Samsung BD-C5500 & BD-C6500 Now Shipping

Samsung’s 2010 lineup of Blu-ray players – the BD-C5500 and BD-C6500 are both currently available and shipping on Amazon for $199 and $299, respectively.

The BD-C5500 is the Samsung’s new entry level blu-ray player. Featuring an environmental friendly eco-design it draws 13 watts during use and a mere 0.1 watts on standby. Although it’s an entry level player it does come with all the features you will need for high definition entertainment in your home.

The new Samsung BD-C6500 was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show recently as part of Samsung’s new line of blu-ray players for 2010. The BD-C6500 combines performance and speed with improved energy efficiency. The BD-C6500 received an CES 2010 Innovations Honoree award for being the ‘World’s Fastest Blu-ray Player’. Samsung claims a lightning fast 15-second disc load and 15-second boot-up time!

Both players has the new high tech slim profile and access to the updated version Internet@TV including Samsung Apps. The flagship 3D capable BD-C6900 is not available yet.

Panasonic’s 3D Technology Given CES 2010 Innovation Awards

Continuing its tradition of producing innovative technology products that enhance the consumer’s entertainment experience, Panasonic is proud to announce that its cutting edge 3D Plasma television, and 3D Blu-ray Disc player were awarded 2010 Innovations awards by the Consumer Electronics association. The innovative Full HD 3D products will be showcased at the 2010 CES convention, held in Las Vegas, January 7-10.

“Panasonic strives to produce the highest quality consumer electronics products that feature cutting edge technology, while providing the user with a product that increases their entertainment experience,” said Bob Perry, Senior Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Our goal of providing innovative products reflects Panasonic’s philosophy of creating products from ideas for life and is totally affirmed by this recognition by the Consumer Electronics Association. We are extremely proud to have our 3D Plasma, 3D Blu-ray player and portable Blu-ray player selected for such a prestigious award.

“Panasonic is a leader in the evolution of 3D as a home experience and we firmly believe, along with the Hollywood community, that 3D will be the next big thing in home entertainment. 3D is the next frontier in home entertainment and Panasonic is proud to be a leader in this exciting technological advance. ” added Perry.

The TC-P50V25, a 50-inch class Full HD 3D Plasma TV, features Panasonic’s newly developed high-speed 3D drive technology that enables rapid illumination of pixels while maintaining brightness. The 50V25 allows for the viewing of true to life Full HD 3D images that distribute full HD (1920×1080) images to each eye. The alternating left and right images are each played at 60 frames per second. Viewing the TV with active shutter glasses, in which the left and right lenses alternately open and close at the same speed as the images, the viewer’s brain recognizes the images as 3D. The high precision glasses utilize Panasonic’s technology to precisely control the opening and closing of the shutter in synchronization with the left and right eye images alternately shown on the Plasma screen.

In addition to the 3D technology, the TC-P50V25 features Panasonic’s state of the art IPTV functionality, VIERA Cast™, which provides such targeted web sites as Amazon VOD™, You Tube™, Picasa Web Albums™, Bloomberg and a weather channel. The 3D Plasma also features Eco link functions – Stand-by-Power and Auto Power. Stand-by Power minimizes the power consumption of connected devices, when power is turned off. Auto Power Stand-by minimizes power loss by using VIERA link to control interconnected devices.

Panasonic’s DMP-BDT350 was recognized by the CES Innovations awards as the world’s first Full HD 3D Blu-ray player with WiFi. In addition to its Full HD 3D technology, the BDT350 is noteworthy for the inclusion of VIERA Cast, as well as BD Live, 7.1 channel audio decoder (Dolby True HD, DTS HD), an SD Memory Card slot (to play AVCHD HD video and JPEG digital still pictures), a USB port, twin HDMI and DivX HD. The Blu-ray player also employs Panasonic’s PHL Reference Chroma Processor to insure the highest picture quality and P4HD Super Resolution to achieve high speed, precise pixel generation, resulting in accurate up conversion of 480i and 1080i to 1080p.

Source: Panasonic Press Release; January 6, 2010

New Samsung Blu-ray Players For 2010

Samsung recently announced their new line of blu-ray players at the CES in Las Vegas. Four players were introduced in their press release. Top of the list is a 3D capable player that won the CES Best Innovations Award. Here’s the full range of model numbers and a summary of their features:

• Samsung BD-C5500 – This is their entry level player featuring an eco-friendly design that uses only 13W of power during play and just 0.1W on standby. It is wi-fi ready and requires the use of an USB dongle to access the internet.
• Samsung BD-C6500 – With a lightning fast 15-second disc load and 15-second boot-up time this is the fastest blu-ray player on the planet garnering a CES Innovations Honoree Award for this feat. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi support that connects to Samsung’s latest incarnation of Internet@TV. It also features enhanced Blu-ray playback using Samsung’s Adaptive Servo Technology (AST).
• Samsung BD-C6900 – This is the 3D player that won the CES Best Innovations Award 2010. Samsung must be mighty proud of this achievement. But to enjoy 3D you would need have a 3D HDTV, a pair of 3D glasses and last but not least a good dose of 3D content. This is a player for early adopters that are willing to fork out the extra bucks to get a taste of the future. Mass market adoption might not come till 2012 according to industry estimates.
• Samsung BD-C7500 – Another world first by Samsung is this ‘nature inspired’ machine adorned with wood paneling finished with jewel-like gloss. Touted as the ‘World’s thinnest player’ it measures only 1.1 inches in height. Designed to be wall-mounted, placed on a 25-degree angle stand or just flat, it is easy to match it with any home decor.

With a focus on connected entertainment, all models from the step-up BD-C6500 and above include built-in Wi-Fi support, and for the first time, you will be able to access Samsung’s upgraded Internet@TV feature through these Samsung Blu-ray players via wireless/broadband connection, even if you do not have a Samsung HDTV. Consistent across all of the 2010 Blu-ray player models is Samsung’s commitment to green attributes. Each player has improved energy efficiency by using new technologies and are compliant to the more stringent EnergyStar® 4.0 guidelines.

Panasonic’s New DMP-BDT350, BD85, BD65 and BD45 Players

In a recent press release, Panasonic Corporation, a major developer and contributor to the success of the Blu-ray format, introduced an expanded Blu-ray player lineup with 4 new models – the DMP-BD45, DMP-BD65, DMP-BD85 and the flagship 3D-capable DMP-BDT350. The Panasonic DMP-BDT350, when coupled with a Full HD 3D HDTV and 3D shutter glasses gives you an exciting world of home 3D experience. The DMP-BDT350 received the Consumer Electronics Association’s esteemed Innovations Award 2010 for its innovative 3D technology.

These players are scheduled for a Japanese market launch on February 15th, however no date or prices has been announced for the rest of the world.

All four players utilizes the the PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus for video processing. The DMP-BD65 and DMP-BD85 features high definition audio decoder for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Essential and the latter includes also HDMI Jitter Purifier, Digital Tube Sound Simulator and 192kHz-24 bit D/A converter. Both models offer 96kHz surround re-master, VIERA CAST support and a USB por for wireless LAN adapter and media playback.

The entry-level DMP-BD45 is not internet-ready but like the other two models, it has an SD slot for showing images and AVCHD video.

Here’s a quick roundup of their features:

Panasonic DMP-BD45:

• 5.1 Channel Surround Decoding
• No DIVX support
• Full HD 1080p Output
• Built-in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Decoder
• Quick start and fast loading
• Power Save Mode

Panasonic DMP-BD65:

• 7.1 Channel Surround Decoding
• Full HD 1080p Output
• 96kHz Audio Re-mastering
• Built-in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Decoder
• VIERA CAST
• Enjoy Netflix, YouTube and Various Content via Internet
• Quick start and fast loading
• Power Save Mode

Panasonic DMP-BD85:

• 7.1 Channel Surround Decoding
• Full HD 1080p Output
• VIERA CAST
• Enjoy Netflix, YouTube and Various Content via Internet
• 96kHz Audio Re-mastering
• HDMI Jitter Purifier
• Digital Tube Sound Simulator
• Built-in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Decoder
• 24bit/192kHz D/A converter
• VIERA CAST
• Quick start and fast loading
• Power Save Mode

Panasonic DMP-BDT350:

• 3D capable
• 7.1 Channel Surround Decoding
• Full HD 1080p Output
• VIERA CAST
• Enjoy Netflix, YouTube and Various Content via Internet
• 96kHz Audio Re-mastering
• Built-in Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio Decoder
• 24bit/192kHz D/A converter
• VIERA CAST
• Quick start and fast loading
• Power Save Mode

Sharp’s New BD-HP70U and BD-HP24U Blu-ray Players

Sharp recently launched two new AQUOS Blu-ray players, namely the Sharp BD-HP70U and Sharp BD-HP24U at CES 2010 that promises to set new price/performance benchmarks for the blu-ray industry. The slimline Sharp Blu-ray players are finished in piano black to mirror the elegant look of an AQUOS LCD TV.

Both players offer full HD 1920×1080 video output at 24fps and support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. These new players also include Ethernet ports for BD-Live interactive features and direct access to Netflix movie streaming service as well as RSS feeds.

The BD-HP70U is also wireless ready with a USB port for optional USB dongle. It has a reinforced anti-vibration cabinet design with a center-loading BD drive reduces vibration, rigid chassis frame construction. There is also RS-232C port for management by external control systems. Both BD-HP70U and BD-HP24U feature AQUOS PURE MODE, Deep Color, Dolby Digital Plus output for up to 7.1 channels and a piano black finish.

The BD-HP70U builds on Sharp’s solid Blu-ray foundation with a palette of audio features designed to appeal to discriminating music lovers and video enthusiasts. Additionally, Sharp engineers used high-quality components to ensure purity in the audio and video output, including a grounded high-grade power supply along with high-grade capacitors and gold-terminals.

The BD-HP24U Blu-ray player gives users the optimum high-definition video and audio experience when paired with a Sharp AQUOS Full HD LCD TV. Using the AQUOS PURE MODE found in all current-generation Sharp Blu-ray players, the BD-HP24U recognizes the connection to an AQUOS TV and automatically optimizes the picture quality. As a result, images can be viewed in their true form with every detail intact. To further improve the image quality, the BD-HP24U incorporates Deep Color, which extends the maximum number of colors for each color component, reducing and in some cases eliminating color component artifacts.

The new Sharp blu-ray players support BD-ROM/RE/R, DVD Video, DVD-RW/R, DVD+RW/R and audio CDs as well as MP3 playback, JPEG viewing and AVCHD video playback.

Pricing and Availability

The BD-HP70U will be available in Q2 2010 for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $499.99 and the BD-HP24U will be available in Q1 2010 for an MSRP of $279.99

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