Top 5 3D Blu-Ray Players
Blu-ray goes 3D. Are you 3D-ready? These Blu-ray decks are…
SINCE AVATAR STORMED CINEMAS WITH its blue-hued 3D vision, home cinema has been embracing the third dimension. With a growing choice of flu-ray decks combining top-quality2D performance and 3D capability, and the PS3soon offering a 3D firmware upgrade, future-proofing yourself is easy and cheap. for once.
SONY PS3 SLIM – Best for Gaming
A simple firmware that can be found on the PlayStation Network, will turn your PS3 into a PS 3D, at least for games, £24 buys the update plus demos of 3D games WipEout HD and MotorStorm- Pacific Rift.
The 3D Blu-ray upgrade wasn’t available in time for this test, but the PS3 is more than capable of displaying games smoothly in 3D and 3D Blu-rays or movie downloads are likely to be equally well rendered, even though the PS3 can experience picture interference at times.
For existing PS3 owners the firmware upgrade is a no-brainer.
LOVE 3D gaming and movies. Simple and cheap 3D future-proofing
HATE Some picture noise
Price £250 (£24 for update)
SONY BDP-S470 – Best Overall Value
Sony’s slender deck is packed with features and has the best user interface around. You get BBC ‘Player, movie streaming from Love film and SACD playback.
The BDP-S470 serves up very vivid and lifelike images, with 3D footage Creating a real sense of depth. There’s a barely perceptible flicker during 3D playback, and the Panasonic deck has a slight edge in terms of colour fidelity and fine detail, but for under £200 this is a cost-effective way to future-proof your home cinema.
LOVE Superb interface. Realistic 3D images. BBC iPlayer. Lovefilm and SACD playback all built in. Sub-£200 price tag
HATE Shifting black levels and a slight image flicker
Price £180
LG BX580 – Best Looks
The BX580 creates a convincing, judder-tree 30 picture at full-HD resolution via its single HDMI port and 20 pictures are also well handled. There is, however, some picture grain, the dock’s menu neglects to offer the option of selecting screen size and Blu-ray discs are laborious to bad.
LG’s built-in web service Netcast offers a limited choice of online apps: YouTube. AccuWeather and Picasa. The USB port only accepts flash memory devices, so attaching an external hard drivels out of the question too.
LoVE Smart styling and interlace. Stylish design
HATE Slow disc loading. Grainy picture. Limited web applications
Price £280
SAMSUNG BD-P6900 – Best Range of Features
This minimalist Samsung deck has touch-sensitive controls and loads discs in under 15 seconds – that’s quick for Blu-ray. The 3D images From the bundled disc, Monstersvs Aliens, really impress. Although the bright, colourful pictures do suffer when viewed through 3D glasses and there is occasional picture noise, the engaging 3D effect is worth the compromise.
Multi-channel, 7.1 audio outputs deliver decoded DTS HD Master Audio tracks. Wi-Fi is built in and Samsung has refreshed its Internet@TV widget to include BBC iPlayer and Lovefilm.
LOVE Speedy disc loading. 7.1 audio output. Wi-Fi. Access to iPlayer
HATE Some picture noise
Price £350
PANASONIC DMP-BDT300 – Best Audio
The 3D picture Quality here is steady, bold and colourful with a very tangible- It’s coming right at me!” effect 2D films are rendered well too, and the DMP-BDT300 makes a fine fist of upscaling DVDs, while an extra HDMI output is on hand to pipe high-resolution audio to your surround sound system.
Internet connectivity is limited, with Viera Link offering YouTube, Picasa etc, and the DLNA is only capable of streaming pictures and video, not music. The interface is rudimentary, but top-quality audio and great 3D picture quality give this deck an edge.
Love Accurate 3D with vivid colours. Excellent audio with 7.1 outputs
HATE Relatively expensive
Price £400
Blu-ray goes 3D. Are you 3D-ready? These Blu-ray decks are…
SINCE AVATAR STORMED CINEMAS WITH its blue-hued 3D vision, home cinema has been embracing the third dimension. With a growing choice of flu-ray decks combining top-quality2D performance and 3D capability, and the PS3soon offering a 3D firmware upgrade, future-proofing yourself is easy and cheap. for once.
SONY PS3 SLIM – Best for Gaming
A simple firmware that can be found on the PlayStation Network, will turn your PS3 into a PS 3D, at least for games, £24 buys the update plus demos of 3D games WipEout HD and MotorStorm- Pacific Rift.
The 3D Blu-ray upgrade wasn’t available in time for this test, but the PS3 is more than capable of displaying games smoothly in 3D and 3D Blu-rays or movie downloads are likely to be equally well rendered, even though the PS3 can experience picture interference at times.
For existing PS3 owners the firmware upgrade is a no-brainer.
LOVE 3D gaming and movies. Simple and cheap 3D future-proofing
HATE Some picture noise
Price £250 (£24 for update)
SONY BDP-S470 – Best Overall Value
Sony’s slender deck is packed with features and has the best user interface around. You get BBC ‘Player, movie streaming from Love film and SACD playback.
The BDP-S470 serves up very vivid and lifelike images, with 3D footage Creating a real sense of depth. There’s a barely perceptible flicker during 3D playback, and the Panasonic deck has a slight edge in terms of colour fidelity and fine detail, but for under £200 this is a cost-effective way to future-proof your home cinema.
LOVE Superb interface. Realistic 3D images. BBC iPlayer. Lovefilm and SACD playback all built in. Sub-£200 price tag
HATE Shifting black levels and a slight image flicker
Price £180
LG BX580 – Best Looks
The BX580 creates a convincing, judder-tree 30 picture at full-HD resolution via its single HDMI port and 20 pictures are also well handled. There is, however, some picture grain, the dock’s menu neglects to offer the option of selecting screen size and Blu-ray discs are laborious to bad.
LG’s built-in web service Netcast offers a limited choice of online apps: YouTube. AccuWeather and Picasa. The USB port only accepts flash memory devices, so attaching an external hard drivels out of the question too.
LoVE Smart styling and interlace. Stylish design
HATE Slow disc loading. Grainy picture. Limited web applications
Price £280
SAMSUNG BD-P6900 – Best Range of Features
This minimalist Samsung deck has touch-sensitive controls and loads discs in under 15 seconds – that’s quick for Blu-ray. The 3D images From the bundled disc, Monstersvs Aliens, really impress. Although the bright, colourful pictures do suffer when viewed through 3D glasses and there is occasional picture noise, the engaging 3D effect is worth the compromise.
Multi-channel, 7.1 audio outputs deliver decoded DTS HD Master Audio tracks. Wi-Fi is built in and Samsung has refreshed its Internet@TV widget to include BBC iPlayer and Lovefilm.
LOVE Speedy disc loading. 7.1 audio output. Wi-Fi. Access to iPlayer
HATE Some picture noise
Price £350
PANASONIC DMP-BDT300 – Best Audio
The 3D picture Quality here is steady, bold and colourful with a very tangible- It’s coming right at me!” effect 2D films are rendered well too, and the DMP-BDT300 makes a fine fist of upscaling DVDs, while an extra HDMI output is on hand to pipe high-resolution audio to your surround sound system.
Internet connectivity is limited, with Viera Link offering YouTube, Picasa etc, and the DLNA is only capable of streaming pictures and video, not music. The interface is rudimentary, but top-quality audio and great 3D picture quality give this deck an edge.
Love Accurate 3D with vivid colours. Excellent audio with 7.1 outputs
HATE Relatively expensive
Price £400
