Samsung BD-D5500

Samsung BD-D5500

The Samsung BD-D5500 Blu-ray player is the scaled-back version of the Editors' Choice BD-D5700 ($199.99, 4 stars). The two are very similar, but at $159.99 (direct), the BD-D5500 adds 3D support at the expense of integrated Wi-Fi and performance. You do get a nice selection of Web apps and services, and the player handles Blu-ray discs well, but mediocre DVD-upconversion performance and slower speeds hold it back. If you want a good Blu-ray player but don't want to spend much, consider the Editors' Choice Panasonic DMP-BDT110 ($134.99, 4 stars), which is less expensive and faster than the BD-D5500. DesignWhen unplugged, the 1.5-by-16.9-by-8.3-inch (HWD), 3.8-pound player's front panel has no distinguishing markings or buttons save for a silver Samsung logo on the left side and a covered USB port to the right. When plugged in but not turned on, it only shows a touch-sensitive power symbol next to the disc tray. When you power the player up, however, it comes to life and lights up an LED information display and touch-sensitive Stop, Play/Pause, Menu, and Eject buttons.