The BDP7200 does a fine job adhering to Philips’ quest for “sense and simplicity.” The front panel has a streamlined look and sports a minimalist array of buttons. There you’ll find the basic control functions (Play, Stop, Next, etc.) and a useful button off to the side labeled “Output”. The latter allows you to toggle the unit’s output resolution from 480i through 1080p.
With its all-black motif, a total lack of backlighting and small, tightly-packed control buttons, the supplied remote is a nightmare to operate in the dark. Also, its unnaturally-long size is the result of a bizarre amount of wasted space up top – a design decision that probably stemmed from trying to centralize the cursor pad. While I applaud that goal – the pad is in a good spot – the net effect is a remote that just doesn’t feel right in this reviewer’s hands. I’d recommend leaving this puppy in the box and instead use a backlit universal.
Setting up the player is a simple affair and Philips’ on-screen menu system is bright, elegant and easy to navigate. The main menu does have one goof though; the top/default selection is labeled “Disc Tray”. This is apparently shorthand for “Play what’s currently in the disc tray.” OK, sure. As with any Blu-ray Disc player, you’ll want to spend some time configuring your audio settings to get the most out of the current crop of next-gen soundtracks.
Unfortunately, the BDP7200 lacks internal decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. As is evidenced by the logos adorning the player, internal decoding is limited to standard Dolby Digital and DTS. However, the news is not all bad. Although its inability to decode high def soundtracks is a negative for anyone using an older receiver, owners of new receivers can rejoice. That’s because the BDP7200 can output Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as a “Bitstream” over HDMI to an external decoder. If your receiver features Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding, you’ll be able to take full advantage of these lossless soundtracks and thoroughly annoy your neighbors. For the purposes of this review, I used a BetterCables HDMI cable and connected to an Onkyo TX-SR805. I then configured the Philips for Bitstream output and let the Onkyo handle the heavy lifting.
Running the BDP7200 with Bitstream HDMI output, audio performance was absolutely fantastic. The only problem I encountered was during The Golden Compass where a sudden BOOM! invaded a quiet sequence in the film. Honestly, I thought my speakers had blown. After some research, it turns out this is a known problem but it’s an Onkyo/Integra DSP issue and not the fault of the Philips. Thankfully, the problem is fixable with a flash update to the receiver. If you own an HDMI-equipped Onkyo or Integra receiver I highly suggest you Google “DTS bomb” before you attempt to feed it a DTS-HD Bitstream. Once again, the BDP7200 was not at fault here and everything else I threw at it sounded great.
Video performance was a mixed bag, but using the 1080p/24Hz output yields tremendous results if your display can handle it. Initially I ran the BDP7200 at 720p into JVC’s DLA-HD100 projector and there were some “jaggies” visible on a few test sequences. However, switching to 1080p/24 significantly cleaned up the image. Disc load times were on the slow side – but that’s common if you’re not running Sony’s speedy Playstation 3.
Speaking of the PS3, it is once again hard to look at a $399 player without drawing comparisons to the venerated game console. Unlike the PS3, the BDP7200 does not have an Ethernet port and it’s not compatible with Profile 2.0 features such as BD-Live. The BDP7200 is a Profile 1.1 machine, so while you do get picture-in-picture commentaries – the Stallone interview on Lionsgate’s Rambo BD worked flawlessly – you can’t download ringtones or trailers or use any Web-based features on titles such as Sony’s Walk Hard. If BD-Live is important to you, the BDP7200 is not for you.
In the end, the BDP7200 is a solid and relatively affordable Blu-ray Disc player. Although it lacks Profile 2.0 support and internal decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, it delivers a first rate 1080p/24 image and sounds fantastic when paired with a newer receiver. A slightly lower price would boost its appeal for shoppers comparing it with the PS3, but as it stands the BDP7200 is an impressive machine and definitely warrants your consideration. yy
Philips BDP7200 • $399 • Profile 1.1 support • 1080p/24Hz output
• Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD (Bitstream)
• HDMI EasyLink • 1080p upconversion • www.usa.philips.com
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