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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.
CBS News
Supreme Court won’t hear case over Hawaii’s licensing rules for handguns
Washington — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a Hawaii man’s appeal of his prosecution for carrying a handgun without a license, leaving untouched a state supreme court decision that castigated its new framework for determining whether gun laws comport with the Second Amendment.
Justice Clarence Thomas, in a statement joined by Justice Samuel Alito, criticized the Hawaiian court for its ruling, but said the high court was right to dismiss the challenge on technical grounds. However, he wrote that the court should hear an “appropriate case” to “make clear that Americans are always free to invoke the Second Amendment as a defense against unconstitutional firearms-licensing schemes.”
The court laid out the so-called “history and tradition” standard in a landmark Second Amendment decision in June 2022. The test requires the government to show that a gun law is consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
The Supreme Court provided some clarity about its new standard this past June, when it upheld a federal firearms prohibition for alleged domestic abusers, but lower courts have still struggled to apply the framework when assessing the constitutionality of firearm restrictions. That decision involved whether certain categories of people — namely those found to pose a credible threat to others — can be temporarily disarmed.
The case from Hawaii involved the state’s rules for licenses to carry handguns in public. Under the state’s scheme, residents must obtain a permit to legally own a firearm. Those who want to carry a gun publicly also must obtain a carry license, which can be acquired by demonstrating an “urgency or need,” good moral character and that they are “engaged in the protection of life and property.”
Applicants also have to be at least 21 years old and a U.S. citizen. Police departments had the discretion to deny licenses.
In December 2017, Christopher Wilson was arrested after he and a group of hikers were found on a trail running through private property into the West Maui Mountains. Wilson and his fellow hikers told police they didn’t see “no trespassing” signs on the property and were headed into the mountains to look at the moon and planets. Wilson also told police he had a weapon, and a loaded pistol was seized from his waistband.
Wilson didn’t have a permit to acquire a gun or a license to carry it and was charged with violating Hawaii laws for carrying or possessing a handgun.
Wilson sought to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they violated his Second Amendment rights under two recent Supreme Court decisions, one of which said the Constitution guarantees the right to keep a handgun in the home for self-defense.
Wilson’s bid to toss out the charges was denied, but soon after, the Supreme Court handed down its June 2022 ruling that expanded gun rights and laid out its history-and-tradition test for evaluating the constitutionality of firearms rules.
On the heels of that decision, Wilson again sought to have the charges against him dismissed, arguing that under the Supreme Court’s standard, he was legally allowed to carry a firearm for self-defense, and the state had to justify its licensing scheme.
A trial court sided with Wilson and dismissed the charges against him. But the Hawaii Supreme Court reversed that decision and concluded that prosecuting Wilson for carrying a handgun didn’t violate the Constitution. The Hawaii court also lambasted the nation’s highest court for its Second Amendment rulings.
The state supreme court claimed that the Supreme Court “distorts and cherry-picks historical evidence” in its Second Amendment cases and accused the high court of ad-libbing a new standard for evaluating gun laws.
Referencing the Supreme Court’s latest decision, the Hawaii Supreme Court said its new test is a “backward-looking approach” that “ignores today’s realities.”
“The spirit of Aloha clashes with a federally-mandated lifestyle that lets citizens walk around with deadly weapons during day-to-day activities,” Hawaii’s highest court wrote.
Wilson, represented by public defenders, appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Hawaii court showed “open hostility to the individual rights protected by the Second Amendment.”
They warned in a filing that refusing to apply the court’s history-and-tradition test “upends the constitutional order between the States and the national government. When constitutional rights are incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment, the states must recognize them.”
Writing on Monday, Thomas said the decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court “failed to give the Second Amendment its due regard.”
“Had the Hawaii Supreme Court followed its duty to consider the merits of Wilson’s defense, the licensing scheme’s unconstitutionality should have been apparent,” he wrote.
But Thomas noted that “correction of the Hawaii Supreme Court’s error must await another day,” since Wilson sought to dismiss only some of the charges and asked the court to review an “interlocutory order over which we may not have jurisdiction.” Thomas said that Wilson could ask the court to review the case again after trial.
CBS News
Trump uses photo of himself with First Lady Jill Biden to announces new fragrance line
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday used a photo of himself sitting next to First Lady Jill Biden to announce a new line of fragrances on his Truth Social app, with the caption, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!”
The fragrance line, called “Fight, Fight, Fight,” includes cologne for men and a perfume for women, each retailing for $199. Trump is also selling bundles of two or more fragrances, with the second item 50% off, according to the GetTrumpFragrances.com website.
The photo of Jill Biden seated near Trump was taken Dec. 7 when they, along with dozens of heads of state and officials, attended the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, five years after the landmark suffered a massive fire that toppled its spire. The image captures the pair in conversation, with an empty chair between them, marked for Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new fragrances mark the latest merchandise offer from Trump, who has rolled out a number of products branded with his name over the years. In recent months, those have included watches that sell for up to $100,000 and “President Donald J. Trump First Edition” silver coins selling for $100 each.
Trump touted his new fragrances as “great Christmas gifts for the family.”
“I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING,” he added.
The Trump fragrance website doesn’t describe the actual scents of either the cologne or perfume. “Our fragrances are curated to capture the essence of success and determination, with each scent symbolizing victory and strength,” the site says.
Proceeds from sales of the fragrances won’t go to Trump’s campaign, the website adds. “GetTrumpFragrances.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign,” it notes.
The design and name are trademarks of CIC Ventures, the group that is also behind Trump’s sneakers, which include gold high tops with an American flag emblazoned on the side. As with Trump’s sneakers, all sales of the Trump fragrances are fine and nonrefundable. The fragrances aren’t designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by Trump or the Trump Organization, according to the perfume website.
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Billy Crystal on his new psychological thriller, “Before”
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