LG BD640 Blu-ray Player Review - One of the best entry-level Blu-ray DVD players, with Wi-Fi, USB playback and online streaming services.
LG is one of the leading manufacturers of smart and innovative
Blu-ray Players. Producing excellent performing players that have unique
and efficient Blu-ray features. However, LG is aware that not everyone
is looking for cutting edge technology. Many of us just want a basic
player that can play Blu-ray movies and DVDs at great HD quality. LG
provides consumers this option with the BD640. It is not filled with all
the bells and whistles of higher-end models. But the BD640 Blu-ray Disc
Player delivers stunning picture quality and has many appealing
features and that will give you endless hours of home entertainment.
The
BD640 has a solid build with a sleek black coating. On the front you
have a slide out disc loading tray in the center and basic control
buttons on the right. Also located on the front is a USB port that can
be used to playback media files. Files supported include avi, mpg, mpeg,
mkv, asf, wmv, m4v, mp3, wma, JPEG and png. Its disc loading speeds and
boot up time is much faster than previous LG players.
VIDEO QUALITY:
The BD640 is capable of Full HD 1080p video playback on Blu-ray disc.
The video performance is extremely good and produces stunningly clear
detailed images. Video connections for the player include the HDMI
output, Composite Video output and the Component Video output. The HDMI
output will produce the best possible picture and will up-scale your
DVDs to near HD levels. There is no need to replace your DVD library;
your old DVDs will never look as good.
AUDIO QUALITY: The
audio performance of the BD640 Blu-ray player is just as outstanding as
the video. It is equipped built-in decoders for Linear PCM, Dolby
Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. You can get up to
7.1 channel of the highest quality surround sound that will make all
your movies and streaming content immersive and realistic. Audio
connections for the BD640 include HDMI output, 2.0 channel Analog
outputs and Digital Coaxial Audio output.
The BD640 lacks any 3D
or DLNA support, but it does have a host of other features that will win
over a lot of followers. First it can connect to the internet via an
Ethernet port or connect wirelessly with a USB Wi-Fi adapter. The good
news is that the wireless USB adapter is included, saving you $50.00 to
$70.00. The bad news is that there is only one USB port and it is
located at the front of the player. This is not only aesthetically
unappealing, you will have to keep removing the wireless USB adapter if
you are using the USB port for media playback or downloading BD-Live
content.
But you will want to connect to the internet to gain
access to the BD-Live content and the online streaming services. You can
watch movies, videos and TV shows from Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu and
YouTube. Unfortunately, you do not have access to the full set of online
services that is provided with LG Smart TV.
Even though the LG BD640 is lacking some key features like 3D and DLNA support, it is still one of the best Blu-ray players
for those of us on a budget. it provides many of the basic Blu-ray
features we come to expect and delivers great quality images and sound.
The BD640 is an impressive entry-level Blu-ray Player.
THE PROS: The
Blu-ray player form LG, the BD640, will provide you with stunning Full
HD 1080p images and high-resolution sound – Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master
Audio. It also has great online streaming services like Netflix,
CinemaNow, Vudu and YouTube. Access to the internet through an Ethernet
Port or go wireless with a LG Dongle – Dongle is supplied. Other
positive features you may like is DVD up-scaling, USB playback, quick
loading and LG’s SimpLink Connectivity.
THE CONS: Some
features missing in the BD640 include 3D capability. You can find this
feature in similar priced players, such as Samsung’s BD-D5500 and Sony’s
BDP-S480. No internal memory for downloading BD-Live content. If you
want to use this feature, a USB storage device is needed. Also missing
from the BD640 is any DLNA capabilities. A USB LAN Adapter will need to
be used, but unlike most Wi-Fi ‘Ready' players, the wireless dongle is
supplied. Unfortunately, there is only one USB port and it is located on
the front of the player.
THE FINAL WORD: The
BD640 from LG does offer a lot of features, despite missing 3D disc
support. This missing feature will not be much concern to the many
consumers who have not yet adapted 3D technology. With great Blu-ray and
DVD playback, as well as internet streaming and USB playback; the BD640
has all the basic Blu-ray features. The price list for the BD640 is
$149.99, which seems high; but most online stores are selling the player
around the $120.00 price range. — Price you should look for when purchasing — Under $140.00
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