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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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Full Interview: Reps. Mike Kelly and Jason Crow discuss Trump Assassination Task Force findings
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“They’re all gone”: The tragedy of the 1972 Munich Olympics
“September 5” is a new movie from our sister company, Paramount, about television coverage of the notorious Palestinian terrorist attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics. We have thoughts about that day from Sean McManus, who, until recently, led CBS Sports and, before that, CBS News. But back in 1972, he was just a teenager, in Munich, watching his famous father, ABC sportscaster Jim McKay, relay the terrible news to the world …
In September of 1972, I was a senior in high school, and my mother, sister and I accompanied my dad to the 1972 Munich Olympics. The organizing committee was trying to help erase the memory of the 1936 Olympics overseen by Adolf Hitler. None of the security guards carried guns, and they all wore light blue suits, making this the “serene Olympics.”
The beginning of the Games was spectacular, featuring such stars as Olga Korbut and Mark Spitz.
Then, in the early morning hours of September 5th, it all went horribly, horribly wrong.
The ABC sports crew heard gunshots coming from the Olympic Village. My dad was summoned from the swimming pool where he was doing laps. He sat in the anchor chair, and for the next 15 hours covered the first-ever live terrorism attack on television.
McKay: “Arab terrorists, armed with submachine guns, went to the headquarters of the Israeli team and immediately killed one man. They’ve been holding 14 others hostages since then.”
I joined my dad in the studio and was by his side until the early morning hours.
The professionalism of the men and women of ABC Sports was remarkable, as they were dealing with the most horrible of circumstances and presenting it to a live audience of over 900 million people.
At approximately 3:30 in the morning, my dad was having a conversation with Peter Jennings and [sports commentator] Chris Schenkel. And you could tell he had gotten some news through his earpiece.
He looked at Peter and he said, “You know, my dad used to say our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized. Well, our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said there were 11 Israeli hostages; two were killed in their rooms. Nine were killed at the airport tonight. They’re all gone.”
We drove home in the early morning hours. My dad asked for his key at the front desk. The concierge handed him a telegram. We read it together. “Jim, you were superb yesterday. You and your industry have reason to be proud. Congratulations, Walter Cronkite.”
I get emotional when I talk about that, because my dad at that very moment was the perfect combination of objectivity, professionalism and – maybe most of all – humanity.
To watch a trailer for “September 5” click on the video player below:
For more info:
Story produced by Gabriel Falcon. Editor: Ed Givnish.
CBS News
Reporting the tragedy of the 1972 Munich Olympics
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