In 2009, it’s not adequate for a Blu- ray player to merely play Blu- ray movies. With the ubiquity of internet media streaming services, just like Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand, consumers already expect Blu- ray players to offer up a wide variety of standard- definition, instant- gratification media options to accentuate their high- definition Blu- ray experience. LG was the pioneer company to realize this trend with the BD390- – the first Blu- ray player with Netflix streaming. The company’s flagship Blu- ray player, the BD390, stays a step ahead of your competitors with its unbelievable feature set- – Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, built- in 802. 11n Wi- Fi(a first) , 7. 1 analog outputs, geek- friendly MKV- video file playback over USB, and 1GB of onboard memory. Greatly improved, the BD390 is outstanding Blu- ray player, with top- notch image quality, lightning fast load times, and onboard decoding for all the high- resolution audio soundtracks.
The LG BD390 has a more standard and refined look. The front faceplate is a glossy, reflective black accented by a strip of silver metal on the top and silver feet below. The LCD screen is just off center, and its large size and bright white color allow it to be clear to understand from across your home theater, albeit some will be disappointed that it can’t be dimmed. You will discover four playback controls across the front of the unit, along with a removable plastic cover that reveals a USB port. We had it sitting right next to the Samsung BD- P3600 in our lab incase we had to pick one, we’d give the nod to the BD390.
The incorporated remote control is one of the better ones we’ve seen on a Blu-ray player. LG keeps it simple, with a big direction pad toward the top, surrounded by crucial buttons like disc menu and home. Playback controls are right below and they’re sensibly separated, instead of being cluttered together with infrequently used buttons. There are additional controls under a slide- down cover, which is surprisingly stiff and tough to open. Thankfully we found ourselves rarely using those buttons, despite the fact that if you plan on using the BD390’s remote to manage your TV too, you’ll be peeved that essential buttons like volume and channel controls are under the cover.
The user interface on LG’s Blu- ray players and now that there are a variety of additional streaming services, the simple menus are even nicer. The home menu presents your options in seven uncomplicated icons: Movie, Photo, Music, My Media, Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, and Setup. The colorful high- definition graphics are also a nice touch. All of LG’s 2009 Blu- ray players comprise of Netflix Instant streaming. The YouTube interface is surprisingly responsive. The BD390 also offers streaming CinemaNow access, which offers pay- per- rental pricing, just like satellite and cable video on- demand services.
Like virtually all 2009 Blu- ray players, the BD390 is Profile2. – compatible, which means it access playback BD- Live features available on some Blu- ray movies. It has 1GB of onboard storage, so you will not need to go through the hassle of plugging in a USB memory stick to download extra content. For anyone who is still not persuaded, you could take a look at what are the Top 10 Blu-ray players for a model that fits into your budget.