Need a Good Blu-Ray Player

mrloren

Merry Christmas,

Well Santa didn't leave me an Oppo again this year My Samsung is biting the slow road to the scrap pile. Have to unplug it every other day and it's starting to freeze on some disc.

my budget is $200 max. I am looking at something other than Samsung or Sony. All my Sony players are Cinavia free so I don't want to mix them up with the newer ones.

So far I am looking at Panasonic players. I am not set yet. It must do Netflix and play MP4/MKV

I do like the bigger players with displays, not the little boxes. My custom TV stand has nice wide cubbies (made for Oppo)

Any advise would be nice

ken brydson

Following this... Need about the same thing myself.

mrloren

la2vegas wrote: »

Looking in the secondary market will usually yield better results. From doing a quick craigslist search used Oppo's start at about $300.

I wish I could find an Oppo used for $300. The used market in San Diego just sucks. Either people don't buy the good stuff here because of the cost of living or they don't sell it.

I also got a nice Amazon gift card to help out with the cost.

I am leaning to a Panasonic https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Upscaling-Streaming-DMP-BDT460-Miracast/dp/B00KZNU822/ref=sr_1_3?s=tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1482865281&sr=1-3&keywords=blu+ray+player&refinements=p_89:Panasonic

I like my older Sony's but they can't be hooked to the network at all. I don't like the Samsungs, slow menu when pull from my NAS and don't seem to last more than a year

mrloren

That's about 120 miles and 2 hour drive without traffic. I live 5 miles from the border with TJ Also out of budget I have a $100 Amazon gift card and the rest is green.

Irrenhaus

Here but no idea if will do Netflix.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/pionbdp80fd/pioneer-bdp-80fd-elite-3d-streaming-blu-ray-disc-player/1.html

Cheers

mantis

Why not wait until you can afford what you really want? Why settle on a crappy player?
$200 isn't going to get you much, but looks like $300 will get you into an Oppo used.
I'd save for the Oppo, They are very nice players.

mrloren

la2vegas wrote: »

No deals in TJ, you're better off staying on this side of the border.

Well I have had no problems down there. but don't think I would buy from private party down there. I have dealt with guys that come across the border to sell and never had a problem.

Think I will get the Panasonic. has great reviews and is in my budget. only like $60 out of my pocket.

mrloren

mantis wrote: »

Why not wait until you can afford what you really want? Why settle on a crappy player?
$200 isn't going to get you much, but looks like $300 will get you into an Oppo used.
I'd save for the Oppo, They are very nice players.

Well if I get the Panasonic it's only like $60 out of my pocket. It should last till I have enough for an Oppo hopeful for mid summer to next fall. I have a few for profit woodwork projects coming up, as long as the wife does not see the checks I will be able to save. The way I figured out how to save without the wife getting all pissed is by putting it in Amazon gift cards. Saving cash is harder it all the sudden get to the "we have bills" and goes bye

Samsungs are ok they just don't last. I have had 3 die within 2 years and the one on it's last legs is just over a year old.

mantis

Samsung is the worse brand out there for anything. I hate the entire company. We stopped selling their TV's due to so many out of box and new install failures.
The damn things in just 1 to 2 years get vertical lines on the screen like a row of pixels all go bad at the same time. Or right out of the box it turns on then fails first day.
Screw their blu ray players and all of them under $200. They are all crap no matter who makes them. Even Sony's affordable players suck and break. Nothing like Samsung but I have seen enough fail to boycott them.
If your not spending at least $399 or more for a Blu ray player, you are getting a piece of throw away crap.

tonyb

My bedroom Samsung TV lasted one year, almost to the day. Never again. 600 bucks out the window.

The Oppo's seem to last, but I'd hesitate even on spending 4 bones for a BDP from the likes of Sony/Samsung/LG. Like I keep sayin'....if your going to make throw away crap, I'll buy the cheapest throw away, not the more expensive throw aways.

mrloren

My 60" Samsung is over 2 years old and still looks great, knocking on wood

As for their BD players I don't like them. I will not buy another. My Sony players have been good to me.

I do have a Pioneer elite BD player I picked up on CL for like $30. Nice picture, better than any of my Sony or Samsung players but it's way to old and will not decode DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD

Mikey081057

I have 2 Samsung TV's over 2 years old. Oddly enough for me it was my Sony that died early. TB it wasn't under warranty?

mrloren

nbrowser wrote: »

If hooked up to your AVR via HDMI...doesn't the AVR do the decoding? [/quote]

nope both Onkyo and Sony receivers accepted plain old dolby from it. The guy who sold it to me said that was why he was getting rid of it. I updated to the newest firmware and still plain old dolby. If I was not an audio nut job I would be using it. Picture on it is fantastic, better than any of my Sony or Samsung players.

Mikey081057

Lotsa nice deals on refurbs on Amazon around $50. Pick one and then save for the OPPO.

tonyb

Ken, the old players can't pass the newer codecs even when set to bitstream or over HDMI.

My Samsung TV was just past the warranty, and they made sure I knew that.

mrloren

this is the old 2007 pioneer Elite BDP-94HD https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Elite-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-94HD

Says it will decode Dolby True HD. I put in the newest Hunger Games and nope plain old dolby in the SR5010

I ordered the Panasonic total cost to me is $63.87 after my gift cards.

Need more woodworking projects to be able to get an Oppo.

rooftop59

mrloren wrote: »

this is the old 2007 pioneer Elite BDP-94HD https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Elite-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-94HD

Says it will decode Dolby True HD. I put in the newest Hunger Games and nope plain old dolby in the SR5010

I ordered the Panasonic total cost to me is $63.87 after my gift cards.

Need more woodworking projects to be able to get an Oppo.

I don't know about your pioneer, but is the hunger games a rental? Those don't come with hd tracks. Lions gate rentals are lame!

Emlyn

Another consideration is Blu Ray players require firmware updates to remain compatible and glitch free with new Blu Ray releases. Some manufacturers are better than others at keeping up with the necessary firmware updates and they are easier if the player connects to a network through built in Wi-Fi. Expensive older players sometimes are no longer supported with firmware updates and they are difficult to update.

mrloren

I updated it when I got it. For $30 I figured what the heck. I tried it out for a few and was amazed by the picture quality for such an older player. The guy I got it from said he got an all new system and he could not get it to play in DTS-HD and neither could I. At least I have a Cinavia free player for backup.

I still have a circa 2005 Sony 3100ES DVD/SACD player I use for my CD's and DVD. People ask why I have it so I put on a DVD and it's "wow thats DVD", I have star wars on both BD & DVD so I use that to compare the two. Picture is almost the same but the only place the BD shines is the audio quality. Now the Pioneer has better picture quality the any of my lower end players.

I will see how the Panasonic is this weekend, I will have it Friday.

mrloren

rooftop59 wrote: »

mrloren wrote: »

this is the old 2007 pioneer Elite BDP-94HD https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Elite-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-94HD

Says it will decode Dolby True HD. I put in the newest Hunger Games and nope plain old dolby in the SR5010

I ordered the Panasonic total cost to me is $63.87 after my gift cards.

Need more woodworking projects to be able to get an Oppo.

I don't know about your pioneer, but is the hunger games a rental? Those don't come with hd tracks. Lions gate rentals are lame!

I own the box set, I am a movie junkie. over 2,000 DVD and getting close to 300 BD. Love it when movies are on sale for $3.99. I got most of the Bond flicks like that. Harry Potter full 7 BD set for less than $40. I keep an eye on Best Buy and Frys for sale on year or two old flicks and get the for 10 to 30% of retail price.

pitdogg2

nbrowser wrote: »

mrloren wrote: »

My 60" Samsung is over 2 years old and still looks great, knocking on wood

As for their BD players I don't like them. I will not buy another. My Sony players have been good to me.

I do have a Pioneer elite BD player I picked up on CL for like $30. Nice picture, better than any of my Sony or Samsung players but it's way to old and will not decode DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD

If hooked up to your AVR via HDMI...doesn't the AVR do the decoding?

Yep...that is if the avr has that ability

Emlyn

I have had a Panasonic BDT500P for over 4 years without problems with it. Build quality isn't great and it's a bit noisy loading discs but works fine. Video quality is ok but nothing special. It's only used occasionally in a bedroom. Also has dual HDMI outputs and 7.1 analog outputs. Panasonic provides reliable firmware updates over WiFi and a full range of apps like Amazon and Netflix.

recoveryone

WOW! first time I seen post slamming Samsung TV's, they have been the staple of flat screen for over a decade.

As for the issues with codecs, I would look at your AVR ability to decode. I have several Pioneer BDP from the entry level 120, 320, 330 and Elite 95FD they all decode all newer codecs without a problem (except Atmos). When I had the Pioneer Elite VSX 81TXV it would play DTS Master HD and True HD as PCM format for 7.1. I have they settings on bitstream for all players in my home, I always have everything via HDMI, unless no HDMI is available.

I brought my parents a full Samsung setup 2-3 years ago. It was the last year of the Plasma panels and it is going strong. I added a Samsung AVR and BDP to keep the remote control issues simple. They work great together, but I will add that my Parents don't do much TV watching.

I also brought a Panasonic 50" plasma from the people we brought their home that my son lives in. I added a Panasonic BDP for them having it run through a Pioneer AVR and full Polk speaker setup Rti 4 fronts, T15 rears, CS 225 center and PSW10 sub. The AVR and BDP support all of the newer codec except Atmos.

stangman67

Samsung reliability certainly has dropped as of late. I have a 6 year old 55" Samsung LED tv that is still going strong, so they used to be the standard. Guess not anymore.

polrbehr

Have an 8+ y.o. 67" Samsung LED DLP - though
I did have to replace the DMD chip over the summer. Cost me $225 with installation.
If that puts it into the failure category, I ain't complaining!

*sorry for the derail mrloren. But I agree, saving for an Oppo down the road will be rewarded*

mrloren

recoveryone wrote: »

WOW! first time I seen post slamming Samsung TV's, they have been the staple of flat screen for over a decade.

As for the issues with codecs, I would look at your AVR ability to decode. I have several Pioneer BDP from the entry level 120, 320, 330 and Elite 95FD they all decode all newer codecs without a problem (except Atmos). When I had the Pioneer Elite VSX 81TXV it would play DTS Master HD and True HD as PCM format for 7.1. I have they settings on bitstream for all players in my home, I always have everything via HDMI, unless no HDMI is available.

I brought my parents a full Samsung setup 2-3 years ago. It was the last year of the Plasma panels and it is going strong. I added a Samsung AVR and BDP to keep the remote control issues simple. They work great together, but I will add that my Parents don't do much TV watching.

I also brought a Panasonic 50" plasma from the people we brought their home that my son lives in. I added a Panasonic BDP for them having it run through a Pioneer AVR and full Polk speaker setup Rti 4 fronts, T15 rears, CS 225 center and PSW10 sub. The AVR and BDP support all of the newer codec except Atmos.

The old Pioneer is the 94HD date on the back is Oct 06. I tried with 3 different receivers to get DTS-HD to come through with no luck. The previous owner could not get it either that is why he sold it. The good thing is the latest firmware for it is still Cinavia free so I have a good player if needed.

Panasonic will be here tomorrow, wife just picked up Sully so have a good weekend ahead

mrloren

polrbehr wrote: »

Have an 8+ y.o. 67" Samsung LED DLP - though
I did have to replace the DMD chip over the summer. Cost me $225 with installation.
If that puts it into the failure category, I ain't complaining!

*sorry for the derail mrloren. But I agree, saving for an Oppo down the road will be rewarded*

it's cool, and yes saving for an Oppo this year is in the plans.