Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player

The PHILIPS BDP3200 Blu-ray Player

Design wise the PHILIPS BDP3200 Blu-ray player is a slim line design and looks as good as any slightly shiney black box that you’ll hide away in your home entertainment system ever will. I still don’t understand why DVD and Blu-ray players need to be so big though. The technology exists to make them much smaller and I guess it would be just as cheap to do so!

The The PHILIPS BDP3200 Blu-ray player comes with all the features you would expect like 1080p full HD playback and 24fps processing. Old DVDs get the now normal upscalling treatment to help give your DVD collection a new lease of life. Obviously the Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player has HDMI connections as well as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA available for HD 7.1 surround sound.

Another cool feature of the Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player is if you connect it to the internet you can watch YouTube videos on your HD television without the need for a PC or laptop.

Is Currys The Cheapest place To Buy?

One of the problems with the Currys stores is they’re not always the best for value (although they do offer convenience). So I’ve hunted around online to see who else is selling the BDP3200 Blu-ray DVD player from Philips to see if Currys is selling it for the cheapest price and if not where you can get the best deal for it.
Amazon.co.uk £76 including free postage
Asda.com £77.95 including £2.95 postage

Obviously you might be able to find the Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray DVD player cheaper than the two online stores I’ve listed above but I’m sticking to those that are pretty reputable. So you can get it cheaper but £3 for the convenience of walking into the shop and walking straight out with your new Blu-ray player and the ability to return it should you have any problems, Currys price is actually pretty cheap.

Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray Player Reviews

Ok time for some reviews of the Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player and the only ones I could find were user reviews on the Asda website which gives it 5 out of 5 stars. There are only two reviews of the Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player on there which isn’t great as we always always like the biggest sample of reviewers possible. Anyway one of the reviews says:

“A well packaged well featured player for an incredibly reasonable price. The onscreen menu system is very easy to understand and follow, I was over the moon to find the USB section allowed playback of movies from my portable 250 gig hard drive as well as my Flash Drives. The picture quality and sound from this unit is superb no complaints at all. The remote control is well laid out for ease of use, All in all this is a superb buy if you are looking for a player with the extra bonus of a USB connection this is for you.”

If you own a Philips BDP3200 Blu-ray player and want to do a little review for cheap televisions please add it to the comments section.

Best Cheap 32 Inch LCD TVs

According to techradar and their reviews the top 10 best 32 inch LCD TVs you can buy are:

1. LG 32LF7700 cheap 32″ LCD TV (around £400)
2. Panasonic TX-32X15B 32 inch LCD television (around £450)
3. Sharp LC-32LE600E Full HD LCD TV (around £500)
4. Samsung LE32B650 32″ LCD TV (around £530)
5. Sony Bravia KDL 32W5500 LCD TV (around £530)
6. Philips Full HD 32PFL7404 32 inch LCD TV (around £550)
7. Panasonic TX-L32G10B FreeSat LCD TV (around £550)
8. LG 32SL8000 32 inch LCD television (around £630)
9. Philips aluminium 32PFL9604 32″ LCD TV (around £840)
10. Loewe (not so cheap) Connect 32 Media LCD TV (around £2,000)

Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD Player

In-fact I can’t think of any other Blu-Ray DVD player that can match if for looks? A number of shops and online retailers have also been having some special deals on the Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD player making it significantly cheaper than when it was originally released. There’s actually a lot of good Blu-Ray DVD player deals around at the moment and they will likely be one of this Christmas’s biggest sellers.

The reviews for the Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD disc player have also been very good from what I’ve found around the internet. Here’s some user reviews from around the net.

Play.com 5 out of 5 Stars from 4 Reviewers one of which said:

“This is a brilliant machine – I bought this and the new LED samsung. Both hung on my wall and looks stunning. The quality of the blu ray is exceptional, miles better than the ps3 which i have as well. I cannot say a bad word about it and when connected to my sound system it is amazing!! The DVD playback is upscaled but I am not a fan of any upscaled DVDs and most of mine are now redundant as I wont watch them. It is good, but once you made the ‘switch’ it never looks as good.”

On Amazon the users there have given the Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD player on average 4 out of 5 stars from 18 customer reviews, the best of which I think is:

“I swore that after some bad experiences with Samsung DVD/BD players I would never buy another one, however, whilst perusing the net for one my eyes were hooked by this sweet looking product. When I saw that it was Samsung I hesitated only slightly before my penchant for the aesthetic won the day! If you have a Samsung LCD or LED then this is a must buy for you – instant recognition when you turn the player on – can use either remote for TV/DVD – and it completes the look and makes an unbeatable eye-catching focus for any lounge.”

Now on to the industry reviews for the Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD player starting with trustedreviews which don’t give a review score but a verdict part of which says:

“With the BD-P4600, Samsung has created the most distinctive-looking Blu-ray player to date, with a gorgeous wall-mountable design that will please those who like their players to look as good as the pictures they provide. There’s much to admire on the inside too, such as WiFi support and built-in memory, which makes it easier than ever to experience Blu-ray’s interactive extras, while the swift disc loading times and wide-ranging format support are added bonuses (although video-on-demand would have been the icing on the cake).”

Cnet UK has another pretty in-depth review of the Samsung BD-p4600 Blu-Ray player but it is worth remembering they reviewed it when it was £100 more expensive than it is now. They gave it a review score of 8.7 and said:

“Ultimately, the Samsung BD-P4600 may be sunk by its price. Sony and Panasonic both have excellent models on the market that cost less and have a more traditional form factor. But that’s not to say the BD-P4600 isn’t a great player, because it is. We love the speed with which it operates, and we also like the picture and sound quality. Overall, it’s a good package and certainly a great choice for Samsung TV owners who have their set mounted on a wall”

Techradar also have a good review of this Bluray DVD player again giving it a good score of 4 out of 5 stars (review scores seem pretty consistent). Part of the summary says:

“For its few faults, this is a neat piece of BD technology from Samsung. It looks like the kind of lifestyle proposition non-techies might go for, and presents an interesting solution for anyone with a wall-mounted flatscreen, particularly if you go for the wireless dongle option.”

Right away from how the Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-Ray DVD player looks astetically and the online reviews and on to how all the bits inside the pretty looking box work and perform. The technical specifications are as follows:

Brand      SAMSUNG
Dimensions     19.5×46.1×42.0(H/W/D)cm
HD Playback format     Blu-Ray
HD Playback resolution     N/A
DVD-R playback     Yes
DVD-RW playback     Yes
DVD+R playback     Yes
DVD+RW playback     Yes
DVD-RAM playback     No
CD playback     Yes
SACD playback     No
VCD playback     No
MP3 playback     Yes
JPEG image playback     Yes
DivX playback     No
HDMI connections     1
Component video connection     Yes
Optical connection     Yes
Ethernet connection     Yes
S-Video connection     No
I-link connection for digital camcorders     No
Scart sockets     No
RGB enabled scart sockets     No
Progressive scan     Yes
HDMI upscaling     No
Digital Freeview tuner     No
Dolby Digital Plus     Yes
Dolby True HD     Yes
DTS HD     Yes
5.1 channel audio outputs     No
HDMI cable included     No
Remote control included     Yes
Other features
16/1.0watts :in use/powered-down power consumption
DVD-ROM playback
CD-R playback
CD-RW playback
Playback discs in 1080p screen resolution
2.0 Blu-ray profile

Pioneer Kuro Plasma Television Reviews

Jonathan Ross appears to be a big fan of the Poneer Kuro televisions but then again they probably paid him to be! In his little bit he claims he owns 23 Pioneer TVs and is looking to buy more walls so he can buy some more! Nice to know Jonathan Ross is feeling the credit crunch too lol. He is also quoted as saying “So it won’t surprise you to know that I have already worked my way through about a dozen plasma televisions since they first appeared and offered us a sleeker, brighter future with more floor space. They have all been lovely, and I don’t regret a penny I spent on any of them. But the best by far, in both stylish good looks and ease of use, not to mention sparkling, crisp, beautiful picture quality, are those made by those nice people at Pioneer.”

Alan Carr has a much more humorous statement with the Kuro televisions and mentions that he thinks Pioneers television is gorgeous! My favourite quote from it though is this “Well what can I say about my brand new Widescreen Pioneer Television? Well it’s gorgeous, slick, state of the art, and that’s why it’s such a shame I only watch tacky sh*t on it. Oh yes, I wish I could do the television justice by watching those cool American dramas, like the Sopranos, or Ugly Betty but no, give me ‘Extreme Makeover U.K’ or ‘Most Haunted’ anyday.”

There is an array of other people on the Pioneer website basically saying the Kuro is the best range of televisions ever including a guy that designs Jaguar cars, numorous editors and journalists and even a ballet dancer! Its all a bit strange and silly but I like many other home entertainment fanatics will conceed Pioneers Kuro plasma televisions are the best money can currently buy.

Samsung LE32B450 32 Inch LCD TV

Its a HD ready set and have excellent reviews on Play, actually it has 5 out of 5 stars but I’d ask around on Avforums first before parting with your cash. The Samsung LE32B450 is also a very attractive looking LCD television set which always helps. Be careful with Play’s free delivery on televisions if your thinking of buying the Samsung LE32B450 32 inch LCD TV though as I’ve heard some funny things about them, just check its all fine before accepting and signing anything.

Samsung LE32B450 32 inch LCD television reviews (these are actual customer reviews on Play):

Bargain by Blackbow13
“Firstly i;d like to confirm this TV has built in freeview just plugged an aerial in and scanned, then it was up in 5 mins. Fantastic quality, great picture, easy to set up and looks beautiful! if our looking for a 32″ splash out a bit extra on this this (even tho its pretty cheap). Highly recommend it, looks great with my xbox .”

Worth Every Penny!! by sonycrazy
“I looked everywhere for this tv and the prices where all £80-£150 pound more than play. Picture and Sound are top class, no need for speakers or anything. The Tv its self is extremely stylish. The only bad point i can say is it took just under 2 weeks to arrive. Other than that ,worth the £319.99 and 2 week wait… plus the savings.
A win win situation!”

Samsung LE32B450 32 inch LCD television technical specifications:

Video

Screen Size: 32″

Resolution: 1366 x 768

Dynamic Contrast Ratio: High Contrast
Audio
Sound Effect System: SRS Trusurround HD & Dolby Digital Plus
Speaker: Down Firing

Sound Output(RMS): 10 watts x 2:

Input & Output(Side)
HDMI: 1
composite (AV): 1
Headphone: No
Input & Output(Back)
HDMI: 2
composite (AV): No
PC input (D-sub): 1
Component(Y/Pb/Pr): 1
RF input:  1
Headphone: No
RS232C (for Service only): No
Scart: 1
Cabinet
Color: Black
Swivel (left/right): Yes
Feature
Picture-in-Picture: No
Sleep Timer: Yes
Clock & On/Off timer: Yes
Auto Channel Search: Yes
Auto Power Off: Yes
OSD language: Europe 25 Language
Auto Volume Leveller:  Yes
Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC): No
Game mode: Yes
Teletext(TTXT): 1000p
Dimension
Set size(WXHXD) with stand: 797.7 x 576.5 x 252mm
Set size(WXHXD) without stand: 797.7 x 530.5 x 84.8mm
Package size(WXHXD): 890 x 599 x 173mm
Weight
Set weight with stand: 11.4kg
Set weight without stand:9.1kg
Package weight: 14.9kg
Power
Power Supply: AC220-240V 50 / 60Hz
Stand-by Power Consumption: < 0.3 watts
Accessory
Wall Mount: Yes (32 – 40″: 200 x 200)
Remote Controller: TM940
Batteries, AAA type: Yes
ANT- Cable: No
Power Cable: Yes

Panasonic Viera TXP42X10B 42 Inch Plasma Cheap Television Deal

The Panasonic TXP42X10B comes in at £523.99 at Dixons and is a HD Ready 42 inch plasma television featuring all the usual bits and bobs like 3 HDMI connectors. 2 SCART 1 PC and so on. Contrast ratios are pretty much regarded as rubbish marketing now so I wont bore you with any of those details, your just better off going to the shop yourself and see what you think of the picture.

The “blurb” on Dixons website says “The Panasonic VIERA TXP42X10B 42″ HD Ready Plasma TV incorporates a range of fantastic technologies to deliver superb quality images and advanced networking capabilities. For viewing action movies and fast moving sports, the VIERA TXP42X10B features a trio of advanced technologies to enhance the experience. With 100HZ Double Scan, a 0.001 Response time and Panasonic’s Intelligent Frame Creation, picture reproduction of moving images are smooth and flicker free. The picture produced from the VIERA TXP42X10B HD Ready Plasma displays colours as close to nature as possible and its Real Black Drive system raises the base illumination to reproduce the fine balance of light and dark with stunning results. For an outstanding sound experience, the VIERA TXP42X10B comes equipped with V-Audio technology, combining digital amplifier, carbon speakers, slim side speakers and SRS Tru surround or BBE VIVA HD3D sound. Together, these deliver superb clarity, a rich bass and advanced sound localisation to bring cinema style audio without the need for an external surround sound system. “

Take what you want from that however over at Amazon where the same plasma television sells for £579.91 it has 7 customer reviews all giving it 5 stars! I’ve plucked 2 reviews from Amazon’s customers to give you a better feel as to if the Panasonic TXP42Z10B is worth your hard earned money or not.

Panasonic Plasma TXP42Z10B review 1 from Toby: “I bought one of these after having a Panasonic px80 for a short period. These unit need proper bedding in for the first few hundred hours display (or much shorter if you use a utility like jscreenfix). The display does improve further after this bedding in period.

To keep this short, the display is excellent, both SD and HD despite this only being a HD ready resolution. Blacks are deep and detail is fabulously clear, Regarding size: You need at least a 12 *12 room for these 42″ screens not to be somewhat overpowering. I would suggest that for smaller rooms the 37″ model would give a better experience.

The only downsides i see are : Over scaling if turned off shows that these units need better screen alignment from the factory. 3 out of 4 units I have viewed had relatively minor but irritating screen alignment issues which cannot be adjusted without accessing the engineers service menu (which could invalidate your warranty).

The on-board tuner appears to be poorer quality than the older px8 models. Other than that, the quality is utterly superb as long as you have good quality input. Sky gives mainly superb pictures from SD channels. VM’s cable is far more varied.”

Panasonic Plasma TXP42Z10B review 2 from Freewheeler: “My wife and I are both very pleased with this TV, which was a replacement for a Panasonic 28″ CRT which had developed a slight picture defect after 11 years of excellent service (so no complaints there eh?)

But this Plasma TV is excellent value, both picture and sound are superb. We also did a DIY Freesat installation and the HD channels on Freesat are very sharp, every bit as good as we expected. The design is a bit retro, but I find the high gloss black surround and stand aesthetically pleasant to look at.”

Toshiba Release Regza SV Series LCD TV

The Toshiba press lease describes the Regza SV Series LCD Televisions as “The SV series is Toshiba’s first ever UK model to include an LED backlight, providing an increased colour gamut to deliver striking, vivid images.

By utilising local dimming functionality, each panel will be able to provide brighter whites and deeper, purer blacks by intensifying or dimming backlights in corresponding areas – enhancing the viewing experience with stunning quality images with highly accurate colour reproduction.

The inclusion of an LED backlight also offers dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, with 10 Bit processing creating a palette of over a billion colours to completely eliminate banding. Available in 46” and 55” sizes, the new REGZA SV range features a premier version of Toshiba’s new ‘Deep Lagoon’ design theme, which sees the exterior screen sitting flush with the front of the TV frame.

The effect is produced by a Full Crystal Panel that sits over the front of the TV, creating a unique design effect while also improving contrast and colour ratios. The frame itself is a stunning gloss black with colour gradation fading to white on the outer extremities to create a tapered effect.”

I still have my doubts as to the quality of the black levels on a LCD television of this size compared to a plasma television, you can also be sure that it will not be a cheap television and if I was looking at buying one of these Toshiba televisions with my money I would personally wait until some good reviews hit the internet or industry magazines.