Overview
Have you ripped your CD collection yet? If the answer is no, then please try the technology with this hybrid CD ripping Blu-ray player-LG BD690. BD690 is a disc player that supports 3D playback in full HD 1080p resolution, online connectivity and home networking with a 250GB built in HDD. It support Blu-ray 3D disc for crisp and stunningly clear visual images, which will plunge into the action shows. For those who do not have a collection of Blu-ray discs, it upgrades the video quality of your DVD to HD quality.
It has a Smart TV feature which gives you access to many customizable apps as well as Pandora internet radio. It allows you to use video streaming services like Netflix and Accuweather. There is a service called Grace Note that automatically downloads album art and keeps your music library organized. If you download LG smart app to any compatible smartphone, you can control everything from your mobile at the touch of your finger. Play a movie and control the volume using your mobile. You can also play or pause video and search for online content while taking calls.
If we take a look at the design, BD690 looks big in comparison to other players, i.e., 2.3-inch tall. It is 1.5 inches longer than Panasonic DMP-BDT210. All the buttons are behind the flip down door that gives the front panel a smooth and sleek look. There is a USB port on the front panel, which allows quick and easy connections.
Pricing and availability
The player is currently available with a price tag of $314.99.
Whatâs great
The player has a unique feature of ripping CDs to its HDD. It has a brilliant suite of video streaming services like Netflix, Instant and Vudu. It has an in built 250 GB hard disk and is supported by stunning image quality. LG BD690 is highlighted by excellent design that sets it class apart from rest.
The 3D player produces crisp, clear and vivid videos. The product is direct Wi-Fi certified, which means it can connect to any other device without a hotspot. Using the Wi-Fi, you can connect with your network connection for online contents. It is very easy to establish a connection between the player and your home network.
The player supports BD Live 2.0 that allows you to download applications from internet and store them on HDD. If you are worrying where will you keep all these downloads, then I guess you missed the first paragraph. It has a hard disk of 250 GB that can store your music and videos. If we talk about standard video formats, you can store up to 250 hours of them. Accessing the storage content is easy and data can be transferred through a USB drive or over the network. Apart from that, it has DLNA capabilities and many LG apps.
The player can play the entire major audio and video format. It also supports DTS HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD for detailed and immersive sound.
Whatâs not so great
Apart from being expensive, the CD ripping process is very slow and if you have already ripped all your discs, then it will remain with a very little use. It comes with a 2.0 channel analog audio output that is useless for those who own a non HDMI Audio/Video receiver.
Things to watch out for
The price of the product is quite high, if you want a Blu-ray player with DVD ripping feature, then there are many other options available in the market. Therefore, go through the other products and then take the final call.
Verdict
BD690 is a superb player from LG, but it is quite expensive and slightly complicated than other players available in the market. If we look at the features and capabilities of the player, it is targeted to non-technical buyers. That is a narrow target, but if you fall in this category and you can pay the cost, BD690 is a good and unique choice for you. However, you are going to miss one thing for sure- the âRip CDâ button or onscreen menu option. Even if we include this flaw, there is no other player that combines all these functions.
