What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Blu-ray player Product of the Year 2011. A cracking player. Panasonic seems incapable of making a bad 3D Blu-ray player
Pros
- +
Pristine images
- +
good DVD upscaling
- +
clear, dynamic sound
- +
wi-fi
- +
easy to use
Cons
- -
No multichannel analogue outputs
- -
average selection of online content
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Panasonic’s entry-level 3D Blu-ray players are pretty hard to top, with the BDT110 and BDT310 getting ten stars between them.
As you can probably guess from the model numbers, the BDT210 nestles neatly in the middle of this trio. The only real downside is that this player lacks the flexibility of the BDT310s twin HDMI outs. Then again, this is reflected in the price.
More importantly, the BDT210 also has wi-fi connectivity and Panasonic’s ‘high clarity sound’ feature, both of which the cheaper machine lacks.
The latter switches off the player’s analogue video output, resulting in a subtle but audible increase in dynamics and clarity.
The quality is similar to that produced by the BDT310: meaty and with well-fed low frequencies, but never sounding overbearing, while high frequencies are clear and precise. Big dynamic shifts are no problem, either.
Superb HD pictures
The high definition picture is absolutely superb. Whether you’re watching 2D or 3D content, image stability, depth and detail are all top-drawer. Fast and slow-moving objects are all handled with care and graced with sharply defined edges.
Spin a 3D disc such as Avatar and you feel relatively comfortable watching for prolonged periods – especially as you can alter the intensity of the 3D effects
in the player’s on-screen menus.
DVD playback is perfectly decent too, with a good solid picture and fairly impressive motion. That said, you might want to compare its upscaling with that of your TV, especially if you happen to be the owner of a particularly good model.
One last thing: Panasonic has now issued a firmware upgrade to bring the newer (and better) Viera Connect internet portal found on its 2011 TVs to its latest range of Blu-ray players, including this one. This is a great machine for the money.
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