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The LG BP556 is a neat little deck that offers more functionality than you might expect for the price. Its Blu-ray performance is top notch for a player of this calibre, and given its compact size and OTT streaming support, it’s a solid alternative to a dedicated media player, like the Amazon Fire TV.
While the BP556 works well in a modest home cinema set up, it's equally likely to appeal if you want to bring Blu-ray and Netflix (etc) playback to another room. Throw in MusicFlow functionality though, and the BP556 might even be enough to swing you towards an LG-based multiroom audio system.
We liked
If you’re looking for a 1080p Blu-ray player that won’t break the bank, the BP556 doesn’t disappoint. Its disc playback performance is up to snuff and all the key streaming services are on board, too. What really sets this player apart from rival cheapies, though, is the way it integrates with LG’s MusicFlow multiroom wireless audio system.
We disliked
Let’s not beat about the bush – this is a boring looking contraption. At least it’s small enough to be hidden from sight. And for reasons best known to itself, it proves to be a woefully inadequate file player.
Final verdict
It may be budget, but the BP556 offers a Blu-ray performance worthy of any decent home cinema system and has all the key network streaming services available via a simple graphical UI, and for many that might be enough to warrant picking one up. But if you're really serious about your home ent setup, hook it up to some LG MusicFlow speakers and you can also stream audio around the house, which definitely adds an extra level of cool.
