Blu-ray Player Reviews

Comparisons & Conclusion
As with every other Blu-ray player I've tested, the BD55 doesn't measure up to the PS3 in its speed, but it's better than most dedicated players. The responsiveness of the PS3 is hard to beat, but if you need multichannel analog outputs, the PS3 isn't even in contention. Other notable flaws with the gaming system include its crop-duster-loud CPU fan and having to use an aftermarket IR remote.

The BD55 is a step up in performance from every other Blu-ray player I've tested. It supports BD-Live, bitstreams the high-res audio formats or decodes and outputs them over HDMI or 7.1 analog outputs, and offers improved disc navigation and high-quality DVD performance, all for a wallet-friendly price of $400. If you don't need the analog-audio outputs, you can save $100 with the otherwise-identical DMP-BD35.

The PS3 still sets the benchmark for speed, but the DMP-BD55 rises to the challenge in every other respect. In fact, it's the best dedicated player I've used so far—bar none.

Highs
Spectacular audio & video
Very good DVD performance
Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming
Internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio

Lows
SD card not included
User interaction still much slower than the PS3