All posts in: Blu-ray Players

Samsung Blu-ray players get YouTube

Electronics
By Carl Laron on September 10, 2009 in

Samsung BD-P1600

Owners of current Samsung Blu-ray players, including the BD-P1600, BD-P3600 and BD-P4600, got a pre-Labor-Day present from the company in the form of a firmware update that adds YouTube streaming video. The players already support streaming content from Netflix and Pandora Internet radio, and streaming video from Blockbuster is also promised by the end of the year.

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Toshiba turns blu

Electronics
By Carl Laron on September 6, 2009 in

Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player

Though everyone figured it would happen sooner or later, Toshiba has formally announced that it will be introducing a Blu-ray player in time for the holidays.

Dubbed the Toshiba BDX2000, the player will debut in November at an MSRP of just under $250, though street prices will almost certainly be lower. While we won't know about any deal makers or breakers such as load speed, stability and video processing prowess until the BDX2000 hits the streets -- and reviewers' test benches -- a quick look at the announced features reveals a competent though not trend-setting Blu-ray disc player that's more or less priced and equipped competitively with "entry level" players from other major consumer electronics makers.

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Sony, Blu-ray go 3D

Electronics
By Carl Laron on September 6, 2009 in

Watching 3D at home

In a previous posting, we posited that the idea of 3D HDTV was fascinating, but unless the stars in the universe lined up just right, it would likely be just that for the foreseeable future -- a fascinating idea.

Still, some pretty significant home theater players are looking to 3D as the next "must have" technology. On Tuesday, the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) announced that it plans to include 3D technology in future Blu-ray Disc releases. The standard is yet to be established, but the BDA says that the format will deliver at least 1080p resolution to each eye and that that discs will include 2D versions that will be playable on all existing standard Blu-ray players. No timetable for when the new discs will be available has been announced. Read more

The PS3 slims down

Electronics
By Carl Laron on September 2, 2009 in

PlayStation 3 Slim

Though some lucky shoppers were able to get their hands on one a bit early, the svelte Sony PlayStation 3 Slim officially debuts at retailers this week.

For those that missed the news, the PS3 Slim ships with a new 120 GB hard drive and a trimmed down shape. At $299, it's also the least expensive PS3 ever. If all that isn't enough, PS3News.com reports that a 250 GB version could be in the offing based on a filing it found on the FCC's web site.

Some reviewers have already taken the PS3 Slim out for a test drive, and CNET and Gizmodo.com say that aside from the lower price, smaller profile and new drive capacity, the PS3 Slim and the old PS3 "Fat" are more alike than different. Read more

Blu-ray gets better and cheaper

Electronics
By Christine Frietchen on September 2, 2009 in

For buyers ready to make the jump to Blu-ray, performance is up and prices are down. While the very best new Blu-ray players, including Oppo Digital BDP-83 will still set you back about $500, a slew of new inexpensive players fit the bill for those who want the advantages of Blu-ray's great picture quality and sound, but don't want to spend so much on the fanciest features. The Panasonic DMP-BD60K, for example, gets solid reviews -- particularly for picture quality -- yet costs about $200.

See more in our latest update on Blu-ray players. Read more

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