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There are two significant changes occurring in the digital video realm right now. The first is the trend toward Blu-ray high definition discs as the replacement to DVD. The second is the rise of streaming Internet video. Both of these delivery methods are on the rise for very different reasons. It’s a little ironic then that these two methods converge in the LG BD300 device. The BD300 combines a Blu-ray disc player with instant Netflix streaming.
The BD300 is a fairly standard BD player. The glossy black finish gives it a high-end look. The front is mostly conventional aside from the oddly placed power and eject buttons, which are positioned on the front edge of the player. Also on the front is a USB port which can be used for a flash drive—required when downloading BD Live content from the Internet. It can output 1080p video at 24Hz or 60Hz, depending on what your TV will accept, via HDMI 1.3. For audio, the unit will decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, Dolby TrueHD and DTS. DTS-Master is available as a bit stream output over HDMI if you have a compatible audio receiver. Audio outputs include optical, coaxial and stereo analog, but no analog surround.
The other notable rear jack is for an Ethernet cable. The Ethernet port serves two purposes. The first is for the BD Live feature (also called Profile 2.0) that several BD discs now support. The second purpose is to connect to Netflix and allow subscribers to access their saved list of “watch instantly” movies. Wireless connectivity is not built into the player (the PS3 is the only BD player with built-in Wi-Fi). LG suggests a power line network if an Ethernet connection is not an option.
Operation of the BD300 is superior to many other models due to its excellent onscreen menu. The home screen allows you to navigate to disc playback, system settings and Netflix without ever needing to open up the manual. Setting up the player for network connectivity was fairly simple—and once connected it will automatically download upgrades when available. However, the device disconnects from the network whenever you turn the player off, and takes a few minutes to connect again when you turn it on, so if you switch it on and go to the Netflix menu you’ll be told the unit is not connected to the Internet and will direct you back to the setup menu.
Playing Blu-ray discs is a pretty satisfying experience, as playback is speedy and picture quality was quite sharp. DVD playback was good, but the unit’s upscaling of standard definition was not as good as some other players we’ve used.
While a strong Blu-ray picture is great, it’s the Netflix feature that really makes this player stand out. Like the Roku player (Netflix only) launched earlier this year, the BD300 allows you to access your entire “watch instantly” list on your TV, rather than on a computer screen. From the player’s Home menu you select the Netflix icon and within a few seconds you’re presented with title thumbnails of all the movies on your list. Once selected, the movies begin playing within 30 seconds. You can pause, rewind and even stop playback to resume later, just as if you were watching a DVR recording. So far there are about 12,000 titles available for Internet streaming, and Netflix is actively adding more. The best part about these titles is that they don’t cost you anything extra if you’re already a Netflix subscriber. You can put up to 500 movies in your Instant queue.
As cool as instant streaming is, the picture quality is a little below that of a good-looking DVD, and far below Blu-ray. Also, most of the Instant titles I tried are not in widescreen.
Electronics companies like to pair products, creating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup components that sometimes taste great together, and sometimes don’t. Of course, just because it’s an odd pairing, doesn’t mean LG doesn’t pull it off effectively. On the contrary, the BD300 is easily the most interesting video source component to hit the market since Apple TV. It can satisfy the needs of the HDTV owner as well as those who just want easy and quick access to video content. If you’re a Netflix user, this player will help you get more for your money.
LG BD300
$350
BD Live and Bonus View
HDMI 1.3
Ethernet
Front USB port
1080p 24/30/60Hz
LG SimpleLink (HDMI CEC)
Netflix Instant Streaming
www.lgusa.com/bluray
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