OFFICIAL "HELP ME CHOOSE A PLAYER" THREAD: Can't decide? Start HERE. - Page 406

I asked a similar question here and you can read the posts since then.

Looks like I might end up getting the Panasonic BDT110 because it has the Avatar 3D BRD with it after a rebate (which can be sold if you don't want it). Cheapest price I've found for it so far is about $107, but I don't remember where that post is.

NewEgg has some LG's in that range that are rated high there, but no one has mentioned them since I've been on this thread.

GearXS has some Insignia players (I mentioned in that post URL above) from $49-$65 but they are refurb's. New price on those are pretty expensive from $100-$200 more depending on model. If you get a BDT110 and sell the Avatar 3D disk for about ~$40 that could make it about the price of the most expensive refurb Insignia......

I assume a BDT110 is "better" than an Insignia NS-BRDVD3?? "Bueller? Bueller?"

The NS-BRDVD4 sounds like a "higher" model, but it's cheaper there. FAIK the NS-BDLIVE01 is best of them there. Sears has that one for $100+ and it's an "open box".

If you're fortunate to have a Fry's nearby, they have the BDT-110 for $79.

No problem. One more comment about no conversion. If nothing was changed, your image would be a postage stamp in the middle of the screen, taking up less than half the width and height of a 1080 image. Your tv normally scales it up to fill the screen depending on your settings.

Each has some features better than the other.

Insignia BRDVD3:
- Can easily be made region free
- Plays most any video file type via USB or external hard drive (except Divx)
- No blank flashes during Netflix bitrate changes

Panasonic 110:
- Better Netflix interface and more streaming providers (Hulu, Amazon, etc.)
- DLNA and network file access
- Better IR remote range
- iPhone/iPad remote app
- Avatar disc

I think BDLIVE01 is actually the oldest model of the bunch and has no streaming capability whatsoever. Unless you can get it really cheap ($15 or so), I'd avoid that one. The BRDVD4 is the newest, but can't be made region free AFAIK. FWIW, I used to own several BRDVD3's, most of which I got on ebay for under $30. They were fine players at that time and were great for playing video files. Most everyone has far surpassed their feature set now.

I don't know, the dumb-asses have a bad link for "Store Pickup: Check Availability". But according to this there's no stores in LA. Strange they have stores in Plano and Webster TX, but none in New Orleans or Baton Rouge.

Thanks for the rundown. Well from the looks of that the Insignia would be better for her! The 110 has a USB port, so you're saying you can't put video clips on a USB thumb drive and play them on the 110? (Or the card slot?)



Thanks again for the info.

I checked the manual for the USB and SD port and it says this for video files:
USB devices
(up to 2 TB)
Playable contents
DivX® [BDT210_for_Canada]
MKV

SD Memory Card
MPEG2

Not much of an option. But, I see later in the manual it says .avi next to DivX. But what does that "BDT210 for Canada" mean? Does that mean in Canada it's only the 210 that will do it, or only the 210 will play videos period?

This is confusing, under "Playing video contents" (pg 17) it actually has "USB" listed. But at the bottom of that section it has:
"It is not possible to playback AVCHD and MPEG2 video which have　been dragged and dropped, copied and pasted to the media."
How else can you put the files on the USB drive???

The short answer is if you're interested in file playback, panny isn't for you. The long answer is only Canadian models do Divx for licensing reasons. Otherwise US models only handle MKV, AVCHD and MPEG2, and not on all media. It plays some only from DVD, others only from USB and still others from DLNA (details are in the manual). You can't just copy the files because AVCHD has to have a particular file/folder structure which you only get when authoring to DVD or SD from a camcorder. Of course MPEG2 is just a single file and will work fine when copied the usual way. Bottom line is you're only setting yourself up for a lot of frustration and failure if you want to use panny as a video file streamer.

Anyone know of any players that can do things like a 15-second backup or 30 second forward skip? I get so used to having them on a DVR that I miss them on a Bluray player where it is tricky to do those things just with rewind and fast forward. Seems to me a feature that some company would have added by now and if they haven't do the research and I'll bet consumers might like it.

Count me as one who would, given a choice of all other things being almost equal -WOULD PICK A MACHINE WITH THOSE FEATURES!

I was searching for a Blue Ray play that plays files from a HD or USB. I purchased LG first and it doesn't play most of the files however I found that Samsung players does play most of the files. Go to Best buy and purchase a Samsung and see if it plays all the files you want, if it doesn't then just return it. I purchased Samsung 5500 beause I don't use internet but just want a player that can play all my files stored on my Hard Disc.

Not really, it would just be a nice option to have. I realize that those 'postage stamp' size cell phone video clips would look absolutely hideous on a HDTV. (I got her [Mom] a portable 7" LCD TV that also plays video clips and that's how I currently show them to her, I was just curious if there was the option to also show them to her on her HDTV via BDT110. I can't remember, but FAIK the USB port on her HDTV may actually play them from there).


Ok thanks for the info.

Still looking for a budget friendly region free player if anyone has some advise it would be much appreciated. I see the Insignia around but many of them are refurbished so I worry that they would come with a firmware that "corrects" the ability to change regions.

They do usually come with updated FW that screws up RF, but you can change the FW to an older version that is RF.

Yep. Unlike many other brands, you can load any firmware into Insignia, even an older version. The RF version is posted in the Insignia thread in this forum.

Are there any good players out there that can stream music or have a built in HD for under 200? I saw an LG one on Amazon that had a built in 250 gb drive for media and thought that sounded like a good option but didn't know much about it.

Great news, thanks!

That would make things much easier, do you remember which thread/page it was?

What is price range for separate BD-players which start to have better Dvd-scaling than what PS3 has(it has very, very good scaling)?

Even after searching for it I can't find it! All I can find is a thread for a specific Insignia, the NS-2BRDVD.

HERE's the BRDVD3 region-free firmware.


New start around $80, used start around $30. I personally find PS3 upconversion to be about average, thus most any other player will do just as well.

Any FW into an Insignia? Or just Insignia brand?

Just Insignia, and just the model the firmware was written for. Other makes only accept the latest firmware and won't let you load an older version. Insignia takes older versions just fine.

Hey everybody: so i have moved my rack behind a cabinet and switched everything over to RF (via URX mx 450). I currently have a panasonic BDT-210, but its tough to get the IR blaster to work really well (due to the pop down front of the panny)

My question is this: are there any reccomended Blu Ray players with a "IR in" port? I know the OPPO's have this, but I wasnt really looking to sepnd $500 on a blu ray player.

thanks in advance

Great, thank you!

I've narrowed down a new BD player to one of these, mainly because I could get either one for a good price. My last stop was to see what some folks here thought if they had to choose between the two.

I'm more interested in its ability to look and sound good with my Onkyo 5008 A/V unit and its 7.1 setup than with streaming and other peripheral features.

So, any comments, criticisms, etc.?

Ok I am looking for well anything that can use HDMI, connect to a USB harddrive, play any video file I throw at it (MKV) and has optical audio out..

Price range?

"Any video" file is a large domain. MKV is just a container; the player has to support the A/V codecs inside as well.

If you are mainly interested in media files rather than Blu-ray discs, have a look at the Media Server forum.

-Bill

What is the best choice for Blue Ray player on a JVC DLA RS15 projctor.

We'll need to hear more criteria. There is no best player for any specific display: they'll all do the basic job.

-Bill

Upscalling capability of DVD's would be appreciated, if it does not interfere with RS15.
On line streaming with an inexpensive supplier of movies, currently we use Red Box.
Are there other options that I need to consider?