Philips BDP3000 review

The Philips BDP-3000 Blu-ray player has a decent picture and lively sound – all at a tantalisingly affordable price Tested at £169.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

A solid performer at a tantalisingly affordable price

Pros

  • +

    Ultra-competitive price

  • +

    intuitive interface and smart design

  • +

    detailed, lively sound and decent picture

Cons

  • -

    No DTS-HD decoding

  • -

    not as sharp or subtle as rivals

  • -

    sound lacks solidity

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Of all our Blu-ray player reviews, this Philips is the first machine to sneak in with an RRP of under £200 – now, the high-definition format really is in reach for the masses.

That said, a quick search online shows one of our current favourites, the Sony BDP-S360, can be found for as little as £160, some £80 lower than the price we originally listed.

That player delivered all the necessary technical specifications, which this Philips doesn't – it's unable to decode DTS-HD Master Audio. It can bitstream this codec, however, and it can decode (or bitstream) Dolby TrueHD. If you have an amplifier that can do all the decoding anyway, none of this is a big issue.

Round the back of this neatly curved, slimline machine you'll find HDMI, component and digital coaxial outputs – but no optical socket – plus an Ethernet connection and a USB input, which you'll need for the added memory required for BD-Live content. Huge menu icons make navigation simple.

Good quality for little money
So, we're soon enjoying the fantastic action of Watchmen, and considering the knockdown price, there's certainly nothing disheartening about the image.

Do an A-B comparison with a five-star performer, and edges lack a little sharpness and fast motion isn't handled so smoothly – but it's a good HD picture.

The bright colour palette of the disc can look a little OTT, but more natural films show the Philips capable of good black levels, solid contrast and plenty of insight.

Sonically there's a lack of weight and solidity, but the Philips will leave a fair few quid in your pocket compared to most, making it a good proposition.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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