Panasonic DMP BDT500 - Page 8

Thanks David,
I thought if there is any difference it should be in the audio not video.
The Panasonic website gives the following differences between the 320 and 500:
DMP-BDT500 DMP-BDT320
S/N: 105db 100db
Dynamic Range: 105db 100db

I don't know if these differences are for Analog or for both digital and analog?
I am also not sure if there is any difference in picture quality between the two because the Panasonic website gives both units the same thechnology for picture quality.

Order both with a 30 day iron clad return policy, and return the one that you think less well of?

I ordered my Panny 500 from amazon which has a great return policy; odds are that I'll not need it.

Can't wait for your report.Good form!

Don't hold your breath! My focus will be on SQ (Sound Quality) and not on stuff like Netflix movie playback.

I'm more than a little surprised that since the Panny 500 blu-ray player is now out, for more than a week(?), that no one has so far said anything about their experience of actually owning/using one.

I think that depends on your individual set up.If you are using the 7.1 analog outputs ,burr brown dacs to a good amp, it should sound better.If your going to bit stream or pcm down convert,then your using the receiver decoder functions.The big appeal of this player is the upgraded power supply,electrolytic capacitors and burr brown dacs.

I also could care less about streaming,I'm all about the best audio and video quality I can get at a reasonable price.I do have this player and it is a big upgrade from my trusty ps3, in video and audio.The only problem is with the remote and set up,as i have stated this in my earlier posts.

I am using bitstream so I should not worry about audio quality difference. But what is left is the video quality. I want to know if it is worth about $200 more for 500 comparing to 320. If anyone knows the difference in video quality please chip in. I appreciate it.

I have no other player to compare it with,but the video seems better, more refined than the ps3.Does your receiver amp have analog inputs? It's worth it to use them with this player.
Joe rod has experience reviewing panasonic,sony,and oppo players.He is on the sony 790 thread.There is a discussion on going about reference digital video streams on different players.Objective measurements vs subjective impressions.Theoretically digital streams should be all the same one's and zero's but different players have different looks.

Thanks Chuckg1.
I don't have receiver with 7.1 analog inputs. I have to use the bitstream which is fine. I have the 320 and the picture is amazing. I have to dig in and see if 500 has better pic. Thanks for the 790 thread info.

How can I reset my Netflix account on 320 before I return it?

Thanks.

login to your netflix account using your PC, and unregister that unit from the list of registered equipments.

Sometimes that's just not enough. To truly clear the account off of the player, search in the 110 thread. Someone posted the process a couple times.

S~

I don't think you will find a noticeable difference to the naked eye on video since it is a digital signal thru HDMI. I had a the BDT350 and decided to upgrade to the 500 due to the following main reasons:
1- 7.1 analog output since I have a great Denon legacy receiver that I didn't want to give up or upgrade.
2- VUDU 3D streaming capability, not available on the 350
3- Netflix DD audio streaming, not available with the 350.
4- Better audio components for 7.1 analog audio.

If 7.1 analog audio is not important to you, I don't think it is worth upgrading from the 320 since that is the major capability difference.

Netflix removed the ability to do that. Your only options now are to unregistered all your devices or call them to unregister just the one.

Good reason(s) to *never* sign up for the "free" month of movie streaming service that netflix currently offers?

I have the following in camp Oppo BDP-93, Sony BDP-S790 and the Panasonic DMP-BDT500. My only decision is whether or not I will keep the Sony or the Panasonic. The Oppo and Sony are in my bedroom as the wife (I could care less) enjoys streaming and the Oppo hasn't received the best apps and interfaces from some of its streaming partners. Also, I like the idea of having another player in the house that plays FLAC as I have converted almost 3,000 CDs to FLAC over the years. I also have a legacy receiver (Denon AVR-3802 - old faithful) in my bedroom so another transport with 7.1 analog capability is also welcomed. I just popped the lid on the Panasonic this evening, but I have not set it up yet. Probably over the long weekend.


Below are a few photos showing the exterior of the three players.

Oppo on the bottom, Panasonic in the middle and Sony on top.

What is new in this Panasonic as opposed to a transport that is 2 years old? Sometimes we are conditioned through marketing to see and hear improvements that don't exist.

Also, Dave I would be interested in your thoughts on the evolution of blu-ray transports over the past 2 years. The only thing that comes to mind is streaming.

Just got the '500 set up this afternoon after UPS dropped it off.

The 7.1 analog audio through my Arcam AVR300 is impressive. I am very satisfied so far. Crystal clear without any harshness. I've used the following functions:

*Pandora
*Netflix
*Vudu
*YouTube
*DVD (Minority Report w/ DTS)
*BD (Star Wars Episode III)

I'm very pleased with the clarity of the audio and video on BD. The Pandora has a much more delicate presentation than when using either my Vizio TV's internet app or through my previous LG BD590. Wider soundstage and smoother than either of the previous.

I'm getting used to the remote.

DVD video quality is superior to my old LG BD590. It's noticeably sharper with only a minimal amount of grain added....but I need to sample more DVD's as that may be intrinsic to Minority Report.

Audio via the 7.1 analog out is damn good for a $329 player into my Arcam. Coaxial SPDIF digital audio is also marginally better than when using the LG. Again, this is a subtle difference shown by a soundstage that seems to be emanating from outside of my main L+R's. I used CD's and MP3's to test this and the difference is repeatable on several MP3 songs and discs. Using FLAC (which I am currently doing via thumb drive until I get an NAS for the Panny to sniff), I have been unable to discern a difference between the Disc and the FLAC file. Impressive for the money, it is.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the Panasonic vs. the Sony S790. Specifically how quiet the drive mechanisms are as well. I have a Panasonic 210 that is VERY loud when playing regular DVDs. Quieter for blu-ray, but still kind of loud.

I'm surprised you don't have a Cambridge Audio 651 or 751 in there as well.

If any of you have heard the LG BD570 or 590 (I know they use the same transport mechanism), the Panny seems to be ever-so-slightly quieter. Both my old LG 590 and the Panny '500 are completely inaudible from more than about 2 feet away on BD's, DVD's, or CD's.

If you close the front cover of the Panny, which is much more substantial than the one on the LG BD590, it seems to redirect the sound of the transport more toward the sides and the rear of the chassis. I have run mine for the last 4 hours with no HVAC in my room and no other noises. It's already quiet enough to not be an issue whether the cover is flipped up or down.

I have been using the BDT500 for a few days now.

Compared to my BD55 both the picture and sound are a huge improvement. When Bit-streaming music Cds and MP3s to my Denon 2809CI via HDMI the lows and highs are clearer and more detailed - very easy to notice the improvements. I know people say when Bit-streaming digital is 0/1s and wouldn't change, but believe me I notice a big improvement and so does my neighbors. I am using the "High Clarity" sound reproduction setting in the BDT500.

As far as Blu-ray - the picture is smoother and more detailed with improved clarity that is very noticeable due to better edge definition and improved richer/cleaner color reproduction. The motion smoothness is also improved. High definition sound is also improved - very crisp and clear sounding. Compared to the BD55 it loads and starts Blu-ray and DVD disks blazingly fast.

The remote sucks. I am slowly getting used to it but I am now using the remote from my BD55. It is sooo much easier to use, and ALL functions of the BDT500 work just fine with the BD55 remote . The BDT500s responsiveness is very quick when using either remote - much faster than the BD55. The biggest aggravation and disappointment of the new remote is that you can't program the volume to adjust anything except a Panasonic television - really stupid!



Addendum: Be sure and go to Panasonic's website to download firmware version 1.31 update (released May 21, 2012). It doesn't improve/fix any sound or image issues, but it does improve "VIERA Connect" and "Wireless LAN Connectivity". My BDT500 had version 1.21 installed.

I concur,the picture and sound are stellar.The remote is ridiculous.Good thing I have a harmony one remote.You should really try the analog out,I consider that to be the biggest feature of this player.

As the unit will be in my bedroom where overall audio quality is not as critical; I hope this will be my findings over the weekend. Anyone expecting this unit to compete with a unit in excess of $1K has unreasonable expectations or a system that probably can not resolve the differences or both.. I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the analog implementation, but I am not expecting it to compete with transports in my main setup, which was not its intended purpose.

Do you have the 95? I just got the 500. The picture has the 93.

Yes I do. Since July 2011.

I like this player so far and it might be a keeper. I really dislike the remote. Flac sounds great.

I for one bought this player to use the upgraded analog audio.I run it into a denon 4806 receiver and 7.1 boston acoustics speakers,so I do think this system can resolve the differences.I don't have access to an oppo95 so I can't compare the two,but using this set up compared to hdmi downconvert from my ps3 favors the panasonic by a wide margin.I wouldn't pay extra for features I have no intentions using ,go with the 220 which was rated a best buy by cnet.The oppo is 2yrs old and in electronics could be considered dated and not worth the premium.A $20,000 2yr.old projector could be bested by a $2500 one in todays market.My point is as the electronic industry advances ,it can provide increasingly better performance at substantially lower price points.

Thank you all for answering my question.
As I mentioned before, I already have the 320 and yesterday I got the 500 from BB. I tested the 500 against 320 (not A,B) but watched the same movie I watched on 320. I am using HDMI Bitstream.
Here are my findings in my room:
1. The 500 build quality is better than 320. More sturday.
2. The 500 has better color saturation. I thought they both had the same video components but somehow 500 produces more color saturation than 320.
3. The 500 has a bit sharper and clearer picture
4. The sound of 500 is a bit cleaner with less noise. I turned the digital clarity of the 500 on that I did not have it on on the 320. I don't know if that makes much difference but the 500 has cleaner and clearer sound thru HDMI Bitstream.
5. The 320 has option of Auto, Video or Frame for the Progresive mode but the 500 has only the Auto and the Video options. I don't know why they did not put the Frame option on the 500. Maybe because 500 is more capable in video processing than the 320? That is a mistery.
6. The Network is exactly the same on 320 and 500. After upgrading to the latest FW, I noticed that both units loose the HD signal for a few seconds then locks back on HD. I think there is a glitch on the new FW Panasonic needs to fix.


Before I picked up the 500, a guy in BB (whom seemed very knowledgable) told me that Panasonic put a better chip in the 500 to produce 48 bit color reproduction comapring to the 320 with 24 bit. That might be thru as I could see sharper and more saturated color from 500.

I hope this gives some idea between the 320 and 500. But is 500 worth about $150 more than 320, depends on the individual. If you are using the 7.1 analog, it is diffinately a big jump. For me, I don't settle for less when it comes to sound and picture. Eventhough I use the HDMI Bitstream, still the difference between the 320 and the 500 in slightly better sound and picture is good enough to keep the 500 and return the 320.

The color saturation is a purely artificial effect cause by the advanced chroma setting. It may look richer, but is actually worse than the original (clipped, less chroma resolution). The only difference electronically between the 500 and other 2012 models is the additional audio output section and twin HDMI. Any perceived differences in the digital audio or picture are due to different settings. If you don't need analog audio or twin HDMI, there is no reason to get the 500 over the 320.

I used the same Chroma and other settings for picture between 320 and 500 and noticed a clearer and more saturated color on the 500. Maybe Panasonic is using upgraded parts in the 500?