CES 2010: Denon, LG, Samsung think outside the box with new Blu-ray players

Blu-ray players that offer Internet features are a dime a dozen at this year's CES, and several companies have carted out 3D Blu-ray players as well. So anything the least bit different in the Blu-ray space is worth some virtual ink, and thankfully there are a few players that fit the bill.

Samsung takes the biggest risks when it comes to Blu-ray player design, with last year's rounded, wall-mountable BD-P4600 a notable example. This year, it goes in a different direction with the BD-7500 (pictured above), which the company touts as the world's slimmest Blu-ray player at just 1.1 inches thick. The wood-grain design is sure to have hit-or-miss appeal, but it's a definite change from the usual black slab. And like the BD-P4600, it can be wall mounted. Want to know pricing and release date details? So would the rest of us.

LG finally takes the logical step no other drive manufacturer seems willing to take with BD590. While most of its features are run-of-the-mill (built-in wireless connection, USB port), the player also comes with a 250GB hard drive. You can rip CDs to it or the storage can hold the movies you download from the Vudu online video service, but don't expect that you'll be able to rip commercial Blu-ray discs to it. The BD590 is due out in spring or summer, but no pricing info has been released yet.

Finally, Denon is known more for its audio components, so it should come as no surprise that it decided to combine a Blu-ray player with one of its A/V receivers. The S-5BD doesn't look anything like Samsung's BD-7500, though it does offer three HDMI 1.4 inputs and even Dolby Pro Logic IIz surround-sound support. This one does with a price tag, however, and it makes you wonder whether the combo unit is worth the cost—$1,800 when it's released in March. That's some thinking different that we aren't as happy to see.