The availability of 3D ready home entertainment equipment is growing, and the LG BX580 is one of the latest Blu-ray players to offer this capability. However, the specification of the BX580 doesn’t start and end there, and has a wealth of additional features to make it an essential player to consider even whilst 3D is in its infancy.
Of course the LG BX580 has all the basics we come to expect of Blu-ray these days with 1080p upscaling and BD-Live as standard, but it is the online capabilities of the player that are most impressive. With wireless built in, you can view that BD-Live content without having to run a network cable to the BX580, which is a huge help in most people’s homes. You can also access LG’s Netcast service which enables you to view YouTube videos, yours and your friend’s photographs on Picasa, and even the weather, all through your television. The LG BX580 is DLNA enabled which is where real power of the player lies. This means you can stream and view contents (music, movies, photos) from any compatible device through the player to your television.
The system also has a neat little feature that you may find more useful than you thought too… If you’re watching a movie and a great music track comes, you normally have to wait until the final credits roll to find out what it was – well not with LG BX580. Simply hit the Music ID button on the remote control and the built Gracenote Music ID technology will search their database to identify the song, artist and album – and even display the album art where possible.
Whilst we’ve seen some manufacturers move away from the fold down front fascia, LG chooses to use it, and to good effect. The whole front of the player is clean and glossy, with only the branding and a large 3D logo spoiling the looks slightly. On the whole though, the LG BX580 is a good looking device, with the low height of 45mm, and the short depth of 200mm meaning it will be easy to position.
What to consider before you buy the LG BX580 Blu-ray Player
There is very little to say against this player, but if you want to start enjoying 3D you’ll just need to find the films, and buy some glasses as they aren’t included.
Why you should buy the LG BX580 Blu-ray Player
Whilst not as cheap as the Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray player, the LG is more fully featured and futureproof, and is therefore surprisingly good value. Rating: /5
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