My greatest fear concerning BD players

[Sehnzeleid]

Just come right out and say it:

I'm afriad that if I pursue a current Profile 1.0 player, as (or if) BD-J grows more complex, they'll come a day a title(s) will arrive that will be so complex, my player will choke up. From that point on, inevitably there will be more complex titles, and I'd feel cheated with a "limited" player. Not saying I plan on never upgrading players, but I'd hate to dive in now only for something like this to happen in a year or so later--if at all.

Is this fear unfounded? This and trying to get the best bang for my buck has been the biggest stumbling blocks from me going neutral. Getting tired of waiting...

[videoworx]

I don't understand this at all. I bought my first DVD player in May of 1999, knowing full well a better one would be around the corner (it cost $499, and was a bargain).

It couldn't do progressive scan, had no upconversion, the layer change took more than half a second, couldn't play SACD, and it had lip sync issues with some titles. Do I feel ripped off? Hell no. I've upgraded my main DVD player 4 times since then, moving the older ones into other rooms, or dumping them on eBay/Craigslist.

However, I've always waited until 3rd generation components before jumping on board. That's just me. Firmware upgrades screw with that formula a bit, but I'm still waiting until closer to Christmas before jumping on board both formats. If they suck, I'll live with them until the next models come out.

[chlngr1970]

I have to agree. There is ALWAYS something better on the horizon. The issue you have is that there is the very real possibility that your Blu Ray player will not play future releases. I am willing to bet, that that will not be the case. The special features OTOH, you could have issues with.

My take is, I'm investing in my entertainment and enjoying the hell out of it while it lasts. My 10yr old LD player still plays all my copies of the origional Star Wars ( and the special edtitions ) just fine. Do I regret spending a grand on my LD player and all the LDs I have? Not at all...there are still some today that I break out and watch.

If you are not one for taking risks, then staying on the fence may be for you. All you have to do is realize is, this is NOT Divx 2.0. Your BDs ( or HD DVDs for that matter ) will NOT stop working if the format fails, and by the time your player gives up, there will be something better to replace it with.

j

[thebat33]

you have every right to be worried about the bluray problem.. I would strongly suggest waiting on a bluray player.

Jacob

[MooglePorn]

There's a $500 BD player out there that will always be updated and compatible with all BD features and is even rated amongst the best BD players released, or THE best.

Maybe you should get that one.

Of course, it's a "toy."

[chlngr1970]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

There's a $500 BD player out there that will always be updated and compatible with all BD features and is even rated amongst the best BD players released, or THE best.

Maybe you should get that one.

Of course, it's a "toy."

Are you certain that this BD player will be upgradable? No one realy knows what will happen when the new profile 1.1 discs come out if the PS3 can handle it or not. Even Sony won't comment on weather or not it will work.

j

[MooglePorn]

There's no way in hell the PS3 won't play future BD movies with all the snazzy extras... no way.

[Derb]

I don't know wether the PS3 can handle an upgrade like this but Ruined had mentioned it is possible & a programmer on another forum also suggested it could be possible. If not, all Profile 1.1 discs will play in BD players but the advanced BD-J features would not be aces sable.

[MooglePorn]

Guys... the PS3 has a plan for a 10 year lifespan... it's the main BD player... it WILL play the advanced features.

[chlngr1970]

I'm glad you are so confident in your "toy" I will reserve my judgement till it is put to the test.

j

[Derb]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

I'm glad you are so confident in your "toy" I will reserve my judgement till it is put to the test.

j

A toy which ya store camera pics, edit them, print them.
A toy which ya can playback DVD upconverted (more homes have 480 only)
A toy which ya can playback CDs & save them
A toy which has 1.3 of the HDMI spec
A toy which decodes every single audio format except DVD-A & dts-MA
A toy which you can browse the net, download 1080p trailers
A toy which has wireless ethernet (Only other console is the Wii)
A toy which ya can view HD in its native 24/frames per second (NO other player can do this)

[Sehnzeleid]

Originally Posted by Derb

A toy which decodes every single audio format except DVD-A & dts-MA

It can decode DTS-HD?

[rixrex]

Originally Posted by Sehnzeleid

Is this fear unfounded? This and trying to get the best bang for my buck has been the biggest stumbling blocks from me going neutral. Getting tired of waiting...

My opinion is that you wait on going BD and use any extra cash you have laying around to go for a DVDO HD or HDplus model that will take your LDs and standard DVDs, and standard broadcast or cable, and enhance them to 720 or 1180, whichever you prefer, and also will scale and anamorph the widescreen LDs to play on squeezed DVD setting. Sell your other DVDO as it is really suitable mainly for 4:3 CRT sets and there is no scaling or aspect ratio control, and will not do better than 480 p-scan.

I think you will appreciate what this unit does to your standard DVDs and LDs played on the Hi-Def TV setting. Of course, part of it depends on the size of you LD collection too perhaps. Mine is quite large and I also have a significant collection of VHS and Beta as well, so it's a useful device. But even if you had mostly just standard DVDs and cable/satellite TV, it's always going to be useful and will not be a purchase you regret.

[MooglePorn]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

I'm glad you are so confident in your "toy" I will reserve my judgement till it is put to the test.

j

Well it's been put to the test by reviewers and been called the best BD player out there, so I don't know what else you want. Everyone who owns one is also very positive about the hardware.

If you mean "wait until it is proven it plays those future titles" I guess that's a fair point, but the firmware upgrades to the PS3 have been amazing and fast, much better than the 360 in that area, and there's just simply no way they won't make sure all future movies and features play on their machine.

In short, no other BD player now or in the future will be given the attention and updates of the PS3... it's Sony's baby.

[Derb]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

Well it's been put to the test by reviewers and been called the best BD player out there, so I don't know what else you want. Everyone who owns one is also very positive about the hardware.

If you mean "wait until it is proven it plays those future titles" I guess that's a fair point, but the firmware upgrades to the PS3 have been amazing and fast, much better than the 360 in that area, and there's just simply no way they won't make sure all future movies and features play on their machine.

In short, no other BD player now or in the future will be given the attention and updates of the PS3... it's Sony's baby.

Amen

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Sehnzeleid

It can decode DTS-HD?

Yes, and it is my opinion that it will be the first bd player that can play dts-hdma via pcm. But it does decode dts-hd, and it does it nicely. I agree with Moogle, the ps3 will be the most future proof player you can find on the blu-ray side. It really is a solid piece of hardware, and I have not regretted for one day purchasing it. I sometimes, but rarely, regret getting the hd-a2 only because I could have waited a bit and the hd-a20 would have been cheaper and had 1080p. But since my hdtv only does 720p/1080i, it wasn't a big deal.

If you are going to get an hdmi receiver, the ps3 is a great way to future proof on the bd-side.

[chlngr1970]

I am not doubting that the PS3 is a good BD player, I was mearly mocking Moogs "toy" comment in his first reply to me That this $500 BD player ( Till the 60G HW runs out ) is the best BD player is telling. Why does the other HW have to be so expensive?

j

[Pirate]

always have to upgrade for new features, but I feel it’s unreasonable to pay BD’s prices when their players don’t support the basic specs seen on their own discs. Give me DTS-MA, TrueHD and HDMI 1.3 support for under $1000 and I’ll buy in.

[chlngr1970]

Originally Posted by piratehunter

always have to upgrade for new features, but I feel it’s unreasonable to pay BD’s prices when their players don’t support the basic specs seen on their own discs. Give me DTS-MA, TrueHD and HDMI 1.3 support for under $1000 and I’ll buy in.

You are SO easy!

I don't see how anyone can support an unfinished format? It just doesn't make sence to me. If Blu Ray had a completed spec, wasn't regon coded, was more consumer friendly, and less expensive, I might be able to support it. I have to admit, the Pioneer Elite 94 would look good with my Elite receiver

j

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

I don't see how anyone can support an unfinished format? It just doesn't make sence to me. j

They enjoy watching movies in high def. Pretty simple answer to me.

[videoworx]

I don't see how anyone can support an unfinished format?

You're using Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, right? All unfinished, and constantly being upgraded, rendering older hardware either obsolete or slow.

No, it's not any different. HD-DVD players and Blu-Ray players are PCs running an OS. They get updates. The more updates, the more things you can do with the format, and the more obsolete older hardware becomes.

[chlngr1970]

So, does this mean that in 18 months, I will have an HD DVD player that will be twice as fast, and have two to four times the resolution as the one I have now? Somehow I doubt that, so on the surface, your argument is a little much. I can see where you are trying to go with this, I just disagree with you on the basics of it. I don't see PCs and OS's as a format so much as a platform to work from. I'm gettin rather tired now...I have to switch over to working nights, so I have been up for almost 24 hours.

[sub780lime]

I think if you bought a PS3 you would be on pretty safe ground. Sony has just invested too much in the PS3 to let it have a pitfall such as unsupported discs. Go for it!

[ganthc]

For just over $1000, you can have a receiver (STR-DG1000) and bd player (ps3) that can allow you to enjoy blu-ray movies with a player (toy, console) that has been future-proof so far. It has been able to play all the bd-j features that have come out to this date, and it plays all the audio codecs (except dts-hdma up to this point), and is the only player that can do 1080p/24, if that is important to you.

With that combo, you should be good for the next few years till something better comes along.

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by ganthc

With that combo, you should be good for the next few years till something better comes along.

This is why BD bothers me. I shouldn't have to buy a game console to feel secure in the format.

[chlngr1970]

And what if you are perfectly happy with your current receiver. IIRC, Pirate has the VSX 52TX. A VERY capable receiver. Just no HDMI. As long as it holds out, why upgrade? So you can "fully enjoy" a questionable movie format? If there was a $500 solution, maybe. A $200 solution, probably, but to HAVE to spend $1K is unreasonable IMHO.

j

[Pirate]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

So you can "fully enjoy" a questionable movie format? If there was a $500 solution, maybe. A $200 solution, probably, but to HAVE to spend $1K is unreasonable IMHO.

Especially since Toshiba's new players have analogs.

[ganthc]

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