Editor’s Note: The Panasonic BDP-460 has been discontinued by the manufacturer. You can still read our original review below, but Top Ten Reviews is no longer updating this product’s information.
The Panasonic DMP-BDT460 is a high-end Blu-ray player that touts premium features like 4K and 3D conversion support. Its brushed metallic case looks much better than other 3D Blu-ray players, but despite the sharp appearance, its casing is actually plastic.
Where this Blu-ray player shines is its expansive feature set. We put its 2D to 3D conversion and 4K upscaling to the test. Upscaling refers to the conversion of high-definition video to a format that approximates 4K video, while 3D conversion allows 2D content to be viewed in simulated 3D. Our testing setup was built around a 4K and 3D-capable Sony HDTV, active Sony 3D glasses, and a copy of the movie "Gravity" that includes both standard and 3D versions.
In several sample scenes, elements like space debris had decent 3D fidelity, but the quality was still a step behind the original 3D version. Likewise, upconverted 4K playback was impressive but lagged behind the native 4K content we played. Still, both are definite strengths for the 3D Blu-ray player and provide extra functionality for 4K or 3D HDTV owners, giving you more mileage and better image quality with those setups. For standard 24p playback, we found the image quality to be superb; the picture was very detailed and colors vibrant.
During our boot test, we timed how long it took the Blu-ray player to reach its home screen. The Panasonic took the longest in our review – a whole 20.2 seconds. Other models we evaluated took an average of 12 seconds to boot.
Panasonic puts an intense focus on audio with this player. It has both an optical digital audio output and an HDMI output so you can experience true, full 7.1-channel audio. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD support are built into the BDT, allowing hardcore theater enthusiasts to use Dolby’s latest upward-firing Atmos speakers.
The BDT460 is also a media powerhouse. It’s outfitted with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a USB port and an SD card slot. The included remote even has a button to fire up Netflix. You can download other apps like Hulu, Vudu and YouTube. You can even mirror your smartphone or tablet’s display to your HDTV screen with the player. The included remote is tiny and feels awkward to use, though.
Panasonic offers several forms of support for the BDT460 through various channels. Along with the device's one-year warranty, you can get advice from Panasonic's phone, email, and live chat agents and easily find information and FAQs on the company’s website.
With its attractive design, numerous ports, apps and wide feature set, the Panasonic BDT460 is one of the best Blu-ray players. It has 2D to 3D conversion, which is uncommon with Blu-ray players. Both the audio and video quality are impressive with the player as well.
