Review: Panasonic DMP-BD30 Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player

Great review John. Very informative. One thing that stood out to me is this...

If and when you need to access a Picture-in-Picture feature on a disc, you turn on the player's secondary audio, and the player outputs both soundtracks to the receiver, with the primary soundtrack reverting to its core only.

Is this common when watching PIP on hidef disks? I was under the impression that bluray had enough bandwidth that it would not be necessary to down-convert the primary audio track (the movie itself) to the core only. Insteresting and good to know.

Sounds like this BD30 or the upcoming BD50 is in my future

Thanks for the review. I have looked well an though about getting this player several times. but always seem to change my mind. I really just want an SA player... even if later I also but the upcoming 50 version, and move this to the bedroom.

Thanks!

What's the use of the 5.1 analogue output if it the Panny BD-30 can't decode the higher audio codecs? Shouldn't a HDMI or typical Optical/Coaxial Digital cable be more than necessary (for standard DD and DTS)? Or is the 5.1 outputs used for PCM?

Thanks,
Geo

Good review John, the Panny looks like a great player to be sure. However, I think you're forgetting about one other deck highly comparable when you made the following statement:

Quote:
Ideally, the player should be relatively compact, Profile 2.0 compliant, HDMI Version 1.3 compliant, with the ability to decode all of the higher audio codecs internally in up to 7.1 channels. No such animal exists. Yet. However, the Panasonic BD30 comes about as close as you can get.

The Samsung BDP-1400 has the following features:

5.1 analog outs, coaxial out, HDMI 1.3, and component out
internal decoding of all audio codecs (including True-HD) except DTS-MA
Ethernet connection
Profile 1.0

As far as I am concerned the audio support provided by this deck is far more important than profile 1.1 The BDP-1400 offers the best audio codec support of any player less than $800.
Just my two cents....
The Samsung unit is cheaper than the Panasonic, has better audio support AND ethernet connection...I got mine for $400 with the 5 free movie offer. Here is a review from Engadget.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/28/samsung-bd-p1400-review

[Post edited by Bosshog7 on Mar 19, 2008]

"Is this common when watching PIP on hidef disks? I was under the impression that bluray had enough bandwidth that it would not be necessary to down-convert the primary audio track." --Falcon01

I only know about this feature and how it works from what I've read at the AVS Official Panasonic BD30 Owner's Thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=936144 because I don't have any BD discs with Picture-in-Picture on them yet. I'll let you know more as time goes on.

"What's the use of the 5.1 analogue output if it the Panny BD-30 can't decode the higher audio codecs? Shouldn't a HDMI or typical Optical/Coaxial Digital cable be more than necessary (for standard DD and DTS)? Or is the 5.1 outputs used for PCM?" --luckygeo

Some people prefer the sound of the 5.1 analogue outputs to an optical output, and some people have two or more players hooked up to the receiver/amplifier and need to use whatever outputs are available.

"As far as I am concerned the audio support provided by this deck is far more important than profile 1.1. The (Samsung) BDP-1400 offers the best audio codec support of any player less than $800." --Bosshog7

Yes, as I've said, all of the BD players have their advantages and disadvantages at the moment, and certainly the Samsung 1400 is among the best. As I understand it, however, the 1400 is a Profile 1.0 player, so it won't do PiP, and it will not internally decode DTS-HD Master Audio, just bitstream it out as the Panasonic BD30 does. Right now, there are a few minor limitations on things any BD player will do. But with Blu-ray just getting its feet wet, so to speak, we'll see more players in the coming year that will do it all, and I hope at lower prices (although not at first).

John

This Panasonic didn't bitstream any sound to my Onkyo TX-SR705. It passed all audio at PCM pass through. I even did the firmware update, and still didn't bitstream the audio when my audio was specifically set to bitstream on the BD player. All my hdmi cables are v1.3, and pass bitstream with my PS3, Samsung Dvd player, and my cable box. I returned this player the day purchased it, and didn't bother exchanging due to the fact that profile 2.0 players are coming out soon. I was really let down with player.

Kris,

I, too, have the BD30 hooked up to an Onkyo 705, and all I can suggest is that either you somehow had the player or the receiver set up incorrectly or you got a one-in-million defective BD30. (You do need to set all the audio output formats in the BD30 to bitstream, and turn the Secondary Audio and the PCM Down Conversion both to Off.)

If you read the AVS Official Panasonic BD30 Owners Thread, you'll find a large number of people who also have their BD30s connected to new Onkyo receivers, and none of them have reported any such problems as yours. Sorry about that, but waiting for the BD50 is still prudent, in any case, if you need the Ethernet port.

John

[Post edited by John J. Puccio on Mar 19, 2008]

I followed that steps correctly to make sure the player would dish out the bitstream audio to my receiver. I actually got the tip on how to set up the player from the CNET review. http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/panasonic-dmp-bd30k/9603-6463_7-32730548.html?messageID=2510442&tag=dvdtown-20

I’m just going to assume that I am one out of million who purchased a defective player from my local Best Buy. However I did find a few forums with others who have had issues with this player connected to their Onkyo 605, 705, and 805.

Thanks though for getting back to my reply.

Thanks for letting me know about the ethernet jack. I was seriously considering this player but I won't touch a player that doesn't give me the option to update via ethernet port.

Great review John. I'm getting close to buying one. I'll have to use the analogue outputs to my Denon for a while until I get a new receiver which will probably next year.

I looked at one in a local high end store a couple of days ago. I started started to hyperventelate when I saw the price and they almost called the EMTs. OK, I'm kidding, but I will wait a while to see if the price goes down when the 50 comes out. I really don't care about the ethernet connection.

This is a general question, but will an Optical connection from the player carry 7.1 channels of audio if it's available ??

No, you cannot put 7.1 channels of audio over an optical interface with ANY receiver today. This is not a limitation of the receiver or the player, it's a limitation of the optical interface that is being used.

[Post edited by Bosshog7 on Mar 26, 2008]