Features
Remote Control
Input and Output Notes

Features

Blu-ray Disc Overview: Blu-ray Disc (BD) is a new high-definition disc format designed to take advantage of today's high quality HDTVs. The resolution is up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p) and the data transfer rate is up to 40 mbps. Blu-ray Disc discs and players offer several advantages over the standard DVD format:

• Better picture quality: Blu-ray Disc is a true high-definition format offering video at 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolution. While standard DVDs look very good on an HDTV, they don't provide a high-definition signal (not even when you use an up-converting DVD player). Blu-ray Disc delivers an extraordinarily sharp, clean, detailed picture, with deeper, richer colors.
• Better sound quality: In addition to the same multi-channel sound formats you're accustomed to with DVD (Dolby Digital and DTS), Blu-ray Disc offers Dolby Digital Plus and uncompressed 7.1 channel PCM.
• Much greater storage capacity: What makes Blu-ray Disc's superior picture and sound possible is the much higher storage capacity of Blu-ray Disc discs. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc can hold 25 gigabytes of data, over five times the amount a standard DVD can hold. Dual-layer Blu-ray Discs hold 50 gigabytes, which equates to nine hours of High Definition or 23 hours of Standard Definition video, plus high-resolution multi-channel audio and the added features and material that require multiple discs with standard DVD.
• Compatibility with your current disc collections: To ensure backward-compatibility with your existing library of discs, Blu-ray Disc players use a dual-laser mechanism: a blue laser for playing high-definition Blu-ray Discs, and a conventional red laser for playing DVDs and audio CDs.

P4HD (Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD): Panasonic's P4HD processes more that 15 billion pixels per second to render high-quality progressive images, express motion smoothly, and draw sharp diagonal lines. The following makeup P4HD:

• Precise Pixel Generator: pixel information is compared to as many as 60 surrounding pixels to ensure accurate progressive conversion
• Motion Detection: 16-Level Motion Detection with Pixel-Based Motion Adaptive categorizes the image motion of each pixel into one of 16 levels, from still to super fast to best suit the motion, minimizing conversion errors
• Diagonal Processing: P4HD detects diagonal lines and corrects each pixel accordingly
• 3:2 Pull-Down: film sources are sensed instantly to optimize processing
• 1080p Up-Conversion: through the HDMI output any disc can be output as 1080p

Video D/A Converter: The 148.5KHz/14-bit Video D/A Converter technology renders ultra-fine images with smooth gradation and reproduces crisp, natural colors that are extremely faithful to the original movie.

1080/24P HDMI Output: Many BD-Video movie contents are recorded in 24 frames per second in accordance with the film material. This unit support 1080/24P video through its HDMI output so you can enjoy high-quality video with improved clarity and enhanced perspective.

Deep Color: The DMP-BD50's HDMI output is Deep Color compatible, with 4,096 steps of gradation for even smoother, finer-quality images that meet Hollywood's stringent demands, so you can experience movies just the way they were meant to be experienced.

Disc Compatibility: The DMP-BD50 is playback compatible with many disc types which include:

• BD-Video: pre-recorded Blu-ray disc
• BD-ROM: version 2
• BD-RE: version 3 (single layer, dual layer); JPEG
• BD-R: version 2 (single layer, dual layer)
• DVD-RAM: DVD video recording format, AVCHD format, JPEG
• DVD-Video: pre-recorded DVD disc
• DVD-R/DVD-RW/DVD-R DL: DVD-Video format, DVD-Video Recording format, AVCHD format
• DVD+R/DVD+RW/DVD+R DL: DVD Video, AVCHD format
• CD-Audio: pre-recorded CD-DA
• CD-R/RW: CD-DA, JPEG, MP3, DivX

Future Compatibility: As Blu-Ray technology continues to evolve, new disc types with enhanced functionality will become available. In order for you to enjoy this new functionality, you will likely be required to update the firmware in your player. These firmware updates will become available for downloading from the Internet.

Region Code: Like DVD, BD uses region codes. The region code on your disc must match the region code on your player, otherwise the disc will not play. The DMP-BD50 is Blu-ray region A and DVD region 1.

Copy Protection: Blu-ray Disc uses the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) to prevent unauthorized recording of copyrighted material.

MP3 Playback: This unit will play MP3 audio files recorded onto CD-R or CD-RW discs using ISO 9660 level 1 or 2 (except extended formats), or Joliet formats. Compatible bit rates include 32-320 kbps with sampling frequencies of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. The unit also supports ID3 tags version 1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4.

JPEG Playback: This unit will play JPEG still picture files recorded onto BD-RE, DVD-RAM, CD-R, or CD-RW disc using UDF 2.0, UDF 2.5 ISO 9660 level 1 or 2 (except extended formats), or Joliet formats. The unit will also play JPEG still images recorded onto an SD-card. Pixel resolutions between 34 x 34 and 5120 x 3840 are supported. You can view still images in one at a time, in an index mode or slide-show fashion. Still images can also be rotated and zoomed. If you are viewing still images from an SD-card you can insert a music CD into the player for background music.

DivX Playback: You can play DVD-R, DVD-RDL and CD-R/CD-RW discs which contain DivX video content that has been recorded on a personal computer. The DMP-BD50 supports DivX files with resolutions of 32 x 32 or 720 x 576 and up to 30 frames per second.

SD Card Slot: The convenient SD card slot on the front panel of the DMP-BD50 allows easy viewing of hi-def videos and photos on your HDTV that have been recorded on an SD card in AVCHD or JPEG format by your digital camcorder or camera. The SD card slot supports SD cards (8MB-2GB), SDHC cards (4GB-32GB), or mini/micro SD cards (with adapter) formatted in FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32. The player will recognize up to 9999 picture contents and 300 folders stored on a compatible SD card.

Resume Play: Resume play allows you to resume playback of a disc from the point where you last stopped. The stopping point is cleared when the Stop button is pressed more than once or the disc tray is opened.

TV Aspect Ratio: You can set the player's video output to match the type of television you have connected. You can choose from 4:3 Pan&Scan, 4:3 Letterbox, 16:9 Widescreen or 16:9 Full.

Picture Quality: The DMP-BD50 features five picture quality modes to choose from.

• Normal: default setting
• Soft: soft picture with fewer video artifacts
• Fine: details are sharper
• Cinema: mellows movies, enhances detail in dark scenes
• User: manually adjust the Brightness (brightens the picture), Sharpness (sharpens edges of the horizontal lines), Color (adjusts the shade of the picture's color) Gamma (adjusts brightness of dark portion of screen), 3D NR (reduces the rough noise in the background for greater depth), and Integrated NR (smoothes block noise and reduces the smudging that appears around contrasting sections of the picture)

Black Level Control: You can select Lighter or Darker for adjusting the Black Level Control to the desired setting for picture enhancement.

Progressive Output Auto Detection: DVD-Videos are recorded using either film or video. This unit can determine which type has been used then uses the most suitable method of progressive output.

• Film: recorded at 24 frames per second (recorded at 30 frames per second as well); generally appropriate for motion picture films
• Video: recorded at 30 frames/60 fields per second; generally appropriate for TV drama programs or animation

Picture-In-Picture: This function of BD-video will play the primary video and secondary video simultaneously. The function is capable of playing the original movie as the primary video while playing video commentary from the film director on a smaller screen as a secondary video.

Virtual Package: Some BD-video disc copy data to other media (local storage) and then play the secondary video, secondary audio and subtitles (sub contents) simultaneously. These functions are known as Virtual Packages. Sub contents are automatically recorded to other media from the disc prior to playing the virtual package. Playback methods vary depending on BD-discs. This player uses its SD card slot along with an optional SD-card to copy data from applicable BD-video discs.

BD-Live: The unit's Ethernet port lets you connect the player directly to the Internet to access bonus material available on some Blu-ray movies known as BD-Live. The BD-Live, a new BD-Video function allows you to use the following interactive functions when connected to the Internet - movie trailers, subtitles and BD-J. Special video data may be played back while they are downloaded to an inserted SD card. Note: In order to enjoy these bonus features, you may need to update your player with the latest firmware.

7.1 CH Surround Decoders: In addition to the built-in standard Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, the DMP-BD50 has Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD decoders as well. Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD are higher quality sound tracks (than Dolby Digital and DTS) and support up to 7.1 channels. The DMP-BD50 will support up to 7.1 channels through its HDMI output. It is limited to only 5.1 channel output through the unit's optical/coaxial digital and 5.1 analog channel outputs. In this case, the DMP-BD50 will extract 5.1 channels from the newer Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD 7.1 channels formats. There is a multi-channel audio setup menu in which you set the surround parameters:

• Speaker Size: You can select the following speaker settings -  Large or Small for the Front speakers, Large, Small or No for the Center, Surround and Surround Back speakers, and Yes or No for the Subwoofer.
• Delay Time: You can adjust the delay time of the Center Channel , Surround and Surround Back speakers to make up for the difference between their distance to your listening position and the distance from your Front speakers and  your listening position.
• Channel Balance: You can adjust the output level of each of the following speakers in your system - Front Left, Front Right, Center, Surround Left, Surround Right, Surround Back Left, and Surround Back Right

Virtual Surround: When watching a DVD recorded in Dolby Digital (minimum two channels) virtual surround offers a surround-like effect using only two speakers. There are two Virtual Surround Modes - V. Surround 1 and V. Surround 2.

Re-Master: The purpose of the Re-Master function is to reproduce audio signals lost in recording, resulting in sound closer to the original. There are three settings Re-master 1, Re-master 2, Re-master 3 and Off.

Dialogue Enhancer: When the Dialogue Enhancer feature is activated, the volume of the center channel is raised to make dialogue easier to hear.

Dynamic Range Control: You can use this feature for late night viewing when watching a Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Digital TrueHD movie. Dynamic range is the difference between the lowest level of sound that can be heard above the noise of the equipment and the highest level of sound before distortion occurs. Dynamic range compression means reducing the gap between the loudest and softest sounds so you can listen at low volumes but still hear dialogue clearly.

VIERA Link (HDAVI Control): When connected to an HDAVI compatible Panasonic TV or receiver via the HDMI cable, many functions of the two components are linked together. This allows the DMP-BD50 to control the TV or receiver's power on, input switching, power off, etc.

Parental Control: You can prevent certain DVD discs and BD discs from being played back on the DMP-BD50 by entering a custom user 4-digit password and using the rating system provided by the player for DVD and Blu-ray discs. DVD discs can be set to a level of 0 to 8 while Blu-ray discs have a rating of 0 to 254.

Display Brightness: The units FL display can be set to three brightness modes - Bright (brightens display), Dim (dims display), or Auto (display is dimmed during playback and bright when not in playback).

Off Timer: You can select how long the unit remains on when it is not being used. You can select between 2 hours, 6 hours or turn this feature completely off.

Fan Cooled: A fan on the back of the DMP-BD50 keeps the unit cool.

Remote Control

Multi-brand Remote: The supplied remote is pre-programmed to operate this unit and a number of functions on multiple brand TVs. Once programmed, the remote controls the TV's power on/off, input select, volume up/down, and channel up/down.

Input and Output Notes

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface): The unit's HDMI simplifies A/V connections by carrying video and digital audio all in one cable. This unit features HDCP copyright protection technology, and must be connected to an HDCP-compliant device. If your TV has a DVI input instead of an HDMI input, you can connect this unit to your TV using an HDMI-to-DVI adapter. You will also need to connect audio cables to the player because DVI is a video only cable. The menu has these setup options for the HDMI output:

• Video Mode: turns the HDMI video output on or off; when HDMI is on, the component output is fixed at 480i
• Resolution: resolution can be fixed at 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, or set to Auto, which selects the resolution best suited to the connected television
• RGB Range: RGB output range is set to Standard or Enhanced, Enhanced offers more distinct blacks and whites and is useful when the TV only supports RGB
• Audio: HDMI audio must be turned off when using the optical or coaxial digital output
• Control: turn on if connected by HDMI to a component supporting HDAVI Control

Component Video: The component video resolution can be set to 480i, 480p, 720p, or 1080i. When the HDMI output is turned on the component resolution is fixed at 480i.

Composite Video and S-Video: The composite and S-video outputs are always live and fixed at 480i. They can output video when playing a Blu-ray Disc.

Digital Audio Output: The Audio menu allows you to select the digital audio format that is passed through the optical, coaxial, and HDMI outputs. Three separate settings instruct Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD, and DTS soundtracks to output Bitstream or 2-channel PCM audio. 96 kHz audio signals can be down sampled to 48 kHz if the connected amplifier or pre-amp will not accept signals at that sampling rate.

2-CH/5.1-CH Analog Audio: There is one pair of stereo RCA outputs plus a 5.1 channel RCA output for utilizing the built-in surround decoders.

Ethernet Port (LAN): 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet port which lets you connect the player directly to the Internet to access bonus material available on some Blu-ray movies.

SD Card Slot: There is an SD card slot located on the front panel of the player behind a fold-down panel that will accept SD, SDHC, MiniSD (with adapter), MicroSD (with adapter) cards.