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Panasonic DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray player

Image is everything?

Image enhancements

The BDT310 sports the latest iteration of the brand’s adaptive chroma processing technology, which brings a cleaner if more convoluted approach to upconverting chroma from 4:2:0 to 4:2:2. Having sat through the tech briefings behind it, I can report that the company maintains it’s an improvement over the processing in 2010 models. Personally, I think any improvement is marginal at best. The deck’s looked great last year, and they still do.

Panasonic DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray player

A great picture, but media streaming options need refining

Disc loading speeds are fast (in Quick Start mode). The relatively simple Berlin by Lou Reed offered up its menu screen in 32 seconds; the more demanding Goldfinger served up the 007 logo in 56 seconds.

I’ve no hesitation in declaring the DMP-BDT310 a high-quality player, but there are caveats. The brand continues to drop the ball when it comes to media streaming and file compatibility, which is odd given just how adept the brand’s TVs have become in this regard. Indeed, if it wasn't for this shortcoming, the rating would higher than the respectable 80 per cent it earns for its performance in other areas and, with any luck, a firmware update will sort out the streaming at some point.

Verdict

Some of the new 3D modes I can live without – the Frame Width feature is just plain daft and I remain unconvinced about 2D depth conversion – but the revamped user interface is a great improvement. Ultimately, the appeal of this player boils down to its audio visual performance. A modest £260 will get you exceptional image quality and a surprisingly good sounding CD spinner as well. ®

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Panasonic DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray player

Panasonic DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray player

Blu-ray player with 3D support and streaming options.
Price: £260 RRP

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