Video Asylum

I think I might have found my new BD player...

169.229.148.138

Russell

...and it's the soon-to-be released Panasonic DMB-BD30. Initial reports are favorable, and it's the first player to incorporate BD Profile 1.1. The price is right as well.

Russell

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=21821 (Open in New Window)

Follow Ups:

There Isn't A Single Standalone That Completely Outshines The Others - Robertc88 05:46:50 11/01/07 (1)
They are all about equal with PQ from what I've read for BD. The Samsung BDP1200 appears better than most to upconverted SD DVD.

Most cannot bitstream for advanced audio tracks and I know that isn't an issue for me but it is for lots of folks who are screaming for this on other forums!

Check reviews when folks put this Panny through its paces. You could always try it yourself and be protected by a return policy depending where you buy it. I got 90 days on the PS3 from Target.
- RE: There Isn't A Single Standalone That Completely Outshines The Others - Russell 08:24:59 11/01/07 (0)
  I've been frequenting those 'other forums' and it's really amazing (to me, at least) how so many of them get into real hissy fits about whether this or that player will or won't output this or that audio codec. I'll be willing to bet that these same people couldn't care less about SACD or even DVD-A. In any event, the new Panasonic BD30 seems to be giving these people grief because it doesn't decode Dolby True HD or DTS-HD Master Audio internally, and it's a deal-breaker for some of them. (Not for me, though.) But I'm now wondering if I should be concerned that the unit utilizes a BD drive designed for notebooks rather than a desktop-sized drive.
  As for PQ, it supposedly has some kind of new circuit or processor to enhance the video. It's been getting very high marks from the couple of online reviews I've seen, though I think c-net says it's really not that much better than other good units. Still, it looks like a player worth investigating.
  I frankly couldn't care less about the special features enabled by Profile 1.1, so it's not for that reason that I would be considering the BD30. From what I've read so far, the new Pioneer 95FD seems to be the BD player to get (at least for now), and I would probably jump on it if it weren't so pricey.
  Russell
  
  Edits: 11/01/07
RE: I think I might have found my new BD player... - townsend 12:04:33 10/31/07 (6)
Click the link below for a positive review. The main caveat is that this player does not include a network port, so how will one upgrade to the Profile 2.0 next year? Regardless, sounds like a great player at a reasonable price.

It doesn't support DVD-A, but since that format has long been on life support, I'm not surprised.
- http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/panasonic-dmp-bd30-1275.shtml (Open in New Window)
- RE: I think I might have found my new BD player... - Russell 12:56:34 10/31/07 (5)
  Several standalone BD players don't include an ethernet port (all of the Sonys, for example), but firmware updates have been handled by burning a disc with an updater file downloaded from the manufacturer's website and then running the disc in the player. Sony and Panasonic have been good with providing firmware updates in this manner, so I understand. Not sure that a player can be updated to Profile 2.0 this way, however--I know you can't update a 1.0 player to 1.1 via a firmware update, as it requires new/different hardware.
  
  Russell
  - RE: I think I might have found my new BD player... - Jack G 13:12:05 10/31/07 (4)
    Without an ehternet port, it cannot be 2.0 by definition, not that that should stop you. It will need a memory card for 1.1 though-shouldn't be a big deal either.
    Jack
    - RE: I think I might have found my new BD player... - David Aiken 14:01:12 10/31/07 (3)
      "It will need a memory card for 1.1 though-shouldn't be a big deal either."
      
      But it's stated as meeting 1.1 requirements. It can't do that unless it has sufficient memory so why shold it need a memory card?
      
      David Aiken
      - One of the requirements of 1.1 - Jack G 14:30:39 10/31/07 (2)
        
        In Reply to: RE: I think I might have found my new BD player... posted by David Aiken on October 31, 2007 at 14:01:12
        
        Now call "final standard", is more memory. They are dfoing that by having YOU supply the memory, via memory card.
        Here's a link
        
        jack
        Somewhat of a cheat... (Open in New Window)
        
        Ah, hadn't seen that bit� - David Aiken 01:11:24 11/01/07 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: One of the requirements of 1.1 posted by Jack G on October 31, 2007 at 14:30:39
        
        I'd just seen something that said it met 1.1 so I assumed that the memory was built in. Now I understand your statement.
        
        Thanks
        
        David Aiken
        
        Its kind of silly really - Jack G 04:33:01 11/01/07 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Ah, hadn't seen that bit� posted by David Aiken on November 01, 2007 at 01:11:24
        
        Cheaping out like that, for what probably would cost them a couple of bucks each (if that much). It still wouldn't stop me from getting one if I was interested in it.
        Jack
Go for it. (nt) - Jack G 09:53:06 10/31/07 (0)
.
It's probably just as well I don't need a 2nd player for a 2nd HDTV.... - oscar 08:55:38 10/31/07 (0)
that I can't justify getting because my CRTs just won't quit on me.

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