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Essential Things To Know
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Home Theater
November 1, 2009 • Vol.6 Issue 12
Page(s) 13 in print issue

Essential Things To Know
Internet-Connected BD Players
Q. What features do Internet-connected BD players offer that aren’t available on traditional BD players?

A. You can access exclusive content, such as extra commentary and bonus scenes, on an Internet-connected player as well as popular Web services, including portals for news and weather forecasts and online videos.


Q. What equipment do I need to connect my BD player to the Internet?

A. You’ll need a broadband Internet connection. All Internet-connected BD players feature a wired port, which will run an Ethernet cable from your router to the BD player, but some can also connect over Wi-Fi.


Q. Besides extra content, are there other benefits to an Internet-connected BD player?

A. The online connection lets the BD player receive firmware updates, which can fix bugs in the BD software and keep your player up-to-date. The updates may also add new features.


Q. What types of extras can be found on Blu-ray Discs that feature BD-Live content?

A. The features are limited only by what the film’s distributor wants to offer. Popular features include ringtones, CineChat for IMing friends while watching the movie, and interactive and trivia games about the movie.


Q. Can I access the BD-Live features without having the movie disc?

A. No, BD-Live features are exclusive to select BD movie titles, so you’ll need to have a disc with BD-Live and an Internet-connected player to access the special features.


Q. Can I download content to my Internet-connected BD player?

A. Yes, common download options include ringtones and movie previews. Some Internet-connected BD players integrate 1MB or 2MB of storage space, while others let you connect a memory card or flash drive to store special features.


Q. Can I surf the Web (like on a PC) with an Internet-connected BD player?

A. No, the online connection is designed only for using the Web features included on the BD player and some Blu-ray Discs.


Q. What online services can I use to stream movies and TV shows to my player?

A. Some models can stream movies from Netflix, which requires a subscription, while other Internet-connected BD players let you rent or buy movies from Amazon Video On Demand.


Q. Which Internet radio stations are currently available on Internet-connected BD players?

A. Some models can access Pandora’s Internet radio, which lets you create a customized playlist based on a musical group, song, or genre.


Q. Can I search through and play Web videos from YouTube with my player?

A. Yes, most players that have Web access will let you browse YouTube videos.


Q. Can I view online photos?

A. Yes, some BD players can access photos stored on Picasa, which is a free Web photo-editing tool from Google.



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