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The best Blu-ray players in 2024 make it easy to catch up on your favorite shows
Physical media is far from dead. In fact, it’s a better time than ever to own your favorite TV series and movies, given that they often disappear from streaming services in the blink of an eye. So if you’re someone who collects Blu-ray discs for your home theater setup, you’re going to want to start with a great Blu-ray player first.
A great Blu-ray player can make all the difference when it comes to getting the most out of what you watch. With the advent of 4K and HDR, they’ve evolved to deliver crisp, crystal clear picture and sound quality. So no matter what you buy on Blu-ray, you can enjoy it to the fullest at home with the right player.
But which Blu-ray player should you bring home? Whether you’re a casual viewer or a dedicated film fan, we’ve rounded up some picks.
The best Blu-ray players in 2024
Best Blu-ray player: Panasonic DP-UB820
If you’re looking for the best Blu-ray player for most users, look no further than the Panasonic DMP-UB820. This player has a nice balance of features, performance and value. That makes it the best choice for just about everyone who needs a Blu-ray player.
It has full HDR support for vibrant colors, sharp textures and accurate black tones. Even when you play standard, non-4K Blu-ray or DVD discs, this player’s upscaling ability sharpens and enhances picture quality so it’s almost like seeing your favorites come to life in a new way. It also has Dolby Atmos support so it can fill your room with loud, clear sound.
Aside from connecting it directly to your TV or stereo system, it can use Wi-Fi for video streaming and even has a dedicated HDMI audio output for even higher-quality sound. That means it should mesh well with just about any setup you have going on in your living room with little muss or fuss.
Best premium Blu-ray player: Panasonic DP-UB9000
If you want the absolute best in home entertainment and have an elite home theater setup, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is the ultimate 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Yes, it’s pricey, and that’s because it’s for the most elite cinephile. That’s why everything about it says “luxury” in many ways.
The heavy metal build and premium design make it clear that this player is in a class of its own. It supports all the key HDR formats, including HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision. You can also count on it for fantastic audio quality. With high-quality DACs, two-channel and 7.1-channel analogue outputs as well as support for Hi-Res Audio, this player has you covered in terms of audio. To top it all off, the DP-UB9000 comes packed with plenty of smart features.
This level of performance doesn’t come cheap, so you’ll absolutely be paying a pretty penny. But if quality is of the utmost importance to you, this is the Blu-ray player of your dreams.
Best budget Blu-ray player: Sony UBP-X700
Don’t want to spend an entire paycheck on a Blu-ray player? You don’t need to. The Sony UBP-X700 is an affordable player offers an impressive array of features and performance that belies its budget-friendly price point.
Its exceptional picture quality may come as a surprise, given that this player is so afforable. But whether you’re watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster or a classic film, this Blu-ray player can offer a great-looking picture that you can be proud of, even if you’re watching only top-of-the-line 4K releases.
It supports multiple HDR formats, including Dolby Vision and HDR10, ensuring that you can enjoy the widest possible range of 4K content. While it doesn’t support HDR10+, this omission is hardly a dealbreaker considering the player’s affordable price point. Despite not being marketed as a hi-res audio player, the UBP-X700 can even play high-resolution audio files and supports various formats such as WAV and FLAC.
For less than $200, you really can’t do better than this Blu-ray player, so be sure to grab it if you want to have high quality at a low price.
Best Blu-ray player and console combo: PlayStation 5 Slim
If you need to play Blu-ray discs but want a multifunction player to handle it, you can’t go wrong with a PlayStation 5, namely the PS5 Slim, which means you can play movies as well as video games from the same device.
As a 4K Blu-ray player, the PS5 Slim is a great space-saving option for anyone who loves video games, movies and TV. It lets you enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows in high definition, then switch over to the latest and greatest games without having to get up and change the disc out given the PS5 Slim’s spacious hard drive.
You don’t need a remote since you can use the included DualSense controller, and given that there are tons of new games always releasing in tandem with films and TV, you can kill two birds with one stone with this device. Plus, you’ll have more space free, without having to have both gaming console and Blu-ray player.
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Why you should open a long-term CD before the December Fed meeting
December is often a time filled with holiday gatherings, shopping and cooking. This year, however, it also may be a smart time to reevaluate your finances.
This may mean moving your money from some traditional, low-interest earning accounts to different, higher-earning ones. With inflation down significantly from its 2022 high point and two Federal Reserve interest rate cuts already issued in 2024, the returns on high-yield savings and certificates of deposit (CD) accounts have started to decline. And with the strong likelihood of an additional interest rate cut for when the Federal Reserve meets for the final time in 2024 on December 17 and 18, the window of opportunity could soon be closed.
To take advantage while they still can, then, savers should strongly consider opening a long-term CD now, before that December Fed meeting. Below, we’ll explain why.
Not sure if a CD’s still worth it for you? See how much more you could be earning here.
Why you should open a long-term CD before the December Fed meeting
Here are three reasons why savers may find it beneficial to open a long-term CD (with a term longer than 12 months) in advance of the December 2024 Fed meeting:
Rates may start declining in advance
It’s important to remember that lenders don’t need to wait for a formal Fed action to start changing their offers to savers. They can — and often will — adjust their rate offers in anticipation of a formal rate hike or cut. And with the CME Group’s FedWatch tool pegging a 25 basis point cut at an 86% likelihood now, many will start lowering their rates now.
Waiting, then, won’t make sense. With 18-month CD rates around 4.30% and 2-year CD rates at 4.25% right now, it can be advantageous to lock these returns in while they’re still available. If the Fed cuts rates when they meet later in December, you may regret not having acted earlier in the month.
Get started with a top long-term CD online today.
Opening a CD now can prevent holiday overspending
Are you concerned about going over budget this holiday season? With expectations that holiday spending will exceed that from 2023, it may make sense to add an incentive to limit your shopping tendencies. And a CD is a great way to do just that, thanks to its early withdrawal penalties for savers who access their funds prematurely.
By depositing some of your money into one of these accounts now, you can more easily prevent holiday overspending than you would have by maintaining the same ease of access. Consider moving the funds now, then, before the Fed cuts what you otherwise could have earned.
Rates will be fixed
Arguably the most important reason to open a long-term CD now, before December 18, is to take advantage of a high, fixed rate for a long time. You can lock in an elevated CD rate before any Fed rate cuts – and keep it for 18 months or 10 years or somewhere in between. This will ensure elevated returns for years to come, regardless of any volatility or additional interest rate cuts issued during that period. Because of that fixed rate, you’ll be able to predict exactly how much you’ll be able to earn with the account, unlike regular savings or high-yield savings accounts that have variable rates subject to bounce up and down based on the wide rate climate.
The bottom line
With rates set to decline even before the Federal Reserve gathers again this month, the strong temptation to overspend during the holidays and a high (fixed) interest rate, many savers can benefit from opening a long-term CD right now. Before doing so, however, be sure to calculate exactly how much you can afford to deposit to circumvent having to pay an early withdrawal penalty in 2025 (or sooner).
Learn more about your current CD account options here.
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USDA announces federal order for national milk testing to monitor bird flu in dairy herds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a new federal order requiring raw, unpasteurized milk samples nationwide to be tested, federal officials announced Friday.
The move is part of the department’s announcement of its “National Milk Testing Strategy,” which builds on previous actions taken for the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI H5N1, in dairy cattle that was first detected in March, according to a news release from the department.
The bird flu virus has been spreading rapidly, particularly in California, where nearly 500 of the more than 700 infected U.S. herds have been detected.
Health officials raised the alarm last month after more than 50 human cases of a bird flu variant were confirmed across seven states this year. The virus has infected 57 people in the U.S. this year, including 31 in California, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mild illnesses have been seen in dairy and poultry workers who had close contact with infected animals. In two cases, no known source of the illnesses have been identified, which has worried infectious disease experts about the possibility of human-to-human transmission, which could trigger a pandemic.
While no cases of bird flu virus have been confirmed in people who drank raw milk, health officials have long warned against consuming unpasteurized milk because it can contain illness-causing bacteria. Pasteurized milk, which is heat-treated to kill the virus, remains safe to drink.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release the new milk testing strategy, which is set to begin the week of Dec. 16, will “give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide.”
According to the release, the federal order includes three new requirements:
- It requires the sharing of raw milk samples, upon request, from any entity responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station or dairy processing facility that sends or holds milk intended for pasteurization
- Requires herd owners with positive cattle to provide epidemiological information that enables activities such as contact tracing and disease surveillance
- Requires that private laboratories and state veterinarians report positive results to USDA that come from tests done on raw milk samples drawn as part of the national testing program
In a federal order issued in April, the USDA started requiring the dairy industry to test milk-producing cows for infections from HPAI H5N1 before they’re moved between states.