Ditch the upconvert. The PS3 replaced my upconverting DVD recorder... the PS3 is miles better at playing SD DVDs that the recorder. My 5 Disc Changer ended up in my stereo since 5 CD changers are hard to find these days (and I like loading a million MP3s onto a few DVDs at Christmas!).

So where is this $100 off offer?

I'm also on the fence about getting a PS3 to use mainly as a Blu-ray player. I have a Panasonic DMB-BD30 now, and I'm still using it with a 480i TV, but am planning to get an HDTV SOON!

I've read somewhere that the PS3 won't upconvert 480 material on Blu-ray discs. Is this true? Anyway, shouldn't the TV do it?

The lack of analog outputs is kind of a bummer since my current receiver doesn't decode any of the hi-def formats, so I couldn't listen to any of the lossless tracks. It seems reasonable to believe that DTS HD-MA will be added at some point.

I have the Nyko IR remote AND the Harmony 890. I am using the 890 for everything mapped to the Nyko. Powering off isn't a problem for me - when I go to take the disc out I turn it off then.

Oh yeah - buy the PS3.

I did the Credit Card offer back in August and got $150 off the 60GB making it $390 shipped.

A bonus of doing the CC offer is you get enough points from Sony to get a BD disc for free. Selection sucks, but it's something.

Betamax?

There is really no good reason not to have one. It's probably the best piece of electronics I've ever bought, and I'm really glad people are finally starting to realize what a great machine it really is.

I originally bought mine for games, have over 20 now, but now I am very happy with its dual useage. I have tons of games and 60+ Blu-Rays. Also, I like being able to convert videos on my computer and then put them on my PS3's hard drive and watch them on my tv rather than on my computer. We also use the video chat capabilties to voice chat with my in-laws since it is free and they live in another country. That about sums up the many reasons why I think this system is worth it and I paid 600 dollars for each of my two 60gb systems.

The PS4 is due out in 48 short months. The PS3 is obsolete.

1080p Toshiba Regza 42

I've been weighing the same decision for the past few weeks. I've had a PS3 in my Amazon cart since last week while trying to make a final decision. I waited until Monday to see if there would be a price drop (nope), then waited to hear if a new promo would start when the other one ends (still don't know), then wondered if I should wait for the white one, or the DualShock 3 controllers, etc. In the end I decided to finally bite the bullet today and placed the order. I'm still not thrilled with the cost of the thing and didn't really want another game console since I already have a 360 and a Wii but no other Blu-Ray players are as future proof.

It's odd but I've never been less excited about a new gadget in my life. I want a Blu-Ray player but for some reason it just doesn't have me all that thrilled.

In case you didn't pick it up reading this thread, you have to buy today ro tomorrow to get the 5 free. That offer ends tomorrow.

You should think about that comment. Have you seen the movie list choices? Most of them are crap. I mean they're okay, but if they weren't free I'd MAYBE rent them but really wouldn't buy them. One from each category:

Category 1
( ) The Prestige
( ) Wild Hogs
( ) Pirates of the Carribean:Curse of the Black Pearl

Category 2
( ) Swordfish
( ) Superman: The Movie
( ) Full Metal Jacket

Category 3
( ) Stir of Echoes
( ) American Psycho
( ) The Devil's Rejects

Category 4
( ) The Patriot
( ) S.W.A.T.
( ) Ultraviolet

Category 5
( ) Chain Reaction
( ) Omen 666
( ) Flight of the Phoenix
( ) Species
( ) Hart's War
( ) The Last Waltz

That will change once you have it hooked up.

Check out this posting in another thread. The poster has some legitimate concerns regarding the PS3:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread....29#post8469229
Personally I think the last one is really stretching it, but it is a valid opinion.

rfduncan...

That individual post was addressed in later posts in that thread.

It's a 34'' widescreen/flat screen Sony XBR800 CRT display. That's right, TUBE TV! I bought my TV before this flat panel stuff came out I guess it can accept anything but it will display images in 720p/1080i. I have a DVI input instead of a HDMI. But I have a DVI/ HDMI cable that I have been using with my upconverting Sony player.

I got one...$299 SonyStyle deal.

Meeeeh, it's OK, plays BD nicely, although it doesn't bitstream to my Denon 3808 like my XA2 does.

I just think it's got way more features than I'll ever need: Video game play, 40G HDD, controller, internet connectivity, streaming audio, etc.

I didn't want a game unit in my HT, but I figured it would have the best resale potential on FeeBay once a better universal player comes out.

because you love HD-DVD & Microsoft and feel that they can still win the 'war'...

Will it be backwards compatible?

Because you might break it throwing around your Wii controller?

Personally, I love the Sony Blu-Ray remote, one of my favorites.

Yup, I almost wish the rest of my remotes were all bluetooth instead of IR.

PS3...best investment for me in ' 07.

I'd also like to add that the sony bluetooth remote is a great add-on as well. You can pause a movie while you're taking a shower. I don't miss having to line up the remote with the box.

Okay, let me list the things i don't like about the PS3...

1. Uses a lot of power
2. Bitstream limitation
3. Dust magnet
4. Sensitive power button
5. Doesn't come with a remote/component cable (HDMI cable would be nice) Fortunately, there are cheap solutions to this...
6. No tray... it could be a pro or con depending how you look at it.

Could somebody expand on the supposed power usage issue and why it's an issue? Thanks.

Seeing as I am getting a PS3 for my birthday coming up I don't know how well I could talk you out of it other than to say it is the LAST of the game systems I have bought. The xbox 360 far outstrips it in the games department thats for sure. The wii is far more of a fun experience playing it. In fact the only reason I wanted it is because of the blu ray drive. If HD-DVD had won the war I most likely would never have wanted one, well maybe when God of War 3 comes out I'd have changed my tune. But ps3 just never had the grab my attention titles like the xbox did. So if you have no interest in hi def movies then by all means don't get a ps3, because if you base it strictly on games.....so far I've been unimpressed.

Don't know if this'll help, but I recently decided against a PS3 for the following reasons:

1) I think it's an ugly system... I usually wait for systems to get redesigned, like the top-loading NES & SNES or the slim PS2.

2) Having a PS2 (and craploads of other systems back to Atari, although I'm dumping most of them now in favor of emulators), I don't need another game system. I'm mostly into retro compilations and shooters... not much for the PS3 has impressed me yet.

3) TARGET had a deal where you got a $100 gift card just for buying a $389 Sony BDP-S300. It isn't the best BD player out there (no TrueHD audio or dts HD), but price is a big issue for me. To get it for $289 sealed the deal on my foray into hi-def. (Actually, the $100 can't be applied to the player, but I did get a 12' HDMI cable and 2 movies with the gift card that I'd have had to pay extra for otherwise.)

Obviously your circumstances are different, but those are the factors I had to consider. My advice is if you can get a dedicated player for less than the PS3 and see yourself watching movies more than playing games, forget the PS3. On the other hand, if you see yourself buying a PS3 sometime in the future, it might be a good idea to stretch the budget a little more to kill two birds with one stone.