Panasonic DMP-BDT320 review

A fine player, but now faces stiff competition Tested at £200

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

A fine player, but the '320 faces stiff competition from the BDT500 and Sony's BDP-S790

Pros

  • +

    Good picture detail

  • +

    sound is great with dialogue

  • +

    glossy look

Cons

  • -

    Usability could be better

  • -

    slightly more expensive players offer a good deal more

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 DMP-BDT320

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

The Panasonic DMP-BDT320 has a tough act to follow: the company's budget Blu-ray players were the best-in-class last year, so the pressure's on for the company's 2012 arrivals.

The DMP-BDT320 is first out of the traps and, thankfully, it picks up where 2011's decks left off, producing a scintillating 2D picture and an immersive 3D one to boot.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320: Picture quality

Spin The Dark Knight and the opening cityscape shots of Gotham look superb and sharply drawn, with detail etched on every building as well as the Joker's purple suit and clown mask.

Skip a couple of chapters to the ambush on Harvey Dent's police escort and the dark Gotham skyline displays rich and luxurious blacks.

Details and textures on the dark SWAT uniforms are displayed without any problems and as the convoy moves along, motion is handled with minimal fuss.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320: Dramatic sound

The accompanying music score sounds bold, full-bodied and dramatic, and when the action hots up, the Panasonic produces an entertaining and explosive performance.

Weight, definition and control are all part of the player's sonic profile and when the Joker unleashes a couple of rounds from his shotgun the sense of realism has the viewer recoiling in their seat.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

Panasonic DMP-BDT320: Convincing in 3D

Up the ante with Despicable Me in 3D and the 'BDT320 produces the goods. You can alter the intensity of the 3D image to a level that's enjoyable and easy on the eyes.

During the children's pitstop at the fairground, the depth of the rollercoaster looks great and all motion is handled with minimal fuss. The disc also showcases the Panasonic's vivid colour balance – it's rich enough but doesn't appear overblown.

Feed the player a normal DVD (Bruce Willis' Die Hard 2 is a fine blast from the past) and the Panasonic shows impressive upscaling ability.

Sure, the clarity of image and subtle details of Blu-ray can't be matched, but the 'BDT320 keeps a good grip on motion and its attempts to sure up edges and suppress noise are worthy of high praise.

Of course, content viewed through today's Blu-ray players isn't limited to discs. Use either the wired Ethernet connection or the built-in wifi and the 'BDT320 can access Panasonic's Viera Connect content and with it the likes of Netflix movies on demand and the latest version of BBC's iPlayer.

The interface is a little clunky compared to the slicker offerings from the likes of Samsung, but it's an improvement on last year's fare.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

Panasonic DMP-BDT320

Panasonic DMP-BDT320: Touchpad remote

Panasonic isn't afraid to try new things on the design front and this year it's chosen to take a scalpel to the player's remote, merging buttons with a touchpad.

It's a nice idea in theory but this new-fangled approach does take quite a while to get used to, and it might mean spending a couple of seconds flicking over the manual!

Having shortcut keys to Skype, Netflix and internet (aka Viera Connect) is great. When it comes to navigating settings and disc menus, you have to employ a combination of button presses together with various swishes and taps on the touchpad.

A couple of times we our fingers were tied up in knots, but given time, operating it does become easier.

As well as redesigning the remote, Panasonic has dressed the 'BDT320 up in a glossier, slimmer, more desirable package.

A slick slot-loadin mechanism replaces the traditional drawer and just a couple of touch-sensitive control buttons adorn the top surface of the machine.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320: Verdict

The DMP-BDT320 will inevitably be compared with its traditional – and more expensive – sibling, the DMP-BDT500, which no doubt wins out in that comparison. The pricier player has extra power, evident in the added vibrancy of colours and the muscular authority of its sound.

Then there’s the Sony BDP-S790 – for only £30 pounds more, you get a brilliant player, with twin HDMI outputs and 4K upscaling on its list of talents.

Star ratings are, by necessity, a relative thing. Being up against two such talented players, the DMP-BDT320 does lose a star. But for its good looks and good handling with both picture and sound, the Panasonic DMP-BDT320 is still a great player at this price.

See all our Blu-ray player Best Buys

Follow whathifi.com on Twitter

Join whathifi.com on Facebook

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.

Read more about how we test

Latest in Blu-ray Players
A stack of Blu-ray cases on a wooden shelf
Sony announces that it will officially end production of recordable Blu-ray discs in February
A still from Paramount Pictures' Gladiator 2 with Paul Mescal kneeling in an arena with sand running through his fingers.
Gladiator II is available to buy digitally now – but there's a better way to get it
panasonic ub820 black friday deal graphic
Ditch streaming and take ownership back this Black Friday as our favourite 4K Blu-ray player drops by $100
Panasonic DP-UB820EB
Best Blu-ray players 2024
Deadpool and Wolverine limited edition Blu-ray on a white background
Disney has announced that two of its upcoming 4K Blu-rays will include Dolby Vision – and it's good news for Marvel and Alien fans
Sony PS5 Pro on a white background with a detatched disc drive accessory
Sony's detachable 4K Blu-ray disc drive is selling out ahead of the PS5 Pro launch
Latest in Reviews
Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED 65-inch TV
Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED (ML65F700)
Fyne Audio F501E floorstanding speakers
Fyne Audio F501E
Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro portable projector
Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro
LG S70TY soundbar package
LG S70TY
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition wireless speaker
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition
Epson EF-22 portable projector
Epson EF-22