Pioneer Electronics has earned respect for its line of mainstream consumer electronics products that balance, cost, performance and value.

The company’s Elite line of Blu-ray disc players have been cited as some of the best products on the market and now with the latest generation of Pioneer Elite Blu-ray players hitting the market, the company has built upon the performance of the players by adding web streaming and wireless connectivity.

Pioneer Elite’s mid-level BDP-31FD incorporates the company’s PQLS jitter reduction technology for use with a companion Pioneer Elite receiver, as well as other installer-friendly features such as RS-232 for third-party control system integration, iPod Touch/iPhone control apps, BD-Live support, and the ability to stream web-based content from media sites like Netflix and YouTube.

You or your custom electronics pro, if it’s part of a larger A/V system install, can set up the web-enabled BDP-31FD by connecting a traditional Ethernet cable to its Ethernet port, or in a retrofit situation, employ Pioneer’s optional wireless AS-WL100 USB wireless adapter, which provides installers with the ability to integrate the player’s web functions with a homeowner’s existing wireless network.

Pioneer’s BDP-31FD is available for $399, and the company also offers a free firmware update for owners of its BDP-330 and BDP-33FD to be able to stream Netflix.

Robert Archer - Senior Editor, CE Pro

Bob is a dedicated audiophile who has been writing about A/V for Electronic House sister publication CE Pro since 2000.