Sadly, my current Blu-ray player, an LG BD530, died. At least in terms of playing DVDs/CDs. Won’t recognize any disc, so I can’t even attempt to clean the laser. It’s been having a problem recognizing discs for a few months now. Sigh. It lasted about 2 1/2 years. I won it at the company Christmas party back in 2010, so it replaced the Phillips BDP7200 I had purchased a few years prior, which I got at a massive discount, because they had the price completely wrong, saved a couple hundred bucks. Only thing, it is huge and slow to load. Still works, though.
And, yes, I do actually have a few other DVD players. I have one that is a DVD recorder (don’t use it anymore). I have a portable DVD player with a 7 inch screen that I’ve had a long, long time, first one I ever got. Though I had been using my original X-Box for DVDs (lost the remote when I moved). I have another which is a great upscan, which I have in the bedroom. Oh, and somewhere in the attic is a VCR (there’s also a CD player and cassette deck up there. You young whipersnappers might have to Google those). Plus laptops, including one with Blu-ray.
Anyhow, I perused a few website looking at what they had available, and noticed the Phillips BDP 2985 at Wal-Mart, due to the price. Even though I don’t have a 3D TV (yet), I figured I might as well purchase a player that does 3D disks.
Pro’s
- Tiny footprint
- Excellent video quality
- Connects to Youtube, VuDu, and Netflix
- Played 10 minutes of Underworld: Awakening in high definition through VuDu, no pauses or freezes, sound and video were excellent
- Has both wired and WiFi connections built in
- Loads disks very fast
- It was a snap to program my Time Warner Cable remote to control the player. Never could get the LG to work right
- Has link to Youtube which connects to my Droid, so I can find videos with the phone, easier to type than using the remote to scroll through letters, and make them play on TV
- Did I mention it was only $78?
I hate to call these “cons” since they are more of “oh, well’s”, considering it was $78
- No standard audio outputs, just via HDMI and coaxial. I had hooked up directly from player to stereo, reduces a bit of loss, but, I can just play from TV audio output to stereo for those times I use the stereo
- Only two buttons on device, on/off and open/close. They’re both on top, and since it is sitting on top of stereo, cable box, and they are on the place above the fireplace, can’t even see them. Going to have to get used to them
- Remote does not have an open/close button, nor can it control volume. The volume thing is the only real con
- Not much in the way of audio or video settings
- Youtube HD playback kept having buffer issues, but, then, has that on laptop and Droid, too
The only thing I do not know about is the 3D. I’ll have to wait till I have a 3D TV. And, if it sucks, well, I can get another and use this one in my bedroom to access Netflix and VuDu. It was $78. Well worth the value. Spending at least another $30 for one with a better remote didn’t seem worth it.
I have a toshiba 3d blu-ray. I won it and the 55″ led 3D tv in a VFW raffle.
The 3D option is great. I like it better than the movie theater version. Yeah, its kinda Kooky, but its a nice extra.
For $78, you get what you pay for.
If you can’t open the tray with the remote control.. what’s the point of a remote control?
Volume is controlled through tv remote. HDMI sends volume and the HDMI cable is a 2-way conversation.
Nowadays, the apps on the dvd player are for those people who dont have a wired TV. Or, you can choose which device has a faster app interface. Since I don’t have a netflix account, I do all my network media viewing on my computer. TV is for movie watching.
I’d save the walmart special as a backup. Get a good blu-ray player. the encoded codecs and processing is that it’s all about. You’ll want to spend @2x that for good blu-ray quality.
Do you have 3D sound system?
Well, opening the tray isn’t much of a concern for me. The only reason I used it on the LG was because it constantly asked to upgrade the software, so I’d have to use the remote to scroll to “not now” and click close. It would never actually install the upgrades.
The video is really excellent on this one. Upgraded the software, was a breeze.
Don’t have a 3d sound system, or even surround. Interestingly, my JVC receiver goes back to about 1987, thing still works, and sounds, awesome. Does everything but surround sound. Haven’t found a need to replace it.
Have two Bose 501’s that got at same time.
You wouldn’t believe how great the speakers for the TV are. 20 watts x 2, great quality.
The only thing I do miss is the ability to mimic surround sound, which the dead one did.
I am still looking, seeing what other ones will do, but, for the price, pretty darned good.
PS: I’m also having a hard time finding one that has all that I want that isn’t at least a couple hundred bucks. Gotta have Netflix, VuDu, and Youtube. WiFi built in. Remote with volume. Best Buy is a no go. Surprisingly nothing at Amazon.
PPS: Walmart has a Sony for $40 more that I think I’ll get. More features, including volume on remote and more web apps, plus a cool app for Droid.
Video is still awesome on the $78 Phillips. I maintain it’s an excellent value.
Crutchfield
The S5100 seems to be a good model. Has the new updated 4.1 HDMI spec as well.
Why do you want a DVD remote with volume when the tv remote can change the volume? You mentioned that your Cable Remote is now able to control the dvd player. And, really, it is the tv’s sound that you are controlling, not the dvd player’s. Or, depending on how your’s is wired, you are controlling the audio receiver.
Once I went to a surround system, I can’t go back. Sound feels misdirected without it. One good thing (only really) about the new HD over-the-air signal is that it also carries 5.1 sound. Pretty cool. I pipe my 3D blu-ray player in to my receiver and then pipe that up to the 3D tv. (I’m not snobbish I swear). Makes for great sound and video.
I’m still using the same tower speakers I bought during my undergrad years. Gone through half-dozen TVs and 2 receivers in that time.