New Panasonic DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and DMP-BD70V

**Ian_S** · 08-01-2009, 6:09 AM

From Panasonic US...

Panasonic USA Pressroom

Video + Blu-ray? Wonder if we'll see that one.

timechaser · 08-01-2009, 6:32 AM

Wonder what the pricing will be like, and how much of a premium they will charge for the included VCR (does anyone have VHS tapes

). I have an old VCR which has been gathering dust for about 4 years now, and no tapes!

kingfats · 08-01-2009, 6:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_S

Video + Blu-ray? Wonder if we'll see that one.

Strange combi

what were they thinking of?

**Phil Hinton** · 08-01-2009, 7:05 AM

Footage of the Panasonic Press conference is being uploaded soon. Yes it's still Wednesday here, well just its 23:04 and Chris just couldn't keep the pace of his first CES press day, he's sparked out.
Have to say the new players look interesting and we will hopefully get a closer look on the showfloor tomorrow (later today UK time).

VinnyP! · 08-01-2009, 8:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfats

Strange combi

what were they thinking of?

It must be a Niche market. But a lot of people must have old home movie footage on VHS rather than get it all transferred to DVD this will upscale the VHS which is a first.
For me it's whether the UK players will have more UK centric Cast material and if they can be made Multi region DVD with a Harmony remote sequence still?

McKinley · 08-01-2009, 8:45 AM

Companies like Panasonic need to step carefully. Retiring 'old' products after only a couple of months on the market is a sure-fire way to anger your customers.
If these new players have greatly improved startup times or significant new features/performance, and there's no firmware update for the BD35/55 to match, then I for one will bear that in mind for any future Panasonic purchase.

alpha10 · 08-01-2009, 8:58 AM

It may be quite a while before we actually see them in the UK though, so for the average consumer it will look more like a year between models, it is only the 'enthusiast' that will notice and that is small percentage...

Cheers

McKinley · 08-01-2009, 8:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha10

It may be quite a while before we actually see them in the UK though, so for the average consumer it will look more like a year between models, it is only the 'enthusiast' that will notice and that is small percentage...

Cheers

Normally I'd agree, but how long did the BD30/BD50 last

alpha10 · 08-01-2009, 9:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKinley

Normally I'd agree, but how long did the BD30/BD50 last

The perception to the general public is probably that they arrived at the end of the summer, if we don't see these until well into the summer as I would expect then it will kind of feel like a year. Bearing in mind that people don't see to mind changing their phones every 6 months and they can cost considerably more than these machines....

Cheers

McKinley · 08-01-2009, 9:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha10

The perception to the general public is probably that they arrived at the end of the summer, if we don't see these until well into the summer as I would expect then it will kind of feel like a year. Bearing in mind that people don't see to mind changing their phones every 6 months and they can cost considerably more than these machines....

Cheers

Pretty sure the BD35/55 only became available in November. The BD30/50 had been on the market 3 to 4 months (I think).

alpha10 · 08-01-2009, 9:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKinley

Pretty sure the BD35/55 only became available in November. The BD30/50 had been on the market 3 to 4 months (I think).

You are absolutely right, but it is only the enthusiast that knows that, a straw poll of people coming out of currys probably couldn't tell you the number of the machines they have just seen and don't care.

Although given word of mouth and the number of us who probably give advice to friends, maybe it will damage their reputation

IanS · 08-01-2009, 9:16 AM

Although bear in mind that the BD55 has now been withdrawn. So how long will existing stocks now last (assuming that there are still some in warehouses still to be shipped to retailers)? At some point (sooner rather than later) they will run out, leaving a pretty big gap until the new models appear.

longy · 08-01-2009, 9:25 AM

VHS

Although it gives people an excuse to to nip down the boot fair and
grab some VHS bargains

**Richard** · 08-01-2009, 9:28 AM

Interesting to see if they're signifficantly better then the models they've just discontinued.

I couldn't beleive what I was reading.

Does anybody here still have a VHS at home????????

kingfats · 08-01-2009, 9:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richfell

Does anybody here still have a VHS at home????????

Yeah

well,it's up in the loft.

**Bald Monkey** · 08-01-2009, 9:54 AM

I've got one in the wardrobe..

*DougieB* · 08-01-2009, 9:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfats

Yeah

well,it's up in the loft.

Yes and still in use for her indoors (technophobe) took yonks to get her to be able to use VHS, have given up on trying to get her to use DVD Recorder. But then its probably an age thingy as we are post 60s.

DougieB

**Richard** · 08-01-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfats

Yeah

well,it's up in the loft.

Exactly where mine lives.

xit2050 · 08-01-2009, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richfell

Exactly where mine lives.

And mine for the last 7 or 8 years.

IanS · 08-01-2009, 12:21 PM

Although isn't this primarily an American announcement (at the moment) so there could very well be a market for such a VHS combi machine there. Maybe that model will not get launched in the UK?

murfy100 · 08-01-2009, 12:32 PM

I'm waiting for the latest Panasonic Blu-ray players to arrive in the UK. I'm not going to take the plunge just yet.

Would be nice to know when they're launching in UK. I have heard pretty soon not as long as you may think (maybe the reason why BD55 has been removed so quickly).

bigb · 08-01-2009, 2:09 PM

I am interested in the BD35 because it can be multiregion. If Panasonic are bringing new models out should I wait for prices to come down? Has this happened with earlier models?

philaitman · 08-01-2009, 2:19 PM

They sound very interesting. If the UK ever see the VHS Combi I wonder if it will have a Freeview/Sat tuner for recording as it won't be much use if it's analogue

Upscaling VHS tapes could be amusing in a horror show of fuzzyness kind of way

RBJTech · 08-01-2009, 2:28 PM

I'm waiting for the announcement for a Blu-Ray and DVD/HDD Recorder combi - I need to replace my aging Panny E85 ...

JohnOrion · 08-01-2009, 2:52 PM

I wonder how the BD80 will measure up against the Oppo. At least here in Finland Panny BD-players tend to be pricey (almost two times more expensive than the Sony players), so BD80 and 83 will probably be similarly priced. I would imagine Oppo having the edge in dvd playback. On the other hand, BD80 will almost certainly have the ability to go region-free (via Harmony remote etc.), and the rumours say that Oppo might not be able to.

arorat · 08-01-2009, 3:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teeerex

I'm waiting for the announcement for a Blu-Ray and DVD/HDD Recorder combi - I need to replace my aging Panny E85 ...

You would have to wait another 6 months from Panasonic, I was hoping Apple would have launched AppleTV with Blu-Ray in Macworld last monday... not so. its an almost useless device without it.

MrMuz · 08-01-2009, 3:13 PM

Are these really going to be that much better than the current crop? I bought BD 35 on Tuesday!

What part of the human psyche makes us buy something then continually scour the internet for even more reviews and even cheaper prices in some masochistic lunacy?

arorat · 08-01-2009, 3:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigb

I am interested in the BD35 because it can be multiregion. If Panasonic are bringing new models out should I wait for prices to come down? Has this happened with earlier models?

With no alternative to BD35, prices will stabilise around the £185 mark for a while

I am in the same boat as you, I wanted to buy the BD35 initially just to upscale DVDs as I build a Blu-ray library or rent them. With the news of BD60 its worth hanging on, but then again I think I will go for a £185 BD35 now… price of 5 take aways is one way to put it

Just an observation, Blu-Ray machines (roughly) fall into 4 price brackets £800, £400, £250 and £200 and below... BD35 is tempting at the lower bracket to fill a gap ‘now’ whilst the companies work hard to provide a wrath of new Features and net-Features around profile2.0 e.g. VoD, youtube, news etc. The Features will stabilise over the next 18 months with ASDA-Mart selling mass produced Blu-Rays for £25 or so.

IPaintSara · 08-01-2009, 4:52 PM

I'm hoping the new players will be easier/cheaper to mod for multi region. As for when the UK will see them, I suppose that depends on how many of the older models Panasonic have

Longy00000 · 08-01-2009, 7:13 PM

Its thsi rapid turn over of products and the million threads of people reporting 'issues' on all lines whether its a Sony one, or Pana one or whatever that i have today just recommended a friend not to buy any player just yet.

He is not an AV fan but just though he was missing out on bluray so asked for my help in picking a chepish player for him.
I told him to wait 6 months and ask me then. That way not only will the pricing have had an opportunity to settle but also for the features and product innovations to become more 'robust' rather than 'sometimes it works & sometimes it doesnt' which is often the jist of a lot of threads on this forum.

So in some ways they are shooting themselves in the foot as there is one customer i have put off .....at least for now.