LG BH200 HD-DVD/Blu-ray player

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By Matthew Moskovciak, CNET.com
Feb 18, 2008

When LG introduced the first HD-DVD/Blu-ray combo player at CES 2007, it was a groundbreaking moment in consumer electronics. Nobody expected a combo player to be released so soon, and at the time it seemed that maybe it was a way to avoid a long, protracted format war. Fast-forward to 2008 and it seems like everything has changed. Both LG and Samsung have new combo players out, but they seem like ancient history now that Warner has gone Blu and Netflix has stopped ordering HD-DVDs. Time flies in the format war.

The BH200 has made some significant improvements over its predecessor, the BH100, including faster disc loading times, excellent image quality on Blu-ray discs and HD-DVD, and full support for interactive HD-DVD features. On the other hand, it still has its quirks and limitations, including lackluster high-resolution audio support, no ability to output at 24 frames per second, and an annoying bug on DVD playback that makes it unusable as a DVD player for home theater fans. If you need to play all the high-definition movies currently available, can't deal with two separate players, and don't mind its quirks, the BH200 is a solid combo player--especially from a video quality perspective. On the other hand, the vast majority of buyers are better off sticking with Blu-ray and hoping the format war ends sooner rather than later.

Editors' note:

This review is based on evaluations conducted by our sister site. Review ratings on similar products may differ due to differences in regional market trends and competing product lineups.

Design

The BH200 is one slick-looking disc player. Like most settop boxes these days, it is glossy black, but LG manages to pull it off without looking tacky. The center of the unit features both the Blu-ray and the HD-DVD logo, and the appropriate logo lights up when you insert a disc, which is a nice touch. Savvy buyers will also notice that the BH200 sports the official HD-DVD logo, unlike the BH100, which could play HD-DVDs but did not support all of the features required for official certification. The BH200 also features the same illuminated touch-sensitive buttons that the BH100 did, although they are now located on the front of the player instead of the top, which makes it easier to stack components. We're usually not fans of touch-sensitive buttons, but the keys on the BH200 worked every time. To the far right, underneath the playback controls, is a flip-down panel revealing a USB port.

The BH200 features a slick, high-definition menu system.
(click for larger image)

We've complained about ugly, standard-definition menus on other HD disc players, but we have no complaints with the BH200--its high-definition menus are among the nicer ones we've seen. The "home" button brings up four straightforward icons for music, photo, music, and setup. The setup menu is easy to navigate and understand, with the exception of picking the correct audio settings (we'll get to that later).

The included clicker is fairly standard. There's a centrally located directional pad, with playback controls (play, pause, etc.) located nearby. Our biggest complaint concerns the lack of button differentiation--especially with the playback controls--which makes it a bit hard to use by feel. Of course, home theater fans can always upgrade to a quality universal remote.

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