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While we don't think the Samsung BD-E6500 will be the next Audiophile Blu-ray player, it very well may be our next Blu-ray player. The new Samsung includes dual HDMI inputs for connecting two different pieces of gear to it, and then running a single HDMI cable to your receiver/display. The BD-E6500 has Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming from DNLA devices and access to Samsung's Smart Hub. Most interestingly (though you may never use it), you can register (for a fee) your DVDs on UltraViolet from the player. The only thing we don't know about the player and the UltraViolet service? Price.

Panasonic put out six (6) new Blu-ray players at this year's CES 2012. They include four 3D models (DMP-BBT01, DMP-BDT500, DMP-BDT320, DMP-BDT220) and and two networking 2D models (the DMP-BD87 and the DMP-BD77). All four of the 3D models include Panasonic’s proprietary IPTV platform, VIERA Connect, while the 2D models feature IP VOD, a service that is different, but still offers a limited, though targeted, selection of such sites as Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow and YouTube. What got us, though was the fact that three of these players feature 192kHz/32bit Audio DACs (not available on the DMP-BBT01). On top of that, the BDT500 includes high grade audio parts – gold plated terminals, high grade electric capacitor, better insulators...

Sony offers some of the best value in Blu-Ray players today. After going through all the features and setup options this Blu-ray player offers and really diving into the network functions, I can say that the Sony BDP-S780 3D networking Blu-ray player would be a great addition to any home theater or video system that is in need for an upgrade to the latest in today’s tech. This model is their company flagship and comes packed with the most features for their line. We found the DBP-S780 to be among the fastest players out there to boot up and play a Blu-ray disc. Bottom line the BDP-S780 meets just about every requirement for a great Blu-Ray player today and won’t disappoint even the most feature hungry user.

In celebration of Denon's 100th Anniversary, the company put out a series of products designed to represent their very best in each category. The first of these products we were able to get our hands on was their $2500 DBP-A100 Universal Audio/Video Player. Now, this player will do CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, SACD, DVD-Audio and play those formats back with the most pristine audio and video quality believed to be possible. There are no real networking features for streaming movies or music. On the audio side, everything seems really well-developed unless you have a need for balanced XLR outputs, which the DBP-A100 doesn't have. Aside from that, what we have here is a very nice, rugged and celebratory universal player. For custom installers who want to surprise their clients with an anniversary edition product that carries some brand recognition with it, the Denon A100 is going to hit the spot.

Pioneer Electronics has made Blu-ray players for as long as Blu-ray has been around. In prior years, however, they had partnered with Sharp in manufacturing their players and the results were far from noteworthy. While Sharp is doing fantastic things with their new Elite LED Television line, Pioneer decided to take back their Blu-ray players and do them in-house. Today we got to see the three new models which range in price from $199 to $499. The three players are the entry level Pioneer BDP-140 and two Elite models, the BDP-52FD and BDP-53FD. The players each have reduced loading times significantly and they can be used wirelessly with Pioneer's optional AS-WL300 network adapter. They can also stream audio and video from Pandora, YouTube and NetFlix.

Onkyo has been known for their full-featured receivers for quite some time. Their newest Blu-ray player, the BD-SP809 looks to continue that trend. Its got THX certification, 3D support, dual HDMI outputs, DLNA 1.5 certification, Netflix 3.0, Blockbuster, Film Fresh, and VUDU streaming, Marvell Qdeo upscaling, and 297 MHz/12-Bit NSV DACs. For $600, it is a solid player. But the question is, how does it stand up to the Oppo offerings? Not bad...if you aren't a power user.

We're sure the Cambridge Audio 751BD Universal 3D Blu-ray player is going to find an audience. While it does share some technology with players less than half its MSRP, there do seem to be upgrades (mostly on the audio side) from the competition. The price is a little high for what you get but, when their consumers are unlikely to buy from an online only manufacturer, that probably won't matter. Compared to some of the "high end" universal blu-ray players that have hit the market, the Cambridge Audio 751BD is a solid offering.

In a post Oppo Blu-ray world, the only thing you can do to compete it to release a player at a lower price point. Onkyo has come in at half the Oppo's price with their new BD-SP309 Blu-ray player. That's a pretty significant savings. But the question is what features did they have to cut? Well, not the important one. 3D is on board as is dual USB ports. You can stream Internet radio, Pandora, Netflix, and VUDU natively. The downside? If you don't have an HDMI input somewhere, you're out of luck. While power users will want to look elsewhere, those wanting 3D and not really caring much about anything else can save a few hundred dollars over other options with the Onkyo BD-SP309.

Toshiba is trying to float on top of a veritable sea of products with its BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player. It has just about everything you could possibly need: high quality BD playback, upscaling of DVDs to 1080p, Netflix, Pandora, VUDU and (if they are still in business) Blockbuster Video on Demand. It's also 3D-compatible and includes integrated Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi means that if you have a wireless router that supports 802.11 a/b/g or n, you don't need to run a cable to your TV in order to enjoy streaming movies from Netflix or VUDU, or music from Pandora. Toshiba has included the same glassy front on the BDX2700 that it includes in some of its top of the line televisions. That, the flush tray, and the capacitance touch controls, give the player a look that says it's OK to put this thing out in the open. It's also not very deep. At just over 8-inches from front to back, this is one product that doesn't make a nuisance of itself - you can put it in front of your TV or place it just about anywhere.