Should I keep my PS3 or buy a Panasonic?

I would just keep the PS3. I have a PS3 and a Panasonic DMP-BDT110. I have a midrange Boston Acoustics 5.1 system and a Mitsubishi 73" DLP. 3D content looks the same to me and I don't miss the lossless audio, I can't say that I can really tell the difference between lossy and lossless on my system. I only picked up the Panny player with the intention of selling Avatar on Ebay, making the player very cheap. I have since moved the Panny to another TV and use the PS3 for 3D. Just my 2 cents.

Keep the PS3. Unless you have a $10,000 speaker setup and are an audio engineer, I have a hard time believing anybody can actually tell the difference with lossless audio. I'm sure some posters will say that I'm wrong... chances are though that just as many will agree with my statement.

It's your call but I'd save the money and go with the PS3. It's also just alot nicer having everything in one place => Photos, Music, BD Player, etc and the PS3 interface is great.

I have a related question. My AVR is HDMI 1.3a and predates 3d tv's. If I were to buy a dedicated 3d BD player or a PS3 to watch 3d movies, would I be able to watch the movie and get sound through the HDMI (in DD or plain DTS lossy) or would I have have to hook up the BD player directly to the tv and run a separate toslink optical cable to the AVR?? The lossless formats don't matter much to me and I have no intention of upgrading my AVR.

Does your avr have RAC? (Return Audio channel?)

If so you can go to the TV and still get audio via HDMI to your AVR.

I only discovered this recently on a friends system. Pretty cool for sure.

To the O.P. :

With your budget, I don't think spending an extra $150 or so for a new Panasonic would be a problem. It's always nice to have backups for mechanical components.

"I have a hard time believing anybody can actually tell the difference with lossless audio. I'm sure some posters will say that I'm wrong..."

If you can't tell the difference something isn't right with your system or your ears.

Huge difference in low end, over all presence and impact.

It must be those fancy Monster HDMI cables you bought...

Cute reply. I get my cables at Monoprice. I'll stand by my assessment. IF you can't tell the difference between non-hd audio and hd audio something is wrong with your setup or your ears.

I can tell a slight difference in sound quality between lossless and lossy. Is it much - not really, but the sound is a bit clearer and the channels separation is better defined.

+1

Jacob

Unless your less than 20 years old. All that truhd and lossless are all placebo effects. Human hearing isnt all that sensitive. You will not be able to tell the difference between PCM or uncompress, older you get less sensitive you are, my 30 something year old audio receptacles (ears and inner ears) included. Most homes are not set up with sound dampeners and acoustics in a home or apartment is so terrible you couldn't tell the difference between lossless or no. Meaning even mp3 at 196 or higher you can't even tell that and direct cd unless you have like studio quality acoustics in your home. I'd say 50 and 60 year olds probably couldn't tell between 96 bit comp vs the real thing.

The difference you hear and feel is probably in your mind, placebo effect of truHD sound etc.

I can vow for that because for the longest time, I had ps3 set up via optic out and I thought I was watching movie in truhd. Turns out it only plays PCM 5.1. Then, I finally got a samsung blurry player with truhd and dts uncompressed via hdmi and I can't tell the difference. it all sounds pretty good.

I say 20 because by the time your about 18 or so, you start to loose hearing sensitivity starting in the high frequencies. Unfortunately, hearing get worse with age, while the audio technology get better with time.

Everybody's hearing is different as you get older you do not hear high frequencies as well, you do not loose the ability to hear clarity of sound. I am 65 and I have the ability to do a blindfold A/B test and as I mentioned above lossless does sound a bit better.

If I played the same content 4 times with 1 of the times having lossless audio, I'd give you about a 25% chance of picking the lossless track...

I didn't mean to start some sort of post-off. For the OP, I think it's safe to say that not having lossless with his PS3 is not a big enough of a deal to go out and buy another Bluray player.

Quote:
Originally Posted by supersoldier11
Alice in Wonderland is pretty awesome IMO. I have a Sony 52HX909. There are quite a few popout scenes and excellent depth throughout. It's a convert, if I'm not mistaken, but pretty darn good nonetheless. Off the top of my head (been a while since I watched) where Alice falls down the hole, and when the giant bird flies out of his nest are both great popout scenes...but I'm sure there are other great ones that are slipping my mind.

On a side note, this movie and other 3DBRs viewed INFINITELY better on my Panasonic SC-BTT770 (HTIB, but a high end standalone 3DBR Player would accomplish the same performance) vs. my PS3. Difference was night and day. Popout popped out more, and was much more clear especially in fast moving scenes like when Alice falls down the hole. Chad B calibrated my setup, I showed him the same scene via both players, and he agreed.

Regarding the PS3 vs other players...very interesting. I was looking all over the place yesterday trying to find comparisons to the PS3's 3DBR performance but couldn't find anything substancial. I'm running the RS40 projector which doesn't have any depth adjustment, nor does the PS3. Definitely going to test some other 3DBR players and see what the deal is on my own setup.

Out of all my friends that have 3D? I am the only one not running a PS3. I have one that needs updating bad and I had always intended to use it in the living room for 3D BD.

Today on my lunch hour? I am going to try to take it in and get it updated. Been so long since I did an update (maybe 4 years), I can't even get it to do one now.

I was going to give Geek Squad a shot at it.

I hate BB.... I mean I called on this PS3 update... No problem on the phone, we do them all the time... Blah blah blah.....

Then I take it in and Geek Squad acts like they never done a PS3 update in their lives. UUHHGGG

3 Days later now and I still do not have my PS3 back. double UUHHGG UUHHHGG

I get this resolved? I will never slack on my PS3 updates again. The old fatty had like the 2nd update / load ever on it. I mean, I think they even changed the O/S completely since then.

Another important question is whether the PS3 will ever support and interoperate properly with the AVCHD 2.0 3D spec 1080i60 like the Sony TD10 produces as is native 3D output format.

After more than a week, BB tells me I can pick it up. Geesh....

I'll report on the 3D -vs- my panny players.

i could tell the difference bteween lossless and lossy audio on the first hearing. it was the first time i was confused if it was raining outside. and my system was crap at the time (onix rockets). $500 speakers. so your room setup or hearing sucks.

go lossless audio.

Beware the update if you like to "rip your blu rays...that you legally already own. The update adds cinavia copy right protection to the ps3.

I'm interested to hear if other people find a noticeable increase in quality from a dedicated 3d Blu ray player vs ps3. If so, I might be in the market for one.

I have the latest panasonic and samsung $200 bd players and a ps3. I see no difference in quality using them or my PS3. Like you, i had a pre 3d receiver. I upgraded to both a PN59D8000 and a Yamaha A3010. The second i plugged the PS3 into the new receiver, i saw "3d Enabled" when i turned on the PS3.

My kids watch a lot of animated blu ray movies. All audio is going through hdmi. I didnt notice a thing different between the two bd players and PS3, so save your money.

My PS3 was ultimately, the best media server i had in the house. It seems like each update, they are locking it down. Im now leaning towards and Oppo to get my freedom back.

Completely concur on the PS3.

I'd get an Oppo today if it supported AVCHD 2.0 like the Sony 480 580 and 780 do. Can't endorse switching to any of these today.

The Sony's are limited for USB and DLNA source, and we know that is not going to improve.

The Oppo doesn't do AVCHD 2.0, though if there is enough power in their chips, I suspect Oppo will support it with a firmware upgrade.

Unfortunately the question about this was posed to them a while back, so I wonder if the Oppo is limited like the PS3 to not handle AVCHD 2.0.

In my case I am only using the PS3 to play DVD's, BD's, and 3D BD's. But a great post to let others know whats up for sure with the latest update.

Since the update? I finaly compared my oldest 20GB Fatty PS/3 possible to my Panny 3D player on both my 110" projector 3D and my 65" Mitsubishi and can see no discernable difference in PQ whatsoever.

In regards to the latest PS3 Slim models...

- How slow/fast are the load times?

- How quiet/loud is it?

I was using a ps3 for 2D/3D playback. Yesterday I picked up the cheap Panny DMP-BDT110. For 3D playback, all I can say is wow. The panny 3D playback on my new Mitsubishi HC7800 is leaps and bounds ahead of the ps3 for some reason. Even on the default 3D setting, there is just a tonne more depth in any given scene and you can tweak further from there. Great combo!!!

+1. It isn't night and day, but it's there. The OP's receiver and speakers combo should allow him to hear a difference.

As much as I love my new PS3 I would still take a Panny 310 over it since it has Dual HDMI outs. Just seems to make life easier and I know I am getting the best of both worlds...