[PCWorld]

Post your comments for The Best Blu-ray Players here

[Chris32]

How the heck did blu ray win the format war? Especially with the cost of the blu ray players, discs. What upsets me the most is there are players that don't even offer all of the functions. Sony is monopolizing the hd world when they can offer a playstation console that is the same price as (less equipped players @ $300.00). I think the studios and manufactures made a major mistake in accepting Blu-Ray as the standard for HD content. This mistake costs the consumers lots of money. And shows that sony's intention was to make the playstation the blu ray player of choice. Why would someone spend 300 dollars on a stand alone player when you can get a player, media console, game console in one for the same price....

[awhinden]

In my opinion, THE BEST BLU-RAY PLAYER Also plays HD-DVD.

Many HD titles are ONLY available in HD-DVD and others are ONLY available in Blu-Ray.

That's why I bought the fabulous LG BH200 SUPER BLU^TM^ PLAYER that plays both Blu-ray^TM^ and HD DVD^TM^, all in pop out your eyeballs clear full HD 1080p with HDMI 1.3.

Make sure your HDTV supports HDMI 1.3, (most don't) and make sure your Audio system supports HDMI 1.3 with 7.1 Surround Sound, (Check out Onkyo).

Add R & L front channel 3 or 4 way speakers with 15" woofers in EACH, (forget subwoofers - they're non directional) and you'll have heaven in your living room!

The BH200 SUPER BLU^TM^ PLAYER lists for $849.95, but I GOT MINE BRAND NEW ON E-BAY FOR ONLY $415 and have seen them as low as $359 but dragged my heels too long.

This setup is so great I find myself renting 2-3 Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disks a week from Blockbuster, even though I'm spending $135.00 + a month with Dish Network.

1080i is great, but the output from this unit with HDMI 1.3 BLOWS IT AWAY!!!

It even does a great job upconverting regular DVDs to 1080p but you still can't beat HD-DVD & Blu-Ray.

[slider9499]

Simply stated - the PS3 is THE BEST value Blu Ray player on the market to day. Period. End of story

The picture and sound quality are absolutely perfect. I have a 65 inch Panasonic hi-def television and aside from the SONY BRAVIA/LCD, I have never seen a better picture/sound combo than what I view every night in my own home. My friends paid almost double for smaller sets and more money for a stand alone blu ray player and they are kicking themselves 'cause they didn't listen. ALL say "why do I need to a gaming system with my blu ray?" Very short sighted people - because it has all of the features that blu ray offers TODAY. And when blu ray adds additional features, the PS3 can automatically load the required firmware with just a few clicks of a button. For $400 I get a 60 gig player that upconverts all my current DVD, plays and stores all my music and photos and is a major hi-def gaming machine that allows me t download free games, demos, movie clips, interviews, music, access the Internet and much more!. Not to mention all of the other instant access features that I get simply by upgrading my firmware in about 2 minutes through the networking capability.

For exampe, when that Dewy Cox movie came out with the pic in pic features, I/net access while watching the move, scene in scene capaibilities - no other player was ready on day one to use those features - I mean right out of hte box ready. Whatever the blu ray manufacturers throw at me, I am ready. Bring it on!

There isn't ANY, I repeat, ANY player on the market right now that can offer so many features that the PS3 can. If there is one, please tell me because I sure as hell can't find it. No, you guys can argue and read every single article on this player, that player, that HD-DVD is better (it is dead and gone - so grow up, face facts and move onto blu ray) - NOTHING beats the PS3. NOTHING!

[Codeman119]

If you want really clear Mids and Bass you do need a subwoofer. You get much cleaner and puncher bass with a Subwoofer. I used to think that you didn't need a subwoofer either until I got a 12" self powered CV. Using the pre-Subwoofer out from your reciever to your powered subwoofer, well it is awsome.

Any higher end stereo will have a Pre-Sub out. I will never go back to those old school 4 way's that have the 12" or 15" woofers, the bass is just muffeled to me know. If you want clean,sharp hard hitting bass that you can feel those big booms in the movies with, well a SubWoofer is the only way to go.

How do I know this.... well I was a DJ for over 15 years, I have freinds that are sound engineers and I have even helped setup sound for a concert.



-The Codeman

[awhinden]

Codeman,

First of all, Mids DO NOT go through a subwoofer - They should be going through 4-6" midrange speakers in the left & right Front speaker cabinets. A subwoofer only provides muffled mids if it even provides them at all.

If you have a good sound system you can turn off the subwoofer output & have the Left & Right channel Bass redirected to the Front Speakers.

Contrary to popular belief, BASS IS DIRECTIONAL unlike the subwoofer proponents would have you believe. The sound of rotating helicopter blades or a roaring subway train does not have to permeate the room as it does with a subwoofer. With 2 front 15" woofers properly set up, you can hear & feel these monster machines move ACROSS the room!

Sometimes I think subwoofers are being pushed so cheap $59 home theater sound systems can be sold in mass, without having complaints of weak, tinny sound.

As far as the movie theaters go, have you noticed the LARGE speaker cabinets on the side walls vs. the tiny satellite speakers in home systems?

Finally, How do I know this?... I have engineered music & sound for a number of stage shows in Las Vegas & I HAVE EARS!!!

Hope I haven't offended.

Alan

[Codeman119]

OK I didn't say that the mids and highs go thru the woofer. But a woofer is desinged for low frequneceys that should not go above say 150Hz so that you get cleaner sound before it starts to sound slightly muffled. YEA I HAVE EARS TOO.... And I NEVER said that BASS WAS NOT DIRECTIONAL.

I know it because I can clearly here is coming from the back of my car that has 2 12" in a box. But the Space is so small you are going to get directional SUB sound. But in a bigger room the direction can become less directional. Just take the BOSE Systems, in a big room that bass is pretty non directional.

Plus setting up a stage show (no matter where it is) is much diffrent sound than setting up for a theater. Rather that be a home or a huge theater like UA. And yes I did notice the LARGE speakers on the side of the walls but I have also seen the MASSAVE SUBWOOFER cabinets that they have behind/below the screen.

At Home you ony need about 500 to 700 watts for a good home theater, but in a real theater they use 6000 to 16000 watts of power, and they need those LARGE speakers on the wall to handle all that power. Your little sattilate speakers would explode!

NO offense takeen.. I love a good disscusion..

-Codeman

[awhinden]

Hey Codeman!

I love a good discussion too, soooo heeere goes... I NEVER said that that YOU NEVER said that BASS WAS NOT DIRECTIONAL. The subwoofer sellers make that claim when people like me state that A SUBWOOFER IS ONLY ONE CHANNEL & most of us have TWO ears. THEY say that bass covers the whole room and you couldn't tell where it was coming from if you had right & left 12 - 15" woofers.

Now let's get some common ground... I just rented and finished watching the Newest Rambo Movie on Blu-Ray and I was litterally blown away! (OK, maybe not litterally, but close). With my 2 15" front channel woofers I could literally hear & FEEL the explosions coming from the the Right & Left with ONLY 100 watts per channel!

With a subwoofer in place you'll hear weaker explosions on the right & left & the loudness & feel of the explosion will seem to come from everywhere. I don't know about you, but I like to know WHERE my explosions are coming from!

TAKE THE TEST. Rent Rambo & let me know WHERE the explosions & machine gun fire are coming from on your subwoofer setup.

A powered subwoofer may make you more strongly feel the explosions, but you'll feel like you're in the middle of it even when it's coming from somewhere else. Any thoughts on how to connect a powered subwoofer WITHOUT removing the low bass from the front channels?

Now, when you said, "Just take the BOSE Systems, in a big room that bass is pretty non directional." Yes the sound is impressive, BUT the bass comes from everywhere, and not from right & left channels.

Thanks for making me consider the above advantage of a subwoofer - more feel without busting your eardrums or ticking off your wife!

Alan

[joshhuntnm]

Does anyone make a Blu Ray writer? Not the kind othat goes in a computer, but the kinds that hooks up to your TV. I have a DVD writer and a HD Hard drive camcorder. it is easy enough to burn a DVD not using the computer--just hook up the camcorder to the DVD writer. But, it is low def. Love to have one that wrote to blu ray

[tigerborn62]

I also like my Playstation 3. It's a great, well made product that is constantly being updated via the internet. One word of caution about that sub woofer...I won't have mine on because I live in an apartment building. My neighbor above me, however, LOVES his subwoofer and has me secretly plotting his death. lol Seriously, please no subwoofer in apartment buildings. They are pure evil.

[Codeman119]

Yes they do make a Blu-Ray recorder, but they have just been released and here a link to a story on one of them.

www.gizmag.com/panasonic-launches-new-blu-ray-dvd/9444/

They are expensive, but like all new products, they will come down in price in the future.

-Codeman

[maling]

What a joke. $400 + and up to $1,000 to get a piece of equipment which has some feathers and fair picture and audio??

A $50 DVD player with up-converter can provide close to the same quality while I watch to see if Blu-ray ever comes full featured.

[joshhuntnm]

Note, not available till August--

The new line of DVD and Blu-ray recorders and players are currently only available only in Japan but will be available in other markets in August. Via Panasonic.

[awhinden]

Actually, they ARE available in Austrailia, but I don't plan on moving there any time soon, unless we get another republican in the White House.

Alan

[jessedorland]

I wo't be buying "blue runaway ray" until it is sold under $30.

[Orion77]

Playstation 3 is the best Blu-ray player on the planet. End of story.

[Codeman119]

You will be able to buy a Blu-Ray player for under $30 in about 6 to 10 years. And by then the HDTV flat panels will be very cheap too.

-Codeman

[nepper]

Thanks for the story. One major consideration I would have in purchasing a player would be its ability to up-convert. I currently have a Samsung dvd player that upconverts to 1080p with the Faroudja algorithm, and although I haven't done an a/b test against a blu-ray player, the video is pretty fine. If any of these players do up-conversion, do they use proprietary (aka 'icky') algorithms? I've had to keep my old Zenith dvd player because the Samsung doesn't play all the old dvd's, if I go blu-ray, would I need three dvd players?!? so I could have decent up-conversion?

[bernie33]

After reading the article I'm puzzled. The Blu-Ray discs are digital. The HDMI output from the players is digital. The HDMI input to the HDTV is digital. So how can there be a difference in the contrast, color quality, or detail among the players when playing the same disc?



Bernie

[bernie33]

The article mentions the improved picture that you should see when using a Blu-Ray player with a 1080p HDTV. What about with a 1080i HDTV? Is there still a benefit, or is the benefit limited to 1080p owners?