Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2012/04/25/review_panasonic_dmp_bdt320_3d_blu_ray_player/

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Disc spinner with a new twist

By Steve May

Posted in Personal Tech, 25th April 2012 11:00 GMT

Review Panasonic’s DMP-BDT320 is both fabulous and frustrating. Leading the brand’s mainstream Blu-ray brigade, and positioned as an understudy to the audiophile grade DMP-BDT500, it packs a towering performance into a chassis barely 27mm tall. It also comes with a new-style remote control that tries far too hard to be clever.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Box clever: Panasonic’s DMP-BDT320

Distinguishing the deck from the lower ranks are jauntily angled side panels and a slot loading disc mechanism. Both seem built for speed. The player sucked in a Java heavy copy of Goldfinger and had the 007 menu onscreen in a respectable 52 seconds. A less complicated platter reached its menu in just 31s.

Connectivity comprises a single HDMI out, with legacy phonos and optical digital audio, plus a USB for the brand’s optional Skype camera. A second USB is positioned beneath a fascia flap for media playback, alongside an SD card reader. Wi-Fi is built-in.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Network savvy but format fussy

USB file support is wide. This year FLAC and WAV join MP3, while video covers MKV, AVI, MOV and MP4. Unfortunately, this compliancy doesn’t extend to streaming the same content from a Nas across a LAN.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Network Nas mapping: Panasonic's way of doing things

Panasonic’s approach is to manually map the Nas (by inputting IP address, shared folder name and login details) to the deck itself, which then allows the player to render your files. I can’t imagine general users feeling comfortable doing this, but it works well enough.

The Viera Connect web portal is rather more straightforward to use. BBC iPlayer is the headline attraction, but there’s supporting action from Netflix, YouTube, Dailymotion, Acetrax, Aupeo!, Shoutcast and others. You’ll also find Facebook, Twitter and Picasa amongst others in the Viera Market apps store.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Main navigation interface

The most contentious aspect of the DMP-BDT320 is that remote. For its top tier kit, Panasonic has jettisoned the standard zapper and draughted in a radical new touchpad. With only four buttons, the bulk of your interaction with the player is via directional strokes.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Touchy issue

Unfortunately, driving the deck is a bit like playing a deeply unrewarding level of Super Mario Land. I lost track of how many times my attempts to navigate were misinterpreted.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Touchpad remote could be more finger friendly

This may not matter a jot, though, when balanced against the deck’s audio visual performance. Video playback, with both 2D and 3D Blu-rays, is outstanding. It also does a wonderful job upscaling DVD and is an extremely advanced audio player.

The UniPhier SoC at the heart of the DMP-BDT320 comprises a number of circuit blocks for audio, video, signal processing, interface control and the like. Using a single chip solution like this has its benefits, in that reduces the number of connected signal lines on the deck’s PCB, which inherently reduces noise.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Viera Connect Portal

On this model, Panasonic has gone a stage further, offering the option to partially shut down blocks within the UniPhier chip that relate to the analogue video DAC and HDMI Video output. This further reduces the general electrical hubbub from within. Panasonic call this a High Clarity Sound mode.

Panasonic DMP-BDT320 3D Blu-ray player

Valve effects on-board that don't need time to warm up

And there’s more. Root around the Special Effects audio menu and you’ll find so-called Tube Sound filters. These effectively add controlled harmonic distortion to the player’s audio output, creating a warm sound characteristic of the valve amps of yore. You may scoff, but my SHM-CD of Bowie’s Diamond Dogs (Japanese special edition) has a treble edge that can cut glass. Listening whilst applying just such a filter restored the requisite level of glam. Try selecting Mode 5 when you have a sultry female vocal or Mode 1 for some retro smoothness.

Verdict


RH Recommended Medal

Overall, the DMP-BDT320 is a splendid bit of kit, albeit not without complexity. Video quality is fabulous, and sonically the deck shines. But I’m unimpressed by the new touchpad controller. It’s a nuisance when navigating and will prove a complete mystery to anyone who hasn’t studied Panasonic’s operational tutorial. Still, you can always download the brand’s generic control app, I suppose. ®