheap construction over all once you hold it, a LCD display that so 1980's, a stupid flashing blue circle on the front (again very 1980's), takes many minutes (1-2 min) to load a bluray disc, I couldn't get Harry Potter and the Half Blood price to even load (even with recommended 2gb pendrive plugged in the back).
Menus are awful. Really feels like a third rate device.
I would have expected better from Sharp, their LCD TVs that carry the same Aquos name are in a different league.
I personally would stay away from this particular item. It won't make a good gift (unless you don't like the person, then it will give many hours of frustration).

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AQUOS Blu-ray Disc Player

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Sony BRAVIA KDL55EX720 55-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I ordered this TV in a bundle with a 3D starter kit that included two pairs of 3D glasses. After weeks of waiting and bragging about my purchase to my friends, I finally got it yesterday. And it's pretty freaking awesome.
As I've said, I'm not really a super tech-y guy, so bear with me:
Picture: Very good. Granted I was watching a 37-inch LCD that was almost six years old, so even watching a crayon drawing on wax paper would be an upgrade. But I watched ESPN HD, Avatar HD in HBO and a bunch of other random things. There was no noticeable clouding (blobs of light on the screen) at all. I was pleasantly surprised that there really wasn't a soap opera effect on the movies and shows I watched.
More Picture: It's true that this isn't a "true" 240hz TV. It's marketed as a MotionFlow 240hz, which basically means that it's 120hz but has some sort of technology that Sony made up to "bring the frame rate up to 240hz." That being said, I probably wouldn't be able to notice the difference between 120 and 240hz anyway. I do wish the picture was a little bit brighter, but it's super easy to adjust the settings. Also, the black levels weren't as black as I'd like. When watching a show with a lot of black screen, it still looks a little gray compared to the black frame lining the TV.
Sound: GREAT. You know how sometimes you're watching a DVD or a TV show and the music and background noises are super loud and the voices and dialogue are super quiet, and then you have to turn up the volume to hear the dialogue, but then quickly turn it back down because some booming music scares the crap out of you? Not so with this TV. Apparently it's got some technology that detects dialog and will automatically soften the background sound and amplify the voices. Plus, when you change the sound setting to "S-Force Front Surround," there really is a noticeable difference in the quality, the sound does seem to echo more under this setting.
3D: Suh-weeeeet! Ok, there are definite cross-talk issues -- which is a term I learned by reading a bunch of reviews. You will see double images at certain points, but EVERY TV review I read suffers from this issue because it's a new technology. My DirecTV offered four 3D channels, one was a nature show channel that rotates shows about dinosaurs, ocean life, and space stuff. I spent four hours straight watching this channel and now know a bunch of random facts about dinosaurs, ocean life and space stuff. I invited three people over and the four of us watched this channel for hours. Yes I only had two glasses, but two of us would watch for a few minutes, and then politely share with the other people -- it sounds pathetic but they were amazed at the 3D. There were parts of the ocean documentary where schools of fish looked like they were a few feet out of the screen. And a freaking Brontosaurus totally peered into my living room -- I wanted to pet him. Even on large landscape pans, the depth perception was amazing.
Remote: Effin' BRILLIANT. I don't know why, but instantaneous response from the remote made me pretty damn happy. I had Time Warner Cable TV before, and it would do some crap where you'd be pressing the remote buttons and nothing would happen, and then like 15 seconds later everything you pushed would happen at once. DirecTV is better but would still lag sometimes. But this TV and it's default remote are like sweet lovers that orgasm at the same time. There is no lag time and the interface screen is ridiculously simple to use and navigate -- even for not-really-super-techy-guys.
Interface and Settings: Awesome. Navigating the settings is intuitive and simple -- it looks a lot like the PS3 interface. Everything's is laid out in Layman's terms and spelled out so clearly that even A GIRL would have no problems using it. There's even little features like naming the different display inputs AND ADDING AN ICON TO THEM?? So now when I change Display modes between DVD, DirecTV and Xbox, it very coolly displays those titles on the screen, AND HAS THE ICON I PICKED NEXT TO THEM! W00T! And changing the settings is cake. You can go directly into many of the main settings (like display, sound, etc) directly from the show you're watching instead of going into the menu.
Wireless and Internet Apps: This does NOT come in with built-in WiFi, but I plugged it directly into my router with a network cable. Done dada. I was getting good connection speeds with Youtube, Qriocity and Hulu. My only complaint is that it probably takes a little getting used to spell anything out -- kind of a weird alphanumeric style that you'd get when you spell something out using a numeric phone keypad.
So far, so awesome. If any issues arise, I'll update this review. But as of now, I'm loving the crap out of my new TV.


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3D Technology Checklist
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Vizio VBR120 Blu-Ray Disc Player - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)after reading the reviews i still decided to buy this bluray player. I LOVE IT. as for the bad reviews, i dont believe some people have ever used the bluray technology before.. I had a sony for 3 years, the load time on this unit is MUCH faster than my first generation sony.. Is it slow? kind of, but its common with bluray players.
as for the people who said internet apps dont work, i think they should check their connection.. this player does not have wifi, but if plugged into your home router, and if your internet is fast enough, it seems to work great! i use it nightly for netlflix.
Remember with bluray players, anytime it wont play a disc UPDATE it.. I cant stress that enough! old players, you would update daily it felt like.. this one i have never ran into a problem updates wont fix.
the only problem i had with this unit was the glue like mentioned before.. but instead of spending hours to get it off, buy some goo gone.. glue was off in under 5 minutes!!!!
overall i would recommend this if you are looking for a budget player. it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive player (quick start, wifi, etc) but for the price it works and is much faster than first generation players. my longest wait with this unit was under 1 min.. my old sony took 15 mins sometimes to load and YES thats common with old players
it made a great replacement for my old sony.. im sure there are nicer units out there but this one does it fow me

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Sony BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this player for several days now. Blu-Ray playback appears to be good, although I don't really have anything to compare it to. But so far its other attributes leave a great deal to be desired.
Netflix playback is especially poor. I waited to buy this unit for its Netflix capability to kick in, and was using the Roku HD player in the meantime. Even with a wired connection, the Sony's Netflix HD content playback is noticeably sluggish and jerky, almost to the point of being unwatchable, compared to the Roku player connected wirelessly to the same router. I watched parts of the same video on each player and the difference is not subtle; it is pronounced.
Also, the upscaled DVD picture on this player is very, VERY soft, almost to the point of looking out of focus, even with the TV's Sharpness setting turned up to maximum. This is in comparison to the Sony DVP-NS700H upscaling DVD player I had been using previously, which appears to have a sharper, crisper image; again, the difference is noticeable.
I'm going to try a few more DVDs and see if Sony and/or Netflix tech support can address the streaming problem, before I give up and return the unit. I had hoped this player would be a nice addition to my BRAVIA setup (46" Z4100 LCD TV), but so far it's let me down.
UPDATE: I called Sony and went through three levels of support. They agreed with my description and assessment of the Netflix HD picture quality and told me there was nothing that could be done about it. I also called Netflix and they couldn't help either; none of their suggestions worked. If I can't resolve this myself I'm going to have to return the player.
UPDATE 2: Amazon on Demand HD video looks fine; very good, actually. Looks like this is a Netflix issue (probably the onboard software, not the stream, since Netflix still looks fine on the Roku) that will have to be fixed with a firmware update sometime in the future.
UPDATE 3: CNET has now reviewed this product. From their review of the player's Netflix performance: "We also noticed that the overall streaming video quality seemed to be slightly worse than we're used to seeing. We saw more "jerky" playback than we're used to seeing on other players".
UPDATE 4: The Sony firmware update issued on December 22 has had no effect on the Netflix HD streaming quality. It looks the same as it did before.
UPDATE 5: For reasons unrelated to this issue, I upgraded my cable internet service to Cablevision's "Optimum Boost," which among other things is supposed to more than double Internet speed. Indeed, I'm now seeing over 20 Mbps on [...]. Nevertheless, the problem remains; the Netflix HD video is still "jerky". Apparently the problem is not the network. I think it may be that the Sony does a poor job handling the Netflix stream compared to the Amazon stream, such as, e.g., upconverting from 720p to 1080p.
UPDATE 6: I did some more experimenting with the player, this time removing the HDMI connection and using component instead, setting the player's component output to 720p. This did not correct the jerky motion problem; it looked essentially the same.
UPDATE 7: The June 14 firmware update (version 146) has had no effect on resolving this problem. I think it's officially hopeless.
UPDATE 8: Well, after a year, there is finally a solution (and it's not the recent firmware update); great thanks to commenter Dean Ferreyra the review thread. Turning off the CineMotion feature on the Sony TV for the HDMI input where the BDP-N460 is connected appears, for the moment, to have solved the problem. Even sweeping camera shots appear smooth and fluid.
Thanks so much to Dean and everyone else who has tried to help resolve this over the past year. If the problem stays solved, I may come back and change my star review.
UPDATE 9: I'm pleased to report that the Netflix HD motion problem has not re-occurred since I turned off CineMotion. I'm very happy with this, and it's remarkable how much the intrinsic value of this machine has gone up as a result. But I'm keeping the 2-star rating for three reasons: (1) the fact that I had this unit for a year with one of its major features effectively disabled, greatly reducing its ultimate value; (2) Sony's utter failure to recognize this simple solution when I called their CSD about it last year, let alone correct it in a firmware update; (3) the fact that CineMotion is a Sony feature, so the problem itself and the failure to address it in advance, let alone solve it, were entirely Sony's fault.

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Experience Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD 1080p quality with stunning HD sound that supports enhanced audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio. You can also play and upscale your DVDs to near high definition. Connect to the internet and instantly stream thousands of movies, videos, music and more from Netflix, YouTube, Slacker and other leading content providers with the Sony BDP-N460 Network Blu-ray Disc player.

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