Pioneer has announced two new Blu-ray players for the UK. Both the BDP-LX53 (£399) and the BDP-330 (£299) are profile 2.0 models with BD-Live ability, plus YouTube access and RSS feed browsing but perhaps surprisingly, neither will be 3D-capable.
The company promises that 3D-ready Blu-ray players are on the roadmap, but won’t be available until later this year.
Both Blu-ray players have onboard audio decoding including HD Dolby Digital and DTS and can output either as raw data or linear PCM as required. They can also upscale standard DVD to 1080p and are Wi-Fi-ready, though you’ll need an optional adapter.
The more expensive BDP-LX53 is distinguished by Pioneer’s ‘Armoured Chassis’, essentially an exceptionally rigid dual-layer box with shock absorbers and special insulating feet intended to reduce vibration.
When connected to a network the new machines are also compatible with a new iPhone remote control app. The free iControlAV app uses a very fancy graphic interface to control volume and source, including using the iPhone’s motion sensor to control audio balance.
The BDP-330 is available from June, with the BDP-LX53 going on sale in July.