Samsung new Blu-ray player the BD-P1500 becomes a more compelling option.It is relatively inexpensive compared with other Blu-ray players with very good image quality.If you are not interested to buy the Panasonic DMP-BD50- Sony Playstation 3,the Samsung BD-P1500 is better choice for the money.The BD-P1500 upgraded its standard DVD resolution to 1080p and supports full HD Blu-ray movies, naturally. Samsung claims it will update the BD-IP500 by adding Profile 2.0 support and onboard DTS-HD Master Audio decoding in the future to fight back against PS3.

Presently Samsung BD-P1500 is a Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player, which can operate picture-in-picture commentary tracks such as Sunshine.Samsung is promising to update its player with a Profile 2.0 player so that it can access the BD-Live features on a Blu-ray Discs.The BD-P1500 can internally decode Dolby TrueHD, but currently can’t decode DTS-HD Master Audio bit stream output for all high-resolution audio formats.It also provides ethernet port for firmware updates.

Samsung BD-P1500 Specifications:

General:

Product Type:    Blu-Ray disc player
Form Factor:    Tabletop
Width:    16.9 in
Depth:    10.8 in
Height:    3.3 in
Weight:    8.6 lbs

System:

Parental Lock:   Yes

VCR:

Sound Output Mode:    Stereo

DVD:

Media Type:    CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD-RW
Built-in Audio Decoders:    DTS decoder, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus
Media Load Type:    Tray
Supported Digital Video Standards:    VC-1, H.264, MPEG-2
Supported Digital Audio Standards:    PCM
Upscaling:    Yes
Output Resolution:    480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

Audio System:

Digital Audio Format:    DTS digital output, Dolby Digital output
Response Bandwidth:    4 - 44000 Hz
Dynamic Range:    100 dB
Signal-To-Noise Ratio:    110 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion:    0.003 %
Additional Features:    Upgradeable firmware

DVD Features:

Additional Features:    BD-Live, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning

Remote Control:

Type:    Universal remote control
Technology:    Infrared

Connections:

Connector Type:    1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x Component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Digital audio output (optical) ( TOSLINK ) - Rear, 1 x Network ( RJ-45 ) - Rear, 1 x USB - Rear

Power:

Power Consumption Operational:    28 Watt
Power Device:    Power supply
Type:    Power supply
Power:    AC 120 V

Manufacturer Warranty:

Service & Support:    1 year warranty
Service & Support Details:    Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year, Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days

The display screen on the DCP750 swivels, tablet-PC style, allowing you to present it either as a flat tablet or standard flip-top DVD player, even with the remote control or an iPod installed.

If there’s a video format out there, then the DCP750 will pretty much play it. We were somewhat surprised to note that it’s not region free, which is a tad annoying for a portable player. Some quick Googling fixed that for us, thankfully. The optical drive also supports DVD, DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, SVCD, Video CD, CD, CD-R/CD-RW, MP3-CD, Picture CD and DivX, which should keep you entertained. If that’s not enough, an SD card slot on the side lets you browse photos. Finally, the compatibility with 5th generation iPods lets you access any iPod-compatible media.

The DCP750 also doesn’t slack when it comes to connectivity. It boasts AV input and AV output — so when you get to your motel room, you can plug it in and watch your DVDs and iPod videos full-screen. It’s also got two headphone sockets, ideal for subduing two unruly backseat passengers.

The DCP750’s display has what Philips calls a Zero Bright Dot screen. In non-marketing speak, that means it shouldn’t have any over-bright pixels distracting from the image. In our tests we were very impressed with the screen quality of the DCP750 across all media. We were less impressed with the inbuilt speakers on the player. At higher volume levels — such as those found in the average car — we found the speakers distorting a touch.

Switching to other media is as simple as hitting the source button on the player, or the dedicated buttons on the top of the remote. We did become intermittently annoyed with the remote, which wasn’t always responsive to our button presses.

The only major caveat we’d apply to the DCP750 is that with an RRP of over AU$300, it’s not exactly an inexpensive player, and certainly not one you’d want pinched out of your car. There’s certainly enough lurking within its interior to justify the asking price, but if you only want an in-car DVD option to pacify the kids and don’t care for the iPod connectivity then cheaper options are available.

The DVR-LX60D has a built-in SD digital tuner and contains a 250GB drive which, with the highest compression rates, can hold up to 711 hours of recordings.

For users with Foxtel and European electronics, the recorder features a SCART port for straightforward connectivity — and it can then upscale these signals to 1080p. As the device is also a DVD player, it can also upscale disks to 1080p via the HDMI connection.

Multimedia is also well served by the DVR-LX60D — users can rip CDs or copy MP3s from a USB source straight to the HDD if they wish. It also features JPEG compatibility, which means you can also watch slide shows or even print photographs from the hard disk with a PictBridge compatible USB printer.

From our experiences with the Pioneer BDP-LX70 Blu-ray player, if you are at all obsessive, a piano-black finish is not for you. Load a DVD and your pristine player will be festooned with prints.

We would have liked to see an HD tuner onboard this player, as the ability to save and replay HD content on the hard disk would be a killer feature. Of course, you can’t save HD onto DVD, but surely it would be easy to implement a downscaler for archiving purposes.

The DVR-LX60D looks pretty classy in its piano-black coat and has several useful AV features. Upscaling capability is fantastic, but it’s something that most DVD players can now do. Nevertheless, the DVR-LX60D could form an integral part of an all-Pioneer system.

Panasonic

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, which allows the viewing of digital still images recorded to an SD Memory Card.

The Final Standard Profile is an advanced function added to the Blue-ray standard, which opens the door to new functions such as Picture-in-Picture and Audio Mixing.

With an SRP of $499.95, the DMP-BD30 also features a myriad of technology advances, including Deep Color Compatibility, and HDMI 1.3B, that bumps the step gradation from 8-bit 256 all the way up to 12-bit, 4,096 step gradation.

The DMP-BD30 also provides 1080/24p playback. This eliminates the need to utilize 3.2 pull down, a process to convert 24-fps images to 60-fps, resulting in a smoother picture.

This dynamic duo is capable of outputting SACD/CD and MP3/WMA audio with 190 watts per channel over a frequency range of 20-20,000 Hz. This offering from Yamaha isn’t only fantastic on the inside, it also looks great on the outside with simple lines and a minimalist design.Both devices will be available in December for $3,400.

The ‘NS3100ES uses advanced processing to upgrade or “upconvert” DVD video signals to near-high-definition quality. It sends the upconverted signals to any TV with a digital video input. Since the picture stays digital until it hits your TV screen, you get cleaner, sharper images. You also get gold-plated analog video outputs, including a component video output, for a great picture with TVs that don’t have digital connections. Built-in circuitry refines blocky, jagged edges into smooth lines for more natural image quality .It provides warranty period of 5 years.

Details:
* Digital video upconversion.
*Selectable 480p/720p/1080i output via HDMI digital interface.
* Vertical Edge Compensation  checks edges to avoid jagged or blocky appearance.
* Separate video circuit board with separate power supply.
* Video Off and Display Off modes.
* Vibration-resistant off-center insulator feet.
* Selectable progressive-scan mode for smoother video with HD-compatible TVs.
* Pixel-by-Pixel interlaced-to-progressive conversion.
* Dolby® Digital and DTS® decoding with gold-plated 5.1 analog audio output.
* HDMI version 1.1

* 2 sets of gold-plated audio/video outputs.

This portable, handheld device allows you to watch DVDs and listen to CDs and easily fits into a carry-on bag because it is only 1? thick. The unit has a 3 1/2? TFT LCD screen that can redraw images faster than typical LCD monitors, resulting in a sharp, clear, and detailed resolution. Integrated anti-skip circuitry maintains uninterrupted viewing during turbulent flights or bumpy car rides, and it provides multiple viewing angles because it can be adjusted using its integrated stand. Compatible with all CDs and DVDs, this unit has two stereo speaker, and includes a headphone jack for private listening.

With a remote control, a lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack that lasts up to three hours on a full charge, AC adapter, DC car adapter, a nd a carrying case. Connects to a television via included AV cable.
It currently retails for $149.95 in the market.

Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, and also support linear PCM 5.1ch audio. Up-conversion of standard DVD to a resolution of 1080i or 720p  through an HDCP-capable HDMI output allows viewers to enjoy their current DVD libraries with an output resolution scaled to match their resolution of their HDTV or HD displays.

HDMI output allows viewers to enjoy their current DVD libraries with an output resolution scaled to match their resolution of their HDTV or HD displays.

The availability of HD DVD content continues to increase, with more titles expected within this year from various content providers including Paramount Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Warner Home Video. This fast growing availability is spurring demand for even more advanced HD DVD players.

Additional releases from the catalog will be introduced throughout the balance of 2006,2007 including both theatrical and TV products. HBO Video, distributor of critically-acclaimed television series, films and theatrical features, also plans to issue releases on HD DVD through Warner Home Video, its distribution partner.

Films include The Departed, The Wicker Man, Beerfest, Happy Feet, Blood Diamonds, We Are Marshall and classics such as The Matrix series, Harry Potter series, Oceans 11 and Oceans 12, Bullitt, The Getaway and a new release, Alexander Revisited.

The review basically boils down to this: if you have a high definition TV larger than 42-inches, then you’ll definitely notice a difference between Blu-ray and standard or upscaled DVDs, and the Samsung does a good job delivering the picture quality that Blu-ray is capable of.The new player has essentially the same capabilities as the older BDP-S1 but is smaller.

Neither Blu-ray nor HD DVD players have caught on strongly with consumers, who have been waiting for the market to settle on one of the formats. But dropping prices for players and HDTV sets in more homes mean a big showdown between the discs may be looming this holiday season.

Most people buying Blu-ray discs are apparently buying them for their Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles. The cheapest version of the console costs $499, but its game-oriented wireless controller and relatively loud fan makes it a less than ideal movie player.