Panasonic DMP-BD85 Blu-ray Player Review

[MrBoylan]

Panasonic has advanced the audio and video performance of its flagship non-3D Blu-ray player, but where are the improvements to the user interface?

Check out our comprehensive review to find out what this latest player has to offer to both audio and video purists:

DMP-BD85 Review

Buy the DMP-BD85 on Amazon.com (your purchase supports Big Picture Big Sound)

Any comments or questions related to this review or to the player in general are welcome in this thread.

[thebat356]

the chromo setting that you talked about in the review? do you use the normal or advanced?

Jacob

[MrBoylan]

The default setting for "Chroma Process" is "Advanced," and this is what we used. "Normal" would back the processor out to the one used in the BD60 and BD80 (and the BD65 actually).

-CB

[thebat356]

I have it set to advance.
the jitter setting? where is that? on the player?
thanks.
Jacob

[MrBoylan]

The HDMI jitter purifier is automatic and cannot be disabled as far as I know. It simply provides a more stable value for the underlying data upon which the audio clock is calculated.

-CB

[thebat356]

works for me then.

Jacob

[Mazinger]

Great review...I bought the BD-85 three months ago and I love it, sound through the multichannel inputs is SPECTACULAR....I really doubt it could get any better than this.
I'm looking forward to have pandora on the BD85, I upgrade to the latest version today and it's still missing..

Mazinger

[MrBoylan]

Great review...I bought the BD-85 three months ago and I love it, sound through the multichannel inputs is SPECTACULAR....I really doubt it could get any better than this.
I'm looking forward to have pandora on the BD85, I upgrade to the latest version today and it's still missing..

Mazinger

Yes, Pandora isn't available on the back-end servers yet... but it should be soon. Sorry, can't give you a specific date but it should definitely be there soon!

-CB

[pwaug]

Great review and great forum!!! I have a BD 85 on the way from Amazon which will be connected to a Yamaha A1 Integrated Amp. I read Peter O'Connell's write up on how to set up the Audio Analog out but have one question. In addition to the analog connection I plan to also connect with a optical cable to one of the other inputs on the A1. As per Peter's article I will have to set up the speakers and subwoofer (Sunfire True Sub) using the BD85 since the A1 allows no control of them through the Amp. I'll have to set the sub's volume manually on the sub. However, through the digital connection my hope is that I can balance the speakers and sub using the A1. Peter seems to indicate this is a way around the whole subwoofer volume problem so that when watching a BD I'll use the Analog connection input on the Amp then when I want to listen to a CD I'll just switch to the Digital input. Is this correct? Thanks again for a great website with a wealth of info!!!!

[MrBoylan]

Great review and great forum!!! I have a BD 85 on the way from Amazon which will be connected to a Yamaha A1 Integrated Amp. I read Peter O'Connell's write up on how to set up the Audio Analog out but have one question. In addition to the analog connection I plan to also connect with a optical cable to one of the other inputs on the A1. As per Peter's article I will have to set up the speakers and subwoofer (Sunfire True Sub) using the BD85 since the A1 allows no control of them through the Amp. I'll have to set the sub's volume manually on the sub. However, through the digital connection my hope is that I can balance the speakers and sub using the A1. Peter seems to indicate this is a way around the whole subwoofer volume problem so that when watching a BD I'll use the Analog connection input on the Amp then when I want to listen to a CD I'll just switch to the Digital input. Is this correct? Thanks again for a great website with a wealth of info!!!!

Unless I'm thinking of a different Yamaha A1, you don't have to worry about any of the set-up issues as the Yamaha A1 is not a multi-channel receiver or amp - it's a stereo integrated amp. There is no speaker calibration required in the player. Just use the main 2-channel output of the BD85 into an available input on the A1. You can use the optical or coax output on the player as well, but I'm not sure what value this would add in your situation unless you just want to compare the DAC in the BD85 to the DAC built into the A1 amplifier. I would guess that the BD85 would actually sound better as it's a much newer design and probably a superior digital to analog converter compared to the one built into the Yamaha amp.

Your subwoofer is connected via the main left/right speaker output on the amp, right? If so, then the only adjustments possible (or necessary) will be the controls on the subwoofer itself.

Regards,

-Chris