Ratings: 4/5
Price: $345
Website: www.directtvs.co.uk
Panasonic
DMP-BDT320
DMP-BDT320 is the first product of Blu-ray 2012 of Panasonic
that we see, and it looks great. It has a rough surface which is similar to the
player last year, but the front has been overhauled with a slot-loading optical
drive, touch buttons and single-line LCD screen with a mirror surface. A SD
card reader and the only USB port are hidden behind the fold, so you can
connect the USB drive or memory card from the camera. The file format support
is very excellent; all of our test files are played smoothly, including DivX
and MKV videos.
At the rear, there are a HDMI output, analogue composite
outputs and a digital optical audio output, as well as USB port for Skype
camera (TY-CC10W, $180 from www.sonicdirect.co.uk).
There is an Ethernet port if you prefer to use cables than available Wi-Fi. DMP-BDT320
supports DLNA, so you can transfer content from a PC or NAS devices directly,
or online to access to the internet content.
Viera CAST system of Panasonic has been finally upgraded to
Viera Connect. There is more content than before, including a store to download
new applications. Viera Connect is beginning to look outdated compared to
intelligent TV systems we see from other manufacturers. SmartHub of Samsung is
a better system, along with SEN interface of Sony.
However, there is a lot of diversity, including applications
that stream video from Netflix and catch-up TV from BBC iPlayer, together with
the integration of YouTube, Facebook, Picasa and Twitter. Panasonic is so
confident when they think their customers will prefer Netflix, so they have
dedicated a remote control button for this service.
Panasonic
DMP-BDT320 Remote
Perhaps the most radical change is remote control. Most of
its buttons have been replaced with a touchpad. It is incredibly fast and easy
to navigate menu systems, which has been made up, but it is not as successful
as buttons that are easy to understand to control playback.
Startup time is much better than the model last year; you
can wait for the Blu-ray in less than 20 seconds after putting it in the
player. It is partly thanks to Smart Eco sensor, which put the disc into the
lower energy status after 30 minutes of inactivity, then wake it up if someone
steps over the sensor; you don’t need to boot it from the off status.
The number of image settings is very impressive, allowing
you to adjust picture modes, upscale, sharpness and color, as well as
brightness and contrast. The player can also play 3D side-by-side and
continuously, so you can use it with many types of TVs and projectors.
There are many reasons to like DMP-BDT320 and the most
noticeable is its design. We don’t believe that touchpad is a right step, but
there are many people who find it friendlier than a remote control full of
buttons. It is a great mid-range player with excellent image quality.
Summary
Evaluation: A great design, a strange remote
control but excellent image quality.
Blu-ray player: Profile 5.0, a HDMI output, a
component, a stereo phono, 1 year of RTB warranty.
Energy consumption: 0W standby, 7W active.
