Cheap LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player

UPDATE: WARNING...The VUDU Software Upgrade breaks the ability to view VOB files. My VOB files that previously had no problems playing now give me the error Not Supported Audio Codec. This happened right after I upgraded to enable the VUDU upgrade.

I would now give it 3 stars after having used the player for two months...support from LG is terrible.


I have to agree with the reviews of BD390 that its one of the better players out there.

Rather than go in to the same details others have posted here are my observations.

Pros:
1) Fast boot up time and works out of the box
2) Netflix works just as well as it does with Roku
3) Youtube videos play seamlessly
4) Upgrade for VUDU should happen at the end of the month (VUDU provides HD movies for rent)...Cinemanow is also available.
*** Update: its now October 9th 2009 and still no upgrade for VUDU after all the hype. Disappointing that LG can't keep
its commitments and even worse they have not informed anyone on their website or elsewhere.

5) DLNA compliant (supposedly). It works with Nero MediaHome 4 Essentials Software bundled with this player which allows you to install this on your PC and stream your videos (including VOB files), Pictures, and Music. I had no problem getting this to work.
*** Update: If it encounters a file it can't play, it hangs up the player until you shut it down. You would expect operation should time out and end gracefully. The firmware is a work in progress it seems.

6) Accepts a portable hard drive to be plugged in to the USB port to play media. Flash drives are accepted too.

Cons:
1) Does not work with Playon software which is supposedly DLNA compliant, BD390 sees the Playon server on Windows and tries to play content and shuts down. I have seen others posting about this issue and Playon thinks perhaps BD390 is not really DLNA compliant.

2) Installing the full version of Nero MediaHome4 which allows you to stream TV channels and Radio does not seem to work on the BD390 so better to stick with the free software they give you.

3) No Pandora

4) No Amazon VOD


For me the primary reason for purchasing it was that it replaced ROKU and WD Media Player and a DVD player (all added up would cost around $300) and you can buy BD390 which plays Blue Ray as well for less than that and with much less clutter.

Ironically I can't comment about the Blue Ray quality since that was not the main reason why I bought it and I don't even have a single Blue Ray disk to watch at this time....I upgraded my Netflix plan to get my DVD's on Blue Ray.

My wish list for this player is that it will support Amazon VOD, Hulu and Pandora and hopefully VUDU (already delayed).

***UPDATE****
VUDU support finally arrived via an upgrade on the 12th of October 2009. I watched some of the movie previews on VUDU in HD and it looks great.Get more detail about LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player.