Advice needed - HD-DVD/Blu Ray players

polkatese · December 2007

Polkies,

I've been thinking about getting a dual format player for the HD. Currently I have XBOX HDDVD addon that has serve me well. With the current crop of dual players (LG - BH200 and Sammy BD-UP5000) I am afraid it won't do the future needs (I don't want to end up with a bunch of players like the last time I did, with DVD-Audio and SACD fiasco). Going with two units separately (HD-DVD and BluRay) is NOT in the plan, since I am tired of collecting gears. In the mean time, I start to build my HD-DVD collections, since this is the format that I've been supporting by default. The questions I have are as follow:

1. Stick with HD-DVD XBOX add-on until the format war settle itself (this option has the risk of the format HD-DVD lose its popularity in the future, so I might end up with an obsolete collections, but, is it even remotely possible?)
2. Did I miss anything by not having a BD player?
3. Staying with HD-DVD format, is it worthwhile to get a full-blown player such as the Toshiba A35?

ps: Until I am moving to a B&K Reference 70 with HDMI next year, I am constrained by component output for XBOX 360 connection, hence full HDMI switching through the Pre/Pro is not in the current plan. Is this going to make any difference in the above scenarios (in your opinion)?

TIA

Ferres · December 2007

I would choose a player that does all the audio decoding via analogs.

billbillw · December 2007

Tough question. Personally, I'd stay with the Xbox add-on for another year and see what happens with the market. By then, I expect there should be more "universal" players available at prices that are more reasonable (under $500). The only big thing you are missing without Bluray is the Sony/Disney movies. Maybe just rent movies for the next year, that way you won't end up with a collection of obsolete movies if HDDVD dies off.

In a year, several things are possible (but all unlikely) 1) the movie studios will decide to embrace both formats (unlikely for Sony to offer HDDVD though) 2) One or the other will die off. If PS3 dies, so does BluRay (IMO). If Warner goes Bluray only, then HDDVD will probably die.
3) another format will come out and dominate (CH-DVD or HD-VMD)
4) A down-loadable HD movie content source will emerge and take over.

I have a feeling that things will be similar next year, but with more 'universal' hardware to choose from.

BIZILL · December 2007

i just upgraded my 360 add-on to the toshiba a-35 because hd dvd and blu-ray are NOT just about video, but high def audio as well. so i also updated (not quite sure i up'graded') to the onkyo 805 as well to get some lossless audio action. that being said, i'd prolly just hang on to the add-on awhile longer. by the time you upgrade to your b&k, newer players with more features can be had. or this year's models will be available at close-out pricing.

vlam · December 2007

I went from the Xbox add on to the LG GGC-H20L BLU-RAY/HD-DVD and I am not looking back. It cost a lot more than the Xbox add on if you put the free HD DVD into the price. I wanted BR and there was not way I was going for another set top box player. The original Toshiba HD DVD player lasted less than a day out of the box for me when it first came out.

Unless you want BR at this point, stick with the Xbox add on if you already own one.

mantis · December 2007

polkatese,
don't you already own the ps3 as well??? If not I'd say stick with the xbox and get a ps3. This is the smartest way to get into the new formats.

You also need to upgrade your preamp as neither send out 6 channel not to mention not many preamps have dual 6 channel in's so....

The new Samsung combo player coming out seems promising, we should already have it or it's on the way. It sucks right now. To much going on and not enough higher end support as usual. Rotel came out with a new preamp but it sucks. B&K is also coming out with a new preamp early next year and we shall see what they do.

I'm in your boat brother. I own HD DVD via Xbox but my xbox is hdmi out. I upgraded it. I have no HDMI switching with my current preamp(rotel rsp1068) so I run just regular digital optical. It doesn't suck but I know Running the new audio formats they are more detailed. I want to get a blue ray player and I think I will just pick up a PS3. it's video quality is awesome and was rated #2 overall just a few months back only losing to the Pioneer Elite. I can justify that result as I have done many side by side and it's fantastic. Pioneer does have more detail but it's hard to see.

I'll let you know on the new Samsung. The Lg sucks I have seen it go and I don't like it at all other then 2 players in one box. Wait for the Samsung.

Dan

mantis · December 2007

So I forgot to finish up with my thing here,

So I'm gonna pick up a Pioneer ELite vsx94txh receiver and use it as a preamp. It goes against everything I believe in but right now there is NOTHING on the market except the NAD receiver which I have not heard go yet so I'm not putting anthing into that. It looks good on paper and NAD makes good stuff.
Back to the pioneer , it's awesome and I said this a million times in the past, I wish these companies would make preamps or have much better amp sections. With my speakers(Dynaudio) I have no ability to run without an amp. I will use my Rotel amps with it and not use the internal amps. This is the only way I see right now to get HDMI switching with 1.3 support full processing of everything in the receiver. Not to mention it sounds great as a preamp. I have done it a few times now and was happy with the results. Hell I did a killer 7.1 Lsi system with it and a 200.7 B&K and it was completely off the charts. We had the room running over 110db and it was crystal clear and dynamic as hell. My customer was a Iron Maiden freak and we had a rock concert in his theater room and man was it nice. The Lsi's sang man. They B7k didn't help with sound quality, it gave the system life. The Pioneer could not handle the 7.1 system at reference levels, it shut down. So the amp was nessary not to mention they are 4ohm load and the pioneer is rated to handle 6ohms. I t ran it but it was flat on dynamic range. With the B7k it opened up and said Ahhhhhhhhhh........

Dan

mantis · December 2007

You killing me with your post......

I didn't mention I'm going to use a Pioneer ELite Kuro 150fd 60 inch plasma for video. That is the benchmark set on the market today. There is nothing better I have seen or even come close.

Dan

polkatese · December 2007

Thanks for the feedback guys, it makes sense to sit on the sideline and watch the format battle, and hoping for a better universal player to come out, beyond the current LG and Sammy. It seems that your thoughts are in line with my bias.

Dan,
what's up? sounds like a killer setup that you are working on there! I tell you one thing, running HDMI switcher through Pre/Pro (which I hope REF70 will do) is no brainer for me. Not to mention it is a lot easier to fish one skinny cable over MC RCA Component cable. Let alone three sets of them. After a HDMI Pre/Pro in place, I hope I can kill a bunch of snake in my snake pit (behind the wallunit and gears), well, XBOX be will the only one fed on component.

I don't have PS3. I am done with consoles:360 and Wii are more than enough to send me to the poor house, games are too expensive, at its current pricing. Not to mention, time to play them!

PE Kuro is very nice, but with my wall unit in place, there is no way I can put in a Kuro, without removing the wallunit (which is not going to happen). Oh yeah, I am done paying that kind of money for video, been there, done that. I watch the BB guys hauled my $5k PE RPTV, and it costs me 30 bucks to dump my 5K. It hurts! I am thrilled with my 2K Sony, no comparison to the old PE.

billbillw · December 2007

The Samsung dual player (UP5000) may end up being a fine player, but its way too soon to tell. I'd give it at least 6 months, a few firmware upgrades and watch the price drop to under $500. At that point, if it does everything right (I mean play every disc without any hicups) and it has the video quality that reviewers have seen, then it will be somewhat of a steal.

polkatese · January 2008

I strolled into my local CC on the 31st, looking for sale cds and stumbled into a boxed up Sammy BDUP5000. So, I took it home. I've tested both formats, grabbed several BRay movies, and played several of my HD-DVD collections. Well, so far so good, pictures are clean, detailed, DTS/DD work fine using coaxial. I noticed that supply is still pretty much zero everywhere.

Looks like a keeper, granted I have 30 days to play. So far, I am pretty stoked having a single box that plays both formats.

PS: Ladder 49 on BR has very impressive LFE, tight and goes deep..

danger boy · January 2008

polkatese wrote: »

I strolled into my local CC on the 31st, looking for sale cds and stumbled into a boxed up Sammy BDUP5000. So, I took it home. I've tested both formats, grabbed several BRay movies, and played several of my HD-DVD collections. Well, so far so good, pictures are clean, detailed, DTS/DD work fine using coaxial. I noticed that supply is still pretty much zero everywhere.

Looks like a keeper, granted I have 30 days to play. So far, I am pretty stoked having a single box that plays both formats.

PS: Ladder 49 on BR has very impressive LFE, tight and goes deep..

congrats on your new multi format player.. sounds like it's a keeper. I can't afford a dual format player myself.. I have to choose on or the other. I am leaning towards HD DVD, but like you, i don't want to choose the wrong format and in a year or two have no new software for it. i hate this **** of to competing formats.

polkatese · January 2008

DB, yeah, it was an expensive write off having to have my DVD-A collections to sit idle, casualty of the last format war, and there are too many Disney and Sony movies that I was dying to own before, but can't do anything without another investment in BD player. I hope this Sammy would last, I am not too concern about trueHD and MA as long as I can still get the good ol' DD+ and DTS, I am ok.

Advice needed - HD-DVD/Blu Ray players

Comments