The Panasonic DMP-BD75 is an entry-level Blu-ray player aimed at the budget market. Panasonic generally offer good quality Blu-ray devices, but is this stripped-down offering a worthy purchase? Let’s find out.

Key Specs For The Panasonic DMP-BD75

• Not 3D Compatible
• Wi-Fi? No
• Online Streaming Services: Netflix
• BD Live? Yes
• USB? Yes
• Dimensions: 17 x 7.1 x 1.8 inches

Panasonic DMP-BD75: The Pros

• Price

  The first thing to note about the DMP-BD75 is that it’s fairly cheap. With an RRP of $120.00 it comes in at the lower end of the Blu-ray price scale, especially if you’re looking for features like online media streaming.

• More Power

  The DMP-BD75 is an update on a previous model. With this release, Panasonic have increased the unit’s power, which means it now runs much faster, offering better load times and menu responsiveness. Boot times on this device are also pretty fast.

• Streaming Media

  Since 2011 Blu-ray players have been almost as much about streaming media services as Blu-ray itself. This Panasonic doesn’t disappoint on that front, offering a range of streaming media services including the ever-popular Netflix, YouTube and more. It does, however, lack support for Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant.

• Better Interface Design

  Another improvement on the previous model in this line of Panasonic Blu-ray players is the user interface. The previous player’s interface was a little slow and difficult to use. This updated version has a more streamlined and user-friendly interface, more-so than the likes of Sony and Samsung. The bold coloring also helps to make the experience much more intuitive.

• No Need To Queue Netflix Titles

  One of the great advantages that this player has over many of its budget rivals is the ability to order Netflix titles directly. Many other models require you to queue Netflix titles on your PC before you can enjoy them on your Blu-ray player, but this device lets you get straight to the action without having to pay a visit to your PC first.

• Runs Quietly

  Many Blu-ray players, especially at the cheaper end of the price range, are poorly built with noisy disc readers and fans. However, the Panasonic is a very quiet device, which means you won’t have to put up with any distracting noises during your movies and TV shows.

• Disc Resume

  Unlike some budget Blu-ray players, this device will remember where you stopped watching a disc even if you put it on standby. This can be a real timesaver, especially when you’re watching a TV series and won’t want to endure repeated run-throughs of the FBI warning every time you turn on to continue viewing.

Panasonic DMP-BD75: The Cons

• No 3D

  Not only do most current generation Blu-ray players support streaming media, but they almost all support 3D. Not so for the DMP-BD75, unfortunately. For some, this won’t really be an issue: there are those who have no need for 3D, and many don’t want to invest in 3D technology until it’s better established. However, if you’re hoping to enjoy Blu-ray quality with full 3D effects like those in Avatar then you’ll have to look elsewhere, and spend a little more on your Blu-ray player.

• No Viera Cast

  While this device does support streaming media services, it doesn’t include Panasonic’s Viera Cast media portal. This means that you can’t access the full range of streaming media services offered by other Panasonic Blu-ray players.

• No Wi-Fi

  One big stumbling block for many will be the fact that the DMP-BD75 doesn’t support Wi-Fi. This makes it one of the few players that are required to connect through a hard line. In general, even those players that don’t have built-in Wi-Fi support Wi-Fi through an adapter, but this isn’t the case here. If Wi-Fi is essential for you then you’ll need to look into other options.

• Remote Control

  There is a minor flaw in the remote control’s design: due to the layout, the “network” button and the “up” arrow are easily confused. If you’re in Netflix and want to press the “up” arrow to scroll through the menu, but you accidentally press the “network” button instead, you’ll be taken out of Netflix altogether. This can be frustrating, as you then have to start over with Netflix.

• Freezing

  As of February 2012, the most recent firmware update has caused a lot of users to experience freezing, particularly when using Netflix. Whilst this may not affect your machine, it is worth noting, and you may want to wait a little until this problem has been resolved.

Is The Panasonic DMP-BD75 Worth Buying?

The Panasonic DMP-BD75 has great picture quality, is easy to use, has fast boot-up times and is a great entry-level device. However, if you’re looking for 3D, or need a Wi-Fi connection to connect to the internet, you’ll need to look at alternatives. You’ll also want to check whether the firmware update issues have been resolved.

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