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49K views 127 replies 71 participants last post by  amenda8998 
#1 ·
I'm looking at getting my first blu-ray player and I'll be honest in that I'm mostly going to use it to watch Netflix streaming and DVDs, so Netflix quality and DVD upconversion are important to me. Having blu-ray capability means I can finally jump on the blu-ray bandwagon and start getting blu-rays from Netflix instead of regular DVDs when available.


I've been researching a number of blu-ray players, namely the LG BD550, Panasonic DMP-BD65K, and Sony BDP-S370. These all appear to be comparable players with some trade offs, however, as far as I can tell, none of these players have a full Netflix interface and require you to use a PC to put programs in the Instant Queue.


This isn't a huge deal really, but are there any blu-ray players out there that have a full Netflix interface that aren't limited to just the Instant Queue? I don't need wifi, which is why I haven't looked at more expensive models, but I may consider getting a higher end model with wifi if it included a full Netflix interface. I just want to see what my options are.


Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
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#78 ·
I have a Sony BDP-S370, which as a disc player is excellent, but for Netflix streaming it's not that great, although I don't know if there is something better, so I wanted to ask here.


In my Sony, when I want to rewind just 10 seconds or so because I missed something that was said because of an interruption or whatever, even pressing the search back button for a second and then play will take me back like at least one minute if not more. That's very frustrating, and the buttons in the remote that skip ten seconds back or forward when playing a disc don't do squat when playing streaming video. So is there a player that will either skip back ten seconds at a time, or have a slower rewind speed?


And, I know this is probably too much to ask for, but is there a player that will allow to go back or forward frame by frame? This is another thing the Sony player can do with discs, but not with streaming video.


So is there any other player, whether it's also Blu-ray, or one of those boxes only for streaming that will do these two things on Netflix streaming?
 
#79 ·
I have a sony like yours and a panasonic 110. The 110 interface is far better than the sony. You can't exactly do frame by frame, but you can jump a few seconds at a time and get thumbnails of each point in time. It also does DD5.1 and subtitles on Netflix. The sony doesn't and you're flying blind on rew/ffwd like you said. And the panasonic connects directly to Netflix. Sony takes several steps to connect and must go through a sony server. Panasonic is much faster to connect. I highly recommend it.
 
#80 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mdavej /forum/post/21366950


I have a sony like yours and a panasonic 110. The 110 interface is far better than the sony. You can't exactly do frame by frame, but you can jump a few seconds at a time and get thumbnails of each point in time. It also does DD5.1 and subtitles on Netflix. The sony doesn't and you're flying blind on rew/ffwd like you said. And the panasonic connects directly to Netflix. Sony takes several steps to connect and must go through a sony server. Panasonic is much faster to connect. I highly recommend it.

I'll a try a Panasonic player I have, but it's probably older, at least from early 2010, I think BD65 something. I'll see if it works better. Thanks for the tip.
 
#82 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mdavej /forum/post/21367119


Yes, the rew/ffwd on the 65 works the same as current panasonics. But it doesn't have DD5.1 or subtitles like the new ones.

That sucks. I would think that DD5.1 or subtitles should be a simple matter of a firmware update in both the Sony S370 and the Panasonic BD65. Still, I would prefer to get something that wasn't Panasonic, because they don't have a subtitle button on the remote, you have to go through menus like everything these days, which really annoys me. At least the Sony has a dedicated subtitle button, but it only works for BDs.
 
#83 ·
I had been previously streaming Netflix through our WII console for quite sometime and enjoyed the user friendly interface. Mostly for the SEARCH feature. As a family present, my wife purchased a large screen flat panel tv and a LG BD590 disc player with integrated hard drive and internet/wi-fi streaming capabilities. I love it for the convenience of the Netcast menu. The You-Tube and Pandora accessibility are quite addictive. The problem is the Netflix menu is extremely limited in comparison to what my family has become accustomed to.


Since my 4yo son likes to watch like 5 or more different varieties of Spiderman alone, it is extremely cumbersome to have to load SO many different objects into the instant cue. Not only because you spend a lot of time shuffling through it, but because it takes that much longer (more bandwidth) to initially load the cue. I know the obvious solution would be to just continue using the WII for Netflix but the Lg player seems to work much better overall with our wireless configuration. We have buffering issues (especially in the evenings when running 2 pcs and streaming to the tv).


The problem is that the Netflix software (firmware?) is integrated into the the players operating system. Trying to upgrade to the latest version of that solved nothing. So I'm wondering why these two Major brand name/manufacturers can't keep each other up to date. I know that many of our modern day convenient "apps for that" were born from home-brew programming. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to clone/modify the superior version and install it into the disc player (independently from the core system). I mean it is a computer (of sorts) after all, right (250gb hd)? Anyone know of such an app?
 
#84 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by OWENDRAKE /forum/post/21429750


I had been previously streaming Netflix through our WII console for quite sometime and enjoyed the user friendly interface. Mostly for the SEARCH feature. As a family present, my wife purchased a large screen flat panel tv and a LG BD590 disc player with integrated hard drive and internet/wi-fi streaming capabilities. I love it for the convenience of the Netcast menu. The You-Tube and Pandora accessibility are quite addictive. The problem is the Netflix menu is extremely limited in comparison to what my family has become accustomed to.


Since my 4yo son likes to watch like 5 or more different varieties of Spiderman alone, it is extremely cumbersome to have to load SO many different objects into the instant cue. Not only because you spend a lot of time shuffling through it, but because it takes that much longer (more bandwidth) to initially load the cue. I know the obvious solution would be to just continue using the WII for Netflix but the Lg player seems to work much better overall with our wireless configuration. We have buffering issues (especially in the evenings when running 2 pcs and streaming to the tv).


The problem is that the Netflix software (firmware?) is integrated into the the players operating system. Trying to upgrade to the latest version of that solved nothing. So I'm wondering why these two Major brand name/manufacturers can't keep each other up to date. I know that many of our modern day convenient "apps for that" were born from home-brew programming. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to clone/modify the superior version and install it into the disc player (independently from the core system). I mean it is a computer (of sorts) after all, right (250gb hd)? Anyone know of such an app?

No such app. But the Panasonic BDT210 has an excellent Netflix app similar to the Wii, as does Roku. I recommend you exchange the LG for the Panasonic or supplement with a Roku or some other streaming device. And the picture quality on either of those will be vastly superior to the Wii which maxes out at 480.
 
#85 ·
Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately though my wife and I are kinda tight wads and she works for a major electronics distributor so after her employee discount we got a REALLY good deal.


I'm still pretty much a novice with anything tech related despite the fact that I've been on the net since 97 or so. What I do know was 100%(/google) self taught. That being said, please forgive me if my next question makes no sense. The television has multiple ports for whatever devices I could ever need to hook up to it, so the wii option is pretty simple. I guess it's really just kind of a principal thing for me or something. I mean, why have the Netflix option at all if it has to be so infuriatingly antiquated? But that wasn't really my question. What I'm wondering now is if it would be possible/plausible to network the two devices together for maximum bandwidth utilization. Like some way of sharing internet connections; perhaps bridging their wireless adapters?


Again, thanks for any and all knowledge or opinions/ideas.
 
#86 ·
No. That wouldn't do any good anyway because if, for example, 2 devices are using all your bandwidth, simply turning off one will give 100% to the other. So no need to combine them. Load balancing just takes care of itself based on demand.


But you can use a feature on many routers called QOS to give your main Netflix device priority over everything else, even giving them a fixed bandwidth. The Wii only needs 3Mbps since it's only SD. The LG would need at least 6Mbps for HD.


I probably have a dozen Netflix streaming devices in my house, but only use the 2 best ones the majority of the time. So if one of your devices stinks, don't use it.
 
#87 ·
net flicks will only be as good as your internet speed to the device..



hd streaming you'll need atleast 16-20mb though it can work as low as 8mb anything lower will work though it will be a stunted service you'll get..


the more crap you got that requires net servicing the more bandwidth you'll need.
 
#89 ·
I am looking for a new blu-ray player after my PS3 went kaput. I know that I want it to have built-in wi-fi and be able to decode dolby trueHD and DTS HD master audio (as well as have Netflix). However, I'm a little confused as to if I have to be on the lookout for one that will stream Netflix in 5.1 surround sound? I guess I took that for granted with my PS3. So my question is, if I get a blu-ray player that will stream netflix, and has built in decoders, do I need to be worried about if it will stream Netflix in 5.1 (as opposed to stereo)? Or is that more on the Netflix side of things?


Additionally...anyone have any recommendations for a cheaper (hopefully around $100) blu-ray player that has the following?


-wi-fi built in

-dolby trueHD and dts hd master audio internal decoders

-good Netflix streaming and gui
 
#92 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by chalkjhawk79 /forum/post/21439337


Is that something that is clearly called out in the specs of the DVD player or do they tend to hide that information? I don't think I've ever seen it listed before?

You're correct that it's never in the specs. But we have been keeping a list HERE , and it's very short. If you're talking only about blu-ray players, there is only one right now with DD5.1 on Netflix, the Panasonic 110/210/310 (the 210 and 310 are wi-fi). The panasonic also does Netflix captions which is a pretty rare feature too. You can find the 210 for $125-$140 new or around $100 used. If you sell the 3D Avatar disc you get with it for $100 or so, your net cost is around $25. My 3 110's were essentially free. Since I resold 2 of them and all my discs, I actually made money. But you better hurry because the window for outrageous prices for that 3D movie is closing fast.
 
#93 ·
The Sony BDP-S185 is an inexpensive player that can stream from Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and others: See this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1385000 to find a link to a video with detailed screen capture for different modes: BD playback, AVCHD playback, Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, AVI file.

Quote:
Originally Posted by electric turd /forum/post/19322994


For anyone to buy a Blu-ray player primarily for netflix is a slap in the face to the quality of Blu-ray.

10-12 Mbit/s with AVC encoding is roughly equivalent or better than over-the-air broadcast @ 12-16 Mbit/s with MPEG-2 (no one broadcasts @ 19 Mbit/s). This is definitely not a slap in the face and it looks much better than DVD-Video.
 
#94 ·
so it seems the bluray player with built in wifi, the best netflix interface, and best price/deal (free $100 avatar bluray) is the panasonic 210, is that right?


basically if u buy the 210 at $140 including tax, sell the avatar for around $100, you got the best option for around $50


is that logical?
 
#100 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Stockton /forum/post/21544976


And if you have an AVR that cannot decode the DD+ from Netflix, the audio gets down-converted to regular DD 5.1??

The new Sony BDP-390 and BDP-590 have a new Netflix UI (basically a port of the PS3 Netflix UI) and include support for 1080p netflix and dolby digital plus bitstream.


The new Sony's also include VUDU (1080p/DD+), Amazon VOD (720p/DD) and Hulu+ (720/PCM)


Worth taking a look if you want a decent Netflix streamer with Bluray drive.
 
#101 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by apw2607 /forum/post/21754479


The new Sony BDP-390 and BDP-590 have a new Netflix UI (basically a port of the PS3 Netflix UI) and include support for 1080p netflix and dolby digital plus bitstream.

Do you actually have this player? If you do, please tell me this. I have the BDP-S370 and it sucks for Netflix because it doesn't search by thumbnails like Roku or my Panasonic BD65 does, you have to use Rewind or FF and even if you press for a split second and then play right away, it goes like one minute back or forth depending on which direction you wanted it to go. So if someone interrupted you and you just want to go back ten seconds, you end up having to watch one full minute.


Does this work the same way in the new UI, or not?
 
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