Older DVD players are not able to handle standard HD video. In their place come Blu-ray players, which can offer features and quality that meet the requirements of the best high-definition TVs. Most of them are also able to easily integrate with other hardware, such as surround speakers. They can be the perfect complement to HDTV and turn the living room into a real home theater.
The best player models support a wide range of video and audio formats, including 3D and 4K. Below is a list of the characteristics of a Blu-ray player, according to the reviews of the owners necessary to make it a worthy component of the entertainment system.
Build quality and usability
As a component of a home theater, Blu-ray players, according to user reviews, are not as demanding on performance as smartphones or tablets. However, ease of use plays a vital role here. The owners pay most attention to the clarity of the interface and download speed. To configure parameters such as sound sources and subtitles, it is inconvenient to switch from one submenu to another. The player’s download speed after turning on is just as important. Many models have quick start settings that enable their instant activation.
In addition, users must consider the design and build quality of the player and its accessories. Although these characteristics are secondary in terms of player performance, they play an important role in its everyday use. A poorly designed control panel or poor-quality housing can become a source of constant discomfort.
Connectivity options
Configuring a home theater system can often be complicated by the confusion of cables from various devices, but the best models of Blu-ray players can get around this. Before you make a purchase, you should evaluate the capabilities of your existing home TV and the types of cables you might need. Are you planning to use component connectors or an HDMI connection? What audio standards does the home theater support and are there additional sources of sound? If you plan to use the player as a specialized multimedia hub, is there a need for a USB port?
In addition, for most home users, the ability to connect to the Internet is a very important feature. Along with the wide potential of streaming applications, a network connection allows the Blu-ray player to download updates as needed. Most budget players only have an Ethernet connector for physical connections, but more expensive models also support Wi-Fi.
3D and 4K Functions
For most home users, Blu-ray players are enough to provide basic HD playback capabilities. Nevertheless, models of a higher and middle class are increasingly offering features that were previously only available in premium devices.
4K is the standard for image reproduction with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. It provides higher quality than the traditional HD standard. UHD TVs are also capable of broadcasting lower-resolution content. 4K Blu-ray players come in two formats: some can play 4K by default, while others can only scale an image from a standard high-definition source. At the same time, it can be viewed on UHD TVs, but in quality it will not be comparable with the original 4K content. 3D support is also a common feature of most Blu-ray players, which are higher than the initial level. To take advantage of all these features, you will need an HDTV with 3D or 4K support.
Streaming applications
Home theater users do not want to clutter up their television stands with unnecessary peripherals or add-ons. As a result, most Blu-ray players include applications for popular streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu, which combine all content services on one device.
Software for streaming music and radio can also sometimes be found on the Blu-ray player menu or in the App Store. Although their menu system may differ from specialized streaming devices, they are often easy to use and download. However, in budget Blu-ray players, according to owners, these applications load slowly.
Recommendations
The best Blu-ray players offer advanced features and high performance. Samsung UBD-K8500 is capable of 4K playback and offers a full range of standards for audio, video and network connections, making it the best choice for enthusiasts and home users. The Sony BDP-S6700 Blu-ray player, for example, fits seamlessly into a home theater system due to its low profile and wide connectivity. In addition, they are provided with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Although the Sony BDP-S6500 Blu-ray player does not have Bluetooth support, the player has exceptional performance and many S6700 features. Other useful alternatives are the LG BP350 and Seiki SR4KP1. For both models of Blu-ray players, reviews note the lack of many characteristics of premium devices, for example, such as 3D support, but each of them is inexpensive and will appeal to those who need only the basic functionality. The presence of only basic features of Seiki may become an obstacle to the bulk of home users, but the absence of regional restrictions gives an advantage to those who often watch foreign films.
Samsung UBD-K8500
According to owners, this is one of the best Blu-ray players. Samsung UBD-K8500 has amazing picture and sound quality. Although not everyone will like the curved design, the model is full of functionality and has an intuitive user interface. The disadvantage is that there is no display on the front panel of the player. The player fully supports 4K, has an app store and built-in access to multiple streaming services. There is an Ethernet connector to connect to the Internet, or you can use Wi-Fi. Samsung comes with several pre-installed programs, including Netflix, YouTube, a web browser and Spotify for music. The Blu-ray player is DLNA compatible, so it can upload music and videos to the cloud and access files wirelessly.
According to user reviews, the main menu can be reached in 6.6 s, which is faster than the average value of 12 s. There are 2 HDMI ports. One is HDMI 2.0 with the latest HDCP 2.2 copyright protection standard for connecting to a display, AV receiver or soundbar. Another uses HDCP 1.4. There is also a digital optical audio output and a USB port to which you can connect an external hard drive or flash drive for watching videos and images, as well as listening to music. The remote control is small but comfortable. According to user reviews, it lacks backlighting, and, even worse, it is powered by a 3-volt “tablet” type battery instead of standard AA or AAA cells. The Samsung UBD-K8500 Blu-ray player is equipped with built-in DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD decoders. PCM and Bitstream are also available. The player is compatible with Dolby Atmos speakers.
Sony BDP-S6700
The player has an impressive range of features, beautiful design and is relatively inexpensive. Provides excellent image quality and allows you to view 3D discs and hundreds of streaming video services. The player scales the HD content, playing it in a format close to 4K. But there is no full support for Ultra HD. However, Sony did a good job delivering a clear image with truly deep black and vibrant colors, especially on 4K TVs. The player also has HDMI Deep Color. Loads for 14.8 s.
The BDP-S6700 is lightweight and small enough to fit in an entertainment center. It looks a little cheap because it is made of plastic. But the prints on the black case are almost gone. On the front panel there are only 2 buttons - the power switch and the extension of the disc tray. The display would not hurt, but, unfortunately, this is becoming a common trend of modern Blu-ray players. During playback, some noise is heard a little, but they do not interfere with viewing.
The model supports Bluetooth wireless connection with LDAC, thanks to which you can watch movies with wireless headphones. Like most other players, it can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Wireless is dual-band, so it has twice the bandwidth. There is a single HDMI connector and one coaxial audio output. Under the power button on the front panel there is a USB port to which you can connect an external hard drive to play back recorded video or photos.
You can also download a mobile application that allows you to replace the remote control with a smartphone. The complete remote control is too small, so uncomfortable. Fortunately, the buttons are placed correctly and can be used in the dark. In addition, the remote control has a button for pairing Bluetooth and launch Netflix.
The BDP-S6700 supports 24p on VUDU, Amazon, and Netflix. Several Netflix shows are also available in 4K. In addition, more than 300 others can be selected software. The Sony store is extensive and includes audio applications such as Pandora and Spotify. However, most streaming services require a monthly subscription.
Panasonic BDP-460
This is a high-end player with premium features such as 4K and 3D support. Its “metal” case looks better than other 3D-players, but in fact it is made of plastic. According to user reviews, its main advantage is an expanded set of functions, including 2D / 3D conversion and 4K scaling. The home screen takes a very long time to load - as much as 20.2 seconds. The Panasonic BDP-460 Blu-ray Disc Player has a digital optical audio output and an HDMI output, providing full 7.1-channel audio. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD support is built into BDT, allowing home theater enthusiasts to use the latest Atmos speakers.
The BDT460 is also a media center. It is equipped with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a USB port and an SD card slot. The tiny and inconvenient remote has a Netflix launch button. Other applications, such as Hulu, Vudu, and YouTube, can be downloaded. Using the player, you can display the display of a smartphone or tablet on an HDTV screen.
Philips BDP7501
This is a 4K UHD player with HDR support. Image quality is absolute. Philips Blu-ray player is similar to Apple TV. This is a black “cube”, the dimensions of which are much smaller than other models. However, it weighs almost 2 times more - 1.6 kg. Plays regular and 3D Blu-ray discs, DVDs and CDs, as well as original 4K video and scales content in a different format. This, combined with a wide dynamic range, makes colors extremely vibrant and detailed, and black deep.
The Philips BDP7501 Blu-ray player supports Dolby TrueHD and the latest Atmos upstream speakers. HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 on the HDMI ports mean that the player is compatible with the latest and upcoming HDTVs, AV receivers and Blu-ray discs.
Loads in 16 s. Its menu is easy to navigate, and it resembles the PlayStation 4 home screen. You can broadcast Netflix and YouTube 4K content, since the player has built-in Wi-Fi, or music or movies using the DLNA wireless media server or the USB port on the back panels. There are no applications to download other streaming services, so music from Pandora or Spotify will not be available. The kit includes a remote control and an HDMI cable. The remote control is convenient to hold and use in the dark, although there is no backlight. But there are special buttons for launching Netflix and YouTube.
Pioneer BDP-LX58
It may be unusual to see the Pioneer BDP-LX58 Blu-ray player here, but it is difficult to beat in terms of quality to price. Other players may be technically better, but, according to user reviews, none of them offer this in this price range. The main advantage is the fantastic image quality. The scaling is wonderful too, even old DVDs look completely different. Although the player does not have built-in WiFi, it has tremendous capabilities, including 3D compatibility. The remote control could be a little better and does not correspond to the cost of the player, equal to $ 1000.
Blu-ray playback on PC
This can be done in two ways: using a software Blu-ray player for the computer and hardware. If the appropriate software is installed, then you can freely open movies in 4K resolution on a PC, and then transfer them to UHDTV. If the computer is equipped with the necessary hardware, then the only thing you need is the appropriate software. Below are the most popular solutions.
UFUSoft 4K
The full-featured UFUSoft media player features a free 4K Blu-ray player and audio and ISO capabilities. Thanks to the support of modern sound decoding standards such as Dolby, DTS, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc., the application plays back recordings in UHD resolution without loss of quality. In addition, software for playing Blu-ray and DVD discs, 4K UHD video and ISO image files allows you to use the free FLAC audio codec. This is a Blu-ray player for Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8/7 / Vista / XP. An option is also available for Mac, which runs on OS X 10.6 and later.
CyberLink PowerDVD 17 Ultra
This is certainly one of the best programs for playing Blu-ray, 4K, 3D, HD and other formats. It comes in several versions, each of which makes it possible to turn any Android device into a remote control for the installed DVD system. In addition, the software supports virtual reality systems. It costs about $ 80, and it can also be purchased on the Internet.
TotalMedia Theater
Arcsoft's application supports video files in 4K, HD, 3D, DVD, and other file standards without compromising audio and video quality. The program changes the regional code of the system to match the disk, but only 5 times. In addition to all this, the software provides the ability to turn 2D video into 3D. This exclusive Blu-ray player for Windows 7, 8 and earlier is also available for download on the Internet.
VLC Player
Efficient software for watching UHD video with excellent sound quality. It has minimal computer performance requirements and offers many additional features, such as natural color rendering, movie subtitles, multi-track audio / video, etc. The program can be downloaded from videolan.org. Unlike officially licensed players, unofficial players like VLC with the AACS library should open the encoding, but the application works on all platforms and is completely free.