What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Bursting with features and capable of sensational picture and sound quality, the BDT310 is a fantastic machine
Pros
- +
Price
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twin HDMI outputs
- +
wi-fi
- +
superb 2D and 3D pictures
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sounds dynamic and exciting
- +
now has Viera Connect
Cons
- -
‘Touch-Free’ disc drawer is a gimmick
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.
Appearances can be deceptive, but it’s hard not to be impressed by what Panasonic’s range-topping 3D Blu-ray player has to offer.
There’s 3D Blu-ray playback, teamed with 2D-to-3D conversion for standard Blu-rays; wi-fi connectivity and Skype functionality are also included.
Fast on the (disc) drawer
It features a new Touch-Free Sensor, which Panasonic claims helps open and close the loading drawer in the dark.
It’s a little hit and miss, but there’s always an open/close button as back-up. The player boots up in seconds and whether it’s upscaling a DVD or spinning a 2D/3D Blu-ray the BDT310 shows some serious skills.
Motion is handled smoothly, while colours display a fine mix of rich and natural hues. You can tinker with the depth of the 3D, too. We found the best results on setting ‘0’.
Dynamics are a particular strength, and during the bamboo battle in House Of Flying Daggers there’s a stark contrast between the quiet atmospherics and frenzied fight scenes.
Enable High Clarity Sound (this turns off any current flowing through the anologue video circuit) and there’s a small, but audible increase in subtlety. Finer details are more easily heard.
The BDT310 is a class-leading 3D Blu-ray player in its own right – whether you need twin HDMI outputs or not.
See all our Blu-ray player Best Buys
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