Shopping for Blu-Ray player

[budintexas]

Is the Panasonic DMP-BD55K the best deal for the money in the $500 and below price range?

 

[jostenmeat]

Uhhh, yes, if:

-you want mch analogs
-DivX
-no need for Reon
-no need for video gaming machine
-don't care about 480i DVD output
-ease of switching audio output

Does that answer your question?

 

[budintexas]

What player is better for the money. I have an Onkyo TX-SR705 receiver

 

[Nomo]

Given the fact that the 705 decodes the Hi-def audio on it's own; you have little need for the MC analog outputs.
Take a serious look at the Panny BD35.

 

[allargon]

Given the fact that the 705 decodes the Hi-def audio on it's own; you have little need for the MC analog outputs.
Take a serious look at the Panny BD35.

That might even be overkill. Other choices include

Samsung BD-P1400 (profile 1.0 only and sloooow) for like $100 or so on E-bay
Panny DMP-BD30 (profile 1.1 only)
Samsung BD-1500 like $200 if you know where to look
Samsung BD-P2500 or BD-P2550 (Netflix streaming and Pandora) -- best upscalers of this bunch and better than the Panny DMP-BD35
LG BD300 (Netflix streaming and Divx)
Funai clones (Insignia, Magnavox, Emerson, Philips) (profile 1.1 only)
Memorex
That $700 profile 1.1 Denon transport (okay now I'm only kidding)
Sony BDP-S350 (also deserves serious consideration if it's cheaper than the Panny)

 

[evilkat]

I think you'll want to wait for this:

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/transports/high-definition-dvd-players-hd-dvd-blu-ray/oppo-bdp-83-universal-blu-ray-player

 

[Nomo]

I think you'll want to wait for this:

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/transports/high-definition-dvd-players-hd-dvd-blu-ray/oppo-bdp-83-universal-blu-ray-player

Not really under $500. Unless there's a surprise coming.
And whether or not this is a good deal mainly depends on the need for SACD and possibly DVD-A.

At this point I'm glad I didn't wait.