Just 18cm in depth, those after the latest in smart TV apps get the thin end of the wedge with the Panasonic DMP-BDT130, but it's good value nonetheless. The file support over DLNA is similar to that from USBs, though we had a few problems and freeze-ups when trying to stream FLAC and WAV files, and couldn't watch either MKV nor AVC HD files stored on a Mac on the same network, despite all other file types working reasonably well. That makes the Panasonic DMP-BDT130 less than ideal as an emergency hi-fi, since you have to switch on the TV to do anything. We know that Panasonic can do better because we've already seen Viera Connect's replacement, My Home Screen, and its stunning 'second screen' mobile app.īlu-ray discs take about 15 seconds to load, but more like 45 seconds to reach the front menu, while a CD took 11 seconds, though displayed no track names, just a generic 'track 1' treatment list. The lack of a smartphone app and the use of an ageing user interface is another worry. Also annoying is a long message about the safety of viewing 3D content for long periods of time, which appears before playback of any 3D disc. We dislikedĭuring our review the Panasonic DMP-BDT130 froze up twice and had to be rebooted, which was disappointing. The SD card supports only photo and video files, not music. From a USB HDD we managed to play lossless FLAC and WAV files alongside MP3, M4A and WMA, while full-res MOV, MKV, AVI, MP4, MPEG-2 and AVC HD files all played stably. 3D conversion is hit-and-miss - it occasionally impresses - though 3D is truly excellent, with plenty of depth and no sign of crosstalk. Well defined edges come as standard, while colours and contrast are as strong as any other Blu-ray deck we've seen at this price.Īudio, too, is strong and powerful when fuelling a home cinema, with high-octane movie soundtracks coming out punchy and CDs sounding crisp and detailed. Both 2D and 3D Blu-ray discs are treated with exquisite detail, with the default Normal picture mode impressing as much with HD content as with lower quality YouTube videos and digital files. You'll probably choose it for its smart TV apps, but the Panasonic DMP-BDT130 is all about picture quality. Alas, there is no control on the user interface, but we're over-complicating things - you just press play on the remote control to play a disc. The Network Services moniker for Viera Connect apps is a bit odd, and at first glance we weren't sure how to play a Blu-ray disc. Its user interface - based entirely around a four-way directional keypad that jumps to dedicated areas such as Photos, Music, Videos and Network, seems pretty simple and works quickly. Verdictĭespite its rather basic nature we rather like the Panasonic DMP-BDT130. That lack of Wi-Fi means there's no Miracast options for streaming from smartphones and tablet, either. Most 4K Ultra HD content has a wider color gamut than regular HD content, matching or besting the color gamut used in theatrical cinema.If you're desperate for Wi-Fi you should head up the range and go for the Panasonic DMP-BDT230 instead, because even if you do buy the Panasonic DY-WL5 USB wireless dongle, it's poor value and will look terrible permanently poking out of the front of the player. Wide color gamut ( WCG) refers to technology that allows TVs to display a wider range of colors than they could before.HLG is the final HDR standard, but it’s mostly for use with live HDR content such as sports, not movies on disc. Some content, both streaming and disc, is now available in HDR10+, yet another standard designed to compete with Dolby Vision, but it isn’t as common as Dolby Vision. You need a Dolby Vision disc, a Dolby Vision–compatible player, and a Dolby Vision–compatible display to take advantage of it. Dolby Vision, on the other hand, is supported by some streaming services and some 4K Blu-ray discs (those discs also include HDR10, though). Every HDR device, including any 4K display that’s HDR-compatible, can handle HDR10 content. To our eyes, Dolby Vision HDR content looks better than HDR10 content, but HDR10 has wider support from manufacturers and movie studios. HDR10 and Dolby Vision are the two major competing HDR standards for disc and streaming content. High dynamic range ( HDR) refers to video standards that enable higher contrast ratios-or, starker differences between light and dark areas of the screen-than prior technologies.Whereas a 1080p HDTV has 1,080 lines of resolution with 1,920 pixels in each line, 4K TVs have twice as many lines, with twice as many pixels in each line: 3840×2160 pixels. 4K or Ultra HD refers to the number of pixels in a display.
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