Holding Off on Blu-ray and thinking OPPO

[itschris]

I think I've decided to definately hold off on a blu-ray play until the next crop of 2.0 players become available. I'm still leaning towards the Sony 350 or 550.

I'm expecting delivery of my Pioneer Elite 94 any day now (Def Techs are still backordered),but I realzied I no longer have a decent DVD player. I had an old Pioneer Elite DV09, but it's dead. I have a few different $50 cheap players laying around, but I was thinking that I might get the OPPO DV 980 as an interim play until I get a blu-ray. For $150, I don't think I could go wrong. Thoughts?

 

[stratman]

I think I've decided to definately hold off on a blu-ray play until the next crop of 2.0 players become available. I'm still leaning towards the Sony 350 or 550.

I'm expecting delivery of my Pioneer Elite 94 any day now (Def Techs are still backordered),but I realzied I no longer have a decent DVD player. I had an old Pioneer Elite DV09, but it's dead. I have a few different $50 cheap players laying around, but I was thinking that I might get the OPPO DV 980 as an interim play until I get a blu-ray. For $150, I don't think I could go wrong. Thoughts?

I'm not sure when Oppo's BD will hit the street, I think it might be end of year, but I'm waiting for Black Friday, if Oppo's unit is available, I'll compare that to Panny's top player and go from there.

 

[itschris]

Just out of curiousilty, why do you like the Panny over the Sony? I'd like for OPPO to come out with their player as well. It's been so long since I've had a decent setup, I'm sure I'll enjoy "regular" ol'e DVD just fine for a few months.

 

[stratman]

Just out of curiousilty, why do you like the Panny over the Sony? I'd like for OPPO to come out with their player as well. It's been so long since I've had a decent setup, I'm sure I'll enjoy "regular" ol'e DVD just fine for a few months.

More than anything else compatibility, all my gear is Panny of various age differences and I have yet to have a handshake issue, my oldest piece of gear (plasma) 5 years old handshakes perfectly with new gear, so I want to continue the "streak." My Panny DVD S-97 does a fine job for now, so for me to wait till end of year is no biggie, besides I waited for the "war" to be over, what's a few months more?

 

[itschris]

Even though I don't care about a lot of the latest and upcoming features, I just have a hard time investing a good chunk of cash in a piece of equipment that is on the cusp of being updated. Why spend $400 now, when you can do the same in a few months for the most updated spec.

I need a decent DVD player, so $150 for a quality player that will upscale everything seems like a good deal.

 

[GlocksRock]

Why not just get a PS3 now that has pretty much everything but analog outputs and does a lot more than any other blu ray player out there.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm not sure when Oppo's BD will hit the street, I think it might be end of year, but I'm waiting for Black Friday, if Oppo's unit is available, I'll compare that to Panny's top player and go from there.

I read an interesting article in one of the posts at AVS on the OPPO bluray.
Oppo is waiting for bluray format to mature as the them at least, it seems like it is still in flux and the company tries to better mature formats.
So, I doubt it will be this year so the wait for us may be next year?

 

[stratman]

I read an interesting article in one of the posts at AVS on the OPPO bluray.
Oppo is waiting for bluray format to mature as the them at least, it seems like it is still in flux and the company tries to better mature formats.
So, I doubt it will be this year so the wait for us may be next year?

That's too bad, though I do think the format is mature, implementation is not, still, I'm going to wait for Black Friday and see where the market goes.

 

[Midcow2]

Firmware upgrades

Even though I don't care about a lot of the latest and upcoming features, I just have a hard time investing a good chunk of cash in a piece of equipment that is on the cusp of being updated. Why spend $400 now, when you can do the same in a few months for the most updated spec.

I need a decent DVD player, so $150 for a quality player that will upscale everything seems like a good deal.

The current Panasonic I have DMP-BD30 and also the PS3 have already come out with several Blu Ray firmware upgrades. If it were my money I would enjoy now, and not throw away the $150.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I doubt that I will ever get Blu Ray. Standard DVD is good enough for me.

 

[itschris]

II really don't want a PS3... even though I know it's probably one of the better players, it's still a video game machine to me. I'd rather just wait for the new players to come out.

$150 is not that big a deal, and it beats spending $400 on a player that I'll want to replace with a new model in a few months.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

That's because you have an 11'' display. I can't stand to watch SD anymore, it drives me crazy!

I doubt that I will ever get Blu Ray. Standard DVD is good enough for me.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

That's because you have an 11'' display. I can't stand to watch SD anymore, it drives me crazy!

34", actually. Kind of a moot point anyway, since none of the TV series I watch on DVD (almost all I watch these days) are on Blu Ray.

 

[Midcow2]

But what about your Betamax ?

I doubt that I will ever get Blu Ray. Standard DVD is good enough for me.

Joe,

You are probably right. One reason I went with Blu Ray was because I wanted an HDMI 1.3 connection. My previous DVDs were very good Pioneer Elite, Denon and Sony. Now my connection is crips and clean and at least at this point in time the difference between standard and Blu Ray is minimal. I have watched a few Blu Ray that had better screen navigation.

My first VHS was a the Sears cheap-one at $500. Never did fall for Betamax.

I think I am in the early adopter category ,one level above the bleeding edge early innovator. That is the Second reason, Blu Ray won out over HD and it will be around for awhile about 7-10 years before the next medai upgrade comes or the 1 gigabit standard Internet connections which started in the year 2015, allow for 3 second on-demand movie downloads and obsoleted all previous DVD players.

Onward and upward to 2015

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

All I can say is that my previous Panasonic DMP-BD10A did a great job upscaling to 1080p. My current Toshiba HD-XA1 does an even better job. And my DVD-5910CI does an even better job than the Toshiba. So high quality SD DVDs upscale to 1080p look so much like HDTV! I still cannot believe it.

But I don't think it's a good idea to spend $150 now and then later buy a Sony BD.

I think it's a toss-up between the Sony 350 and Panny 50. I think whichever comes out first (June?) is the winner.

 

[itschris]

Well I just bought a refurbished Oppo from Oppo for $138. Considering I don't have a decent player now, $130 bucks is not a big deal to be able to scale my sd dvds nicely to 1080p. I might just put off the blu-ray purchase until x-mas time... but at the same time, I hate quibbling over $50 here or there. I'm sure I'll run out and buy the new Sony or Panny just as soon as it comes out and one of you guys test if for me and tell me it works good!

 

[mtrycrafts]

That's too bad, though I do think the format is mature, implementation is not, still, I'm going to wait for Black Friday and see where the market goes.

Oppo probably mean the implementation is in a state of flux for them to get in right now. So, I guess how much of a flux and how long it takes to get something worthwhile on the shelves Oppo may or may not be out by Christmas.

 

[stratman]

Oppo probably mean the implementation is in a state of flux for them to get in right now. So, I guess how much of a flux and how long it takes to get something worthwhile on the shelves Oppo may or may not be out by Christmas.

That's a shame, I really expected them to come through and bring out the first affordable/reliable stand-alone.

 

[mouettus]

Why wait when you can get a PS3 now? It has been explained several times why this machine is the best all-around blu-ray player. And you get other functionalities for the same price of another player. What got me is the speed. Almost as fast (if it isn't) than a DVD player.

I never understood why some of you hate the PS3 just because of the "it's a game machine" mentality. No it ain't! It's a multimedia platform. It IS pretty in an equipment rack. That's as far as your money can get you for a Blu...

Second choice would definitely be the Panny BD-30. I saw this player in action and it is good.

 

[stratman]

Why wait when you can get a PS3 now? It has been explained several times why this machine is the best all-around blu-ray player. And you get other functionalities for the same price of another player. What got me is the speed. Almost as fast (if it isn't) than a DVD player.

I never understood why some of you hate the PS3 just because of the "it's a game machine" mentality. No it ain't! It's a multimedia platform. It IS pretty in an equipment rack. That's as far as your money can get you for a Blu...

Second choice would definitely be the Panny BD-30. I saw this player in action and it is good.

You know you're right. People shy away from the PS3 because it's a game console, not a "proper" piece of gear, more like a toy.