Need to know what Blu-ray & HD Player to buy

[David Gaudreau]

I just picked up the Onkyo TX SR705 So I can have the new DTS HD & MA sound, but now I need to know what stand alone blu-ray player and stand alone HD DVD player to buy, so I can get full decoding for all sound formats.

Thank You!

 

[j_garcia]

In what price range?

 

[rgriffin25]

You need to find a player that outputs TruHD and DTS master via bitstream thru HDMI to allow your reciever to do the decoding. Most of the current HD players decode the signal and output the signal as multichannel PCM. Thus eliminating the need for a reciever that has decoding capabilities. So when you are shopping make sure the player allows the reciever to do the decoding.

Here are a few players that you might want to look at
Both Denon Blu-ray models send audio via bitstream
Sony BDP-S500
BDP-S2000ES
LG BH200 both HD / Blu-ray
Toshiba HD-A35

Hope this helps.

 

[David Gaudreau]

You need to find a player that outputs TruHD and DTS master via bitstream thru HDMI to allow your reciever to do the decoding. Most of the current HD players decode the signal and output the signal as multichannel PCM. Thus eliminating the need for a reciever that has decoding capabilities. So when you are shopping make sure the player allows the reciever to do the decoding.

Here are a few players that you might want to look at
Both Denon Blu-ray models send audio via bitstream
Sony BDP-S500
BDP-S2000ES
LG BH200 both HD / Blu-ray
Toshiba HD-A35

Hope this helps.

LG BH200 <-- This will play both blu-ray & HD dvds?

 

[Bluesmoke]

For Blu-ray, Samsung 1400 and Panasonic BD30 (get this one). For HD DVD, A35 and XA2 (get this one).

 

[David Gaudreau]

Reading the review on the Toshiba HD-A35 and there are a few things I took note of.

Toshiba also specifies that the HDMI output can support up to 7.1-channels of discrete multichannel sound. And its HDMI 1.3 output also supports features such as xvYCC and Deep Color. We expect to see a few 7.1-channel soundtracks relatively soon, but on the color front we expect these enhancements to remain vaporware for a very long time.

Some of us have been waiting anxiously for a player that will light up the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio lights on our new AV receivers or pre-pros. That is, a player that will output native bitstreams for each of these formats directly through the HDMI link so that they are decoded in a suitably-equipped receiver. Up to now we've been able to get Dolby TrueHD in full resolution only by relying on the player to convert it from its native bitstream form to multichannel PCM. No current HD player in either format can decode lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and pass it on in full resolution to an AV receiver or pre-pro in linear PCM form.

While it's still unclear if decoding of the bitstream data in the AVR or pre/pro will offer any sonic advantages over conversion to PCM in the player (and it does have functional disadvantages, which we'll get to soon), the HD-A35 can be set up to output Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD as bitstreams. It's the first HD DVD player to offer this option.

It's also claimed that the HD-A35 can pass along the bitstreams for both lossy and lossless flavors of DTS-HD. But there are currently no consumer HD DVDs available in the US (some foreign HD DVDs do apparently offer DTS-HD MA) with any sort of DTS-HD soundtracks, so the DTS-HD MA lights on the front panel of the Onkyo AV receiver I'm currently using remain mute.

So it looks as if this player will not "Light Up" The DTS Master light on my Onkyo reciver after all???

 

[allargon]

Reading the review on the Toshiba HD-A35 and there are a few things I took note of.





So it looks as if this player will not "Light Up" The DTS Master light on my Onkyo reciver after all???

Old information--Pan's Labyrinth will light up the DTS-MA. Several concert HD-DVD's and "Nature's Journey" will light up the DTS-HD (not lossless). Many imports from Europe will light up the DTS-MA as well.

Get a combo Samsung UP-5000 or a Panasonic BD-DMP-BD30 and a bitstreaming HD-DVD player in this order (Toshiba HD-XA2, Onkyo HD805, Integra HD-8.8, Toshiba HD-A35)

 

[The Dukester]

Forget the combo players (Samsung BD-UP5000 or the LG) for now. I own the Samsung and it WILL NOT send MA at all and will only send True HD in 2.1 channel. There is a lot of conflicting info right now as to whether or not they will via a firmware update soon. Many are calling Samsung and are being told no, while one or two were told yes. They have it in print in a couple of reviews that it will happen, so who knows? Maybe we will find out more in a week during CES.

As for the stand alones, I would go with the Pannasonic 30 for BD and either the A35, the (preferably, if you can afford it) Xa2 or Onkyo HD805, which is the same player rebadged, so I understand. Again, if you can wait a week to see what's coming out and when from CES, then I would do it. If not, go for the above.

Hope this helps.

 

[David Gaudreau]

Forget the combo players (Samsung BD-UP5000 or the LG) for now. I own the Samsung and it WILL NOT send MA at all and will only send True HD in 2.1 channel. There is a lot of conflicting info right now as to whether or not they will via a firmware update soon. Many are calling Samsung and are being told no, while one or two were told yes. They have it in print in a couple of reviews that it will happen, so who knows? Maybe we will find out more in a week during CES.

As for the stand alones, I would go with the Pannasonic 30 for BD and either the A35, the (preferably, if you can afford it) Xa2 or Onkyo HD805, which is the same player rebadged, so I understand. Again, if you can wait a week to see what's coming out and when from CES, then I would do it. If not, go for the above.

Hope this helps.

Yeah I can wait, I will actually be attending the CES show in Vegas, I have a 10 x 20 booth there for my company "Pilot Automotive Inc" So I guess I will spend one of those days out walking the floor pounding the info out of the major HT vendors!!!

 

[gus6464]

Just get the Panasonic BD30 and Toshiba A35. They will both do bitstream and you receiver will be all lit up.

 

[David Gaudreau]

Sweet thank you for the Quick and easy Advice "Cut and Dry" I like the (get this and this hand be happy!!!)

 

[EddieG]

Forget the combo players (Samsung BD-UP5000 or the LG) for now. I own the Samsung and it WILL NOT send MA at all and will only send True HD in 2.1 channel. There is a lot of conflicting info right now as to whether or not they will via a firmware update soon. Many are calling Samsung and are being told no, while one or two were told yes. They have it in print in a couple of reviews that it will happen, so who knows? Maybe we will find out more in a week during CES.

Hope this helps.

Not that I can afford one, but how about the LG BH200 as a combo unit?

Also, for those of you who keep up with the latest in electronics, is there any word of other combo players in the next year? I can wait for the prices to drop and quality to improve on the combo players.

 

[David Gaudreau]

Not that I can afford one, but how about the LG BH200 as a combo unit?

Also, for those of you who keep up with the latest in electronics, is there any word of other combo players in the next year? I can wait for the prices to drop and quality to improve on the combo players.

Sorry but that player wont decode DTS MA or Tru HD, it only does it in 2 ch mode

 

[The Dukester]

Not that I can afford one, but how about the LG BH200 as a combo unit?

Also, for those of you who keep up with the latest in electronics, is there any word of other combo players in the next year? I can wait for the prices to drop and quality to improve on the combo players.

I have no personal experience with the LG, but from what I have read it is worse than the Samsung. It is very quirkey and will not pass the new codecs. For word on new players coming out keep an eye on the CES thread.