Need Help choosing a Blu-Ray player

[jnelson88]

I need Help Choosing a Blu-Ray player, I want one that can play every audio and video format Blu-Ray has to offer, but don't want to spend a small fortune, I noticed that A lot of Audioholics members use PS3's. I figure if a lot of people use em' they have to be good. How are they? If I can get away with getting a player and a gaming console that would be perfect. Thanks

-Josh

 

[allargon]

Josh, a PS3 will serve you well. To take advantage of the new higher quality audio codecs, make sure you have an Audio Video Receiver that accepts multichannel PCM over HDMI. In other words, make sure it says repeater/repeating and not switching or pass-through unless it's a Harman Kardon. If you have a HK, just post the model #, and we'll tell you if it will work.

 

[jnelson88]

Josh, a PS3 will serve you well. To take advantage of the new higher quality audio codecs, make sure you have an Audio Video Receiver that accepts multichannel PCM over HDMI. In other words, make sure it says repeater/repeating and not switching or pass-through unless it's a Harman Kardon. If you have a HK, just post the model #, and we'll tell you if it will work.

Alright thanks, I know the receiver I have now will not accept those codecs, I already have one lined up though. A Yamaha RX-V663.

 

[rnatalli]

If you're planning on a Yamaha 663, the Panny BD35 or Sony S350 are ideal. There's also the Samsung 1500, but I'd take the Panny or Sony over it.

 

[Phil Taylor]

I highly recommend the Panasonic BD35 - it's a solid player with fantastic image and audio quality. I have one and it has yet to misbehave at all - unlike some of the horror stories of other brands/models.

 

[MidnightSensi]

I had Denon's blu-ray and I use the PS3 instead. The Denon is super slow to load. It's like painfully slow.

 

[jnelson88]

I had Denon's blu-ray and I use the PS3 instead. The Denon is super slow to load. It's like painfully slow.

So in terms of quality, ease of use and over all set up time? the ps3 on a scale of 1-10 in your opinion?

 

[jostenmeat]

lol.

if you want the gaming machine, what else is there?

if you want the fastest load time available, what else is there?


A couple of the difficulties with the PS3 include lack of IR sensor (get an IR/BT converter if desired), or that one must go into the menu to change audio output selections.

However, if using an HDMI receiver such as the 663, I don't see why you would need to. Ok, some people do like using the TV speakers sometimes, and that would force fiddling with menu.

One thing to note, if ever using 7.1, the 663 cannot matrix the advanced bitstreams, but can do so with mch PCM, which is exactly what the PS3 would output. Ah, if you want to use discrete 6.1 tracks from DVD for a 6.1/7.1 system, then again you will need to fiddle with the audio menu, I'm pretty sure.

While a Panasonic doesn't require the above as does the PS3 and S350, its not a video game console. While its faster to load than a lot of the competition, the PS3 has been, and still is, the king.

 

[jnelson88]

lol.

if you want the gaming machine, what else is there?

if you want the fastest load time available, what else is there?


A couple of the difficulties with the PS3 include lack of IR sensor (get an IR/BT converter if desired), or that one must go into the menu to change audio output selections.

However, if using an HDMI receiver such as the 663, I don't see why you would need to. Ok, some people do like using the TV speakers sometimes, and that would force fiddling with menu.

One thing to note, if ever using 7.1, the 663 cannot matrix the advanced bitstreams, but can do so with mch PCM, which is exactly what the PS3 would output. Ah, if you want to use discrete 6.1 tracks from DVD for a 6.1/7.1 system, then again you will need to fiddle with the audio menu, I'm pretty sure.

While a Panasonic doesn't require the above as does the PS3 and S350, its not a video game console. While its faster to load than a lot of the competition, the PS3 has been, and still is, the king.

what about with the update? i was reading they supported DTS HD which is 7.1.

 

[jostenmeat]

what about with the update? i was reading they supported DTS HD which is 7.1.

Huh? Yeah, PS3 has supported 7.1 DTS-MA for a long time now. Its your lossy tracks, such as DTS 6.1 on your DVDs that will require fiddling with menu. So you get everything you want, you just have to play around. I believe with the lossy 6.1, you might need to select bitstream... ?

I've never owned or played the settings of a PS3. Id use the search function at owner's threads.

 

[MidnightSensi]

So in terms of quality, ease of use and over all set up time? the ps3 on a scale of 1-10 in your opinion?

Well, the Denon is easier to use because you don't fiddle with a controller, but you can get a remote for the PS3. Honestly though, I like using the controller as a remote - its quicker to use than anything else. The Denon 3800 doesn't connect to the network either, whereas the PS3 as soon as I put it on the network downloaded the latest updates. Load times are much faster, and also lag times for fast forwarding and loading menues and such is much lower on the PS3 than the Denon. Picture quality I can't tell the difference.

To a lot of people though, the standalone units still make sense because they are more familiar/the same as the DVD player they are used to.

I'd say if your running the system, go for the PS3. If your going to have lots of different people using it, like young kids or a non-tech-savvy wife/girlfriend and stuff, a typical blu-ray player might be the way to go. My girlfriend still can't figure out the PS3. I have auto load on (which I don't like) so it will boot right up for her into the movie, but she gets confused if she wants to go through a menu or pause or something. I might get the remote for her.

The PS3 works as a Blu-Ray player, a network music device that is actually pretty functional, movie downloads, a web browser, and of course a kickass gaming system. Mine even works as a SACD player, although I guess the new ones don't.