blu ray and tv not speaking

[BMXTRIX]

ok, Let me see if i understand. You are suggesting that i connect the blu ray to the TV via AV cables. This will play blu ray discs and i will not be able to tell the difference between an hdmi connecton and the av connection.

Yes, this should be the case.

However, the av connection will not up convert my current VAST dvd collection to any degree. Therefore, i would only be using my blu ray player to play blu ray discs but i would not get any of the extras that the hdmi connection would provide. Is this correct?:

This is correct, but as stated above, your TV already does some conversion and this capability may not matter if no upconverting DVD player is compatible with your current display.

If so, then the blu ray player is an expense not worth the effort unless i want to pay the $275 to upgrade the TV.

Blu-ray is the future and at some point you likely WILL be buying exclusively on DVD and only renting HD movies from this point forward. As such, Blu-ray really makes a lot of sense. (see my notes below)

Then i would be in close to $500.
(275 repair, 160 for sony blu ray player and 50 for an hdmi cable abd optical cable to run through my bose home theater system.

As said above, don't you dare overpay for your cables. You already may hear about buying Bose. There's no reason to overpay for good quality gear.

What bugs me in this is that HDMI is backwards compatible and you should not be running into HDMI issues. While a bad HDMI cable could cause you headache, it doesn't make a lot of sense that you are running into backwards compatibility issues based upon this answer from HDMI:

http://www.hdmi.org/learningcenter/faq.aspx#13

I would SERIOUSLY get a different Blu-ray player and try it out with your display. Perhaps try a Pioneer or Panasonic Blu-ray player instead of what you are currently using. Panasonic tends to have very good compatibility and Pioneer to Pioneer might provide better results as well.

Other things I've read indicate the same...
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7596_102-0.html?threadID=273946
http://8851651122276554420-a-1802744773732722657-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/columbiaisav/hdmi_versions.htm?attachauth=ANoY7cpJzCMGmYhSRkY1Zw0xwZqI0w796G_7CBn04eNucLxDqaI6xZsB1JzSqFsOFZrq7N24IQaV7qa7RxDuJeZa4E_m4bFTGCdgc6v54u2fIkKb9slfPwoE9unBSbrZUUWQJwNtNa4yYJIJBcHgA6A-Q5SZhk2-5dxXbyCU4_hP6Jy_vDjAis6HDhQ72mQqsO0ND6TruKk4xE7T8PMZn-getP3xk5iK4Q==&attredirects=0
Worth a read...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#Version_1.0_to_1.2

I think you really need to keep your $500 and instead try a couple of different players and make sure that you are using 'lower' settings on the Blu-ray player which could make it incompatible with your current display. For example, do not use deep color (see Wikipedia link) as that is probably not compatible with your display.

A bit of a headache, but for $300+ in savings, worth it if it works.

 

[emme9]

many thanks

WOW bmxtrix! What a wonderful comprehensive answer! I am going to try another brand as you suggest. Unless there is a malfunction of the Pioneer hdmi port, i cannot believe that it is not compatible with newer players.

I will post my results.

Hope this works!

 

[stevejack]

Thank you

I had a HDMI problem but It is working fine now.You had described so gently and easily so I could understand. It is very difficult for me to do that stuff. Thank you so much.

 

[emme9]

It's alive!!

ok everyone. I purchased a panasonic bd 605 which came with its own hdmi cable. I purchased an optical cable to connect to Bose home theater. Rented Up not blu ray. It WORKS! They are speaking. UP picture phenomenal. Rented Star Trek blu ray to watch this weekend.Will let you know.

Thanks for everyone's help. At least we are up and running. If not for bmxtrix especially i likely would have given up and not bothered to spend the $500 for upgrade to TV and player and you know how disappointed a gadget loving person would be to have blu ray tech pass me by!



Hopefully last question,
What resolution should i be setting for the blu ray? 420 i, 1080 i or 1080 p

Anything else i need to know/

Much thanks and gratitude to all,

 

[markw]

Blu-ray is capable of 1080p, the best currently available.

Set it at the best your TV can handle.

If it's an older set, 720p might be the best you can do, and that doesn't suck.

But, no matter what you set the player at, the TV will convert it to it's best internl resolution.

 

[emme9]

Thanks to all

To everyone who helped me thanks so much! Without you, i would have given up on it.

Watched Star Trek in Blue ray. It was fantastic! I had seen it in the theater so when i was noticing all the details i had not seen on the big screen, i knew blu ray was working well on our set. My husband was blown away!

Wishing all a very merry holiday season!