There are players out there that can get more from a Blu-ray disc than this deck, but for £400 this player comes pretty close to perfection. But however impressive high-definition material is, the fact remains that it’s just about the only function the Sharp can perform.

Because as well as not being able to play a relatively undemanding list of file formats and discs, it clearly doesn’t like being asked to play DVDs of any description. Despite the fact that the deck is endowed with de-interlacing and upscaling circuitry, it doesn’t manage to extract enough detail from a test DVD of Planet Earth.

The BBC’s flagship nature documentary becomes a soft affair compared to the performance of a half-decent DVD player, with pictures plagued by artefacts and camera pans across desert plains and flocks of snow geese destroyed by judder and blur. It’s especially the case with the programme’s oft-used slo-mo sequences.

The colour palette also takes a dive on DVD and there’s a definite washed-out feel to sequences such as the swimming macaques of India. Honestly, most £50 DVD players found in your local supermarket do a better job with DVDs than this ‘next-generation’ disc spinner.

Sound

It might be lacking a few features, but the BDHP20H is one of the most satisfying Blu-ray decks – pound for pound – when it comes to hi-res audio.

The hi-def only sound codec Dolby Digital True HD (there’s no compatibility here with DTS Master Audio) can be fed into an amplifi er using dedicated 5.1 analogue audio outputs, even when the HDMI is being used. Those with 7.1-capable amps endowed with HDMI switching need only rely on that one connection.

Value

Spending £400 on a new disc spinner should get you something that can do everything your old DVD player could, and more. Sharp’s debut deck won’t be its last and we expect to see a higherend and far more versatile version of the BDHP20H shortly.

The sooner the better really, because the lack of disc playback skills coupled with the player’s struggle with DVDs will depress anyone hoping to rely on just one disc spinner for all occasions.

At its list price of £400 this machine is great value for anyone with a Full HD telly; the rest of us may want to wait for online discounts before investing