Pros
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- Nice selection of streaming apps via Panasonic Viera Cast
- Solid performance for a mid tier player
- Dedicated Netflix button on the remote
- Features like Skype compatibility and quick start mode usually reserved for higher end devices
- 3D upscaling
Cons
- Some users reporting streaming and connectivity issues
Our Score
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The Geek’s Take
Panasonic’s mid tier DMP-BDT220 is a great all around player for home theater enthusiasts looking for a little bang for their buck. Yes, it falls short of our Editors’ Choice selection OPPO BDP-103 in terms of performance, but it goes virtually toe to toe in the features department and bests the OPPO in terms of design, at least in our eyes. A few complaints around the DMP-BDT220’s streaming reliability and Netflix quality prevent us from being able to name this an Editors’ Choice, but it’s still a solid choice in this category. Get it here at the lowest price on the web.
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Full Review
Performance
As far as Blu ray performance is concerned, there are two classes – the OPPO BDP-103 and everyone else. And while the DMP-BDT220 from Panasonic doesn’t approach the former, it’s one of the leaders of the pack in the latter. Picture quality is clear and consistent as is color accuracy. Audio sparkles too, just as one would expect. Boot and load times are stellar as well at around 20 seconds per disk, several times faster than players just one or two generations older. The DMP-BDT220 even has a Quick Boot Mode which starts the player from a suspend mode rather than necessitating a cold start, perfect for impatient users.
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One area of concern in the performance department are the user complaints of streaming issues, mostly with wifi connectivity and Netflix quality. Reported issues seem to be relatively minor and extremely intermittent so they don’t seem to be a major concern. Also, the DMP-BDT220 is a Geeky Reviews Owned Product, and we’ve experienced very few if any of these issues ourselves, so we’re not terribly worried.
Design
Panasonic built the DMP-BDT220 to catch a few eyes too. The player features a thin design that will fit in virtually any any home theater set up and the “faceless” trap-door style front that gives the player a nice sleek look. It’s not quite as impressive as the Sony BDP-S590 in the looks department, but it’s not too shabby either.
Features
The DMP-BDT220’s $100 pricetag may scream budget player, but the feature-set says just the opposite. In addition to the features like Dolby True HD and Full HD playback that are becoming standard with most players, the DMP-BDT220 also comes with the following:
- 3D upscaling – convert standard 2D images to 3D
- Viera Cast apps – one of the best selections of apps on the market including Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, and many more
- Dedicated Netflix button – It may not seem like much, but we find ourselves using the Netflix button on the remote all the time
- Skype – Just add an external webcam like this one and you can have video chats with friends and family via Skype on your big screen
Value
Remember just a few years ago, when Blu ray players were priced out of the reach of many mainstream users? Not only does the DMP-BDT220 help usher in a new era of affordable players, but it does it in style, with a feature-set and performance those more expensive devices couldn’t touch. At just under $100, it’s such a great value, it officially makes all DVD players, even upscaling DVD players, very obsolete.
Summary
The Panasonic DMP-BDT220 has the feature-set, performance benchmarks, and sleek design to make it an amazing value for $99 (at the time of this review). Despite the minor streaming complaints from some users, as a Geeky Reviews Owned Product, we have no reservations in naming this one our Highly Rated selections in the Blu ray category. This is one you can buy with confidence.
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*Where does this rating come from? Check out How We Review
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