One thing that stands out about the new Pioneer BDP-51FD blu-ray player is its size.
Weighing in at 5.6kg and measuring 420 x 361 x 124mm, this machine is rather chunky, but old school enthusiasts will appreciate the solid build, classy finish and attention to detail.
At the back, there is a cooling fan to promote reliability, while a power socket opens up opportunities for audio/videophiles to plug in power cables of 'the hosepipe' variety.
For audiophiles, the BDP-51FD's stepped-up 24-bit/192KHz Wolfson audio digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) is a major plus for music playback.
On the other end of the spectrum, videophiles should be pleased with the player's numerous picture control configurations.
These range from four independent noise-reduction functions to a suite of colour-oriented settings. We tested what this player could do with regular DVDs and we were impressed with its ability to convert lower-end DVD content into high definition content.