Panasonic DMP-BD60 v DMP-BD80 – what are the differences?

The Panasonic DMP-BD60 and the DMP-BD80 are two of the most popular Blu-ray players around at the moment, but what are the differences between them, and which one should you buy?

First of all, if your shortlist of Blu-ray players is down to these two, then you’ve made a very fine choice whichever player you end up going for. Both players support 1080p upscaling of DVD’s, have the latest Blu-ray profiles, and the new ‘VIERA CAST’ feature to view online content.

Differences between the DMP-BD60 and DMP-BD80

The DMP-80 does have some noticeable improvements over the BD60 though. Round the back of the BD80 you’ll see the 7.1 channel outputs that are missing on the BD60 – these allow you to connect an older amplifier directly to the player so you can enjoy lossless high definition surround sound.
The other main difference is in audio hardware inside the player where the BD80 has a slightly higher specification – although whether this will be noticeable or not depends on your equipment and your ears! Visually, they are virtually identical although you will notice that the BD80 has a more substantial set of feet to help absorb any vibrations and potentially improve the overall quality.

Which one to buy?

The RRP of the DMP-BD80 is supposed to be £100 more than the DMP-BD60, however in reality that does not seem to be the case with online prices for the BD80 being only about £50 to £60 more. This makes it easier to choose because even with the relatively small difference in features, we’d plump for the BD80 just for the greater flexibility it offers. But whichever one you buy, you won’t be disappointed.

Read the DMP-BD80 review and compare prices.
Read the DMP-BD60 review and compare prices.