Sony Blu-ray Disc

Samsung Black Blu-ray Disc Player - BD-P3600

2010-01-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

Product Details

Samsung Black Blu-ray Disc Player, Model BDP3600

Features:
WiFi Ready (Samsung wireless adapter included)

Netflix/Pandora Streaming
BD Profile 2.0 (BD Live)
7.1 channel audio out
1GB built-in memoryPC Streaming
Video Quality Enhancement
BD Wise
DTS®-HD MA / Dobly TrueHD
2 USB (front and back)
1 Ethernet
1 HDMI
Multi format playback: BD/DVD/CD/MP3/JPEG/AVCHD/DivX

Specifications:

Audio
Dolby® Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby® TrueHD, DTS®, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio (Essential), LPCM 192kHz 5.1 ch, MPEG2 audio L1, MPEG2 audio L2, dts CD decoding, HDMI 7.1ch multi-channel PCM output, downmixing (7.1ch to 2ch) for analog outpu, MP3 (CD/DVD/USB), WMA (CD/DVD/USB),MPE 24/48kHz 320kbps max. 2ch max audio decodingDown sampling, dynamic range control, bass redirection management, audio mixing (rate conversion/mixing/re-encoding), test tone, speaker setup audio processing. 24-bit/192KHz audio D/A converter

Video

Noise reduction

Sharpness

Video output adjustment: movie, normal, dynamic, user-sharpness, noise reduction
MPEG2, VC-1, H.264, HD JPEG (VD/DVD/USB), DivX-SD (CD/DVD/USB) decoding

Connections

HDMI v1.3: 1

USB 2.0: 2

HDMI

BD: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p

DVD: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p

CVBS output-RCA jack: BD/DVD: 480i

Component video out

BD: 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i

DVD: 480p, 480i

Audio out: 1 rear

Optical out: 1 rear

Ethernet: Yes

Approximate Dimensions:
Height: 2.17"Width: 17.32"Depth: 9.84"Approximate Weight:
Unit: 5.29 lbsShipping: 7 lbs

Warranty Information:
Manufacturer Warranty (authorized online retailer): 1 Year Parts and Labor

Black Blu-ray Disc Player - BD390

2010-01-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

Features:

Blu-ray Disc Playback

Exceptional Full HD 1080p video performance, BD-Live to access real time extras and BonusView for a Picture-in- Picture experience
NetCast™ Entertainment Access
Includes access to Netflix Instant Streaming service for Netflix members (free trial available) and access to the world of YouTube video entertainment
Integrated WiFi Connectivity
Connvenient connectivity to your 802.11n wireless home network delivers NetCast Entertainment Access and BD-Live features even to rooms where wired broadband connections can’t reach
1GB Built-in Memory
Fast and easy enjoyment of BD-Live entertainment
Discrete 7.1 Channel Audio Output
Outstanding connectivity and audio performance for compatibility with a variety of audio/video receivers
Express Reaction Startup
Quick-opening tray and ready to play before you hit the couch
Superior Video Performance
Full HD 1080p with Cinema mode for highly accurate 1080p at 24 or 60 frames per second
Superior Audio Performance
Up to 7.1 channels of surround sound with Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and dts- HD Advanced Digital Out technologies
LG SimpLink™ Connectivity
Easy one-remote control interface using LG SimpLink equipped TVs
Standard DVD Up-Scaling
Exceptional image quality from standard DVDs with 1080p up scaling via HDMI output
USB 2.0 Media Plus
Music, photos and video from your digital library
Digital Audio Output
Optical and coaxial digital audio output connectivity

Specifications:

Disc Playback Capability
Disc Capacity:

1Audio CDCD-R/RWBlu-ray DiscBD-R/REDVDDVD-RDVD-RWDVD+RDVD+RW

Video Content Format
MPEG2, HP@MLMPEG4 AVC, HP@L4.1SMPTE VC1, AP@L3AVCHDDivX/DivX HDMKV

Interactive Content Format

Blu-ray BonusViewBlu-ray BD LiveNetcast Entertainment Access

Netflix Instant Streaming Ready

YouTube

DLNA

Video Capabilities

Digital/Analog Conversion:

148MHz/12bitNTSC Hz: 60HzDeep Color (HDMI)x.v.Color (HDMI)Composite Output: Up to 480iComponent Output: Up to 1080iHDMI Output: Up to 1080p (24 & 60Hz)Audio Capabilities

Digital/Analog Conversion:

192KHz/24bitSignal/Noise Ratio: 100dbDolby® Digital 2 ch Down MixDolby® DigitaldtsLinear PCMDolby® Digital PlusDolby® TrueHDdts-HD Master AudioAudio/Video Inputs /Outputs

Digital Audio Out/Optical:

1Digital Audio Out/Coaxial: 1Audio L/R Out: 1Audio Discrete 7.1 Channel Out: 1Component Video Out: 1Composite Video Out: 1HDMI Out: 1LAN (RJ-45): 1USB (A): 1

Approximate Dimensions:

Height: 2.2"Width: 17"Depth: 10.9"Approximate Weight:
Unit: 6 lbsShipping: 10 lbsWarranty Information:

Manufacturer Warranty (authorized online retailer): 1 Year Parts and 90 Days Labor

BD390 Network Blu-ray Player

2009-12-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

The LG BD390 (BD 390) is one of the most interesting Blu-ray player currently on the market. I have already ordered it as well, but it is on bloody back-order here in Germany. The guys at InsideHW have just tested an LG BD390 and liked it quite a bit.
Quote from the review: "Earlier this year LG presented its first Blu-ray player (LG BD370) which was revolutionary at that moment, and now, we present you its successor: LG BD390. Our expectations for this model were high, but we must admit that despite our high expectations we were still pleasantly surprised with features that this player offers. For now, LG BD390 is the only Blu-ray player that will allow you to get rid of your “old” DVD/DivX players, and send them to desired retirement. What’s more, this player will allow you to watch HD movies in compressed (among others MKV) format…"

When you pop a Blu-ray disc into the LG BD390 ($300, price as of December 14, 2009), prepare to be impressed. The images it delivered to an HDTV were among the best we've ever seen. And with support for BD-Live, CinemaNow, DLNA, Netflix On Demand, Wi-Fi, and YouTube, the BD390 provides top-flight networking capabilities.

Every Blu-ray disc we tried looked better on the BD390 than on our reference player, the Sony PlayStation 3--with superb colors and dimensionality. The difference in our black-and-white Good Night and Good Luck test was astounding, with sharp, clear whites that made the PS3 presentation look yellowish by comparison. When we examined a scene from Cars, the PS3 image looked flat next to the BD390 image's seeming depth.

But like the LG BD370 (a close sibling), the BD390 didn't upconvert DVDs at anything approaching the same quality. Our judges rated its DVD quality lower than the PS3's--by margins ranging from slight to substantial.

Besides playing Blu-ray discs and DVDs, the BD390 can route Internet video and even multimedia content on your computers into your HDTV and home-theater sound system. If you have a CinemaNow or Netflix On Demand account, LG's player can stream movies directly to your TV. The Netflix interface--the same one that's on every other Netflix player that isn't a PC--requires you to select movies on a computer, but you can browse, select, and rent your CinemaNow entertainment directly from your TV (you'll still need to start your account on a computer).

If you don't have an account, you can still watch YouTube videos on your TV via the BD390. LG uses its own user interface for YouTube; it's a bit clumsy, but usable.
Though the quality of Internet-streamed video varies greatly, we found the BD390's to be acceptable with an ethernet connection. For both services, standard-definition video looked a bit worse than DVD, with occasional compression problems. Hi-def video didn't match Blu-ray, or even 720p, but it looked better than DVD. LG intelligently puts YouTube videos in a smallish window (with a full-screen option), helping to mask their poor quality.

Speaking of poor video quality, the BD390 is one of two Blu-ray players we've seen with built-in Wi-Fi (the other is the Sony BDP-S560). This is a convenience for viewing BD-Live and YouTube content, but unless you have an exceptionally strong signal, we would advise against using Wi-Fi for CinemaNow or Netflix. When we tried it, we noticed a serious drop in image quality.

If you have a computer with DLNA server software (such as Windows Media Player 11) on the network, the BD390 can present videos, photos, and music from that, as well. It supports DivX, JPG, and PNG for photos, and both MP3 and WMA for music. You can also view photos and play movies and music off a USB storage device such as a flash drive. The photo slideshow option lets you transfer background music from the USB drive, as well.

The BD390 is much better designed than the less-expensive BD370. The most obvious improvement: The Power and Eject buttons on the BD390's front panel are well situated near the top of the machine and easy to hit.

Unfortunately, it has the same, disappointing remote control as the BD370. The Pop-Up Menu button and some other commonly used buttons are small and poorly placed. And the slide-away panel that hides the number buttons opened grudgingly. Though the remote is programmable, it isn't backlit.

Aside from the clumsy remote, the BD390 is reasonably easy to use. The on-screen menus are clear and intuitive, but they lack explanations, so you have to turn to the manual to understand what you're doing.

One menu option allows you to output all audio as DTS. This is a great choice if you have an older surround amplifier that supports SPDIF (coaxial or optical) connections, but not HDMI--especially for playing a Blu-ray disc's linear PCM soundtrack. Most Blu-ray Disc players convert these to two-track stereo PCM, but the DTS option lets you retain the 5.1 mix and get the best audio your amplifiers can handle.

You won't have to wait long to watch a disc once you pop it into the BD390. The player loaded and started playing our Independence Day Blu-ray disc in 36 seconds--only slightly slower than the BD370's record of 34 seconds. Most players take more than a minute to load a disc.
Press the remote's Display button while watching a disc, and you can experience both admiration and disappointment. Instead of just information, you get a menu; and you can go to a particular chapter, or change the audio or subtitle. On the other hand, though the remote shows you the elapsed time, it doesn't display the time remaining.

The LG BD390 is a powerful Blu-ray Disc player. It offers great images, and it plugs the Internet and your home network into your TV. Despite its quirks, it's worth the price

LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD-DVD Combo Player

2009-12-27T06:48:00.000-08:00

The BH100 is the new hybrid Blu-ray Disc / HD-DVD combo player from LG. Dubbed "Super Multi-Blue", the BH100 plays both Blu-ray Discs and HD-DVDs at full 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolution via its HDMI output. In addition, the BH100 is playback compatible with standard DVDs and the DVD-R/-RW/+R/+RW recordable formats, but is not compatible with standard audio CD playback. In addition, standard DVDs are upscaled to 720p or 1080i via the HDMI output. To find out more about the BH100, and whether it might be right for you, check out the rest my Review.

Introduction:

The Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD FormatsThe Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD are the two competing high-definition DVD formats that are available to consumers. Both systems utilize new Blue Laser and video compression technology to achieve high definition video playback on the same size disc as a standard DVD. However, neither format is compatible with other. In other words, you cannot play a Blu-ray Disc in an HD-DVD player, or vice versa. However, LG is introducing a possible solution, what they have dubbed, "the Super Multi-Blue Hybrid Player".

LG BH100 - Product Overview

1. The BH100 plays Blu-ray Discs and HD-DVDs, and is compatible with standard DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD-RW playback as well. Via the BH100's HDMI output, Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs can be played at full 1080p resolution on HDTVs that accept a 1080p/24 input signal. Also, standard DVDs can be upscaled to match the 720p or 1080i native resolution of HDTVs. NOTE: Whether consumers have access to high-definition output from a Blu-ray, HD-DVD, or Combo player via both the HDMI and Component Video outputs is determined by each studio on a case-by-case basis.

2. Standard DVD playback is limited to the DVD region where the unit is purchased (Region 1 for Canada and the U.S.). There is Region Coding for Blu-ray Discs, but, so far, there is no Region Coding for HD-DVDs.

3.The BH100 also features the new surround sound and two-channel audio processing formats: Dolby® Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD lossless (2-ch.), DTS® and DTS-HD lossless as well as standard Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1.

4.The BH100 has a full complement of audio and video connection options. High definition outputs include: HDMI (hi-def video and uncompressed digital audio), DVI-HDCP video output with adapter.
Standard definition video outputs include: Component Video (progressive or interlaced), and standard composite video. There is no S-Video output on the BH100.

Audio outputs include: 5.1 channel analog (for access to the BH100's built-in surround decoders), two channel analog, digital optical, and digital coaxial outputs.

5. The BH100 has control, via wireless remote, over all content and features of Blu-ray Discs. However, LG has chosen to lay over its own software menu nagivation system for HD-DVDs, rather than accessing the direct menus on the HD-DVDs. This means that although most of the common features on HD-DVDs, such as commentaries, deleted scenes, or added documentaries may be accessible via LG's menu system, more sophisticated interactive and internet features may not be. For this reason, LG cannot use the official HD-DVD symbol on the BH100.

6. Included in the box: BH100 Super Multi Blue Player, Remote (batteries included), Component video cable, Composite Video/Analog Stereo cables, User Manual, and Registration Card.

Setup - Blu-ray/HD-DVD/DVD Hardware:

Additional components used in this review included a Yamaha HTR-5490 6.1 Channel AV receiver, Outlaw Audio Model 950 paired with a Butler Audio 5150 5-channel power amplifier.
Video displays used: A Westinghouse Digital LVM-37w3 1080p LCD Monitor, Syntax LT-32HV 32-inch LCD TV, and Samsung LN-R238W 23-inch LCD TV.

Comparison LCD TV/Monitors are HD-compatible. The Westinghouse LVM-37w3 (1080p) and Samsung LN-R238W (720p) both have HDMI input; the Syntax Olevia LT-32HV (720p) has a DVI-HDCP input. The Syntax was connected to the LG BH100 via HDMI-to-DVI Connection adapter. All LCD units have progressive scan HD-Component inputs as well. All Displays were calibrated using SpyderTV Software.

Loudspeakers used, included: Klipsch B-3s, Klipsch C-2, Optimus LX-5IIs, Klipsch Quintet III 5-channel speaker system, and Klipsch Synergy Sub10 and Yamaha YST-SW205 Powered Subwoofers.

Comparison Blu-ray players included the Samsung BD-P1000, and Sony BDP-S1.
The comparison HD-DVD player used was a Toshiba HD-XA1 HD-DVD player.

In addition, for comparison with standard DVD playback and upscaling performance, a Samsung DVD-HD931 DVD player with 720p/1080i upscaling (DVI-HDCP output) was also used.

DVD-Rs and DVD+RWs used were made on the following DVD recorders: Sony RDR-HX900, Philips DVDR985, and a Presidian PDR-3222.

All connections between components were made with Accell, Cobalt, and AR Interconnect cables.

Setup - Blu-ray/HD-DVD/DVD Software

LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD-DVD Combo Player - Remote Control

Photo (c) 2007 - Robert Silva - Licensed to About.comBlu-ray Discs used included: The Italian Job, Superman Returns, Into The Blue, Stealth, and Mission Impossible III. HD-DVD Discs used included: The Italian Job, Heart - Live In Seattle, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Batman Begins, and Serenity

DVDs used included: The Italian Job, Serenity, Aeon Flux, The Cave, Kill Bill - Vol1/2, Pirates Of The Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl/Dead Man's Chest, Moulin Rouge, V For Vendetta, and The Promise, In addition, video content recorded on DVD-R and DVD+RW discs were also used.
For further audio evaluation, the DTS-HD Master Audio Presentation Demonstration Discs for Blu-ray and HD-DVD were used.

The Silicon Optix HQV Benchmark DVD video test disc was also used for more precise video performance measurements.

Video Playback PerformanceThe BH100 was able to play all the Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs used for this review. The actual video quality differences between the Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs were very minor and would probably not be noticeable by most viewers.

When comparing both the Blu-ray and HD-DVD video performance against the Sony BDP-S1 and Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray Players and the Toshiba HD-XA1 HD-DVD player - using the Blu-ray, HD-DVD, and DVD versions of the film The Italian Job - the Blu-ray performance seemed to be on par with the Sony, but more consistent than the Samsung. On the other hand, the HD-DVD performance of the Toshiba HD-XA1 was noticeably better than both the Blu-ray and HD-DVD performance of the BH100 and the other test players.

Two Versions of Recording

2009-11-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

One Time Recording

Making permanent changes to a disc. If we use BD‐R the material on the disc itself is changed forever.

here is no way to get the material back into its old state. The recording material is crystalline in nature. As scan spot falls on the surface it changes to amorphous. We cannot change it back to crystal state.

Record Many Times

If we use a BD‐RW the material on the disc itself changes, but can be changed back again .We can do this as long as the material doesn’t get worn out. By heating up the crystals, they change form. Now when we quickly cool them, they stay in that form itself. That is the material is changed from crystal state to amorphous state.

Now, if we want to erase the BD‐RW, we have to make sure that we lose all the data. So we want to get rid of that amorphous state. By heating up the material again, but this time taking more time and less heat, the material gradually wants to take its old form again, and thus the information is erased. This state is called the crystalline state.

So, by very quickly heating it and very quickly cooling it, give the crystal another state (Amorphous state) which thus contains the data and by very quite slowly heating it and cooling it, we can give the crystals their old form back (crystalline state) which contains no more data. It’s a constant change of phases. And so it is called as phase change recording.

Data is stored in the form of grooves, on an optical disc. Next to the grooves, there are lands. Lands are the borders between the grooves. Grooves and lands have a sinus form. This is called a wobbled groove. In the groove, pits are formed to store data.

Different Formats of Blue‐ray Disc

2009-11-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

BD‐ROM : A read only format developed for prerecorded content.

BD‐R : A write once format developed for PC storage.

BD‐RW : A rewritable format developed for PC storage.

BD‐RE : A rewritable format developed for HDTV recording.