Panasonic DMP-BDT210 review

Blu-ray player Product of the Year 2011. The Panasonic DMP-BDT210 Blu-ray player will give you cracking pictures at an affordable price Tested at £180

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

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

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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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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