Blu-Ray Player (Yes this topic again)

Discussion in 'Science and Technology' started by BoxWhatBox, Sep 13, 2009.

  1. BoxWhatBox

    BoxWhatBox Commander Red Shirt

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    Okay, so I am going to buy a blu-ray player soon. Is there any point in buying anything other then a PlayStation 3?
     
  2. Mr. B

    Mr. B Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Analog audio out... IR remote... status display on device... silent operation...

    Those are the only things I can think of just now that the PS# doesn't offer. If you don't need them, the PS3 is a fine choice.
     
  3. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I love my PS3 over a Samsung I had about a year ago. The load time is immediate... BD Live... and gaming to boot.
     
  4. Sheep

    Sheep Vice Admiral Admiral

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    My fatty 40GB PS3 (now 320GB thanks to upgradeable HDDs) is practically inaudible. I've never once heard fans or anything else in the machine operating while playing a DVD or BD at regular, reasonable volumes. Is this no longer the case with the slim model?

    The IR remote omission is the most unfortunate PS3 shortcoming for me. I'm not sure what Sony was thinking on that one seeing as 99% of the universal-remote owning population owns one of those and not a bluetooth one.
     
  5. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Blu-Ray Player vs PS3

    With 2 options being a Playstation 3 that plays Blu-ray and has access to the PlayStation Network or a standalone Blu-ray player with Internet connection that as of October 2009 can access Sony's BRAVIA Internet Video streaming platform.
    PS3 and standalone Blu-ray players are looking to become a all-encompassing media-hubs.
    Here are the comparisons:


    or Movies & TV Shows to Own
    (But if your harddrive dies you probably lose the film and Sony's Playstation Store probably won't let you download it again...)
    http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Features/MovieDownloads
    http://www.us.playstation.com/ps3/features?ref=http://www.sony.com/index.php
    http://www.us.playstation.com/PSN/Store/About/MoviesTV
    http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/03/nbc-universal-premieres-on-psn-today/


    cost? Sony - PlayStation 3 (120GB)
    Our Price: $299.99
    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...laystation+slim&type=product&id=1218115837227

    HD MOVIE NEW ARRIVALS, Top HD TV Episodes
    PlayStation Network Video Content Update
    Sept. 11, 2009
    http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/09/playstation-network-video-content-update-46/



    also last week
    SOURCE

    The average PS3 user is Male with an average age of 28.
    =======================
    Sony Blu-ray Disc Players
    start at $229.

    http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&categoryId=27898&N=4294966114
    http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/12/sony-network-blu-ray-player-spied-at-ces/
    http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/09/sonys-new-bdp-n460-blu-ray-player-add-internet-content/



    There are other Blu-ray standalone player manufacturers such as:
    LG that have a streaming Netflix access, Roxio Cinemanow & Vudu HD On-demand service.
    the LG BD390 Blu-ray Player goes for around $379. at the moment.

    Vizio (who makes HDTVs and Blu-ray players) offers VIZIO Connected TV & VIZIO Internet App platform directly from the TV for Netflix streaming, Blockbuster OnDemand (!), Flickr, Pandora, Rhapsody starting this Autumn.
    http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/vizio-takes-the-cover-off-connected-hdtv-netflix-blockbuster/
    but they offer some streaming stuff with a Blu-ray player
    http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/08/0...y-player-freed-from-superstore-confines-unbo/

    Samsung offers Blockbuster OnDemand access on Blu-ray players
    http://formatwarcentral.com/2009/09...e-blockbuster-mkv-support-to-blu-ray-players/


    FYI Vudu HD On-demand offers the most HD downloadable movies at the moment and at 1080p. rented on a per-title basis.

    I'm not going to get into Youtube downloads yet as while it is a feature on some Blu-ray player products it is still a free download service with mostly nonprofessional videos although there are things in the works of a subscription-based Youtube download service in the future.
    Sept. 2, 2009 source

    Sony's Playstation Store selling video ondemand downloads is competing with Microsoft's XBOX Live Network selling video ondemand downloads.
    Autumn 2009 source

    If you don't play games you may not need this additional bulk and bloatware just to watch Blu-ray discs and download TV or movies on-demand. Although it is not here yet Youtube being the 800 pound gorilla may be the big store and soon the largest selection of 1080p HD on-demand downloads available. Which store actually has the least amount of added data compresssion and the highest video bitrate is another matter. At the moment the LG Blu-ray player hedges your bets with 3 video ondemand services. At least with firmware upgrades these Blu-ray player hardware vendors can add different video ondemand services when they sign a new contract with a new distributor.
    Look when you buy a Blu-ray player you are not going to buy another so you want something that you can grow with for 1080p HD video downloads in the next 3-5 years as they really take off.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2009
  6. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Blu-Ray Player vs PS3

    I have a Sony BDP-S560, and I love it. I do like its built in 802.11 wireless - especially for its ability to update its own firmware. That alone made it worth the price.
     
  7. seigezunt

    seigezunt Vice Admiral Admiral

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    If you don't play games, you can find cheaper players.
     
  8. Saturn0660

    Saturn0660 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The highest rated player on the market right now is the Panasonic BD60K..
     
  9. Irishman

    Irishman Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Depends on what you're going to do with it...
     
  10. Marc

    Marc Fleet Admiral Premium Member

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    Decided I'm probably going to get a PS3 as Blu-Ray player - with recent drop to $299 it really seems to offer the best bang for buck.

    Anyway does anyone know of where you can get cheap HDMI cables in Canda? I know some-one's posted a site earlier but Canadian customrs are utter bastards and the duties are horrendous.
     
  11. Asbo Zaprudder

    Asbo Zaprudder Admiral Admiral

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  12. Haggis and tatties

    Haggis and tatties Vice Admiral Admiral

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    ^^^Some of the reason is that article are not well researched,
    Backwards compatibility has been out of all PS3 since October 2007 and was only ever fully included in the US/Asia/ models and partly in the EU/UK models.....Plus the noise level on the new slim is fantastic and with it using less power than the old Phat models its produces a lot less heat.

    I traded in my old 60gig for a slim because the fans had become really loud and the difference between the new slim and the old model noise wise is like chalk and cheese, i also like the PS3 as a BR player because it plays almost all media and you can store it all on the upgradable HDD.

    But the lack of a remote in the box is a minus although the joy-pad works fine, but it will see you having to fork out a few bob more if you really want that remote, i went for a third party one which was quite cheap, smaller in size and works perfectly.
     
  13. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Another thing about purchasing a Blu-ray player now

    Sony BDP S-350 rear panel
    http://z.about.com/d/hometheater/1/0/l/j/sonybdps350rearavconnect875.jpg

    The unit will provide a downconverted signal for standard definition televisions via S-Video, or composite video out.
    Yes it costs more than a DVD player but basically you are HDTV-ready for when you purchase an HDTV. And you are also future-proofing your growing video library say if you purchase the Star Trek XI Blu-ray in a couple of months you won't have to feel like you are double dipping to move from DVD to Blu-ray of that Trek film after you purchase a HDTV and then a Blu-ray player in a few years.
    and you also get access to the BD-Live features that are included with Blu-ray disc purchases that you don't get with DVDs.
     
  14. Sheep

    Sheep Vice Admiral Admiral

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  15. Marc

    Marc Fleet Admiral Premium Member

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    That's debatable in it's self.

    Sure you can get players for under $200 but do they include networking (both cable and wifi) and the hard disk for media storage?

    Sure that's in the article about 5 reasons why you it but if you're going to make claims like that you should compare apples with apples.

    And so the remote isn't backlit? Unless you by a u-bute universal remote how many of your remotes are backlit.

    And while working on blue tooth alone might be a pain I can also understand why sony went that way.
     
  16. Haggis and tatties

    Haggis and tatties Vice Admiral Admiral

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    That reason might be moot sooner than any of us thought..:eek:
    Sega leaks Sony plans for PS2 and dreamcast emulation on PS3
     
  17. Saturn0660

    Saturn0660 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Not so fast... Far as I know ALL BD players have said outputs. However, Not all movies are set up to be downconverted. It's not a BD requirement for movies to be able to shoot out of the composite.
     
  18. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    consumer electronics business

    Blu-ray will penetrate mainstream by next year


    On a related note though The XBOX 360 has the largest market penetration for digitally downloaded movies through 2013.
    SOURCE 1
    SOURCE2
     
  19. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I think you have it a bit wrong. There is allowance in the BR spec for a title to disable output of a 1080p signal by anything other than HDMI. However I don't think any existing discs actually use this copy protection method.
     
  20. Saturn0660

    Saturn0660 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I think i'm not saying it right.. But from my understanding of the BD specs... BD movies are not required to be a able to use the Composite port. Now you total right, I don't know of ANY movies that won't work that way... But still.