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Ditching HD-DVD, Now Talk Me Out of a PS3

post #1 of 61
8/14/07 at 4:50am
Thread Starter 
OK, I've decided to move my Toshiba HD-A2 on eBay and move to Blu-Ray. Right now I'm thinking of just getting the PS3 even though I probably won't play a ton of games on it, maybe none. I've signed up for the $150 SonyStyle credit card rebate that gives you back 150 when you spend over 300 so I'm heavily leaning toward the PS3. I know that the fan can be loud (that's my major concern in Arizona) and that it won't work with my Logitech Harmony remote whi will probably bother me somewhat.

Can anyone give me a good reason to pass on the PS3? Does anyone think the Panasonic DMP-BD10AK or the upcoming Samsung 2400 is/will be a better option for Blu-ray playback? I'm willing to pay what I need to get a good player, although getting a PS3 for 349 looks pretty good to me right now. If Idon't use the Sony credit rebate on a PS3 then I'd still probably use it on Blu-ray disks like Planet Earth so it wouldn't have been a total waste to sign up.

Thanks in advance!
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post #2 of 61
8/14/07 at 5:19am
I had to go through a couple units before I found a PS3 that worked perfectly. Load times are fast and playback is as smooth as can be. I haven't had any playback problems of any kind with about 20 blu rays so far. Fan noise is bothersome though. I don't know anything about the Panny but the first gen Samsung I had took a dump after 2 weeks.
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post #3 of 61
8/14/07 at 5:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbmpharmacist View Post

OK, I've decided to move my Toshiba HD-A2 on eBay and move to Blu-Ray. Right now I'm thinking of just getting the PS3 even though I probably won't play a ton of games on it, maybe none. I've signed up for the $150 SonyStyle credit card rebate that gives you back 150 when you spend over 300 so I'm heavily leaning toward the PS3. I know that the fan can be loud (that's my major concern in Arizona) and that it won't work with my Logitech Harmony remote whi will probably bother me somewhat.

Can anyone give me a good reason to pass on the PS3? Does anyone think the Panasonic DMP-BD10AK or the upcoming Samsung 2400 is/will be a better option for Blu-ray playback? I'm willing to pay what I need to get a good player, although getting a PS3 for 349 looks pretty good to me right now. If Idon't use the Sony credit rebate on a PS3 then I'd still probably use it on Blu-ray disks like Planet Earth so it wouldn't have been a total waste to sign up.

Thanks in advance!

I've seen both the Panny and PS3 in action, so I guess I can weigh in. The Panny is a nice player if you need Analog outs for lossless audio. Pretty acceptable load times, great audio options, 7.1 analog outs. It's a solid player and you get 5 free flicks in the box (not bad. )

The PS3 is definitely more future proof. It's lightning fast with load times, 24fps support, and the bonus of being a gaming box.

I have a PS3 and my mom has the Panny... I like them both, but I lean towards the PS3 if you want 1.1 compliance (PiP) and alike... For me it would come down to if I had a HDMI repeater in the AVR, if I did, I'd go for the PS3, if not, the Panny.

Note: I have none of the fan issue described above. Either my PS3 is the most quiet one on the planet, or it's because I have it well ventilated.. either way, mine is very quiet.
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post #4 of 61
8/14/07 at 5:49am
[quote=eskimo2176]

I have a PS3 and my mom has the Panny... QUOTE]

Can I have your mom's phone number?
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post #5 of 61
8/14/07 at 6:01am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by eskimo2176 View Post

For me it would come down to if I had a HDMI repeater in the AVR, if I did, I'd go for the PS3, if not, the Panny.

Thanks for the feedback. I should have mentioned that I have a Yahama RXV2700 with full HDMI so I really wouldn't be using the analogs of the Panny.
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post #6 of 61
8/14/07 at 6:10am
I had a PS3 as my original Blu Ray player, and it worked reasonably well. However, mine was also "dead quiet" which turned out to mean that the fan in it did not work. You have never seen a more frustrating experience as Pirates of the Carribbean (DMC) cutting out every few minutes as the machine overheated. I replaced the PS3 with a BD-P1200 and could not be happier. If you want an SD/HD machine, then the Samsung line is one to consider (don't know exactly what's coming in the 2400, but it will hopefully be even more advanced/refined than the 1200).

Bill
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post #7 of 61
8/14/07 at 6:33am
I've had a PS3 since day one. I am one of the lucky ones regarding issues. I haven't had any issues with the 50+ titles I have. Wouldn't you know that I bought the extended warranty. I knew since this was a first run next gen game console the odds were against so I'm covered at this point. The fan noise is not that bad. I think the closer you sit to it the louder it gets. I sit 12 ft away from it however you will have folks that even at good distances can hear it. If it is really obvious replace it. If you can get use to the bluetooth remote then get it. There is alternatives to the bluetooth remote however I haven't tried any myself. I would get the PS3 60 as it has the emotion chip and it's 499. The 80 gig depends on software. I know you said your not interested in games however for the 100 less I would get it. Someday you may want to ebay it and I think 60's may be more sought after once there gone from store shelfs. Not any time soon though, but it could be enough when you sell it to get a fully supported stand alone player. I choose the PS3 for its capabilities beyond playing movies. This thing has been updated very regularly and some of the updates have just improved it immensely. The PS3 is very close to being a fully functional media center. You can stream movies, music... etc.... Don't know if it will be fully compatible with profile 1.1 BDJ but next year there are plans for it to receive movie downloads and DVR functionality to be added as well. It plays games also however I'm not a gamer and I have only used it a handful of times to a play a game.
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post #8 of 61
8/14/07 at 7:51am
I run the PS3, I'm thinking of going to the new Panny. 7.1 outs are definately worth it. The PS3 for me has been flawless and 100% quiet. I'd like to religate it to being a pure gaming system though, and take advantage of the Panny's good audio.
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post #9 of 61
8/14/07 at 8:11am
I have had the 20GB PS3 since February and it has been flawless. The fan in my DLP TV is louder than the PS3. I cannot hear it!! I do have it in the open in a cooler room (basement).
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post #10 of 61
8/14/07 at 8:47am
I have been using a PS3 since launch and based on my own experiences with it I would say there is no reason not to use a PS3 as a Blu-ray player. Note that the PS3 fan tends to be quieter if you have it out in the open standing up vertically though my PS3 is in a cabinet sitting horizontally and I would say that the fan noise is only moderately noticeable.
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post #11 of 61
8/14/07 at 9:03am
I've had my console since launch, and no complaints here.

The fan has kicked into overdrive once since I bought it, and otherwise, it is virtually silent (I think your loud fan issues are with XBOX's, not PS3's).

The PS3 has proven to be a powerhouse ... I can't say a bad thing about it ... except the inability to do DTS-HD ... which is being argued/updated ...
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post #12 of 61
8/14/07 at 9:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear5k View Post

If you want an SD/HD machine, then the Samsung line is one to consider (don't know exactly what's coming in the 2400, but it will hopefully be even more advanced/refined than the 1200).

Bill

I heard that the lower model of the new Samsungs WILL NOT have DVD upscaling. Not sure which model number that is...

Be sure to check this out!
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post #13 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:21am
If you want blu-ray, I'd hold off until Nov. - Dec. and check reviews on the BD 1.1 players released. None of the current/past blu-ray hardware is without issues. From what I've read and experienced(BD-P1200) here's a few issues:

No current player can support DTS-HD MA. It doesn't matter if the Receiver can, if the BDA gets its act together, Advanced content will be enabled on the discs and audio will HAVE to be decoded in the player. As long as your receiver can accept PCM over HDMI you're all set. Don't worry about what version of HDMI anything has.

PS3 - fan noise, lack of ir remote and some claim quality control issues. Also, uncertainty if it will support upcoming BD profiles.

Sony S300 - lack of support for advanced codecs except DD+. Slow Java performance.

Samsung BD-P1200 - buggy firmware (lots of lockups especially when rewinding), currently (and maybe forever according to tech support) can't handle more than 5.1 audio streams. If you have a 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setup, you'll have to mux the rear channels together. Slow menus. Has problems recognizing clean brand new discs. Have to keep opening and closing drawer until it recognises the disc. Sound stuttering on SD-DVDs.

Pioneer - overly expensive, slow with Java. Not sure if any other issues as so few own them.

Panasonic - slow response. Manual cover to access blu-ray drive.

I'm sure that there are other issues I missed but the basic point is, if you can wait a few months for the BD profile 1.1 players to be reviewed, that's probably the best thing to do. Also, HD-DVD has it's faults as well, but as we're discussing blu-ray player suggestions, I didn't bring them up.
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post #14 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:24am
Dang, ditching the A2 aye? I'd dare say you may end up regret'n that one in the end.
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post #15 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHNnDENVER View Post

Dang, ditching the A2 aye? I'd dare say you may end up regret'n that one in the end.

hardly, now is the time to do it, while you can still get something for hd-dvd on ebay. if you want, pick up a player in a year again when their less than 50 bucks used, discs will all be a dollar, after the platform collapses for good.
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post #16 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JOHNnDENVER View Post

Dang, ditching the A2 aye? I'd dare say you may end up regret'n that one in the end.

Well the G3s are coming out soon and I can actually break-even with what I paid if I get out now. Plus, there are NO current HD DVDs or future releases that I want to see that are not also going to be out on Blu-ray. Seems like a good time to desert HD DVD to me.
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post #17 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by TriptonUpman View Post

hardly, now is the time to do it, while you can still get something for hd-dvd on ebay. if you want, pick up a player in a year again when their less than 50 bucks used, discs will all be a dollar, after the platform collapses for good.

Exactly, I was typing up the same thing when you were!
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post #18 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by khwiggins2 View Post

If you want blu-ray, I'd hold off until Nov. - Dec. and check reviews on the BD 1.1 players released. None of the current/past blu-ray hardware is without issues. From what I've read and experienced(BD-P1200) here's a few issues:

No current player can support DTS-HD MA. It doesn't matter if the Receiver can, if the BDA gets its act together, Advanced content will be enabled on the discs and audio will HAVE to be decoded in the player. As long as your receiver can accept PCM over HDMI you're all set. Don't worry about what version of HDMI anything has.

PS3 - fan noise, lack of ir remote and some claim quality control issues. Also, uncertainty if it will support upcoming BD profiles.

Sony S300 - lack of support for advanced codecs except DD+. Slow Java performance.

Samsung BD-P1200 - buggy firmware (lots of lockups especially when rewinding), currently (and maybe forever according to tech support) can't handle more than 5.1 audio streams. If you have a 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setup, you'll have to mux the rear channels together. Slow menus. Has problems recognizing clean brand new discs. Have to keep opening and closing drawer until it recognises the disc. Sound stuttering on SD-DVDs.

Pioneer - overly expensive, slow with Java. Not sure if any other issues as so few own them.

Panasonic - slow response. Manual cover to access blu-ray drive.

I'm sure that there are other issues I missed but the basic point is, if you can wait a few months for the BD profile 1.1 players to be reviewed, that's probably the best thing to do. Also, HD-DVD has it's faults as well, but as we're discussing blu-ray player suggestions, I didn't bring them up.

This is a nice summary. Of the players listed, I'm probably only interested in the PS3 or the Panasonic right now. The Samsung 2400 MIGHT be an option (it's the one with the HQV scaler) when it's released but I'm not sure.
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post #19 of 61
8/14/07 at 10:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TriptonUpman View Post

hardly, now is the time to do it, while you can still get something for hd-dvd on ebay. if you want, pick up a player in a year again when their less than 50 bucks used, discs will all be a dollar, after the platform collapses for good.

Hope you're right about those discs going for $1. I'll be able to build a great collection for next to nothing!
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post #20 of 61
8/14/07 at 11:01am
I love my PS3. No playback issues at all with over 50+ Blu-ray Discs so far.

As other have said, it loads fast and has a great chance of being updated to Profile 1.1 and then Profile 2 (BD Live) compliance through firmware updates.

Unless you have a reason not to, I'd highly recommend picking up the PS3 remote as well. That helps to make it feel like more of a A/V appliance than a console.

Happy hunting!
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post #21 of 61
8/14/07 at 11:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Baccusboy View Post

I heard that the lower model of the new Samsungs WILL NOT have DVD upscaling. Not sure which model number that is...

Both of the new Samsungs are capable of DVD upscaling but only the BD-P2400 has HQV upscaling.


Quote:
Originally Posted by khwiggins2 View Post

No current player can support DTS-HD MA. It doesn't matter if the Receiver can, if the BDA gets its act together, Advanced content will be enabled on the discs and audio will HAVE to be decoded in the player.

Note that you are thinking of HD DVD and even than if a player is designed to it can bypass audio mixing.
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post #22 of 61
8/14/07 at 11:25am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Paul View Post

Both of the new Samsungs are capable of DVD upscaling but only the BD-P2400 has HQV upscaling.

The BD-P2400 is definitely the one to get if you are going to go Sammy and don't care about HD DVD. The release date is "October". I think I'm still leaning toward a PS3...
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post #23 of 61
8/14/07 at 11:53am
PS3 is an amazing device. I am very happy with mine and am amazed at the SACD playback via analog stereo. That said, I have not found the best setting for upsampling CD's- my pre-pro still sounds much better.

The PS3 does look softer than my HD-A1 over component video. I don't think this is an issue with HDMI and, surprisingly, I haven't seen this mentioned in any reviews. Its still better than DVD but that "through the window" quality isn't the same as the HD-A1. I've only watched about 5 titles so this could be poor mastering, a problem everyone is aware of. The fan noise is similar to the HD-A1, which is noticeable in quiet passages.

I do wish the PS3 had a preference to automatically change the audio output to analog when a SACD is loaded and back to digital when a BR is loaded.; Its a pain to keep up with this. And I wish it would recognize networked iTunes libraries but I doubt that will every happen.

I'm not a gamer but have had loads of fun with Full Auto 2. Better games are coming...

Best $500 I ever spent on a single component.
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post #24 of 61
8/14/07 at 11:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundKernel View Post

PS3 is an amazing device. I am very happy with mine and am amazed at the SACD playback via analog stereo.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundKernel View Post

Best $500 I ever spent on a single component.

Thanks, that's a great endorsement.
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post #25 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbmpharmacist View Post


Can anyone give me a good reason to pass on the PS3? Does anyone think the Panasonic DMP-BD10AK or the upcoming Samsung 2400 is/will be a better option for Blu-ray playback? I'm willing to pay what I need to get a good player, although getting a PS3 for 349 looks pretty good to me right now. If Idon't use the Sony credit rebate on a PS3 then I'd still probably use it on Blu-ray disks like Planet Earth so it wouldn't have been a total waste to sign up.

Thanks in advance!

Why not wait so that you can be sure your player is 1.1 compliant. I have yet to see any official notice as to what players will be. I guess of course then you will have to worry about 2.0 and BD Live.

As for the PS3, remember there is not IR port. If you have a cool remote (like Harmony) that controls all of you devices, it may not work with the PS3.
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post #26 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pbmpharmacist View Post

Well the G3s are coming out soon and I can actually break-even with what I paid if I get out now. Plus, there are NO current HD DVDs or future releases that I want to see that are not also going to be out on Blu-ray. Seems like a good time to desert HD DVD to me.

This is your reason for ditching your A2? OK! And what are the current and future exclusive BD only titles that's making you think twice of getting a PS3. Also! Did you even like your HD A2? Were you satisfied with the player and the PQ? Did you like and enjoy the IME features offered on some movies?
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post #27 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:35pm
Why not have both formats?

There are a LOT of HD DVD exclusives coming and likely a LOT more scheduled for Q4.

By having both formats, you get to enjoy all the movies.

TriptonUpman - your comments are very antagonistic and are off topic. I would suggest you tone it down and relax. You probably should read the U/A again while you are at it. Just a little helpful advice.
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post #28 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundKernel View Post

PS3 is an amazing device. I am very happy with mine. Best $500 I ever spent on a single component.

Enough said
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post #29 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnsteph10 View Post

Why not have both formats?

There are a LOT of HD DVD exclusives coming and likely a LOT more scheduled for Q4.

By having both formats, you get to enjoy all the movies.

First, I'd like to say that my HD-A2 was a total impulse buy. I got it on the Crutchfield pricing mistake in June. While I always wanted Blu-ray, I couldn't pass up an HD-A2 for $210 shipped. I then sent in for my free disks and then sold them on eBay, further lowering the cost of acquisition. Now I'm going to just sell the HD-A2 on eBay while I can break-even and before the HD DVD G3 players arrive shortly.

I did look at HD DVD exclusives coming up and saw NOT ONE TITLE that I really wanted to see that wasn't also on Blu-Ray. Content is king, honestly. If HD DVD makes a push then I'll pick up another HD DVD player at that time. But for now, I just don't see HD DVD winning this war.
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post #30 of 61
8/14/07 at 12:46pm
Thread Starter 
Just so you all know the conclusion, I went ahead and ordered the PS3 a few minutes ago. I can always retun it later if it doesn't work out. I don't think I'm going to know what I think until I actually hook it up and play some movies.

Thanks for all the feedback! I'll report back at some point over the next month.
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