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Japanese electronics corporation Panasonic is known around the world as a maker of quality home electronics, audio equipment, cameras and appliances. Australian consumers have chosen the company as the best brand for Blu-Ray and DVD players in Australia, giving it the highest overall score. Users also gave Panasonic high ratings for applications and features, durability, design and ease of use. 96% of surveyed customers recommend Panasonic Blu-Ray and DVD players.
DVD took over from VHS tapes in the 1990s, but Blu-ray has since come along offering even better video and sound quality.
Blu-ray offers a few key advantages over DVD:
So while DVD players are still sold by most home electronics retailers and can be purchased a fair bit cheaper than Blu-ray players, Blu-ray is the way of the future and is well worth the investment for anyone keen to get a better home cinema experience.
Major electronic brands including Sony, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and more all offer Blu-ray players, which can generally be split into two categories:
When choosing a Blu-ray or DVD player, consider how easy it is to use, your budget and the compatibility between your TV and Blu-ray player. Here are the factors you need to take into account:
You can pick up a standard Blu-ray or DVD player less than $100. 4K models are more expensive. If you choose a Blu-ray player that also features an in-built HDD recorder, prices start at $300 and can push up towards $700 or $800.
Take a closer look at the instruction manual and reviews from other buyers to find out how easy the machine is to use. Is connecting it to your TV simple and straightforward? Is its user interface intuitive and easy to navigate? Is the remote well laid out and does it provide easy access to all essential functions?
You can connect your player to your TV using an HDMI cable, but some will also offer composite RCA connection in case you need your player to be compatible with an older TV. Models with dual HDMI outputs allow you to send audio and video to separate equipment if needed.
Most Blu-ray and DVD players available at the moment have Wi-Fi connectivity and many also feature an Ethernet port. This can allow you to stream content from services such as Netflix, so check which apps the player comes with.
Some models also feature a built-in HDD recorder so you can record your favourite TV shows and watch them at a later date or burn them onto a disc using the machine's recorder.
Make sure you find out the length of the manufacturer's warranty as well as exactly what it covers before you buy.
If you want to play your DVDs on your new Blu-ray machine, check whether it has an image upscaling feature to improve DVD image quality.
While the 3D fad has largely come and gone, if you have a 3D TV, make sure the player you choose is 3D-compatible.
DVDs are coded in six regions, while Blu-ray only has three region codes. Check the player to be sure that it can play discs coded for your region.
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