Denon Introduces DBP-1611UD and DBP-2011UDCI 3D Players
Hot on the heels of Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG, Denon has just announced two new blu-ray players that is 3D ready. Full 3D playback will be available with firmware updates coming in the fall.
New Denon 3D-Ready Blu-ray Player
The models announced are the entry level Denon DBP-1611UD which retails at an affordable $399 (by Denon standards) and the step-up model Denon DBP-2011UDCI with a list price of $799.
Denon touts these as universal players which means that they play will play all known 5″ disc formats including DVD-Audio and SACD high resolution audio formats. Also these formats are not popular in the mainstream, audiophiles will rejoice with their inclusion.
Something not seen before in previous Denon players is Netflix streaming, although this is considered standard fare on most players from other manufacturers. Other standard features include BD-Live support, DLNA compatibility, 1GB of on-board memory for BD-Live playback, support for DivX HD+, MP3, and WMA playback, plus Kodak Picture CD compatibility.
In addition, the DBP-2011UDCI features the latest Anchor Bay Technologies decoding Engine and Scalar, as well as all-new Burr-Brown 32-Bit, 192-kHz DACs on all channels.
You can read about these players in more detail here:
According to Denon’s press release, the DBP-1611UD will be available sometime in June 2010 and the DBP-2011UDCI in August 2010.
LG Launches BX580 3D Blu-ray Player
The 3D technology race is continuing unabated with new releases of blu-ray players, 3D HDTVs and developments in 3D glasses announced every week. Although the take up rate is not going to fly through the roof with the lack of 3D media and high prices, manufacturers are nonetheless forced to place a foot in the door so as not to loose out on market share.
LG has joined the fray with the new 3D capable LG BX580. Based on its 2D counterpart, the BD570, the clean looking BX580 comes with a new mirror finish and shares many common features including built-in Wi-Fi and NetCast Web content streaming. It is compatible with DLNA and has USB port for connecting external storage, allowing video and music playback.
Release date is estimated to be around May and no price has been announced.
Sony BDP-S370 and BDP-S470 Now Shipping
The first 3D blu-ray player, the Sony BDP-S470 has hit the market and is now shipping at Amazon. It is not 3D out of the box but expect a firmware update to make it fully 3D in a few months time. Built with BRAVIA Internet Video, you’ll have instant access to the likes of Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, and Picasa. What makes the BDP-S470 worth it are the little extras, like DLNA compatibility, Gracenote Metadata Service accessibility, cross searching functionality, and iPod/iPhone compatibility.
Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Player
Also just released is the Sony BDP-S370 that Sony lists at just $179.99 at Amazon. Although it is positioned as a basic entry level model it is well decked with a host of useful features that includes SACD playback, streaming movies and the ability to view digital photos from your PC or other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) enabled devices to the player.
Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Player
Gone are the days of wading through a messy bunch of network cables between your home theater system and your computer. Yes, three cheers to the Wi-Fi Alliance for untethering us from the burdensome aspect of technology, making our lives clutter free. And four cheers to Sony for making the BDP-S470 WiFi ready. All you need to connect to your wireless broadband network is a USB WiFi adapter.
Sony has also done a good job with improving disc loading times. Both these players load really fast taking just seconds for a blu-ray movie to start up on screen.
Sony Launches First 3D Blu-ray Player
Sony has just announced the launch of the BDP-S470, its first 3D Blu-ray player, which is scheduled to hit the stores later this month at a sensible price of $199.99. This price will almost assure a good take up rate right from the start. The player will support playback of single-disc Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and even SA-CD. It will be 3D-ready when Sony ships a firmware update this summer.
Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Player
“Consumer excitement for 3D is unbelievably high and Sony is poised to deliver the best possible in-home experience,” said Sony home division VP Chris Fawcett, in a statement.
The BDP-SS470 uses Sony’s new “monolithic” Bravia design and connects to Sony’s Bravia Internet Video via a separate USB-based wireless adapter. With that you will get to enjoy Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Netflix, Slacker, and Internet-enabled BD-Live content. Other features include Sony’s Entertainment Database Browser (powered by Gracenote) for movie and CD data. At the audio end, Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio are on board too. Video upscaling to 1080p for DVDs are standard. Sony claims a boot up time of just 3 seconds which is a real improvement over previous models.
The Sony BDP-S470 joins the ranks with the BDP-S770 which shares the 3D capability, but adds built-in wi-fi (an add-on for the S470) and 1 GB of internal storage.
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.
Samsung BD-C5500 Blu-ray Player
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.
Samsung BD-C6500 Blu-ray Player
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.