Budget Blu-ray Players

Blu-ray on a budget entails some compromises

Among less expensive Blu-ray players, the Panasonic DMP-BD60K (*Est. $150) stands out as a top choice. While you won't find features such as a Wi-Fi network link or analog multichannel audio outputs in this Panasonic Blu-ray player, you will find solid picture quality and reliable performance, albeit at a somewhat slower pace than some other Blu-ray players.

The Panasonic DMP-BD60K is a BD-Live player (see our What to Look For page for an explanation), but that compliance comes with a few catches. For one, because there's no Wi-Fi, you'll need to run an Ethernet connection to the player. Second, Panasonic doesn't build in the required memory, which means you'll need to add it yourself via an SD memory card, which is not included. You'll also find Internet streaming, though not all critics are impressed with Viera Cast, Panasonic's approach to that feature.

Even with all of these caveats, that's a pretty impressive list of features considering the DMP-BD60K's price. However, what's truly impressive is this Panasonic Blu-ray player's picture quality. The Panasonic DMP-BD60K has been tested by CNET, PCMag.com, Home Theater magazine, Sound & Vision magazine and others, and all concur that there are essentially no nits to pick with Blu-ray performance. DVD performance is also rock solid for a Blu-ray player in this price range, though purists might want to look elsewhere -- and be prepared to spend much more. Even so, Home Theater's Kris Deering seems to sum up the consensus when he writes, "You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find material of any kind, standard def or high def, that doesn't look great on this player." User reviews are largely very positive.

In terms of performance, the Panasonic DMP-BD60K isn't bad compared with yesterday's Blu-ray Disc players. However, it is certainly left in the dust by many current ones. There is a quick-start mode that's designed to speed things up a bit, but Robert Heron at PCMag.com complains that using it notably increases standby energy consumption. Additionally, in a comparison of three budget players, Sound & Vision calls the Panasonic DMP-BD60K "sluggish" compared with the others, even with Quick Start turned on.

The Panasonic DMP-BD60K includes onboard decoders for the latest lossless formats -- Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio -- and can send them as PCM over HDMI to newer home theater receivers equipped with the appropriate HDMI inputs. The player also can bitstream that audio via HDMI to newer audiovisual receivers that have their own decoders (see our What to Look For page if this jargon leaves you confused). Unfortunately, the lack of analog audio outputs means owners of older home theater receivers will be restricted to older, less-ideal audio formats. Panasonic does offer the step-up DMP-BD80K (*Est. $190), which includes 7.1-channel audio outputs, but that player offers few other significant improvements for its higher price.

Though street prices are a little higher, the Samsung BD-P1600 (*Est. $200) is also a consideration among lower-priced Blu-ray players. We found split decisions regarding it. CNET rates the BD-P1600 a bit higher than the Panasonic DMP-BD60K on the strength of its better features. Sound & Vision also likes the feature set on the BD-P1600, but Al Griffin says of its Panasonic competitor, "If I were shopping for a Blu-ray player, it would be at the top of my list."

Features-wise, there are a lot of similarities between the two Blu-ray players. Audio capabilities are similar, and neither has multichannel analog audio outputs. Both are BD-Live-ready, but they need the addition of memory (in the form of a USB flash drive). Wi-Fi is not built in, but unlike the Panasonic DMP-BD60K, it can be added via a dongle; the catch is that the dongle sells for $80, which raises the price out of the budget range. In fact, CNET says that if you do want a Samsung Blu-ray Disc player with Wi-Fi, stepping up to the Samsung BD-P3600 with its additional features makes much more sense.

Picture quality with Blu-ray Discs is pristine, all critics say. When it comes to standard-definition DVDs, however, the Samsung BD-P1600 stumbles a little. At CNET, Matthew Moskovciak says that standard-definition performance isn't terrible. But when compared head-to-head, he favors the Panasonic "as it had a slightly cleaner and sharper look to it."

The Samsung BD-P1600 has a clear edge in most reviewers' eyes when it comes to operational speed. The design is attractive, with controls and the disc tray hidden under a flip-open panel. However, not all reviewers were impressed, with Moskovciak complaining that the panel has to be manually flipped down to make adjustments and that it can't close if a USB drive is plugged into the front panel port (there's a second port on the rear panel as well). All reviewers prefer the video streaming options on the BD-P1600, which includes Netflix as a content provider.

One danger sign: We saw numerous user reviews reporting lockup problems with the BD-P1600 following a firmware update. Sound & Vision reports a similar issue with its initial review unit, but that a replacement worked flawlessly.

The LG BD370 (*Est. $155) draws a couple of nice comments. CNET loves the feature set, which is similar to the step-up LG BD390. It has terrific networking features, highlighted by access to content from Netflix and YouTube. Performance is speedy, and support for the latest lossless audio formats is built in.

We've seen some differing opinions on image quality, however. Though CNET includes the LG BD370 on its list of top Blu-ray players, Matthew Moskovciak is unimpressed with Blu-ray and DVD video quality. Britain's Home Cinema Choice Magazine, on the other hand, names the player a Best Buy. While Rik Henderson agrees that DVD playback is not quite up to snuff, performance with Blu-ray is called excellent. User reviews are generally solid, though some support/reliability complaints are noted.

Some very inexpensive players are also available. One example is the Insignia NS-BRDVD3 (*Est. $150). Though its everyday price is roughly the same as the Panasonic DMP-BD60K, the NS-BRDVD3 has been seen on sale for as little as $100.

Considering the price, the feature lineup is strong. This is a BD-Live ready player, but you'll have to add your own 1 GB or more of memory via a USB flash-drive to access BD-Live features. Decoders are built in for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The ability to stream content from Netflix has been newly added.

There are no professional reviews of the NS-BRDVD3 as of yet, but previous Insignia players have received modest recommendations as good budget alternatives. User reviews are beginning to accumulate at BestBuy.com (Insignia is Best Buy's house brand), and they paint a mixed picture. Most are satisfied (nearly 80 percent say they would recommend the player to a friend), but a significant number also complain about reliability issues. A few say that they were misled regarding the availability of Netflix streaming, but the update to allow that has now been released. A detailed discussion thread at AVSForum.com (nearly 200 posts at last look) shows that most posting there who have tried the NS-BRDVD3 are satisfied with value and performance.

If all you want to do is watch a movie and don't care about BD-Live compatibility, a couple of low-priced Bonus View (Profile 1.1) players seem to score well. The Magnavox NB530MGX (*Est. $150) and Sylvania NB530SLX (*Est. $140) are essentially identical Funai-made Blu-ray players. We've seen one professional review that compliments picture quality with both Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, but it complains about slower-than-average disc load times. User reviews are beginning to accumulate and are generally positive. Though their average selling prices are not impressive compared with other more-feature-rich players -- such as the Panasonic DMP-BD60K -- both Funai players can be purchased for less with careful shopping, and they have sold for as little as $100 on occasion.