Skip to Content

Summer Budget Travel Tips from Gadling
AOL Tech

Profile 2.0 posts

NAD doubles its Blu-ray fleet with new flagship M56 player

by Steven Kim posted Sep 11th 2009 at 9:08AM

NAD M56 Blu-ray player
Until now, if you wanted a Blu-ray deck with the NAD (New Audio Dimensions, smart guy) logo, you could either pony up the $1,500 for the T587 or get familiar with silk-screening your own faceplate. But now, a $1,999 option from NAD's Master Series has opened up for you in the M56. Back in the day, we had some pretty nice NAD stereo gear, but those pieces always stood for good value -- and unfortunately, we can't say we're seeing the same value proposition here. Aside from the overbuilt chassis construction , the specs add up to a Profile 2.0 player that can dole out Blu-ray's lossless audio via bitstream, LPCM or 7.1-channel analog jacks and play back media via a USB port; in other words, the standard feature set for a reasonably "complete" Blu-ray player these days. If you really need something that fits style-wise into your current rack full of NAD gear, go for it; otherwise consider some alternatives -- including getting back into silk-screening.

Sherwood BDP-5004 Blu-ray player moves up to Profile 2.0, down to $200

by Steven Kim posted Sep 10th 2009 at 4:10PM

Sherwood logoIt sounds like Sherwood took critical reviews of its BDP-5003 Blu-ray player to heart when it worked up the plans for the successor. The BDP-5004 is taking a bow at CEDIA in advance of its October release, and the wrongs have been righted -- it's a Profile 2.0 player with onboard decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, it has 5.1-channel analog outputs around back so you can get some more miles out of your old receiver, and it's targeted for just a nickel under $200. If that's still not enough for you, how does DiVX support through a front-panel USB port sound? If you can't bring yourself to consider a deck that doesn't do the online streaming thing, though, keep looking.

Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder

by Ross Miller posted Sep 3rd 2009 at 11:36AM Breaking News

And so it is. Toshiba, the one-time cheerleader for HD-DVD, has now officially gone to the azure side with the BDX2000 Blu-ray player. It supports BD-Live (Profile 2.0) and REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC), outputs 1080p at 24 frames per second, and does Dolby True HD / DTS-HD Master Audio... but really, all that needs to be said here is that it's a Toshiba Blu-ray player. Look for this one-time paradox this November for a penny under $250. As for yesteryear, we think this line from the press release says it best: "This product does not play HD DVD discs." It's at once both sad and poetic that this very well may be the last official line ever uttered in the once-promising format's story.

Onkyo shows pride in its DV-BD507 Blu-ray player with lofty $449 price tag

by Darren Murph posted Jul 29th 2009 at 7:32AM


Onkyo's never been one to dabble in the Blu-ray bargain basement, but with BD decks selling for well under the $200 mark, we're wondering what kind of secret sauce is boxed in with the DV-BD507. The outfit's latest Profile 2.0 player doesn't sound too special based on specs alone, as it supports HDMI 1.3a, 1080p output, BD-Live functionality and BonusView features just like every other respectable rival on the market already. Sure, we can't say we don't appreciate its innate ability to process AVCHD files stored on SD / SDHC cards or toasted DVDs, but even on a good day we can't justify the $449 MSRP. Maybe it's upgradable to 3D... or something. Fancy rear shot is waiting after the break.

Continue reading Onkyo shows pride in its DV-BD507 Blu-ray player with lofty $449 price tag

Harman Kardon brings Blu-ray to America with BDP 1 deck

by Darren Murph posted Jun 9th 2009 at 1:19PM


See that player right there? It looks really familiar, doesn't it? Aside from a power adapter that's suited for use in the United States of America, it's essentially the BDP 10 sans a zero. Shortly after announcing its first Blu-ray deck overseas, Harman Kardon has seen fit to offer up a model here in the States, with BD-Live functionality, a USB socket, HDMI 1.3a, Ethernet, IR-remote in / out jacks, optical / coaxial digital audio outputs and support for all the major audio formats. The pain? $499, and it should start filtering into retailers as early as this month.

Panasonic's DMP-B15 portable Blu-ray player: $800, ships this month

by Darren Murph posted Jun 1st 2009 at 10:01AM


It'll definitely run you less here in America than it would if you chose to import straight from Japan, but the planet's first BD-Live-capable portable Blu-ray player still ain't cheap. Today, Panny announced that its DMP-B15 -- which originally broke cover at CES -- will be shipping later this month in the US for $799.95. That nets you an 8.9-inch WSVGA display, VIERA CAST internet accessibility, an SD card slot, 2.5 hour rechargeable battery, HDMI output and BD-Live (Profile 2.0) functionality. Oh, and quiet kids on the next road trip to Gramps' pad, which is totally priceless.

LG's HR400 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray recorder gets outed

by Darren Murph posted Jun 1st 2009 at 8:33AM


So, why can't Yanks get ahold of these Blu-ray recorders again? All pent-up rage aside, what we're looking at above is LG's yet-to-be-formally-announced HR400, a Blu-ray recorder that will evidently be aimed initially at the European market. Packing BD-Live (Profile 2.0) support, a built-in DVB-T TV tuner and YouTube compatibility, this deck also arrives with 160GB of internal hard drive space for holding OTA recordings. Heck, this thing can even play back DivX HD files, stream media clips from other places on your network and upscale DVDs to 1080p. Is all that worth €599 ($852)? We're saying no, but you and your wallet can make your own darn decisions.

Dreamer trying to draw Java developers to its BIDDLE API

by Steven Kim posted May 21st 2009 at 7:19PM

Dreamer's BIDDLE architecture
So far, BD-Live seems like an answer to a question no one particularly cares about, but we're still holding out hope that the technology will be put to good use by someone. The devil's in the details (read - please make it pleasant to use), but putting Profile 2.0 into service as a streaming service like Videocity is promising sounds like a step in the right direction. Lest we forget Dreamer's efforts along the same lines, the company is showing off its Java-based BIDDLE API to developers in hopes of gaining some traction for "BluTube" type of applications. Yeah, we need another way of accessing YouTube about as much as we need more dust bunnies behind the TV, but we see way more potential on this front than, say, Yakuza Fighter redux. With wireless networking, more codecs and increased persistent storage showing up in Blu-ray decks, APIs like BIDDLE just might make the line between STBs and Blu-ray players really blurry -- and if it means we can eBay away some of those STBs, we're all for it.

LG's WiFi-enabled, DivX-friendly BD390 Blu-ray player now shipping

by Darren Murph posted May 19th 2009 at 10:46AM


LG continues to up its game in the Blu-ray department, first shipping the planet's first Netflix-enabled BD deck and now shipping the planet's first DivX HD 1080p certified player. Yep, the BD390 -- which was originally unveiled back at CES this year -- is now making its way out to eager consumers, boasting an 802.11n WiFi module and support for DivX streaming from a DLNA server. The pain? $399.95, but at least that includes BD-Live support, 7.1-channel audio output, 1GB of inbuilt memory and a USB 2.0 socket.

Sony Pictures responds to your poll results, discusses the future of BD-Live

by Richard Lawler posted May 11th 2009 at 4:28PM Featured Story


Last week's poll results and comments came through loud and clear, with an overwhelming majority of responses to the question "Have you seen anything impressive from BD-Live yet?" leaning towards the negative. That many people showing a beef against a key feature of the current dominant HD delivery format? We couldn't let that go so we followed up with Rich Marty, VP of Marketing for Blu-ray at Sony Pictures to let them know what you said, and see what they're doing about it.

Continue reading Sony Pictures responds to your poll results, discusses the future of BD-Live

Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

by Darren Murph posted May 11th 2009 at 2:30PM


Ready for loads of succulent new audio / video equipment that you can likely only afford in your wildest dreams? Fantastic. Today in NYC, Denon has decided to introduce a whole fleet of new kit, so we'll get right down to the nitty gritty. Oh, and we're on hand at the premiere, so expect some hands-on shots shortly.
  • DBP-2010CI ($699; shipping in July) - Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, onboard Ethernet, BD-Live / BonusView support, DivX HD playback, support for AVCHD, Anchor Bay Technologies VRS processing, upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p/24, RS-232c support, HDMI / component / composite video outputs
  • DBP-1610CI ($499; shipping in July) - Same as above sans Anchor Bay chip and RS-232c
  • Nine new AV receivers, priced from $379 at the low-end to $1,999 at the high; shipping between May and July 2009
  • ASD-51W ($299.99) and ASD-51N ($249.99) network-enabled iPod docks, both shipping in August. Both items also allow for Rhapsody streaming, Internet Radio streaming and Napster support.
  • AH-NC600 ($199), AH-C710 ($149) and AH-C360 ($49) in-ear headphones, all of which will ship by July
Full press releases and details for each are posted just past the break, and yes, it's overwhelming.

Gallery: Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones


Gallery: Hands-on with Denon's new lineup

Continue reading Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

by Darren Murph posted Mar 2nd 2009 at 8:00PM


Hope you didn't just pull the trigger on a BDP-S350, 'cause we get the feeling Sony's two newest standalone BD decks are going to make you yearn for the next best thing. Here in Las Vegas, the company has just come clean with the Profile 2.0 BDP-S360 and BDP-S560, the latter of which includes integrated WiFi for tapping into BD-Live content and downloading future firmware updates sans an Ethernet cable. Also, the unit is fully DLNA-ready, handles DVD upscaling, bit-streams audio via HDMI, decodes Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio and plays nice with external media loaded up on a USB drive. As predicted, the lower-end BDP-S360 is essentially the same player sans WiFi.

Moving on, we've got a new pair of 5.1-channel Blu-ray HTIB systems: the BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W. Both bundles include a BD-Live-capable (Profile 2.0) Blu-ray player, while the BDV-E500W sports integrated S-AIR wireless audio capabilities. In other words, your rear speakers will get their signal sans cabling, and those who opt for the BDV-E300 are getting a kit that's S-AIR-ready, meaning that you can add modules in the future to get the same wireless support. Both sets also include Sony's Digital Media Port for controlling peripherals like Apple's iPod and Sony's own Walkman line, and the BRAVIA Sync technology ensures that HDMI-CEC lovers are taken care of. The models also bring along the firm's Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface, a USB port for loading up media and an easy-to-follow setup DVD. As for pricing and availability, we've broken all that down below.

  • BDP-S360 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $300
  • BDP-S560 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $350
  • HT-SS360 component home theater system : shipping in May for around $350
  • BDV-E300 Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $600
  • BDV-E500W Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $800
Catch the release in full just after the break.

Gallery: Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Continue reading Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Will BD-Live finally shine in 2009?

by Darren Murph posted Jan 27th 2009 at 6:56PM


Let's not sugarcoat things -- BD-Live hasn't exactly been a runaway success. Sure, you could blame some of that on the fact that Profile 2.0 players are just now becoming a) affordable and b) plentiful, but really, it's the uninteresting content that's truly holding it down. According to a report over at VideoBusiness, that's set to change in 2009. Lionsgate is planning to open a dedicated BD-Live portal (christened Lionsgate Live) which will provide even casual fans with easy access to games, ringtones and filmmaker chats. Other studios are shifting focus to ensure that interactivity is seamlessly integrated and simple to navigate, not to mention getting BD-Live material onto more Blu-ray Discs. In our eyes, '09 is a make or break year for BD-Live; if consumers still aren't digging it by CES 2010, there's a good chance the investments in the technology will taper off. 'Course, those widgets sure seem to be catching eyes over on the connected HDTV side, so maybe there's hope here after all.

Pioneer prices latest trio of Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph posted Jan 26th 2009 at 11:54PM


When Pioneer introduced its BDP-120, BDP-320 and Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players at CES, we had a vague idea of how much they'd cost. Now, we're being clued in on actual MSRPs. Potentially most impressive is the BDP-120, which will offer up BD-Live functionality and a Pioneer logo for just under $300. The mid-range unit includes 1GB of inbuilt memory and will cost $400 or less, while the top-end player will demand $599. Kudos on keeping these priced below the stratosphere, Pioneer.

Update: Pioneer pinged us with updated pricing, now reflected in the text.

Ask Engadget HD: Which Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player loads discs the quickest?

by Darren Murph posted Jan 8th 2009 at 3:06AM Featured Story


CNET's UK branch already ran a number of Blu-ray players through a timed gauntlet, but this week's Ask Engadget HD question places the responsibilities squarely on your shoulders. We're hoping Mick's question enables us to compile some pretty meaningful data, so break out the stopwatch and contribute!

"Which current Blu-ray player (Profile 2.0, of course) has the quickest load time? I'm looking for something that loads much faster than my BDP-S300. Manufacturers don't bother listing load times on their decks, so I'm looking for some help from the audience."

You heard the man -- we want model name, startup time and disc load times, along with any other tidbits you feel like tossing in. Get to it, partners.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.




AOL News

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Joystiq
Download Squad
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
BloggingStocks
Joystiq Xbox
Autoblog
Big Download
Fanhouse NFL Blog