Panasonic, a leader in High Definition technology, announced today the introduction of the DMP-BD30, the next generation High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player. The DMP-BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final Standard Profile, which adds a variety of new and enhanced features to the Blu-ray arena and one that separates the Panasonic Blu-ray player from the rest of the field. Also unique to the DMP-BD30 is the inclusion of an SD Memory Card slot for playback of High Definition content recorded in the AVCHD format. The SD slot also allows for viewing of digital still images recorded to an SD Memory Card.
Final Standard Profile is an advanced function added to the Blu-ray standard, which...<br><br><a href="/news/2007/10/panasonic_intro_1.php">Read the Full Article</a><br>
Panasonic Introduces Next-Generation Blu-Ray Disc(TM) Player
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Shane
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Panasonic Introduces Next-Generation Blu-Ray Disc(TM) Player
Last edited by Shane on Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dgmeansit1
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This sounds great
The new player sounds great but it makes me regret the purchase of the Sony BDP-S300 I bought back in July. I have come the conclusion that it is really lame when it comes to even basic functionality. It can play blu-ray disks, but everything else about is is pathetically basic.
I can't imagine why it takes almost 2 minutes just to eject the tray so that I can load a disk into it. And then after loading the disk and closing the tray it just sits there until I press the play button before it starts doing anything. Typically, it takes me a minimum of 10 minutes from the time I decide to watch a movie to when I am actually watching it - totally rediculous!!! javascript:emoticon(':evil:')
Evil or Very Mad
Anyone out there who is considering the cheaper Sony that I got should note that I would most gladly pay an additional $100 to get the new Panasonic. The Sony I got can't even resume playback on a disk if you stop it. You have to painfully start all the way back at the beginning including the annoying FBI warnings and misc garbage... and there's no way to bypass that crap!
I would consider it to be a major player feature if there was a way to simply insert a disk and have it start playing the movie using pre-defined options. I'd be interested to know if there are any players out there that can do that because I rarely want to watch FBI warnings and movie trailers and other misc junk...
I have a standard def DVD player that far outshines my blu-ray player when it comes to features. For example, it can remember where I stopped on the last 5 disks that I played in it and it can resume play from there; for starters...
I realize the technology is still in it's infancy, but I still expected more. I have recently learned that there is a firmware upgrade for my player and intend to install it sometime in the near future. I hope it helps.
I can't imagine why it takes almost 2 minutes just to eject the tray so that I can load a disk into it. And then after loading the disk and closing the tray it just sits there until I press the play button before it starts doing anything. Typically, it takes me a minimum of 10 minutes from the time I decide to watch a movie to when I am actually watching it - totally rediculous!!! javascript:emoticon(':evil:')
Evil or Very Mad
Anyone out there who is considering the cheaper Sony that I got should note that I would most gladly pay an additional $100 to get the new Panasonic. The Sony I got can't even resume playback on a disk if you stop it. You have to painfully start all the way back at the beginning including the annoying FBI warnings and misc garbage... and there's no way to bypass that crap!
I would consider it to be a major player feature if there was a way to simply insert a disk and have it start playing the movie using pre-defined options. I'd be interested to know if there are any players out there that can do that because I rarely want to watch FBI warnings and movie trailers and other misc junk...
I have a standard def DVD player that far outshines my blu-ray player when it comes to features. For example, it can remember where I stopped on the last 5 disks that I played in it and it can resume play from there; for starters...
I realize the technology is still in it's infancy, but I still expected more. I have recently learned that there is a firmware upgrade for my player and intend to install it sometime in the near future. I hope it helps.
Last edited by dgmeansit1 on Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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rfowkes
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I was present at the rollout of this new Panasonic Player and was a bit disappointed in the specifications. For one thing, it still doesn't contain an Ethernet port so it is not Blu-ray Version 2.0 compliant. This means it won't be capable of interactivity (such as automatic firmware upgrades, interactivity, online content - things that have always been standard on all HD-DVD machines and are being promoted in new Blu-ray releases). But even worse, while this machine is now capable of doing picture in picture and bookmark, etc. storage (which is a requirement of Version 1.1 of blu-ray I got the impression that it accomplishes some of this via the SD card slot. The irony is that Panasonic does not even include an SD card with the player. When we asked how this player could be called a "1.1" Blu-ray player their answer was, "As long as the player has the capability to add storage to it, it is correct to call it a 1.1 player. While that might be technically correct, it seems a bit cheap not to include even a 1G SD card (which is now available online for under $10). Smoke and mirrors.
Another consideration is that some of the decoding of HD audio codecs that was present in the BD10A are now mysteriously gone from the BD30.
Finally, Panasonic chooses to term this product something like "Final Format Standard" compliant (instead of acknowledging that 1.1 is not the final format. I suspect even 2.0 won't be). At a time when the public should be presented with less confusing options the BD30 has some very big holes in it. The BD30 replaces the BD10 (at the same price) but my first reaction is that you get less for the same price - all things considered. A few improvements, but a couple of subtractions - and the lack of an Ethernet Port(even if not to be activated until a firmware upgrade) doesn't make sense to me.
I'll have to pore over the specs of both units more carefully. You can probably do the same at the Panasonic web site. If you were considering the BD10A the BD30 is now your only choice from this manufacturer because the BD10 has been discontinued. If you were thinking of getting the latest possible "version" of a Blu-ray player you will probably be disappointed. I'd wait for 2.0 compliant machines.
Another consideration is that some of the decoding of HD audio codecs that was present in the BD10A are now mysteriously gone from the BD30.
Finally, Panasonic chooses to term this product something like "Final Format Standard" compliant (instead of acknowledging that 1.1 is not the final format. I suspect even 2.0 won't be). At a time when the public should be presented with less confusing options the BD30 has some very big holes in it. The BD30 replaces the BD10 (at the same price) but my first reaction is that you get less for the same price - all things considered. A few improvements, but a couple of subtractions - and the lack of an Ethernet Port(even if not to be activated until a firmware upgrade) doesn't make sense to me.
I'll have to pore over the specs of both units more carefully. You can probably do the same at the Panasonic web site. If you were considering the BD10A the BD30 is now your only choice from this manufacturer because the BD10 has been discontinued. If you were thinking of getting the latest possible "version" of a Blu-ray player you will probably be disappointed. I'd wait for 2.0 compliant machines.