Blu-ray Players:

From the Kindle book

Home Theater for the Internet Age

More than Discs

Three Inputs

Most people use Blu-ray players only for shiny silver discs

—We play music CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray movies

—Typically, that’s about it

But Blu-ray players offer much more

—Play any disc (yea, we knew that, dude)

—Plug in a USB flash drive for media playback

—Use wi-fi or Ethernet

So What?

Why should I go to the expense of adding network connectivity to my player?

— Play any media file on any PC on your home network

— Remotely control your Blu-ray player using your mobile device

— Effortlessly install firmware updates

Better value

— You paid for all the functionality of your player

— Using only 1/3 of that functionality is silly

The USB Port

Most modern Blu-ray players feature a front-facing USB port

USB can be used to “sneakernet” media files from a computer to your player

Most players can interpret a wide variety of file types— Music, video, and photos

No more burning files to disc on your PC— Instead, simply copy them to your USB flash drive and

plug it into your Blu-ray player

Network Connectivity

Most Blu-ray players support some type of network connectivity—Wi-fi is common (built-in or an add-on)

—Ethernet (many models feature an Ethernet port, sometimes labeled “LAN”)

Wi-fi or Ethernet allow you to:—Play music or video files from another PC or

storage device (NAS) on your home network

—Stream music from the internet

Blu-ray Ethernet

Best connection available— Superior to wi-fi, which is prone to interference— Faster and more robust: Better in all respects

Involves cabling, not wireless— This makes it more difficult to install, but eliminates—

eliminates—local interference and drop outs

Must run CAT6 cabling from your internet router to your Blu-ray player— If DIY isn’t your thing, hire a professional installer— While this might cost you a couple hundred bucks, it

will give your Blu-ray player the best connection

Blu-ray Wi-Fi

The easiest and most affordable connection

Less reliable than Ethernet

— Prone to interference from common devices

— Garage door openers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, and cordless phones

If wi-fi is a feature of your Blu-ray player (like many Sony models), try it

— It’s free

— Can always switch to Ethernet if unhappy with quality

More about Wi-Fi

If you have to add a dongle or accessory to your player to get wi-fi….— Consider instead investing that $$ into Ethernet cable

installation— My Pioneer Elite player offered a $130 wi-fi dongle; I

put that money into CAT6 cable installation and now have super-fast, very reliable Ethernet

Wi-fi not only more interference, but slower— A concern when streaming high-def video— With UltraHD (4K) video right around the corner,

wi-fi not the best way to go

Remote Control

Another huge benefit of network connectivity to your Blu-ray player: Remote control

Gives you the option of installing a manufacturer app on your mobile device and controlling the player from it

No more crappy bundled remote controls—Bundled remotes almost always suck

—You already have your mobile device; why not use it to control your home theater equipment?

Firmware Updates

Firmware = software on your Blu-ray player that helps control it— Firmware updates are common on home theater

equipment (including AV receivers)— You should always install firmware updates

Firmware updates facilitated via USB or your network connection— You can download and copy firmware update files to

a USB flash drive and install from there— If you have wi-fi or Ethernet on your player, you can

use the player’s menus to update the firmware

New Blu-ray Player

When shopping for a Blu-ray player, ensure that:

—It features either wi-fi or Ethernet

—Both is nice; it gives you options

Ensure that the player has a front-facing USB port (rear-facing is a huge pain)

—Some Blu-ray players feature a rear-facing USB port that works only for firmware updates

These slides are derived from the Amazon Kindle book

Home Theater for the

Internet Ageby

Curt Robbins

Other Books by Curt Robbins

Understanding Personal Data Security

Understanding Digital Music

Understanding Cutting the Cord

Understanding Home Theater

About Curt Robbins

Publishes a blog: Middle Class Tech

Flipboard magazine: Middle Class Tech

Twitter: @CurtRobbins

Surround Sound Formats

Excerpt from Home Theater for the Internet Age