LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Player (UltimateAVmag.com December 2008 review link)

[HDTV1080P]

Kim Wilson over at UltimateAVmag.com website just published a review on the LG BD300. The LG BD300 is ideal for someone that wants the added bonus of streaming Netflix movies at quality levels below what pre-recorded optical discs provide. There are better BLU-RAY players on the market if one is not interested in streaming Netflix movies. The LG lacks DTS-HD Master audio decoding (will bitstream DTS-HD Master), lacks 480I legacy S-Video, and does not include a minimum of 1GB of memory built in for BD-LIVE. Of course most existing in production BLU-RAY standalone players lack 1GB of internal memory and require the consumer to purchase 1GB flash memory if they are interested in BD-LIVE bonus material.

Quotes from the December 2008 review by Kim Wilson

"In addition to playing Blu-ray discs, the BD300 can also play standard DVDs and upconvert them to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolutions. If your display supports it, the BD300 can output 1080p at 24fps for a more film-like image. Generally, fast-motion movie sequences perform better with the 24fps option if the display can handle it properly. However, what sets the BD300 apart from other Blu-ray players is its ability to stream movies that you queue up on Netflix. If you already use Netflix, this is an additional service you can access as part of your existing membership. This is the first Blu-ray player to offer this service, though it's no longer the only one. By the time I received the BD300, Samsung announced the BD-P2500 (review forthcoming) with the same functionality."

"The BD300 actually achieved faster load times for Blu-ray discs than most players I've tried. It took only 15 seconds to load The Punisher, though Iron Man took 26 seconds."

"Still, Netflix streaming has a way to go before I would consider it a worthy option. I've been called an HD snob, and I own up to that characterization. I look forward to evaluating the Netflix feature again when HD content is available. Now, if you are already a Netflix user, and you don't mind watching SD video, the BD300 is probably a slam dunk for you."

"Highs
Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD MA bitstreams
High-quality decoding of Dolby TrueHD
1080p/24 output
Streams content from Netflix
Least-expensive dedicated Blu-ray player
USB access to media files
Lows
No DTS-HD MA decoding
Deinterlacing and upconversion tested poorly
Netflix streaming is SD only; limited titles"

http://ultimateavmag.com/hddiscplayers/lg_bd300_network_blu-ray_player/index.html