How much to spend on a DVD player?

[j_garcia]

Yeah, but how many of those catalog titles do people want to SEE?

 

[JOD]

Okay, so BD player is the way to go? What im gathering from you guys is that a Oppo will do a better job with std DVD than a BD player will, but BD players have superior picture quality when played with Bd's right? So i guess im gonna go with a BD player, and spend around 400$. I want a BD player that can play both std DVDs and a BD, and if possible one that will upscale std DVDs. What do you guys recomend?

 

[allargon]

I'd recommend you get a Sony PS3 and a Toshiba HD-A3. Despite predictions of its demise, HD DVD is still around. People have been saying Universal will go neutral for a year now.

The only reason I recommend the PS3 over the Panasonic BD-50 is because the PS3 will be upgraded to profile 2.0 (BD-Live) in the future to allow for Internet interactivity on Blu-Ray discs. The Panny doesn't have an Ethernet port. The Panny does have good PQ (I've read its better than the PS3), and it allows for native IR remote control. (The PS3 is natively Bluetooth only.) One other bonus of the PS3 is that it plays SACD discs as well as Blu-Rays. All current Blu-Ray players also play CD's. This was an issue with some first year Blu-Ray players.

 

[JOD]

Well i am a strict 360 gamer so no go on the PS3, i know its much better in many ways but....i just wont do it. I am in a real delema here, as i was about to pull the trigger on a Sony BD player, i read a lot of reviews that simply scared me half to death about getting a BD player. I swear that almost half of reviews are having serious problems with firmware, loading times, discs, video, audio, freezing, you name it. I just dont know what to do know, after reading reviews in which people bought a DB player, it stopped working, so they return it, same problems, return it, and get more problems. It seems like 1/2 of these BD players, at least in my price range, dont even work properly. Im stuck, help

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah, but how many of those catalog titles do people want to SEE?

That is hard to really say, unless a wide enough survey is conducted.
I certainly don't want most of them, but there are others who don't like my picks, for sure, so there is not a good answer for that now.
But, where is the potential? How many are on SD DVDs now? Somebody must watch them or buy them, yet my collection is rather small.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well i am a strict 360 gamer so no go on the PS3, i know its much better in many ways but....i just wont do it. I am in a real delema here, as i was about to pull the trigger on a Sony BD player, i read a lot of reviews that simply scared me half to death about getting a BD player. I swear that almost half of reviews are having serious problems with firmware, loading times, discs, video, audio, freezing, you name it. I just dont know what to do know, after reading reviews in which people bought a DB player, it stopped working, so they return it, same problems, return it, and get more problems. It seems like 1/2 of these BD players, at least in my price range, dont even work properly. Im stuck, help

Get an tosh XA2.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Okay, so BD player is the way to go? What im gathering from you guys is that a Oppo will do a better job with std DVD than a BD player will, but BD players have superior picture quality when played with Bd's right? So i guess im gonna go with a BD player, and spend around 400$. I want a BD player that can play both std DVDs and a BD, and if possible one that will upscale std DVDs. What do you guys recomend?

Take what you read in this forum with a grain of salt, because some of the posters offering BD advice have never owned a player of any kind.

Yes...all stand alone BD players upscale standard DVDs that I know of, and yes......you'll be in for a real treat when you spin that first blu-ray. My personal experience is with the Samsung BD-P1400, and I've been extremely happy with it for playing both LOW-DEF dvds and blu-ray discs.

 

[JOD]

Take what you read in this forum with a grain of salt, because some of the posters offering BD advice have never owned a player of any kind.

Yes...all stand alone BD players upscale standard DVDs that I know of, and yes......you'll be in for a real treat when you spin that first blu-ray. My personal experience is with the Samsung BD-P1400, and I've been extremely happy with it for playing both LOW-DEF dvds and blu-ray discs.

Im just worried about all of these problems that i have been hearing about from actual BD player owners. Like i said firmware, loading, startup disc reading video, audio all seem to be major problems. 1/2 say that the players have worked great with no problems, the other 1/2 have had noting but problems.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

Im just worried about all of these problems that i have been hearing about from actual BD player owners. Like i said firmware, loading, startup disc reading video, audio all seem to be major problems. 1/2 say that the players have worked great with no problems, the other 1/2 have had noting but problems.

If I believed half of what I read in these forums, I have what is supposedly a very buggy player. The reality often turns out to be something quite to the contrary.

I think user error plays a significant role in these 'so called' problems, and when that's coupled with the "web effect", it snowballs. Within hours there will be 1,000s of posts regurgitating bad info by people all over the web who have never owned or had any personal experience with that player.

As far as load times..... Many discs load within seconds, and the slowest will take maybe 1 minute. I've also owned a Toshiba HD-DVD player, and it's load times ect, etc. etc... were no different. The only difference between the two is the movie selection for BD is much, much better, and the Toshiba was returned for a refund within my 30 day limit...LOL

Firmware updates are the current reality for most anything electronic these days whether it be computers, digital cameras, receivers, etc, etc, etc....
The first time you do it, it might or might not be a pain in the butt, but from then on the process will be simple and painless. Once you've done it once, it's a cinch.

The only complaint I have with my player is the pause feature. If I leave it on pause for over 5 minutes, the player stops the disc. Depending on the specific disc, I may have to reload. (sometimes not)

 

[JOD]

Im not hearing from people on forums, im hearing from product reviews on Cnet and best buy ect.

 

[JOD]

Get an tosh XA2.

Out of my price range

 

[JOD]

My friend just showed me something called VUDU, it looks way better, i never buy movies, so this looks awsome, 1080p, 1.00$ to watch a movie....i need to check this out1!!!!!!!

 

[aberkowitz]

Im not hearing from people on forums, im hearing from product reviews on Cnet and best buy ect.

Where do you think the best buy and cnet reviews come from?? The same people that post on forums!! In fact, I'd take those reviews with an even bigger grain of salt that a board like audioholics because there's no checks and balances on posts and reviews. Sites like Amazon are even worse!

At this point I'd recommend actually buying something, the more you read the more you're going to over-analyze, and if you don't like it then return it. Find a store with the best return policy and take advantage of it if you need to. Try out a Samsung, a Sony, a PS3, etc. and pick the one you like best.

Just a note on load times- I don't know how and why these became such a big deal, but when was the last time you put in a movie and then actually sat and waited for it to load? I own several hundred movies and watch at least one every other day, and I can say that once I slip in a DVD and press "play" I'm normally then walking to the kitchen to get something to drink, or to the bathroom, or doing something else for at least 30 seconds. I cannot remember the last time I put in a DVD and then sat on the couch staring at the screen waiting for the menu to load. I think people put WAY too much emphasis on something that is almost irrelevant (IMHO).

 

[JOD]

After reading a lot of comments on the VUDO box it seems like it might not be worth it. People say that the sound a picture quality will not be as good as blu ray. I guess ill go pick up the sony BDP S300, and see how it works.....

 

[aberkowitz]

After reading a lot of comments on the VUDO box it seems like it might not be worth it. People say that the sound a picture quality will not be as good as blu ray. I guess ill go pick up the sony BDP S300, and see how it works.....

Worst case scenario- you hate it and you return it!

I would recommend renting 3 or 4 different blu rays from your local blockbuster (instant gratification ) to test it out. There's a thread under the movies section that lays out a whole series of forum members' favorite BDs. Pick out a few and spend an afternoon in front of the tv.

 

[allargon]

Well i am a strict 360 gamer so no go on the PS3, i know its much better in many ways but....i just wont do it. I am in a real delema here, as i was about to pull the trigger on a Sony BD player, i read a lot of reviews that simply scared me half to death about getting a BD player. I swear that almost half of reviews are having serious problems with firmware, loading times, discs, video, audio, freezing, you name it. I just dont know what to do know, after reading reviews in which people bought a DB player, it stopped working, so they return it, same problems, return it, and get more problems. It seems like 1/2 of these BD players, at least in my price range, dont even work properly. Im stuck, help

Why didn't you ever buy the 360 add-on? Honestly, Blu-Ray and HD DVD are both niche right now. Despite everyone saying HD DVD is dead, I would also recommend you at least try the Toshiba HD-A3. It's $145. (You can't even get a BDP-S300 on E-bay for that low.) You can return that if you don't like it, too.

 

[j_garcia]

Deal on the Panny BD-30:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=364151#post364151