Six Blu-ray Player Shootout

[jostenmeat]

at Value Electronics. Executed by a couple of AVS members. Tested are

Pioneer BDP-51
Pioneer BDP-05
Panasonic BD50
Samsung 1500
Sony S350
Sony PS3

Samsung rated worst, others are more or less even, varying pros/cons. It was the only player to fail video reconstruction.

For film resolution loss, only the Panasonic passed. OTOH, it exhibited the most shift in color points.

for HD video resolution loss, the 350 and 1500 failed. Both of these units were said to suffer slight hitch in low end color temp.

For either Panny's shift, or Sammy/Sony's hitch, effects are said to be subtle.

DL the results here
http://www.4shared.com/file/63225453/45dc9e15/BluRay_shootout_results_final.html

I read about this test at AVS
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1065876

bonus "deals" info: I posted yesterday, and it seems the mods still haven't passed it yet. Amazon, choice of 4 different players, add three titles with rebate of $50. It appears to me that the Panny is the best deal at $274.81. If you choose three titles that are $17.95, the grand total is just over $278.

Link

 

[gus6464]

So the PS3 seems to still be the best all around player with fastest load times. This test really has me wondering how the $2000 Denon, Marantz, Pio Elite, and Yamaha would do compared to the Panny BD-50 and PS3. Although seeing as how the Panny was the only one to pass every single test if it could be had for less than $350 it would be a great deal.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, I think the Panasonic BD50 is the best deal overall in terms of performance and price.

The Denon & Marantz both have the HQV Silicon Optix Realta so, of course, they will pass every HQV test.

Even the Denon DVD-3930CI (also has Realta) scored a perfect HQV score of 130/130. So did the 5910CI, 5308CI, and AVP-A1HDCI because they all have the Realta chip.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah, I think the Panasonic BD50 is the best deal overall in terms of performance and price.

The Denon & Marantz both have the HQV Silicon Optix Realta so, of course, they will pass every HQV test.

Even the Denon DVD-3930CI (also has Realta) scored a perfect HQV score of 130/130. So did the 5910CI, 5308CI, and AVP-A1HDCI because they all have the Realta chip.

I like that Panny 50, especially when the new one comes out and this will drop in price, hopefully; however, I still want to see what that Oppo will cost and do on these tests.

 

[billy p]

at Value Electronics. Executed by a couple of AVS members. Tested are

Pioneer BDP-51
Pioneer BDP-05
Panasonic BD50
Samsung 1500
Sony S350
Sony PS3

Samsung rated worst, others are more or less even, varying pros/cons. It was the only player to fail video reconstruction.

For film resolution loss, only the Panasonic passed. OTOH, it exhibited the most shift in color points.

for HD video resolution loss, the 350 and 1500 failed. Both of these units were said to suffer slight hitch in low end color temp.

For either Panny's shift, or Sammy/Sony's hitch, effects are said to be subtle.

DL the results here
http://www.4shared.com/file/63225453/45dc9e15/BluRay_shootout_results_final.html

I read about this test at AVS
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1065876

bonus "deals" info: I posted yesterday, and it seems the mods still haven't passed it yet. Amazon, choice of 4 different players, add three titles with rebate of $50. It appears to me that the Panny is the best deal at $274.81. If you choose three titles that are $17.95, the grand total is just over $278.

Link

Those threads over at AVS are so massive you just can't keep pace. I've paid close attention to a cople of them and I have determinded that the Sony S550 should have better PQ and compare closer to the Panny BD50. I hope the S550 will be more inline with the PS3 and will include analog outs. Otherwise, I'll just continue to buy my time or buy the Oppo BRP.

 

[poutanen]

Another good read, I'm pretty happy with my PS3 purchase!

 

[EJ1]

Another good read, I'm pretty happy with my PS3 purchase!

+1!

 

[Hi Ho]

This test really has me wondering how the $2000 Denon, Marantz, Pio Elite, and Yamaha would do compared to the Panny BD-50 and PS3.

I got to set up a Yamaha Blu-Ray the other day. It appears to be a Panny BD30 in a nicer looking Yamaha box. The menu system is EXACTLY the same as the Panny and load times seem to be the same.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I like that Panny 50, especially when the new one comes out and this will drop in price, hopefully; however, I still want to see what that Oppo will cost and do on these tests.

I had the Panasonic DMP-BD10A for a while, and I thought it did an outstanding job with both SD DVD and BD in terms of PQ & SQ. I was going to wait for the BD50. But I guess patience is not one of my virtues.

 

[dobyblue]

The PS3 is still outstanding for 1080p24, but you're best off setting it to output 1080i if the disc has 1080i on it, like a number of the SonyBMG concert discs. It doesn't do a great job with 1080i>1080p conversion, which I'm sure Sony can do a better implementation of with a future firmware upgrade.

The DMP-BD35 is the player I've got my eye on. From what I hear it's pretty stunning for PQ. No multi-channel analog outs though, which won't be a concern for me once I land that 5308CI I've been saving for.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I just integrated a BD50 into one of my client's systems yesterday. There is no doubt in my mind that this was a solid decision for this person as the player, due to some setup limitations, requires the player to be about 80 feet from the display.

Since they have to walk to the equipment rack location to load discs the loading time isn't an issue, but starting up a disc still only took a short while. Not PS3 fast, but way, way, way faster than my HD-A2 player. The Pirates of the Carribean, Black Pearl BD, which is notoriously slow, took 9 seconds to load. Less than 20 seconds really from pressing play to seeing some good video on screen. A time my client found to not be even the smallest of issues.

Discrete power on/off meant that when he turned the TV off at the end of the night, the player would shut down properly, which is a feature sorely lacking on the PS3 without the right IR remote interface.

Image quality was excellent on his 71" LG plasma display, keeping in mind that it had to go 80' and that was using HDMI over CAT-5 converters, which did a good job.

To make it more interesting, the Panasonic did a far better job with the CAT-5 converters and HDMI switching than the existing DirecTV boxes that the client owned. The Panasonic typically resynced nicely when inputs were switched, and did not have any dropouts in video.

I did have ethernet plugged in when I started things up, and it automatically retrieved an update and let me know about it for installation, which it pulled off without an issue.

I do wish Panasonic included a serial port and/or rear IR so that it would look cleaner, but this would not have been typical for them to do.

It has me thinking that CEs are finally starting to figure out how to make these players right and that the standards are getting to where they need to be to really ramp up production in the next year or so.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I just integrated a BD50 into one of my client's systems yesterday. There is no doubt in my mind that this was a solid decision for this person as the player, due to some setup limitations, requires the player to be about 80 feet from the display.

Since they have to walk to the equipment rack location to load discs the loading time isn't an issue, but starting up a disc still only took a short while. Not PS3 fast, but way, way, way faster than my HD-A2 player. The Pirates of the Carribean, Black Pearl BD, which is notoriously slow, took 9 seconds to load. Less than 20 seconds really from pressing play to seeing some good video on screen. A time my client found to not be even the smallest of issues.

Discrete power on/off meant that when he turned the TV off at the end of the night, the player would shut down properly, which is a feature sorely lacking on the PS3 without the right IR remote interface.

Image quality was excellent on his 71" LG plasma display, keeping in mind that it had to go 80' and that was using HDMI over CAT-5 converters, which did a good job.

To make it more interesting, the Panasonic did a far better job with the CAT-5 converters and HDMI switching than the existing DirecTV boxes that the client owned. The Panasonic typically resynced nicely when inputs were switched, and did not have any dropouts in video.

I did have ethernet plugged in when I started things up, and it automatically retrieved an update and let me know about it for installation, which it pulled off without an issue.

I do wish Panasonic included a serial port and/or rear IR so that it would look cleaner, but this would not have been typical for them to do.

It has me thinking that CEs are finally starting to figure out how to make these players right and that the standards are getting to where they need to be to really ramp up production in the next year or so.

Thanks for your input I am eyeing this player as well, but for that Oppo that is also coming.

 

[croseiv]

Thanks for your input I am eyeing this player as well, but for that Oppo that is also coming.

Me too! The Oppo is what I'm waiting on.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Me too! The Oppo is what I'm waiting on.

I'd like to see an early test on it and, of course, price.

 

[jostenmeat]

With all the Oppo-nuts here, maybe you guys can round up some sort of package-deal or group-buy.

I guess it never hurts to ask.

 

[Alex2507]

With all the Oppo-nuts here, maybe you guys can round up some sort of package-deal or group-buy.

I guess it never hurts to ask.

HEY !!! great idea.

The AH store could sell them at a serious discount to members with exactly 2,447 posts.

 

[Soundman]

HEY !!! great idea.

The AH store could sell them at a serious discount to members with exactly 2,447 posts.

Hey, that's not fair.

 

[Adam]

The AH store could sell them at a serious discount to members with exactly 2,447 posts.

You should have stopped posting.

 

[Alex2507]

You should have stopped posting.

I get that a lot.

 

[Rickster71]

With all the Oppo-nuts here, maybe you guys can round up some sort of package-deal or group-buy.

I guess it never hurts to ask.

That's an excellent idea!
We would need a ballpark number of members interested.