Blu-ray Movie Reviews

No longer content to be tethered to A/V systems alone, many new Bluray Disc players augment their basic BD-Live online capability with streaming services like Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, YouTube, and CinemaNow. Sure, the Bluray Disc format's high-definition video and high-resolution audio are great, but there's a whole other world of content out there to be accessed, and some new players are equipped to do it. The problem is, how do you make the connection?

If you live in a McMansion with a housewide wired network, the answer is easy: string cable between the nearest available Ethernet wall jack and the player's LAN port (or have your custom installer do it!). But homes with that capability are few and far between. Another, more real-world option is to create a Powerline network using adapters that plug into your home's A/C outlets. But for most folks, Wi-Fi, with its inexpensive and (relatively) easy-to-set-up gear, is the networking technology of choice. So it makes sense for Blu-ray Disc players to access the Internet using the same method that lets you surf the Web with your laptop while eating at the dining room table.

Fortunately, a bunch of new Blu-ray players have built-in Wi-Fi, including the LG BD390 and Sony BDP-S560 reviewed here. Samsung's BD-P4600, another model that we called in for our head-to-head test, offers the same capability via an external USB dongle included with the player. Each of these Profile 2.0 players is packed with up-to-date A/V features, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, AVCHD support, and a 1080p/24 output. If you're a Wi-Fi guy (or girl) looking to add some Blu-ray spice to your life, chances are one of these will suit you just fine.

LG BD390 | SONY BDP-S560 | SAMSUNG BD-P4600