The Oppo BDP-93 Is Shipping
The Oppo BDP-93 is now shipping. It lists at $499 and you can order it now from Oppo or pre-order it at Amazon. Either way you will be getting an excellent player that replaces the highly popular BDP-83.
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Blu-ray Player
In line with all the new blu-ray players being launched over the last few months, the BDP-93 is a full fledged 3D player that also plays all known disc formats including the almost defunct DVD-Audio and SACD discs. It also supports FLAC and WAV files if you have those on your PC. It now uses the Qdeo chip from Marvell instead of the ones from Anchor Bay. The Marvell Kyoto-G2 video processor with the second generation Qdeo™ technology delivers a truly immersive viewing experience by rendering quiet natural video free of noise and artifacts for all types of content.
Also new are dual HDMI outputs. This facilitates the connection for 3D playback without you having to upgrade your AV receiver. Simply connect one HDMI output from the BDP-93 to your 3D display and the other output to your receiver to decode the audio. An eSata port is provided on its back panel so that you can take advantage of this fast interface to play audio, video and photo files from external hard drives.
With the included wireless-N adapter or the built-in RJ45 Ethernet port, you will be able to interact with BD-Live content, watch instant streaming programs from Netflix and Blockbuster.
Check back here for the full Oppo BDP-93 review.
Blu-ray Player Sales to Exceed 62.5 Million in 2011
According to a ABI Research, worldwide Blu-ray player sales are expected to more than double between 2009 and the end of 2010, and the forecast for 2011 is more than 62.5 million shipments. In North America standalone Blu-ray players are expected to reach almost 18% penetration among TV-owning households, up from just over 7% in 2009.
“In addition to price declines, the greater growth potential of TV-centric devices may be due to some of the recent exciting innovations in TV technologies: larger, flatter panels, Internet connectivity, and 3D”
As interesting as this estimate is, it is just part of a larger picture. According to industry analyst Mike Inouye, “The solid growth in Blu-ray player shipments highlights a trend within the wider consumer electronics market. Larger, fixed-location devices such as Blu-ray players and flat panel TVs are enjoying rapid adoption relative to many classes of small, portable devices. Specifically, portable gaming devices are leveling out, while we are seeing actual declines in shipments of portable audio players. Digital picture frames are showing only mild growth, and compact digital camera shipments are declining in North America and Japan, though they continue modest growth elsewhere.”
What is behind these shifts? “In addition to price declines, the greater growth potential of TV-centric devices may be due to some of the recent exciting innovations in TV technologies: larger, flatter panels, Internet connectivity, and 3D,” says Inouye. “Aside from the economic/job environment it could be that dedicated portable device markets are simply maturing, or it could be due to the greater competition they face from smartphones and other multi-function portable devices.”
ABI Research believes that CE device vendors can improve their chances of success in this very competitive marketplace by, on one hand, continuing efforts to educate consumers about what they can do with the latest devices, and on the other by striving to keep the user-experience as seamless and painless as possible.
Source: BusinessWire.com
What You Need To Enjoy 3D Playback
Earlier this year 3D technology was touted as the next big thing by many major manufacturers. But there were many skeptics. As we approach another new year the picture has become clearer. 3D is here to stay.
To have full 3D video playback in your home does not mean just plonking money down on a 3D blu-ray player. You need a whole chain of 3D equipment to be 3D compliant. Use the checklist below to ensure that you have everything you need:
- A 3D HDTV
, 3D projector, or 3D computer monitor. These displays usually have a higher processing power as they need to display one image for each eye to create a 3D effect.
- A source to deliver 3D content. This source can be a cable box with a subscription to a 3D channel, a 3D Blu-ray player like the Samsung BC-C7900, the new Oppo BDP-93 or a Sony PS3 (with the latest firmware).
- Content – In order to watch 3D, you will need to get some 3D content. This 3D content will come from the source mentioned above in the form of a 3D program, movie, or game. Please ensure that your 3D movies are in the Blu-ray 3D format, as this new format will provide the best 3D experience. Here are the some of the latest 3D blu-ray movies
- 3D Glasses – All 3D HDTVs on the market require Active Shutter glasses to create the 3D effect. You will need one pair of glasses for each viewer. Also make sure that the Active Shutter glasses you buy are compatible with your display. It is best to buy the glasses from the same brand as your 3D HDTV. Most HDTVs are sold bundled with a pair or two of these 3D glasses.
- HDMI Cable – To connect your source (such as a 3D Blu-ray player) to your display, you’ll need a high-speed HDMI cable that is ver 1.4 or later
- 3D AV Receiver – If you use an AV receiver for your home theater setup, these will also need to have HDMI ver 1.4 (or later) inputs and outputs to allow 3D signal pass-through. Most of the newer Onkyo AV receivers
There are also 3D starter kits
Oppo Announces BDP-93 Blu-ray Player
It’s been more than two years since Oppo launched it’s first blu-ray player the BDP-83. And what a player that was. It set a new price to performance benchmark that no other manufacturer in our opinion could match. Production on the player was halted last month due to spares shortage, but some are still available at Amazon for a premium.
As to be expected, Oppo officially announced yesterday that the BDP-93 will be the replacement model. The new player comes with a host of new and improved features. It is a Universal player that plays 3D blu-ray discs, stream videos from the internet and play files stored on your hard disks making it the ultimate home theater media center for all your needs. All that and more for the same retail price of $499 as the BDP-83.
Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray Player
It seems that the BDP-93 has been redesigned from the ground up. Although similar in size it looks nothing like the outgoing model. It sports a brushed aluminum chassis with the tray closing flush with the front panel. Power and control buttons are also flushed. A really neat trick.
Here are some of the new features of the Oppo BDP-93:
- 3D Blu-ray support
- Netflix, Blockbuster on Demand and CinemaNow video streaming support. More will be added later.
- Wireless-N networking
- Dual HDMI ver1.4a outputs that can be configured to support separate video and audio paths or to support two displays at the same time.
- Marvell KYOTO G2 chipset with Qdeo video processing
- eSATA port for connecting to an external hard disk
The player has not been released for sale yet. You can find out the detailed features and specs on our Oppo BDP-93 page or visit the official Oppo Digital site for more up to date information and release date.
New Samsung 3D Blu-ray Players
Samsung recently announced another three 3D blu-ray players adding to the BD-C6900 released earlier this year.
Here are their latest offerings:
- Samsung BD-C5900 (MSRP: $229.99)
- Samsung BD-C6800 (MSRP: $279.99)
- Samsung BD-C7900 (MSRP: $399.99)
They are all 3D capable right out of the box and offer easy content steaming from the net and home computer with their Internet@TV and AllShare features. However be aware that to play back 3D video at home entails further up front costs in the form of a 3D HDTV and 3D glasses (at around $99 a pair) for the whole family. If you are not prepared to go full 3D you can still use them as 2D blu-ray players, stream movies from Netflix, YouTube, Blockbuster and enjoy other innovative features like Internet@TV and AllShare.
The entry level model BD-C5900 lacks internal storage and needs an adaptor for Wi-fi (sold separately). The BD-C6800, for $50 more, is the most cost effective model with almost all the features you need. The higher-end BD-C7900 adds an additional HDMI output for those with a HDTV and a projector in the same room. It is also useful for those with an older receiver that isn’t HDMI 1.4 compatible.
These new models come with slim profiles less than 1.7″ thick and will fit into most home theater systems and should blend in well with any home decor.
Source: Samsung USA