BLU RAY PLAYER
Blu-ray players are a good match for high-definition TVs, especially 1080p sets, which can display all the detail contained on Blu-ray discs. The picture quality is top-notch, the best currently available. Many new players can play 3D Blu-ray movies and regular high-def Blu-ray discs. The latest development: models that can upconvert 1080p high def to 4K when used with an Ultra HD TV. All Blu-ray players can also play standard DVDs (upconverting the video to quasi-HD resolutions) and CDs, so you can use one player for all your discs. Many new players can stream video from the Internet, providing instant access to movies and TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Netflix, Vudu, and other online movie services.
If you have an HDTV, we strongly recommend that you buy a Blu-ray player rather than a standard DVD player. Prices for Blu-ray players now start at less than $100, but expect to pay a bit more for a major-brand player that has 3D and wireless capbility. There are already many thousands of Blu-ray titles--movies and TV episodes--on the market, and a growing number of 3D Blu-ray titles.
Portable Blu-ray players let you watch a movie anytime, anywhere--perfect for long trips or waits between flights. Though you can also play movies on a laptop computer with a built-in Blu-ray drive, portable players are often smaller and lighter and might offer more playback options. Most portable players look like small laptops minus the keyboard. They typically have a 7-to-10-inch screen (measured diagonally) with a clamshell-style cover that protects the screen when it's closed. Other models have an exposed screen like a tablet's. You probably won't appreciate the benefits of high definition on such a small screen, but if you have a library of Blu-ray discs, you might like the option of taking them on the road. (You cannot play Blu-ray discs on a standard DVD model.)
Features
Getting a Blu-ray player with all the right features will increase your long-term satisfaction and enjoyment.
3D capability
A good number of 3D-capable Blu-ray players are now on the market. When used with 3D discs, 3D glasses, and a 3D TV, they enable you to see three-dimensional images. They can also play regular Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CDs.
4K upscaling
When used with an Ultra HD TV, a Blu-ray player with 4K upscaling can upconvert regular 1080p and 1080i high-definition content to the TV's higher 4K (3840x2160) resolution. It lets you take advantage of the TV's high resolution.
Wi-Fi
An Internet-enabled player has to be connected to your broadband service. All models can connect to your modem or router using an Ethernet cable, but that can be inconvenient if your player and modem/router are in different rooms. To address that need, many new players can connect to your wireless home network. Wi-Fi capability is usually built in. You may encounter so-called "wireless ready" models that need an adapter called a dongle to enable wireless connections. The adapter, which fits into a USB port, may be included with the player, or you may have to buy it separately.
BD-Live and Bonus View
All newer Blu-ray players have a feature called BD-Live that enables them to connect to the Internet to access extra online features related to a specific Blu-ray disc, such as outtakes and video games or movie trailers, from the movie studio's website. With some models, you must provide extra memory--a USB flash drive or memory card--to enable the BD-Live feature. Another way to view extra content without connecting to the Internet is via BonusView. This is a PIP (picture-in-picture) feature that displays bonus content on some Blu-ray discs in a window while the main feature is onscreen.
DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)
Support for DLNA enables Blu-ray players to access photos, movies, and music stored on devices such as computers, smart phones, and tablets that are connected to the same home network.
Surround sound
The Blu-ray format supports multichannel surround sound. To reap the full sound experience of the audio encoded on a disc, you'll need a Dolby Digital receiver and six speakers, including a subwoofer. (For 6.1 and 7.1 sound tracks, you'll need seven or eight speakers.) Dolby Digital decoding built-in refers to a player that decodes the multichannel audio before it gets to the receiver. Without the built-in circuitry, you'd need a decoder built into the receiver or, in rare instances, a separate decoder box to take advantage of the audio. (A Dolby Digital receiver will also decode an older format, Dolby Pro Logic.) Most players also support Digital Theater System (DTS) decoding for titles using 5.1-, 6.1-, or 7.1-channel encoding. Blu-ray players support a few additional multichannel formats, including Dolby Digital Plus and DTS High Resolution Audio, higher-resolution 7.1-channel audio, and new lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master formats that are bit-for-bit reproductions of the movie's master sound track.
Most players also provide features such as multilingual support, which lets you choose dialog or subtitles in different languages for a movie. Parental control lets you lock out films by their rating code. When you're watching a movie on disc, dynamic audio-range controls help keep explosions and other noisy sound effects from seeming too loud.
Navigation
Blu-ray players enable you to navigate discs in a number of ways. Unlike VHS tapes, most DVDs and Blu-ray discs are sectioned. Chapter preview lets you scan the opening seconds of each section or chapter until you find what you want. A related feature, chapter gallery, shows thumbnails of section or chapter opening scenes. Go-to by time lets you enter how many hours and minutes into the disc you'd like to skip to. Marker functions allow easy indexing of specific sections. Blu-ray interactivity allows you to navigate the disc's menus and other content without leaving the movie.
Picture controls
The aspect-ratio control feature lets you choose between the squarish 4:3 viewing format (4 inches wide for every 3 inches high) and the widescreen 16:9 ratio. Picture zoom lets you zoom in on a specific frame. Black-level adjustment brings out the detail in dark parts of the screen image. Multiangle capability lets you see some action scenes from different angles, when used with discs that include this feature. Some players also provide other picture adjustment settings such as brightness and sharpness, but we suggest using your TV's picture controls to optimize picture settings.
A/V connections
All Blu-ray players have HDMI outputs, which carry audio and video on a single cable to your TV or A/V receiver, simplifying connections. (3D-capable Blu-ray players have newer HDMI 1.4 connections, but they don't require special cables--any high-speed HDMI cable will do.) Some players also have component-video outputs, which you might need for an older HDTV that doesn't have HDMI inputs. But players made since Jan. 1, 2011, can't send high-def signals from a Blu-ray disc through a component connection; they transmit HD only via HDMI. Older players can send HD signals through component video. All players will support at least 5.1-channel sound through the digital-audio outputs. Most Blu-ray players will also support high-resolution 7.1-channel audio from Blu-ray discs.
USB connections and memory-card slots
Many players now include a USB port or a memory-card slot, which provides the extra memory some players need to access BD-Live. This also allows you to play digital media files, such as music, photos, or videos, on your TV. Some have a slide-show capability for digital photos.
Disc capacity
Most Blu-ray players accommodate a single disc at a time. Sony has a multidisc Blu-ray player, and we expect to see more in the future. LG offers a Blu-ray player that includes a built-in hard drive for storing music, photos, and videos.
Disc formats
All Blu-ray players can play commercial Blu-ray discs and standard DVDs. Current Blu-ray players can play commercially released CDs and may play CDs burned with MP3 files. A given model might play JPEG, WMA, or video CDs, or DVD-/+/R/RW or DVD-RAM discs you've recorded. Some Blu-ray and DVD players are "universal" models that can play higher-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio discs.
If you think you want to upgrade to a 3D TV in the near future, you need a Blu-ray player that will play 3D discs. Each major manufacturer has at least one 3D-enabled player in its lineup, and many offer more.
If you're ready for Blu-ray, it's a good time to dive in. Check out Deluxe online store for the latest Blu ray players.