Samsung BD-D5500

Blu-ray players nowadays do more than play a disc. They are as much about streaming media services as they are about disc playback. Even entry level players like the Samsung BD-D5500 comes networking options and a bevy of features not usually available on players at this price level.

Samsung BD-D5500

Design & Connectivity

The Samsung BD-5500 is slim, measuring just 1.5″ thick, in a glossy black finish. Operation is simple with sensor touch buttons and functional layout. Being an entry level model it does not come with built-in WiFi. It has an Ethernet port for a wired connection. If you want to go wireless you will need a Samsung Wi-Fi adaptor which is sold separately for about $50. For that you’re better off getting the BD-D5700 for $20 more.

Connectivity is basic with one HDMI output, 2-channel audio output, composite video and an optical digital audio output. You can also connect compatible thumb drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, or other USB devices quickly and easily via the two BD-D5500′s USB ports. With the Samsung AllShare DLNA technology you can also play videos, music, and photos saved on your DLNA-compatible devices through a network connection.

Click here to view the back panel layout

Features

The Samsung BD-D5500 is a full HD 3D blu-ray player. It also upscales standard blu-ray discs to 3D if you so desire. It is highly versatile in supporting various file format like AVI, MKV, WMV, MP4, and MPG video plus a wide variety of codecs (including DivX). You can also play your MP3/WMA audio files, or display JPEG-format photos.

In terms of online services and apps, Samsung has one of the most comprehensive selections, especially on the video side. Popular services like Netflix, Vudu, and YouTube are included, but also some interesting extras like MLB.TV and Hulu Plus.

Here’s a summary of its features:

• Plays 3D movies in HD. Also upconverts 2D blu-ray titles to near 3D image quality.
  (Note: In order to view movies in 3D, you need to connect a 3D-compliant AV receiver and a 3D-compliant TV to the player using HDMI cables, and play the 3D content while wearing 3D glasses).
• Enhanced Picture Quality
• Plays 3D Blu-ray, BD-ROM, BD-RE/R, DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, CD-DA, AVCHD
• Ultra Fast Play – start up time less than 3 seconds
• Enjoy music, video, and photo files from both USB and networked DLNA-certified devices
• WiFi Ready – Requires Wi-Fi adaptor (sold separately)
• High-definition audio with decoding of Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS Master Audio
• Smart Blu-ray Player with Web-Connected Apps – built for your TV that connects you to your favorite digital content such as movies from Netflix or Blockbuster, TV shows from Hulu Plus, videos from YouTube, music from Pandora, and social updates from Facebook or Twitter
• Search All feature – enables you to find videos or files on both apps and other connected devices via AllShare DLNA Technology

Performance

Despite being the lightweight among Samsung’s range of 3D blu-ray players, the Samsung BD-D5500 is no slouch when it comes to performance.

The boot up sequence is fast and the disc loading time is faster than last year’s Samsung models. Using the blu-ray release of Hit List to test its picture quality, we immediately noticed the excellent details. Gooding’s knitted eye brows showed up his exhaustion white the distinction between his immaculate suit and shirt were clear. In general, images were sharp and lucid. Colors were natural, rich and were consistent throughout bright and dimly lit scenes. Black levels were solid and inky.

Audio quality was on par with its decoding of the DTS-HD MA 5.1. The adrenaline pumping scene at the initial part of the movie brilliantly immersed the entire soundstage. Subtler background sounds such as the television noises and music in the silent bar were clearly audible and were a nice touch to the overall experience. The bass truly shines in the gunfire scenes towards the end, thumping out immensely but accurately as distant explosions were not as potent.

The BD-D5500 did a commendable job in Monsters vs Aliens 3D. To begin with, 3D elements were interactive. A perfect example would be a close up on Insectosaurus’s body, where each strand of hair was visible and drifting in and out of the 3D images as the wind was blowing. Other natural details looked good in 3D, such as each blade of grass blowing in the wind. The realistic depth level also added a whole new dimension to the movie as seen in Susan’s wedding and the touring of the prison. Details were intricately done as well with Susan’s freckles evidently visible, together with wrinkles and texture on an aging character. Finally, colors were dynamic, rich and captivating. Even in the darker scenes, the black levels were still stable.

Conclusion

For its asking price the Samsung BD-D5500 packs an awful lot of features and delivers a more than credible performance on 2D and 3D. Furthermore, the wide range of streaming services offered by Samsung’s SmartHub will give you hours of non stop entertainment.

Click Here For Latest Offer on the Samsung BD-D5500
Enjoy Free Shipping & Secure Shopping