Lock and Load: Fastest-Loading Blu-ray Players
Mclatchy -Tribune News Service
Dec 18, 2009
Blu-ray disc-loading times have improved tremendously, although sometimes it still feels like forever for the movie to just play, what with all the FBI warnings, previews, and unnecessarily fancy menus. For most people, disc load times won't be a problem on the majority of new Blu-ray players. However, if you like to "demo" your home theater, that means lots of disc-swapping, and every second counts when you've got an audience waiting.
---
Oppo BDP-83
- CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
- The good: Universal disc player capable of handling Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-Audio and CD; outstanding image quality on Blu-rays and DVDs; best-in-class operational speed and stability; 7.1 analog outputs; feels built to last; onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding; Profile 2.0-compliant; 1GB onboard memory; backlit remote; two USB ports; HDMI cable included.
- The bad: Expensive; competing players offer comparable performance on vast majority of Blu-ray movies; no Wi-Fi for BD-Live features; lacks streaming media services like Netflix and Pandora.
- The cost: $499.99 to $679.99
- The bottom line: The Oppo BDP-83 is an outstanding universal disc player with excellent performance on Blu-rays and DVDs and lightning-fast operational speed, but most home theater fans will balk at the high price.
---
Samsung BD-P1600
- CNET rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)
- The good: Excellent image quality on Blu-ray movies; Netflix and Pandora streaming; speedy load times and operational speed; Profile 2.0 compliant; onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio; Wi-Fi compatible, with purchase of USB dongle.
- The bad: Design marred by an annoying flip-down panel; Wi-Fi dongle is very expensive.
- The cost: $129.95 to $199.99
- The bottom line: The Samsung BD-P1600 has a great mix of features and performance for a standalone Blu-ray player, with only its annoying design holding it back.
---
LG BD390
- CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
- The good: Excellent image quality on Blu-ray movies; integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi; Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow streaming; superfast disc loading; plays music, videos, and pictures off a connected USB drive or over network; Profile 2.0 compatible; onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio; 7.1 analog outputs; 1GB onboard memory.
- The bad: Costs as much as a PS3; CinemaNow doesn't stack up to Amazon Video On Demand.
- The cost: $269 to $359
- The bottom line: The LG BD390's combination of excellent image quality, superfast loading times, and its currently unbeatable feature set make it our top choice among premium standalone Blu-ray players.
---
Samsung BD-P3600
- CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
- The good: Excellent image quality on Blu-ray movies; Wi-Fi USB dongle included; Netflix and Pandora streaming; superfast operational speed and disc loading; Profile 2.0 compatible; onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio; 7.1 analog outputs; 1GB onboard memory; streams media off connected PC.
- The bad: Costs as much as a PS3; front-panel controls are located on top of player; PC streaming setup is difficult.
- The cost: $199.95 to $299.99
- The bottom line: The Samsung BD-P3600 is a huge leap ahead for standalone Blu-ray players, with blazing-fast operational speed, tons of features, and excellent image quality.
---
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Associate Editor Antuan Goodwin and Senior Features Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
----
Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion
Copyright 2012 by Mclatchy -Tribune News Service
