What Is a Network-Enabled Blu-ray Disc Player?

A network-enabled Blu-ray disc player supports wired or wireless network connectivity, which empowers your player to access the internet. 

In both wired and wireless connection setups, the Blu-ray disc player connects to an internet router.

What Network Connectivity Provides

Network connectivity unlocks several smart features on a Blu-ray Disc player:

• Online content associated with the active Blu-ray disc—a feature called BD-Live
• Streaming video internet content providers, such as Netflix, Amazon Video, VUDU, and Hulu.
• Music services, such as Pandora, Rhapsody, and iHeart Radio and others.
• Media content stored on other compatible devices on a home network.

Just as with smart TVs and standalone or plug-in media streamers, you are tied into what services the Blu-ray player brand is associated with. Different network-enabled Blu-ray disc players offer access to different groups of streaming services. 

Blu-ray Disc Players and DLNA

In addition to internet streaming, most Blu-ray Disc players can also access content stored on other devices connected to a home network, such as a PC. One way to find out if a specific Blu-ray disc player has this capability is to check to see if it is DLNA certified. 

In some cases, through DLNA, you may also be able to share audio, video, and still images from internet streaming services you may be able to access on your smartphone, but not available through your Blu-ray Disc player's streaming offerings.

Blu-ray Disc Players and Screen Mirroring/Sharing

Some Blu-ray disc players use Screen Mirroring to share or stream content directly from compatible smartphones or tablets without a network connection.

In addition to Screen Mirroring, it may be referred to as Wi-Fi Direct, Miracast, Display Mirroring, SmartShare, SmartView, AllShare, or HTC Connect.

All content accessed from the internet, network, or through Miracast transfers to a TV, video projector, or home theater receiver through the Blu-ray Disc player's audio/video output connections, with is most commonly HDMI.

The Bottom Line

If you own a non-smart TV but want to cut-the-cord and add streaming access, instead of buying a separate plugin media streamer, a network-enabled Blu-ray disc player—combining two devices in one.

However, smart Blu-ray disc players usually don't provide access to as many online content services as a dedicated media streaming device, such as a Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, or Apple TV. However, if a specific Blu-ray player provides access to the online content you want to watch, it can be a great option.