GH Institute

All Blu Ray Players

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  Review of Philips HDT8520 PVR

  Good Housekeeping Top Scorer

  Features

  Twin Freeview HD tuners. 500GB HDD. 125 hours capacity in HD. 8-day EPG. One touch record. Series record. Upscaling to HD. Dolby 5.1 output. HDMI output.

  Dimensions: H70 x W235 x D210mm

  Weight: 1.7kg

  Comments

  Good points: Smart set top box manages to keep its energy consumption low, despite the bright blue LED strip. It also has a simple on screen menu system and a great remote control that allows one touch and series recording. The big 500GB capacity means you can store up to 125 hours of crisp high definition footage, while the second tuner lets you view another channel at the same time.

  Drawbacks: Slight lag when channel surfing.

  Rating: 92/100

  Price Range: £230 - 299

  Stockist: 0800 3316015 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of DigitalStream DHR8202U PVR

  Features

  Twin Freeview HD tuners. 500GB HDD. 130 hours capacity in HD. 8-day EPG. CS slot for pay TV upgrade. USB port for storage devices. One touch record. Series record. Upscaling to HD. Dolby 5.1 output. HDMI output.

  Dimensions: H70 x W235 x D210mm

  Weight: 1.7kg

  Comments

  Good points: This feature packed PVR is actually made by Samsung. It has a big hard drive that can record up to 240 hours of standard video and its easy to use thanks to the handy 8 day EPG. The USB port adds the ability to play MP3s or photos from an external hard drive.

  Drawbacks: None

  Rating: 89/100

  Price: £299

  Stockist: 08456 049 049 - http://www.johnlewis.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Humax HDR-Fox T2 PVR

  Features

  Twin Freeview HD tuners. 500GB HDD. 125 hours capacity in HD. 8-day EPG. CS slot for pay TV upgrade. USB port for storage devices. Ethernet port for internet connection. BBC iPlayer. One touch record. Series record. Upscaling to HD. Dolby 5.1 output. HDMI output.

  Dimensions: H70 x W235 x D210mm

  Weight: 1.7kg

  Comments

  Good points: Premium price tag brings useful extras such as the Ethernet connection which allows BBC iPlayer archive service. Big remote is easy to use and playback and record quality very good. Big 500GB hard drive offers plenty of room for recording in HD

  Drawbacks: If you don't need online services cheaper PVRs are available with similar quality.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price Range: £299 - 330

  Stockist: 0208 326 6000 - http://www.humaxdigital.com

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Sharp TU-T2HR32 PVR

  Features

  Twin Freeview HD tuners. 320GB HDD. 80 hours capacity in HD. 8-day EPG. CS slot for pay TV upgrade. USB port for service updates only. One touch record. Series record. Upscaling to HD. Dolby 5.1 output. HDMI output.

  Dimensions: H55 x W300 x D259mm

  Weight: 4.1kg

  Comments

  Good points: Sleek box which feels well made and comes with twin tuners that offer useful functionality. Two channels can be recorded simultaneously, for instance, while watching a recording. The picture quality is sharp and accurate.

  Drawbacks: Theres a certain amount of noise from the cooling fan and the remote control is very basic. The USB port is for service only and the audio output is stereo, rather than 5.1 surround sound.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price Range: £245 - 290

  Stockist: 0800 262 958 - http://www.sharp.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Sony BDP-S370 blu ray player

  Features

  BD/DVD/CD playback. Ethernet port for BD live and web apps like Lovefilm and BBC iPlayer. USB port for playing digital media files, upscaling standard definition to HD. Fast disc playback

  Dimensions H36 x W430 x D206

  Weight: 2.0kg

  Comments

  Good points: The thinnest on the market but packs in most features. The BBC iPlayer app adds real value. More importantly, this is the easiest to use thanks to the excellent remote and on screen menu. It is also the fastest tested and still manages to offer very clean pictures and pure sound

  Drawbacks: Quirky front panel traps dust.

  Rating: 95/100

  Price Range: £105 - 150

  Stockist: 0845 6000124 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

  
  

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  Review of LG BD560 blue ray player

  Features

  BD/DVD/CD playback. Ethernet port for BD live and Netcast apps like YouTube. USB port for playing digital media files, upscaling standard definition to HD. Eco mode

  Dimensions H45 x W430 x D200

  Weight: 1.8kg

  Comments

  Good points: The front flap covers this players buttons from toddlers fingers and makes it easy to clean. The onscreen menu system is particularly appealing and intuitive thanks to the attractive animated icons. It also makes any music you have stored on the external hard drive very easy to access. Blue ray looks very clear and vivid.

  Drawbacks: A little slow to load and play a disc

  Rating: 89/100

  Price Range: £116 - 199

  Stockist: 0844 8475454 - http://www.lge.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Philips BDP2500 blue ray player

  Features

  BD/DVD/CD playback. Ethernet port for BD live features. USB port for playing digital media files, upscaling standard definition to HD.

  Dimensions H58 x W435 x D227

  Weight: 3.0g

  Comments

  Good points: This player is stylishly curved at the edges and feels more substantial than most. As an older machine there are some low prices online. The user interface is particularly easy to understand. The picture quality is also exceptionally crisp and uncoloured for such an affordable machine.

  Drawbacks: there are no web apps here, so no YouTube access. It's not as fast as loading and playing a disc either.

  Rating: 82/100

  Price Range: £90 - 200

  Stockist: 0800 3316015 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Samsung BD-C6500 blu ray player

  Features

  BD/DVD/CD playback. Ethernet port for BD live and web apps like Picasa and YouTube. USB port for playing digital media files, upscaling standard definition to HD. Wi-Fi for wireless internet connection

  Dimensions H36 x W430 x D206

  Weight: 2.0kg

  Comments

  Good Points: Slim and stylish with a substantial and well designed remote control. The on screen icons help locate the special features which include online widgets like access to YouTube. The built in WiFi allows a wireless connection to the internet.

  Drawbacks: The picture is very slightly affected by film grain. The unit feels a little flimsy.

  Rating: 79/100

  Price Range: £162 - 180

  Stockist: 0330 7267864 - http://www.samsung.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Panasonic DMP-BD65 blue ray player

  Features

  BD/DVD/CD playback. Ethernet port for BD live and Vieracast apps like Picasa and YouTube. USB port for playing digital media files. SD Card slot. Upscale standard definition to HD. Eco mode

  Dimensions H49 x W430 x D207

  Weight: 1.9kg

  Comments

  Good points: This popular player offers a step up from the cheapest models in terms of picture quality, with very bold, bright colours and sharp detail. It offers some web features such as YouTube access and a decent remote control to reach them. The SD card slot is very useful for viewing digital photos.

  Drawbacks: the onscreen menu is a little convoluted. There aren't many online features to choose from.

  Rating: 78/100

  Price Range: £159 - 180

  Stockist: 0844 8443852 - http://www.panasonic.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2010

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  Review of Sony BDP-S360 blu ray player

  Good Housekeeping Top Scorer

  Features

  BD-Live for bonus content from internet, downloaded by Ethernet cable only. Precision Drive makes for stable playback of damaged discs. HDMI connector, USB input.

  Comments

  Good points: Great picture quality. Great value. Good build quality and neat styling. Highly usable menu system. Plays worn DVDs smoothly.

  Drawbacks: No wireless option. No Eject button on the remote - you have to use the one on the machine itself. Still not the fastest loading time. No built-in memory.

  Rating: 92/100

  Price Range: £160 - 240

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Samsung BD-P4600 blu ray player

  Features

  Wall-mountable, small footprint. Ethernet connection to stream content from PC. Touch-sensitive controls. BD-Live enabled to download bonus content from internet. HDMI connector.

  Comments

  Good points: Strong picture quality. Striking design. Fast loading time. Ethernet connection. Light and easily portable. Decent user interface. Eject button on remote.

  Drawbacks: Design won't suit every TV or, because of the shape, stacking systems. Adaptor needed for wi-fi

  Rating: 90/100

  Price Range: £189 - 249

  Stockist: 0800 521652 - http://www.samsung.com/uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Philips BDP3000 blu ray player

  Features

  Preset picture enhancements (Vivid, Cool, Action, Animation) to suit content. HDMI connector, USB input on rear, Ethernet connection.

  Comments

  Good points: Neat styling and good build quality. Strong picture quality. Great value. Simple user interface, easy set-up.

  Drawbacks: No front USB connection or playback of movies etc from USB connector on back. No Eject button on the remote - you have to use the one on the machine itself. Limited built-in memory.

  Rating: 88/100

  Price Range: £133 - 149

  Stockist: 0906 1010016 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Panasonic DMP-BD60 blu ray player

  Features

  Internet connection delivers YouTube content to your TV. HDMI connector, USB input, Ethernet connection.

  Comments

  Good points: Outstanding picture quality both for Blu-ray and upscaling DVD to near high-definition quality. Eject button on remote.

  Drawbacks: Menu operation makes annoying plinky-plonky noise. Loading times not outstanding.

  Rating: 88/100

  Price Range: £190 - 249

  Stockist: 0844 844 3852 - http://www.panasonic.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of LG BD370 blu ray player

  Features

  Internet connection delivers YouTube content to your TV. Also shows Picasa online images. HDMI connector, USB input, Ethernet connection.

  Comments

  Good points: Fast disc-loading times. Striking front-panel design. Eject button on remote. YouTube is easy to access, apart from searching. Good price.

  Drawbacks: Remote control can be awkward to use. Virtual keyboard for YouTube search is slow. Picture quality is solid rather than exceptional.

  Rating: 88/100

  Price Range: £130 - 175

  Stockist: 0870 607 5544 - http://www.lge.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of LG BD360 blu ray player

  Features

  Internet connection delivers YouTube content to your TV. HDMI connector.

  Comments

  Good points: Similar to the BD370 above, this has a connection to YouTube. Fast disc loading. Very good value.

  Drawbacks: Not the latest model. Striking design, but it may not be to everyone's taste.

  Rating: 85/100

  Price Range: £120 - 150

  Stockist: 0870 607 5544 - http://www.lge.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Panasonic DMP-BD35 blu ray player

  Features

  HDMI connector, Ethernet connection. Slim, 49cm tall model.

  Comments

  Good points: Good value. Strong picture quality. Fast disc loading. SD card slot means you can display photos on TV via this player. Eject button on remote.

  Drawbacks: No longer the latest model. Limited connectivity compared to newer models (HDMI is only way of getting high-quality sound) and limited built-in memory.

  Rating: 85/100

  Price Range: £190 - 210

  Stockist: 0844 844 3852 - http://www.panasonic.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Philips BDP 7300 blu ray player

  Features

  Gloss black front, slim profile. DivX for playback of compressed movie files. Picture-in-picture. BD-Live for online content with built-in memory to store it on. Front-mounted USB connector. HDMI connector, Ethernet connection.

  Comments

  Good points: Stylish looks and very easy to use. Only 6cm tall so will fit into tight spaces. Low standby power usage - 0.2w. Supports a format called AVC HD to access HD camcorder footage. Easy to attach a USB drive to play other movie files. Fast disc-loading times. D

  Drawbacks: There are better-value machines. No Eject button on remote.

  Rating: 80/100

  Price Range: £175 - 249

  Stockist: 0906 1010016 - http://www.philips.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Sony BDP-S350 blu ray player

  Features

  HDMI connector, USB input, Ethernet connection. Xross Media Bar interface.

  Comments

  Good points: Great picture quality for Blu-ray and decent upscaling of DVD. Strong, punchy sound. User interface simple and attractive. This is an older model, but at least that means it's competitively priced.

  Drawbacks: Striking blue fascia may not match many home cinema setups. Not the latest model. Slow disc loading.

  Rating: 75/100

  Price Range: £135 - 170

  Stockist: 08705 111999 - http://www.sony.co.uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009

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  Review of Samsung BD-P1600 blu ray player

  Features

  HDMI connector, Ethernet connection.

  Comments

  Good points: Speedy disc loading. Easy to use. Eject button on remote.

  Drawbacks: Picture quality is average rather than outstanding with some glitches, sound is below par.

  Rating: 70/100

  Price Range: £140 - 180

  Stockist: 0800 521652 - http://www.samsung.com/uk

  GHI Test Report - November 2009