OFFICIAL "HELP ME CHOOSE A PLAYER" THREAD: Can't decide? Start HERE. - Page 296

I would once again recommend the Pioneer BDP-320. It is a solid upconverting player and solid Blu-Ray player. Should be able to find it for $150-170. Your other option would be to try and find an older Samsung BD 2500/2550 that has the Reon processor. Personally, I would probably get the Pioneer since it has a warranty.

Thanks for this info, as I didn't think to verify what router I have. When I figure out which exact BR player to get I will have a total of 2; however, the new player will be the primary player.

The S570 seems to have all the features that I would need, and would cost about $100 less than a PS3 slim after the remote. I guess one will tickle me more than the other and I will give in. Seems like a win win situation, minus the extra bucks.

Kudos to those AVS members that are helping with all these questions people have. That takes a lot of dedication is commendable!!

DOes the BDP-320 output decoded Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution, and DTS-HD Master Audio over analog 7.1 outputs?

(Probably a stupid question- I know it decodes all formats, but don't know if copy protection limits analog outs to certain codecs or bitrates, like DD+ only, etc, while allowing all codecs decoded to PCM over HDMI only)

Yes, the 320 supports 7.1 analog audio and decodes the advanced lossless codecs. It is $164 at Amazon and is a bargain. It will not load movies as fast as some of the newer players, but if you need 7.1 analog out and solid DVD upconversion, this is your best bet under $200.

I own a Mac (the husband has the only PC). My receiver is an Onkyo TX-SR707; We have a Definitive Technology Mythos ssa-50soundbar with a ProSub 800 for bass. We seem to own very few DVDs. We use TimeWarner cable. We bought our last system in the last century.. I do not know if this changes any recommendations. Thanks again.

FYI, that's not the case with any BD player that has analog multichannel output.

Do you guys use any of the players daily? Example you have kids who like to watch a dvd (sign lanuage) each day for weeks on end?

Yes, my kids pretty much use our Samsung 1500 every single day. Aside from a few smudge marks on discs causing the playback to stutter, we have not had any issues with various DVD's, BD's, etc.

I have been using my Sony S370 just about everyday since purchasing it and have had no issues. I suspect you will find the majority of Blu-Ray players out there to perform similar to DVD players.

I am sorry for clogging up this thread with my corrections.
I was reading a review of a BluRay player which called the player "an audio/video transport." Whatever I get has to coordinate the rest of my system. I think.

Hey guys,

I am just looking for a Blu Ray Player and it is really difficult to find out USB capabilities on individual Blu Ray Player specs.

So if anyone has a Blu Ray Player that is awesome and has these capabilities for a reasonable price, please let me know.

-DVD up conversion
-USB input that plays (avi? mp4? mkv?)
-Wireless capabilities


-Don't care about Netflix or whatever other dumb pay to play features

Oh yeah and don't say PS3 haha

Ok, what if I had a 50"?


I live in Canada so Netflix streaming and such is of no use to me.

I already have a Xbox 360 so I don't need a PS3.

What's important to me:

1. Image quality. From what I've read, there aren't many differences between players for Blu-Ray but still, I would want the best quality possible.

2. I have a lot of DVDs I don't plan on upgrading so DVD image quality is very important.

3. My receiver doesn't have HDMI and I don't plan on upgrading it. So analog connections would be nice but not absolutely necessary.

4. Speed is good.

The Oppo would be my ideal choice but I can't justify spending so much for a player.

A colleague's boyfriend works at Futureshop and can get me any model they carry at around 30 to 40% less, so price doesn't matter that much other than Oppo (not carried by FS).

Screensize and viewing distance go hand in hand when it comes down to resolution and when we are talking upconverting DVD players, it is even more important. A 50" may make a huge difference in terms of upconverion, but not if you are sitting 15' away..

For reference:





If you can find the Pioneer BDP-320 for a decent price in Canada I would grab it. Very solid upconversion (just below the Oppo), solid Blu-Ray playback, and has 7.1 analog outs. In the US you can find them for $150-170 usually. Otherwise you may want to consider the Panasonic BD85.

Current sitting distance is 7 feet. With a 50" it would be between 7 and 10 feet.

Futureshop carries the Pionner, I'll look into it.

If you are closer to 7' than 10' I would say that upconversion should be a factor. 10' and beyond, I would think that most BD players will look about the same from an upconversion standpoint.

If you need 7.1 analog outs and decent upconversion your options are very limited, unless you spend more $$ (ala Denon, Oppo, Marantz, etc). The only knock on the Pioneer is that it loads movies pretty slow compared to some of the newer players. But you can't have it all on a budget

Sitting distance would probably be closer to 7' than 10'.

Honestly, I would pass on the 7.1 analog outs if it meant getting better upconversion.

One thing I just noticed reading about the Pioneer (and something I forgot to mention in my criteria) is that it lacks networking abilities. I'd want to be able to play video files from an external HD or better yet straight from my Mac.

If streaming video files from your computer is a big deal, you are going to want a player that supports DNLA. The LG players may be your best bet (the 570 has built in wifi and the 590 has wifi and a built in hard drive). Sony is supposed to add DNLA support to their BD players this summer. But it will limit your choices I believe only the LG 590 has 7.1 analog outs (their most expensive player). Oppo may also add DNLA at some point as well, but I am not sure when and if it is 100% certain. I don't believe the Panasonic players support DNLA either. If they do check out the BD85.

I have a good size library of standard dvds and I would like to know if all of the blue ray dvd players within $200.00 range displays these standard dvds just as good as regular dvd/upscaling dvd players? I am ready to start buying blue ray dvds and just dont want 2 players on my rack. I know blue ray players upscale all standard dvds but does it do a good job dispaying it? Or maybe better? As compared to the regular progressive scan players? I was leaning to the sony brand BR players. Thanks.

I have the Samsung BD-2550 Blu ray player. My projector is only 720p but I can't really tell a picture quality difference between DVD and Blu Ray, so I'm guessing the player does a good job of upscaling the picture.

Sound is a whole different story; Blu Ray BLOWS DVD out of the water...

It really depends on which two players you're comparing. There were som pretty good upscaling DVD players, like the ones from Oppo, which would still do better than some Blu-ray players.

Let's put t this way: if you choose a BD player that tests well for upconversion (let's say one of the new Panasonics), it will be at least equal, probably better, than a mass-market upscaling DVD player from more than two years ago. To get more precise, you'd have to either look at head-to-head test results, or know what actual video processor is used in each player.

Alright guys, my man cave was flooded and I have been forced to setup the home theater in the living room.

With that being said, the only way that was happening is if I promised all components would be in enclosed cabinetry. I have been using the ps3 as a blu ray player but that no longer seems to be a reality. It runs extremely hot (even with a fan) in the cabinet.

Does anyone have any recommendations on a blu ray player that runs relatively cool???

My only other needs are netflix and pandora access.

Help please!

Does anyone know if a wireless Blu Ray player with DLNA exists, other than a PS3, that will allow me to access a NAS device on the home network and stream/play files on the TV?

Thanks.

Checkout the LG BD570 and BD590.

Is the Samsung the only player that will stream both Netflix and Blockbuster? Will firmware updates allow any of the other new units to do so?

I think so.


Nothing announced that I'm aware of.

BD performance is virtually identical among players. So, speed is your only criteria?

Hey guys,

I need some help purchasing a Blu-ray player. I am looking for the cheapest player that can do the following:

1. Streaming (I need Netflix capability)
2. USB input that can play avi, mkv, etc.
3. DVD up conversion
4. Image quality (not sure how much this varies from player to player)

I would appreciate any direction you guys can point me in. Thanks for your time.

makav3li
I would go with the panasonic 65 or 85.

Jacob

Not gonna happen with the Panasonic 65 or 85.

That would be the Insignia NS-BRDVD3 (wired) or NS-WBRDVD (wireless).

I would stay away from insignia.. its too cheap of a price.
you get what you pay for.
Jacob