LG BD630 Network Blu-ray Disc Player Description
If you want stunning Full HD 1080p and streaming entertainment, you've found it with the BD630 Network Blu-ray Disc Player. Now experience Full HD 1080p unrivaled picture quality, the sound of Blu-ray technology along with the possibilities of having direct access to streaming content from Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu and YouTube.
If you want stunning Full HD 1080p and streaming entertainment, you've found it with the BD630 Network Blu-ray Disc Player. Now experience Full HD 1080p unrivaled picture quality, the sound of Blu-ray technology along with the possibilities of having direct access to streaming content from Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu and YouTube.
Technical Details LG BD630 Network Blu-ray Disc Player
- Blu-ray disc playback delivers exceptional Full HD 1080p video performance, along with Bonus-view for a picture-in-picture
- Internet access lets you stream instant content from Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu and YouTube direct to your TV, no computer required.
- Standard DVD Up-Scaling delivers exceptional image quality from standard DVDs with 1080p up scaling via HDMI output
- Dolby Digital Plus lets you experience all of the enveloping surround sound that Blu-ray Disc, high-definition(HD) broadcast, streamed and downloaded media make possible
- Now, with SimpLink you can easily set up and control all of your HDMI connected LG devices with just one remote.
Customer Reviews LG BD630 Network Blu-ray Disc Player
I purchased this unit for my 81 year old father who has had to watching Xvid and MKV files from the internet, usually documentaries with WW2 and other history programs. Certainly he also watches DVD's but has never until now delved into Blu Re or Netflix streaming. I needed a little something for him that had a quite simple to follow menu system and worked WELL with a minimum of mistakes.
The player itself is very simple on the outside. The BD630 features an on/off , eject, play/pause and stop buttons on it is really face and a USB slot covered with a little rubber trap door around the right hand side with the disc drawer in the middle. It isn't going to exactly exude high build quality some stinky, but what makes this little gamer SO good is the software interior. (more on that very soon) Actually, it isn't totally cheap looking and because the saying goes good things can as well as DO come in small packages.
This is a very small (not very deep) system and also a very lightweight one particular. It came packed with a quality PRINTED manual , basic cabling (you requires an HDMI or Component cable) including a functional remote that uses only just one AAA cell, also included. It has an couple of printed adverts for Netflix and even a small sticker on top of the unit that screams NETFLIX at you. (easily removed) The power cable is attached. You get composite training video out, stereo RCA audio outs , Portion Video and HDMI Out , a Wheedle Digital Audio out and a LAN port for connecting to the house network if you wish to make use of the Netcast features such as Netflix and you simply Tube.
Being at the low conclusion of the LG food-chain, this type of player is NOT DLNA enabled and play your video files (other when compared with blu ray and DVD) you should stream from a USB device maybe it's a thumb drive or external hard get. You can not connect this system via the Ethernet connection to your pc. LG starts including THAT feature a few more models UP from this one. I guess that is understandable given the price.
The connectivity is very good truly, you can use this device with everything from an analogue standard TV right up to 1080p HDTV and ones audio options are just as very good with the analogue stereo outs, or even the Coax digital which can handle as much as 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS and the HDMI which can certainly pass thru the uncompressed Dolby TruHD or DTS Master Audio tracks that accompany much of the blu ray releases. You can established the Video output to match the TV resolution, set picture aspect rate to play 4:3 programs out of the box or to stretch them to populate your screen. The USB port can often connect a USB thumb drive or maybe an external hard drive. It isn't really too picky about the formatting with the drive and can also support about 4 drive partitions. That alone is amazing for the price and a good touch.
This brings me to this first and only MAJOR complaint about this machine. It is SO lightweight compared to when you plug in your Flash drive or cable to it, the machine itself tends to push backwards. Possibly adding some non slip little arctic feet to the bottom with some drops of super glue would easily solve that.
Just be aware if you are not careful, you risk knocking the thing over when getting at that feature. Note: To access just about any BD Live features you may prefer to download and view, a USB commute is required as there apparently is definitely minimal onboard memory. I personally disable BD Live on every machine Concerning as this tends to slow filling times.
Set up took less as compared to two minutes after connections were built. The machine boots quickly. Easily as soon as my Oppo BDP-80. Things got VERY interesting when I loaded the Java heavy Blu Ray disc and it loaded VERY quickly. I can actually say this machine loads a Blu Ray disc FASTER than my own Oppo (a nice fast machine) and the blew me away just to see it happen. Playback was as expected. GREAT! DVD up-conversion to 1080p appeared to be average for a new machine these days, but better than average for units only a year or so aged. And the disc tray itself will be solid and goes in and away without any sort of loud tremble of worrisome grinding noises. (a complaint for some Oppo BDP-80 as well as 83 users)
The Netflix GUI concerns the same as on the present crop of LG TV's. Your effectiveness is going to depend more for your internet connection and speed than this LG software which in my impression is very good. Navigating my Fast Queue was a bit sluggish nevertheless I have the same problem for ANY of my Netflix enabled systems. Once you start playback and them loads, things work just the means you would expect and want the crooks to.
It is noteworthy to mention I'd NO problems at all playing Disc-R and CD-R discs. Cds containing Xvid and other video file types also loaded quickly and played perfectly. Just for fun I put in place a region free Pal disc and it also spit it back out with a strong on screen message telling me that it was the wrong region. (I had to try) So basically, this thing will have fun with ANYTHING I or my Dad owns EXCEPT for Pal. OH well, it's not possible to have everything!
Basically, it works as well as works well. You can update this firmware via the LAN port or perhaps by downloading from the LG web site and burning a disc or adding it on a USB drive which is what I did before attempting to play anything. Time will tell if Whirlpool continues to support this machine having further firmware updates as they become needed to play some of better Java intensive titles such as the revolutionary Alien discs. If updating firmware intimidates you, find someone you understand who is an old hand with it and let THEM do this so you don't accidentally 'brick' a person's player. Really, it isn't that challenging. (just don't turn the machine off while updating)
I personally own an LG 47 inch LE 5400 tv set and as expected the software within the BD630 is almost identical for playing computer files, mp3's looking at pictures, etc. IN some aspects , they get improved the software and I has been duly impressed. It is smooth, easy to understand what you are doing with of course laid out screens , easy to determine the individual file names and the particular transport controls are solid and responsive when playing everything from an Xvid to a 720p or 1080i Mkv file. We didn't have any 1080p files to test so I'll only speak for the others. Ladies loaded reasonable fast and played bug free. Pause and resume worked correctly. You can access the info screen while playing the file. Audio synch was a non issue. Basically this is everything a person may want in local media file playback. (6-7-11 EXCEPT playing Divx files, see my update below) Try as I could, I actually encountered NO glitches of any variety other than having to set our Harmony remote response time to reduced as it was giving double requires for the left and right way buttons.
Just the local media document playing ability of this unit only is worth the purchase price. Include that with great Blu Ray playback, Very quickly loading times (depends on the Blu Ray title as some capability will load quicker than others) greater than decent DVD up-conversion , Netflix streaming and much more and I assume LG has a winner at an amount point you just can't argue using. I remember just a few in years past Sony was selling their flagship Blu Ray Player for 999.double zero and it didn't do 25% connected with what THIS machine can do. Nutrients and a FULL one year warrantee for Parts AND Labor!
Oh yep, my 81 year old father has NO trouble making this thing work on all. I just caught him participating in a HD video file that he loaded himself and I thought to myself "now THAT is user favorable" !! If I run into any long term problems or software glitches with it I will update this review as well as add whatever else I have mastered.
UPDATE 5-13-11 The Kenmore is still going strong. We have not yet run into any file that won't play and unlike some reviewers didn't experienced any player malfunctions with regular DVD playback including my Lord in the Rings extended editions. NO freezes, compact disk jams or failure to loads found so far. I still stand through my earlier statement regarding the Blu Ray disc load times. They're faster than my Oppo BDP-80 which is pretty fast to start with.
IMPORTANT UPDATE 6-7-11 I realised the hard way last night that player does NOT support any Divx files. I should have look at spec sheet more carefully as they do not list Divx as a supported codec. Discovered want to play any Divx encoded files you will need in order to 'trans-code' them using a system like 'Handbrake' or 'Any Video Converter' which can be MY favorite (freeware) and change the idea into a codec the player Can recognize. I was surprised to come across this out as my LG High-definition television WILL PLAY files with the Divx file extension. Go figure! To date this is the ONLY type connected with video file I have run within that will not play. (Apparently Kenmore didn't want to pay the license tax to Divx)
FINAL UPDATE 9-20-11 Just wanted to claim this LG player is still heading strong and plays the new Blu Ray Star Wars set with no issue or glitch. For the dollars I'm convinced it's a real discount. My 81 year father has already been happily playing Xvids, MKV and H264 files easily like he is doing it all his life and have not once come to me for just about any help with a disc or report that won't load. I purchased this kind of same player for my lady close friend and she gives me nothing nonetheless glowing reports. As with all electronics I am sure at some position it will be obsolete, but for now it is a solid contender and that i stand by my full review. Best wishes! Marty Gillis
