Solid Blue Ray player with good backwards compatibility.
Written: Feb 14 '09 (Updated Feb 15 '09)
Product Rating:
Sound:
Ease of Use:
Picture Quality:
Durability:
Pros: Backwards compatibility with older home theatre systems, great picture quality.
Cons: Unlit remote control, one "fit and finish" issue. Doesn't remember disk location after power down.
The Bottom Line: I recommend the BD-55 if you need the backwards compatibility of the connections it offers. If you don't the BD-35 has the same quality at a lower price.
mtrodgers99's Full Review: Panasonic DMP BD55K Blu-Ray Player
I purchased the Panasonic DMP-BD55 (in Canada where I live) mostly based on reviews from the internet, both consumer and professional, as well as release date and its connections. If I hadn't needed the coax digital audio output, I believe I could have purchased the BD-35 for over one hundred dollars less. Before purchasing, I watched the player perform over a HDMI hookup on a 40" LCD screen (which has better resolution than my current system) and I was satisfied with the picture quality. At home this Blue Ray player takes the place of my high-end DVD player (a Sony DS9000ES) in my home theatre. My receiver and television use component video, so I'm seeing 1080i resolution video from the Panasonic Blue Ray player. I can see that the picture quality is better than my former DVD player (a very good 480p), as expected. The overall picture is a tad darker than before, but not so much that I feel I need to do anything about it. I have not re-calibrated everything with my DVD Essentials disk. I collect movies, so part of my reason for buying now (Dec 2008) was so that I could buy Blue Ray movies instead of DVD movies. Setting up the player after connecting it was straightforward and the manual was easy to follow. I have not used the internet connectivity, but I see in the manual that there is a couple of pages on connecting to a network. The remote is okay, but has no lighting. The most important buttons are close together and the Play button has a bump to help you orient you fingers on the buttons in the dark. I read that this machine boots fast and starts disks fast, but compared to a DVD player, this machine takes a long time. Not unbearable, as I imagine earlier players were, but longer than a DVD player.A feature that I liked on my DVD players is missing on this Blue Ray player. The machine does not remember where you stopped it after you power down. I wish it had this feature. The Power and Open buttons are duplicated on the machine. There is a small door on the right side to access an SD card slot. I am slightly disappointed that the fit of this door is poor. There is a chrome strip on it that doesn't align with the rest of the machine because of the poor fit. Its a minor thing; I mention it only for the perfectionists out there.
Blu-ray Player BD Live / 7.1 Lossless Decode and Analog Output VIERA Link: Operate with your VIERA Remote Control SD Card SlotMore at Amazon Marketplace
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