Blu ray Disc player Suggestions

donedroolin
donedroolin Posts: 225
edited January 2009 in Electronics
Well in the market for a new Blu Ray disc player. Considering the Sony BDP-S350 ,BDP-S550 or the Samaung BD-1500. Looking to spend $300 to $350. What do you think and any other suggestions apprieciated.
TV- 52 inch LCD SONY BRAVIA XBR6
TV- 42 inch PLASMA HITACHI ULTRA VISION
AMP- PARASOUND HALO A-51
CONTROLLER- PARASOUND HALO C-2
FRONT SPEAKERS- LSi15's and LSiC
REAR SPEAKERS- LSi7's
SUBWOOFER- VELODYNE DD15
BLU RAY- LG SUPER BLU BH200
BLU RAY- SONY BDPS350
GAME SYSTEM- NINTENDO Wii
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WIRES- AUDIO QUEST and MONSTER
Post edited by donedroolin on
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  • timmythugs
    timmythugs Posts: 71
    edited January 2009
    ps3
    j
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  • nm4710
    nm4710 Posts: 97
    edited January 2009
    The PS3 isn't a bad idea...prob doesn't have all the features of a dedicated unit. I've seen and heard the Pioneer one...seen it around $400. I'd imagine at that price it'd be hard to beat. BDP-51FD is the model #. It's got analog outputs, Wolfson DACs (although without knowing the model # I'm not sure how much this really means), bitstream capability. To me the build quality seemed much better than the Sonys. Picture was on different TVs, so I really can't comment. Sounded good through the Martin Logans I heard it paired up with. Really seems like a steal at $400...if I didn't have the PS3 :)
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  • danz1906
    danz1906 Posts: 5,144
    edited January 2009
    Best Buy has the Sony 550 for sale $329.00 IF YOU CAND FIND ONE:(
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited January 2009
    I agree. The Sony PS3 is a much better player than most people realize.

    1. It has internet capability older models do not.
    2. it has game chips which are often 'superior' to what you find in the 3-400 dollar blu-ray.
    3. It has a hard-drive (storage)
    4. It can now stream video on demand?
    5. It has the 'fastest' load time of almost ANY blu-ray player.
    6. Sony is pretty much selling those things at a 'loss' so 400 bucks is not really what they should be selling for.

    Normally, I'm not a Sony guy, far from it. But in the 400 dollar range this unit is unbeatable. Get the separate blu-ray remote, it'll make your life a lot easier and is only 25 dollars.

    Yours,
    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,196
    edited January 2009
    The price on the PS3 will be dropping an extra $100 very soon. The 80G model for $299 is a killer deal.
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited January 2009
    Conradicles wrote: »
    The price on the PS3 will be dropping an extra $100 very soon. The 80G model for $299 is a killer deal.


    If so, then I'm all over that! :)

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • wutadumsn23
    wutadumsn23 Posts: 3,702
    edited January 2009
    Another vote for the PS3, I know it is out of your price range but like cnh said you get all that extra stuff and it retails for about $450. I have also heard of the $100 price drop here soon, and at that price you won't be able to beat it. Don't forget it is also a media center and internet web browser too.
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  • ajcllc
    ajcllc Posts: 138
    edited January 2009
    The Panasonic DMP-BD35K has really good reviews and was Editors' Choice on CNET:

    http://reviews.panasonic.com/9203/301233/reviews.htm
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited January 2009
    Isn't the PS3 the one that dies over and over?
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited January 2009
    ben62670 wrote: »
    Isn't the PS3 the one that dies over and over?

    The ps3's failure rate isn't anything out of the ordinary. It's a fine machine dependability wise especially considering people are using it as a game machine, multimedia server/streamer, a blu-ray player, and people are leaving it on 24/7 to do stanford's folding at home computing project. It's not the console with the 'red ring of death', if that's what you're asking.

    That said, you have to think about what you want in a blu-ray player before jumping into the ps3. If you need non-hdmi connection to your equipment (analog outs), non-third party universal remote solutions (the ps3 uses bluetooth), or want the chips in your AVR to decode lossless audio instead of the chips in the ps3, then you may want to look at a dedicated player. Otherwise, the ps3 has great picture and audio quality over hdmi and has many advanced audio and video fine tuning options, many added via regular and easy firmware updates. Although it is a launch player, because of the gaming hardware, performance still compares well with recently released players.
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,196
    edited January 2009
    ben62670 wrote: »
    Isn't the PS3 the one that dies over and over?

    Nope...that is the XBOX 360...horrible fail rate.:(

    Just hope the one my son has holds up.:o
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited January 2009
    Thanks for clearing that up.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited January 2009
    Conradicles wrote: »
    The price on the PS3 will be dropping an extra $100 very soon. The 80G model for $299 is a killer deal.

    Where did you hear this from? Can't see how Sony could afford to lose even more money on this unit.
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited January 2009
    donedroolin wrote: »
    Well in the market for a new Blu Ray disc player. Considering the Sony BDP-S350 ,BDP-S550 or the Samaung BD-1500. Looking to spend $300 to $350. What do you think and any other suggestions apprieciated.

    Two months too late. The Sony bdp-350's were selling for $179.99 during Thanksgiving. I've heard a lot of bad things about the Samsung blu-ray players. Don't know if they got their act together yet.
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,502
    edited January 2009
    I bought the PS3 in November direct from sonystyle.com, their retail website. I think it was an amazing value at $399, especially if you have wifi in your home as it is included and makes updates a no-brainer. The image and sound quality are very, very good.

    When I purchased they were offering free shipping and an instant $150 rebate if you opened a Sony charge card PLUS no interest if paid within 12 months. I immediately shredded the caqrd upon receipt. I've made 2 $10 payments with zero interest and will pay $10 per month until the $130 last payment is due next November. $249 at 0% for 12 MONTHS !!!!

    The only downfall is that the controller (and optional remote) are Bluetooth. This is great as you don't need line of sight, BUT . . . . I'm not aware of a universal remote on the market yet that will do BOTH Infrared and Bluetooth. That's another expensive new product that will be coming down the road.

    ######
    PS, my 14 yr old son uses his XBox occasionally for DVD (not Blu Ray) when not gaming, and it is just OK, but he has burned up 3 of them in 2 years. For $99 a pop Microsoft rebuilds, but you are then without for 2+ weeks.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited January 2009
    inspiredsports wrote: »
    The only downfall is that the controller (and optional remote) are Bluetooth. This is great as you don't need line of sight, BUT . . . . I'm not aware of a universal remote on the market yet that will do BOTH Infrared and Bluetooth. That's another expensive new product that will be coming down the road.

    There are 3rd party solutions that use infrared add-on receivers. Just a PITA that Sony hasn't some up with their own solution to this problem.
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,196
    edited January 2009
    leroyjr1 wrote: »
    Where did you hear this from? Can't see how Sony could afford to lose even more money on this unit.

    An article on CNET. They are usually pretty reliable.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,545
    edited January 2009
    Given that the original poster's question asked about stand-alone Blu-Ray players and he has an excellent pre-pro without HDMI, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to recommend he get a Playstation. To take advantage of high-resolution audio he needs one with analog outputs.

    I would recommend the Panasonic BD55 first, but those aren't available anymore as Panasonic phases in their new units this spring. About the only one I'd recommend on the market in the $300 price range is the Sony 550.
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  • TheMARPATNinja7
    TheMARPATNinja7 Posts: 150
    edited January 2009
    ajcllc wrote: »
    The Panasonic DMP-BD35K has really good reviews and was Editors' Choice on CNET:

    http://reviews.panasonic.com/9203/301233/reviews.htm

    A friend of mine actually has this one, and when I saw it images that were really dark, they looked weird and had this "blue fuzz" on them. I have a PS3 on one tv and a S350 on another. They both do legit amounts of work, I don't have any reservations with either.
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  • donedroolin
    donedroolin Posts: 225
    edited January 2009
    Considered the Ps3 for alittle while, But I want a stand alone player. Went to Hippos and now I am looking at Pioneer, One is the Elite model BDP05 and one is the regular Blu ray BDP51FD. Like them both but thier is a $200.00 dollar difference and not sure if it is worth it for the Elite. I think I will get one of the Pioneers and probally change it out in my main HT system. Change the Pioneer in place of the LG Super Blu BH200. What do you think.
    TV- 52 inch LCD SONY BRAVIA XBR6
    TV- 42 inch PLASMA HITACHI ULTRA VISION
    AMP- PARASOUND HALO A-51
    CONTROLLER- PARASOUND HALO C-2
    FRONT SPEAKERS- LSi15's and LSiC
    REAR SPEAKERS- LSi7's
    SUBWOOFER- VELODYNE DD15
    BLU RAY- LG SUPER BLU BH200
    BLU RAY- SONY BDPS350
    GAME SYSTEM- NINTENDO Wii
    MONSTER POWER CONDITIONER
    WIRES- AUDIO QUEST and MONSTER
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited January 2009
    Elite.

    Although I bought a Magnavox, BR player for 128.88 at Wally on a door buster and it works just fine.

    RT1
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  • acsubie
    acsubie Posts: 773
    edited January 2009
    Conradicles wrote: »
    The price on the PS3 will be dropping an extra $100 very soon. The 80G model for $299 is a killer deal.

    and that'll be one i pick up an extra for the bedroom..gaming and Blu rays from comfort of my bed!!!
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  • fatchowmein
    fatchowmein Posts: 2,637
    edited January 2009
    ben62670 wrote: »
    Isn't the PS3 the one that dies over and over?

    Mine has an issue with the BR laser. Going through a bunch of blogs and forums, seems as though the BR player in the early 60GB units had questionable quality but this only affected a minority of people. I just happen to be unlucky. My PS3 is mainly used for BR playback (no folding, only own one game [gift] that I barely touch). DVD playback is fine.

    Be that as it may, beware of the PS3's warranty. It's only for 1 year and you better have the receipt or else it's $150 for repairs. Mine had issues after 15 months. Nuts! :(

    In comparison, the repair for my 360's RRoD was very simple and I likethe 3 year warranty and simple warranty check without receipt. However, everyone I know who own a 360 has experienced the RRoD whereas my two PS3 friends have not had a problem yet but their friends have.

    IMHO, if it's only for BR playback, get a dedicated player. As always, YMMV. :)
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