The Panasonic DMP-BD55 is a high-end Blu-Ray player and is designed to be the more expensive of two seperate versions in the second release of Panasonic's Blu-Ray players. Both the Panasonic DMP-BD55 and Panasonic DMP-BD35 are set to replace the DMP-BD30 and DMP-BD50 models which were released in early 2008. The Panasonic DMP-BD35 is essentially the same device without the included 7.1 analog audio outputs and analog audio enhancements. The BD55 features a slim/sleek look and is supported by "vibration-reducing feet" to keep the player from bouncing during playback. The player also includes an SD card slot for firmware upgrades and BD Live access; which also requires an internet connection through the supplied ethernet port. Using Panasonic's UniPhier integrated video circuitry the BD-55 can transmit a full 1080p HD signal, and consumes less energy while doing it; it requires 20% less wattage than it's previous matching models making for a more "environment" friendly device. The BD-55 also offers a decoding and bitstream of all the advanced audio codecs (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution & Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus). The device is not available until sometime in October, 2008 and the MSRP price is set at $399.95.
