Panasonic SC-BTT590 3D Blu-ray Player & 5.1 Home Cinema System Review & Comments

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Reviewed by Stephen Withers, 31st August 2012. The Panasonic SC-BTT590 offers a wonderful combination of convenience, looks, performance and price, and as such would make a great choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into a multi-channel world. Highly Recommended.
Read the full review...
 
Hi Stephen,

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I really think that this is the system for me and your review has just cemented that opinion. One very important thing for me is that I can plug in my noise canceling headphones at night. Can you tell me if this system has a headphone jack?
 
No it doesn't have a headphone socket, which is actually a good point. I'll add that to the feedback on the review.
 
I noticed a few comments on Am@zon etc that said the unit could only be switched on with the function set for playing a disc. The system couldn't be configured to have it switch on with the sound input on TV, or Sat, for instance. Did you find that in your test?
 
That is true, it defaults to the Blu-ray player or more specifically the main hub when turned on but it only takes a second to select TV on the remote. It is a very minor point and I suspect it does this because the main unit is essentially a Blu-ray player with added amplification, which is why it's the default starting point.
 
Just wondering, would this system work OK with other speakers as an interim upgrade - something like B&W M1s, for instance?
 
fab review thanks :) just a question, in the review

'The dedicated connectors could prove an issue if you need longer cable runs to install the SC-BT590 correctly but reattaching them to different cables shouldn't be too difficult and the provided cables are of a reasonable length'

what is the length of the rear speaker cables?
 
I think from memory the rear speaker cables were about 5m long but I didn't actually measure them, so you might want to check that.
 
It a great system, but its a shame you can't decode dts-hd etc via the HDMI, so no bitstreaming from you HTPC. The only option a least you can use LPCM
 
Hi Steve. QQ's.

I bought this to replace a Sony BDVN590, when I turn my TV on, the BTT590 turns on then turns off, I was hoping it would turn on when the TV is turned on and stay on and then output sound through the speakers using HDMI ARC like with the Sony automatically, is this a fault?

I have a PS3 connected to the HDMI input and colours are really washed out and black levels are risen to the point they are grey, another fault? Was this like on yours?

Thanks. TV is a Panasonic GT30.
 
I'm not sure why it would turn on and then off again, have you checked that CEC is enabled for HDMI control?

As for the black levels, have you have selected the Cinema picture mode?
 
From the TV and system? Yeh, Viera Link is turned on, on both systems.

Yep, the colours are washed out on everything but I mostly use Game Mode as I use the PS3 and the TV goes to Cinema Mode automatically when I watch a blu ray so I leave my TV HDMI Input 2 where the system is connected on Game Mode. Colours on blu ray are perfect, the problem persists in devices connected through HDMI inputs.

Also never had any of these issues with the Sony BDVN590, turned on when I turned TV on as auto put TV sound through the speakers using ARC. No washed out colours either.

Btw this was bought on eBay and I've had two systems with the same problem.
 
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Well if you've got VIERA Link on then it shouldn't be turning itself off, sounds like you've got a problem with your unit.

I meant did you select Cinema mode on the BTT590 itself? I had everything going through it to my Pioneer Kuro and I didn't have any problems with a washed out picture.
 
I have a Panasonic GT30, Sky HD, PS3 and the BTT590.
Sky HD is connected to HDMI 1 input on TV, BTT590 to HDMI 2 ARC and PS3 into the HDMI input on the BTT590.
It's the second system with the same issue. Turn TV on, system turns on, TV volume goes off as it tries to connect with the system and then system turns off, with TV volume turning on again.

Yep, most settings are default and I see Cinema mode selected in settings. I don't think it's a issue with my PS3 or TV as a PS3 slim I had turned on my TV and my TV turned on my previous Sony BDVN590 system and Sky sound would output through the Sony system automatically. Did you connect a PS3? I have a 60GB and 80GB models. HDMI pass through feature doesn't work either.
My subwoofer was strapped with a green strap and not a blue strap like the ones from Amazon.
 
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Steve Withers said:
I think from memory the rear speaker cables were about 5m long but I didn't actually measure them, so you might want to check that.

Hi Steve , please can you tell me, are the speakers wires terminated both ends or are they bare on one end to be used with spring clips ??

Just wondered if the cables could be extended ?
 
Got it fixed now, the GT30 need resetting after the Sony N590 use and PS3 settings to get rid of the washed out colours etc.

I too would like to know how I can extend the speaker cable. It won't go around my room to the back and I'm not paying £100+ for a 10m extension plug and wireless receiver.
 
Hi Steve , please can you tell me, are the speakers wires terminated both ends or are they bare on one end to be used with spring clips ??

Just wondered if the cables could be extended ?

I too would like to know how I can extend the speaker cable. It won't go around my room to the back and I'm not paying £100+ for a 10m extension plug and wireless receiver.

One end of the cable is bare wire for use with the spring clip terminals on the speakers and the other end is a proprietary connector. I did mention in the review that if the speaker cable wasn't long enough then extending them could be problematic. Perhaps Playstation could take a look at his and see if it's possible to remove the connectors and attach them to a longer wire?
 
Steve Withers said:
One end of the cable is bare wire for use with the spring clip terminals on the speakers and the other end is a proprietary connector. I did mention in the review that if the speaker cable wasn't long enough then extending them could be problematic. Perhaps Playstation could take a look at his and see if it's possible to remove the connectors and attach them to a longer wire?

Thanks Steve . As long as one end is bare then I presume they'll be extendable.

Looks a good system so think I will down grade from separates to this as I only use it for the odd film, cheers
 
It doesn't look possible to removed the connectors tbh. The only way you could do it is to extend the bare wire, I guess.
If I wanted to extend one of the rear speakers wire, what kind of wire would be suitable?
I'm taking both wires around the same side of the room you see and just need that extra 2 metres for rear left speaker.
 
PlayStation said:
It doesn't look possible to removed the connectors tbh. The only way you could do it is to extend the bare wire, I guess.
If I wanted to extend one of the rear speakers wire, what kind of wire would be suitable?
I'm taking both wires around the same side of the room you see and just need that extra 2 metres for rear left speaker.

That's what I'm thinking of doing but as for cable I suppose some cheap ish wire will do?
Can't imagine Panasonic using qed cabling :)

How thick is the cable ?
 
I don't want cheap wire damaging these speakers though. No idea what qed cabling is. The wires are your average HiFi wires, cables around 3mm in diameter for each wire for each polarity, I think and around 1.5-2mm for the actual wire.
 
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The size of cables provided with this unit are the most annoying thing. The center speaker cabe is too short as well in my opinion.
As one end is open ended, I have swapped them around to the most sutable required for the distance from the main unit, and then cut and soldered accordingly.

I grudglingly bought the pretty expensive Wireless Unit for the rears, and even found the speaker wires that connected to the wireless box were short, as I do not want to have the wireless unit sitting in the middle of the wall or floor but to the end, so again the soldering opton was the only way out of this. Panasonic seem too think that everything is laid out and built symmetrically in a room. I have mailed them regarding this, and hope to hear from them,and maybe get the right size cables (not holding my breath).

By the way, all is set up now and its sounds superb, cannot fault it on that and the blu ray picture quality is far superior to the PS3 that I was using up till now, and comparing it to a few friends individual blu ray players as well.

If only I could get the dvd playbacck to be region free, that would be the icing on the cake for me.
 
Hi, will the panasonic bt590 work well with an htpc as i was thinking of getting one of these for my pc to watch my movies ect.
 

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