I got my long awaited (1 month) Panasonic DMP-BD30K Blu-Ray player in yesterday. Had an expert come over and hook it up to my brand spankin' new Panasonic TH-42PZ77U Plasma TV. Finally after connecting the Yamaha HTR-5590 and my Boston sound system to it I sat back and was ready to be entertained with my brand new never before opened or viewed Blu-ray copy of Cars.

I was not exactly entertained when the Blu-ray player said it wouldn't/couldn't read the disk. WTF?! So we tried a couple more...some of mine and some of his that he'd played in his....ahem.....Playstation and they work purrrfectly.

It plays regular DVDs beautifully. It even played a home made DVD of home movies that my idiot brother made me. But no likee Blu-ray disks.

Quick call to Panasonic this a.m. and my assurance that we did indeed d/l the software upgrade and successfully install it and still no go and he said and I quote: there's nothing I can do to help then you'll have to send it in/back/ack.

Fast forward to 2nd Panasonic DMP-BD30K and rejoice that it played two Blu-Ray movies beautifully. Next day it won't play any Blu-Ray again. Upgraded the firmware and it played the trailers on the Cars disks. Later in the day it won't play any Blu-Ray again. Does anyone know what's going on with this player? Is it just quirky as all get out or am I doing something to annoy it!

TIA for any suggestions short of throwing it off the ship channel bridge!

Welcome to the world of incomplete specs and niche formats. This is the price some are willing to pay to dabble in new technology.

I wish you luck.

So I'm the only one on the planet that's bought one of these players? Or I'm just the first one that didn't wait to open it on 12/25? I get the point, Brian, but at this time kicking myself around the block just isn't what I need. I can still send it back...I've got 15 days to decide. That's pretty much why I was hoping that someone else paid to dabble and could offer some insight into this.....

Thanks for the luck.....

Sorry I am not more help but I am waiting and watching the chaos from the SD sidelines. There are alot of posts on other hd fora that detail the problems with all manner of hardware and software in both formats.

Perhaps someone will be along with help for you.

Had mine for over 2 weeks, no issues with any discs.

Ah.... that's interesting.... maybe it IS just my luck at work.

Thanks for letting me know....

(back to the drawing board)...

I did some searches, but decided to just make my own post with the name of the device in the title. As I'm sure you know, it's not easy separating the facts and "good stuff" from the fluff on any forum....

Didn't mean to be grumpy other than the fact I *am* grumpy about this whole deal probably because I'm never the first old lady on my block to rush out and embrace new technology. I come from a long line of 'wait until its perfected' folks, but my new TV just cried out to show off just what it could do. Heck, I still watch VHS and have a Commodore 64 setup packed away in the top of a closet just waiting for Lord knows what....

I did not think you were grumpy, frankly I feel sorry for you and all those who think they can plug in a device and it will work fine 100% of the time. Such is the challenge with any new technology.

I am waiting for all hell to break loose after christmas when people start to realize their players need to have the firmware updated, they don't play the discs they have bought, or they have the wrong type of disc for the player they own.

The industry is doing its best to kill these two niche formats and all I can do is sit back and watch, because eventually it will get sorted out. By then everything will be less expensive.

Texas I will be getting mine this weekend. I will let you know if I have any trouble. Please list all the blu-ray movies you have had trouble with. I may have one of those titles and can check it for you.

I watched my friend's copy of Pathfinder and the sequel to Zorro with no problems. That was right out of the box and before any upgrading. We also watched some of the Cars trailers.

Next day I was showing off (teach me!) and wanting to impress some friends and it wouldn't do diddley. It'd say it was reading Cars but it would come back with the NO READ. The only other disk I've opened and tried is The Searchers (John Wayne)....it won't read that one at all.

I upgraded the software and then saw most of the Cars trailers before I had to stop playing and go do some boring things getting ready for Christmas. I powered everything down and later was again trying to show it all off and it wouldn't read the Cars disk. I tried everything you can think of except unplugging it for awhile. The secret might be the trying to show off thing. Pride going before the fall and all that!

When it was working it was wonderful esp. the sound. I've got some decent speakers even though for some reason they got to be 8 or so years old and it seems like just yesterday I bought them, but they were just great during Pathfinder.

I went over to AVS and posted as a couple of people had similiar problems. I think Brian is right that after Christmas the caca is going to hit the Panny fan!

I got a RMA today to return my 2nd player and wait for my 3rd to arrive.

On the plus side the man at B&H said they are out of stock so this new one will be from a different batch.

I talked to someone at Panasonic and they said something about if they (B&H) keep letting me return why not keep trying out the replacements. I've read just enough here to believe that maybe one of these days I'll find a player that works most of the time.

If after Christmas more people experience the problems I've had maybe Panny will bring out a better update to address the quirk.

My player just arrived Texas. I do not have any of the titles you listed. Would you still like me to give you an update of my player's performance?

Well I had problems already. I just got it, hooked it up and the video is all distorted. It does this snow like stuff and then will do entire horizontal segments of full distortion. It even went entirely white snow on me. I checked the cable using another hdmi. Same problem. I even tried a different port on my television. Same problem. It is being returned. Looks like I got one of the bad batches too. Well back to the drawing board. I was asked if I would like another, I said no. My confidence in this product is too low to justify spending 420 dollars.

I'm sorry to hear of your problems. Those are the same problems I experienced either.

BTW you got a good deal spending $420! I spent $479!

If I have problems with my 3rd unit it'll be the end for me for now. I'll just wait to see who's declared the winner of the format war and then who's units are less buggy.

Let me know what you decide to go with however as I'm interested in what you choose. Good luck and happy holidays!

Texas just so you know I went to a local retailer and bought one to see if the problem was the same, it was.... I hope the one you get will work great! At this point I'm not sure what I am going to do. One of my requirements is it will play at 1080p/24p so my choices are more limited. I may just have to wait a while. Happy Holidays!

Er....rats....I meant to say I did NOT experience the same snow problems as you did.... teach me not to proofread before I send!

I'm going to be optimistic and say that the 3rd time is going to be the charm for me! Besides my pal that hooks it up for me takes these things personally so I've got to stop whining!

I'm looking for the 1080p too and sure do like the HDMI hook up. What really impressed me is how great my old speakers sounded. I'd forgotten just how good they were and my bud kept telling me (or trying to!) that my receiver would be just fine and it was. I want this to work, I really do.

He's also told me that pretty much every player out there is not going to be perfect. They may or may not play specific disks. I can live with that because I'm used to computers and the way they like to mess with you. [grin] I'm also familiar with the way human nature tends to think the worst when all you have to do is reboot or unplug and wait awhile, etc. I think the biggest problem is the vision of the dollar signs flying out into space and the cartoon look of bewilderment on the face of the beholder....no one likes to be made to look like a sap just for trying to embrace new technology before it's redundant and passe.

I want the Blu-Ray equivalent of the Little Engine.....ithinkican...ithinkican....ithinkican......Idid!..Idid!...Iwork!

Hey Tex, I went with the ps3. I posted this in another topic but heres what I think:

It's so nice to be able to plug in a product and have it work. This thing is sweet and puts the panny to shame. Love the wireless. All I had to do was tell it to update and it did all the work for me through my wireless. The menus are way better and the player is much faster. It also plays at 1080p/24p and has 1.1 profile. I'm impressed and pleased!

If the panny doesn't work out for you I'd suggest you get the ps3. I paid 380 for it including tax from my local CC.

Good luck my friend!

I don't think the player is sullen, unless it has looked up at you with those sad LED eyes, and cried for attention.

I sent my 2nd Panny 30 back and ordered a PS3. It should be here on the 4th. I didn't want a "game" machine as I don't play games, but my soon-to-be son-in-law says he'll rent games and hang out in my den.

All I can say is bad things can happen to good people. Those that have no problems with the unit seem to love it and that's great. I just wasn't going to pay good money for a blu-ray player that wouldn't play blu-ray disks. The 3rd time might of been the charm, but the more I thought about it the more I worried that I'd end up with another bum machine and I've already wasted well over 6 weeks on this situation.

Thanks for the good luck....same to you and yours and I hope 2008 is just great for us all!

Hahaha.....I like that visual! Thanks!

Take this from one old lady to another , I think you will like the PS3, it is easy to set up and it has played every disk I have tried. The software is easy to set up and unlike my Toshiba HD player I did not have to be a networking guru to do the update. You should pick up the remote for the PS3 it is easier than using the controller. Good luck

I got a ps3.. it works out great.. no problems loading up the bluray titles like pirates or spidey.

Jacob

Bought one today for my bedroom and it works just fine.