User Interface
The remote is not backlit, which I really don't like. In a dark room, I want to be able to see what I'm doing. Otherwise, the remote is standard fare. As with most supplied remotes, I recommend an upgrade to an aftermarket universal remote for a superior experience.

The responsiveness of the remote is a mixed bag. Sometimes, I needed to push a button more than once to accomplish a given task. Through trial and error, I discovered that the player's remote sensor has a very narrow angle to receive the IR signal, so I had to be sure to point the remote directly at the player. With most devices, this isn't the case, and I can bounce IR signals off my projection screen.

Once the unit accepts the command, its response is lightning fast. It loads discs very quickly—especially compared to the sluggish response of Blu-ray players—and chapter skips are instantaneous. I tested the speed of layer changes using Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones, which has a layer change when Jango enters the asteroid field. While the change wasn't instantaneous, it only caused a split-second hiccup, which is on par with my reference Oppo DV-983H DVD player.

The menu system is well organized and easy to navigate. Entering the menu system is nearly instantaneous, a claim my Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player can't make. The XDE picture enhancements are found in the Video section, but you don't need to enter the main menu to turn these functions on/off, since there's a direct-access button on the remote.