The Toshiba BDX3000 is the flagship and most expensive player in Toshiba’s Blu-ray line. So it’s not surprising that it’s packed with great features like internet streaming services, handles a lot of media files, built-in Wi-Fi and 7.1 channel analog audio outputs. While the most expensive of Toshiba’s lineup, the player is still affordable, with an online price range of $200.00 to $250.00.

The main feature of the BDX3000 is its ability to play Full HD 3D Blu-ray discs. With the help of a 3D TV, 3D glasses and a High Speed ​​HDMI cable, you can play Blu-ray 3D discs to see amazing 1080p video resolution for each eye. If you don’t have these items, don’t worry, the BDX3000 has no problem playing standard 2D Blu-ray and DVD discs.

VIDEO QUALITY: When connecting the BDX3000, you can use the following video connections: HDMI, component outputs, and composite outputs. For the best picture when playing Blu-ray discs (1080p/24/60fps resolution), an HDMI connection is required. Through the HDMI connection, the player can upscale standard DVDs to near 1080p levels. You won’t get the same crisp, clear detail you’d find on Blu-rays, but your DVDs will never look better. Tests by various experts reveal that the BDX300 should give you very good picture quality with great detail, contrast, and black levels when playing Blu-ray discs.

SOUND QUALITY: Audio connections for the BDX3000 are HDMI, analog audio outputs (both 2.0 and 7.1), and digital optical output. The BDX3000 has built-in decoding for HD, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio audio formats, and can send these audio formats in their native bitstream form for decoding by an external source. And those with a non-HDMI A/V receiver don’t have to upgrade because the BDX3000 comes equipped with 7.1 analog audio outputs.

While 3D may be the next big thing in home entertainment, the BDX3000 hasn’t forgotten to include other features like online streaming. Being able to stream music, movies, and photos from the comfort of your living room is becoming more and more prevalent. The BDX3000 provides access to Pandora®, BLOCKBUSTER on Demand®, Netflix® and VUDU®. Unfortunately, the YouTube opt-out might not be to the liking of many.

To take advantage of streaming content over the Internet, an Internet connection is required. The BDX300 has an Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet. Once connected, BD-Live features will be available on certain movies. The BDX3000 has no internal memory, so a USB memory device or SD card is required. The SD card also supports playback of WMA, MP3, JPEG, and AVCHD files.

THE PROFESSIONALS: The Toshiba BDX3000 has a 1080p video resolution when playing Blu-ray discs. Similar to the BDX2700, the main difference is that the BDX3000 can play Blu-ray 3D discs. It upconverts standard DVDs to near-HD levels. It is a Profile 2.0 player that supports BD-Live content. There is a built-in Wi-Fi that will give you easy access to online streaming media services. The BDX3000 has Pandora®, BLOCKBUSTER on Demand®, Netflix® and VUDU®. It can handle playback of WMA, MP3, AVCHD and HD-Jpeg. Great audio quality with internal audio decoding for Dolby® True HD and DTS HD Master Audio or you can pass the signal as a bitstream.

THE CONS: It has the same interface as the BDX2700, which is basic, can be difficult to navigate. It has no internal storage memory, so you need to use a USB flash drive or SD card to download BD-Live data. Unlike many of its competitors, it is not DLNA certified. YouTube does not come with online streaming services. The operating speed is slow.

THE FINAL WORD: The BDX3000 is Toshiba’s flagship Blu-ray player. With many great features, including 3D Blu-ray disc playback. It has built-in Wi-Fi, online streaming, and excellent audio and video quality. It is a step up from the BDX2700 model. But the only difference is the 3D capability. So if you’re not interested in 3D, then you should look at the cheaper BDX2700. It has great visuals, 7.1 multi-channel audio output, Internet streaming services, and Wi-Fi options. — Price to look for when buying — Less than $250.00