BDX3000 Review

Region A / Profile BD-Live(2.0)

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Video:
Video Resolution:
1080p/24p
DVD upscaling:
1080p
Audio:
HDMI output: 7.1
Analog output: 7.1
Media:
3D / Blu-ray / DVD / CD

Other:
HDMI version:1.3a
Ethernet: Yes
Release Date:
September, 2010

The Toshiba BDX3000 is the flagship and most expensive Blu-ray Player in the Toshiba Blu-ray lineup. So it is not surprising that it is filled with great features such as Online Streaming Media Services, handles many media files, built-in Wi-Fi and 7.1 channel analog audio outputs. While being the most expensive in the Toshiba lineup, the player is still affordable, with a price range online of $200.00 to $250.00.

The main feature of the BDX3000 is its ability to playback Full HD 3D Blu-ray Discs. With the aid of a 3D TV, 3D glasses and a High Speed HDMI cable, you can play 3D Blu-ray Discs to see amazing 1080p video resolution for each eye. If you do not have these items, do not worry, the BDX3000 has no problem playing standard 2D Blu-ray Discs and DVDs.

Blu-ray 3D™ Playback: Able to play Full HD 3D Blu-ray Discs. A capable 3D TV and 3D glasses are required to enjoy 3D movies at home.
Online Streaming Media Services: You can stream a wide variety of movies, TV shows, videos and music from a large selection of online services such as: Netflix®, BLOCKBUSTER On Demand®, VUDU™, and Pandora®.
Wi-Fi® Certified (Wireless LAN): Has built -in wireless LAn for easy access to the internet or to connect to your Home .
BD-Live Technology will allow you to download and stream bonus online content such as additional scenes, live commentary, shorts, trailers, movie-based games, and more. External memory is required, so a USB Storage Device/SD Card will have to be inserted into the player.
Bonus View feature provides “picture-in-picture” capability with select Blu-ray Disc titles–useful for viewing director or actor commentary while the movie plays.
Playback of Content from an SD Memory Card: it supports the playback of MP3 / WMA / JPEGs stored in an SD Memory Card.
x.v.Color output plays AVCHD-format discs with support for the international xvYCC color standard, producing images with nearly twice as many viewable colors as the existing RGB color standard.
Playing back AVCHD files: It Supports playback of AVCHD format files recorded on disc/SD card. Your high definition personal archive is playable in HD quality.
HDMI®-CEC:This will allow you to connect the BDX3000 and your HDTV to get a convenient two-way control with one remote control.
Dimensions: 8.3 x 16.9 x 2.5 inches ; 3.8 pounds

Video Quality:
When connecting the BDX3000 you can use the following video connections: HDMI, Component Outputs and Composite Outputs. To get the best picture when playing back Blu-ray discs (1080p/24/60 fps. resolution), a HDMI connection is needed. Through the HDMI connection the player can up-scale standard DVDs to near 1080p levels. You will not get the same crisp, clear, detailing you would find on Blu-rays, but your DVDs will never look better. Tests done by various experts reveal the BDX300 should provide you with very good image quality that has great detail, contrast and black levels when playing Blu-ray Discs.

Audio Quality:
The audio connections for the BDX3000 are the HDMI, Analog Audio Outputs (both 2.0 and 7.1) and Digital Optical Output. The BDX3000 has internal audio decoding for the latest high resolution audio formats (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) and can transfer these formats in their native bitstream form. And those who have a non-HDMI A/V receiver do not have to upgrade because the BDX3000 comes equipped with 7.1 Analog Audio Outputs.

While 3D may be the next trend in Home Entertainment, the BDX3000 has not forgotten to include other features such as Online Streaming Media Services. Being able to stream movies, music and photos from the comfort of your living room is becoming more prevalent. The BDX3000 provides access to Pandora®, BLOCKBUSTER on Demand®, Netflix® and VUDU®. Unfortunately, it the exclusion of YouTube might not appeal to many.

Of course you do need to connect to the internet to access any online streaming content. There is an Ethernet Port and a built-in Wi-Fi for this purpose. Once connected, you can access BD-Live functions found on certain Blu-ray movies. The BDX3000 does not have any internal memory storage. So when using the BD-Live function you will require an USB or SD Card memory device for storage. The SD Card can also handle the playback of MP3, WMA, JPEG and AVCHD files.

THE PROS: The Toshiba BDX3000 Blu-ray Player has 1080p/24 playback on all Blu-ray discs. Similar to the BDX2700, the main difference being the BDX3000 can playback 3D Blu-ray Discs. It has up-scaling of standard DVDs to near HD levels. Is a Profile 2.0 player that supports BD-Live content. There is a built-in Wi-Fi which will give you easy access to Online Streaming Media Services. The BDX3000 has Netflix®, VUDU™, and Pandora®. It can playback MP3, HD-Jpeg, WMA and AVCHD. Great audio quality with internal audio decoding for Dolby® True HD and DTS HD Master Audio or you can pass the signal through the HDMI® Output for external decoding.

THE CONS: It has the same interface as the BDX2700 which is basic, can be a hard to navigate. It does not have any internal storage memory, therefore you will need to use a USB device or SD Card to download BD-Live data. Unlike many of it’s competitors, it is not DLNA certified. YouTube does not come with the online streaming services.

THE FINAL WORD: The Toshiba BDX3000 Blu-ray Player is the flagship Blu-ray Player for Toshiba. With many great features including playback of 3D Blu-ray Discs. It has built-in Wi-Fi, online streaming and great audio and video quality. It is a step up from the BDX2700 model. But the only difference is 3D capability. So if you are not interested in 3D, then you should look at the cheaper BDX2700. Has great images, 7.1 multichannel audio output, online streaming media services and Wi-Fi options. – Price you should look for when purchasing — Under $250.00