Is your Blu-ray firmware up to date?
From the Crutchfield Archives
This article is no longer current but is retained for reference purposes only. Information may be outdated and links may be broken.
If you come across a disc that your Blu-ray DiscT player can't read, chances are good that there's nothing wrong with the disc or the player. Because Blu-ray is an evolving format, many of the latest movie releases offer new features and capabilities that are not compatible with early versions of the Blu-ray firmware.
Firmware is a type of computer program (software) that resides inside a piece of hardware. The fact that it can be updated means your hardware won't become obsolete as quickly as it otherwise might have. But it puts another maintenance chore on your list.
How do I do a firmware update?
The process involves downloading a file to your computer, burning it onto a CD or DVD, then putting the disc into your Blu-ray player to install the update. Some Blu-ray players have Ethernet jacks, so you can plug into your home network and update without burning a disc.
Here are the steps you would typically follow if you encountered problems playing a disc:
- Check the firmware version currently installed in your player.
- Visit the manufacturer's website to see if a newer firmware version is available for your player.
- Download and decompress the latest firmware file.
- Create a firmware update disc.
- Install the firmware update.
How often is firmware updated?
It varies from player to player. To cite one example, there were seven updates last year for the now discontinued Panasonic DMP-BD10.
More information
Our community administrators have created a new "Sticky Post" in the video sources section of our online forums that covers all the Blu-ray players that Crutchfield has offered. We have also established a "Firmware Discussion Thread" for members to discuss their experiences with the different players and firmware.