darkside

I don't really get the display. The display button on the PS3 gives you more information that any other player I have tried. Having it on an LCD screen on the player doesn't seem a big deal. I usually dim all that stuff when watching movies if the hardware supports it.

Stacking I totally get though.

However all that said, I also have a standalone CE player right next to the PS3 and for any movies that don't support profile 2.0 or DTS MA I am using it. I guess my frustration is why can't these CE players that are more expensive live up to the abilities of the cheaper PS3? I think they must be building these $600 players on a budget of $100 to squeeze as much profit out as possible.

The linux box needs to die. They need to come up with components that can actually handle the requirements of BD so we don't end up with slow and buggy linux PCs in our HT racks.

Gizmo

I hate having to get up, grab the remote and click a button to see how much time is left (which interrupts the movie). I rather just glance down from the screen at a display unit. I also don't watch how high the audio or video peaks like others do. Thats just my person preference of course.

Centurion

Does the PS3 have an accessory you can purchase that looks and functions like a remote or is the game controller the only device for watching BDM's?

darkside

It has a real Bluetooth remote control. Retails for $20 to $25.

Centurion

Thank you. I've been wondering about this. My blu ray player will be part of a dedicated HT. I don't use this system for videogames (that's reserved for another system in a different room). Hence, I like the look of a CE component and remote.

I've been waiting for reviews on the BD-50 (read the CNET link) and upcoming Pio 05FD. I've boiled down my selection to these three players, PS3 being the third candidate.

lizard

The downsides to the PS3 have been discussed much earlier in this thread and in some other threads (for example: the one I will indelicately call the PS3 circle-jerk thread, for the irrationality of some of the comments made by PS3 fans).

If the downsides to the PS3 don't apply to your situation, fine. For me, the PS3 doesn't come close to what I need and want in a BD player, hence this thread.

The Pioneer BDP-51FD, however, fully meets my needs, save for the price, $600 MSRP. It is mighty tempting though, despite the high price.


The $2K Denon 3800, to which you referred, was released some time ago. But it has "issues". Denon flubbed that one badly.

darkside

I didn't know about the Denon. That is hugely disappointing.

I do understand the want of a standard CE player and my main frustration is why no one can get it right after BD being on the market this long. I just want something that is as fast, stable and glitch free as the cheaper PS3. I have owned the Toshiba A-1, A-2, A-3 for HD DVD, Sharp Aquos BD-HP20 and now the LG BH200 and none of them can do it quite right. All three Toshibas had freeze up issues with the A-1 and A-2 finally dying all together. The Aquos does seem to have have ironed out some of its issues with the latest firmware, but is still slow as molasses when dealing with Java. The BH200 has been the most encouraging player so far and I'm hoping LG updates it to BD 2.0. The thing that really sucks about the BD players is they seem to need new firmware every Tuesday when new discs are released since some disc or another in a new wave will have an issue. The PS3 oddly enough never seems effected by this.

I think headaches like this are going to prevent the BD format from ever having mainstream success. People want to buy a player and watch movies. Not constantly tinker with firmware.

Superman07

Looks like the first region free players are hitting the market.

http://www.bluraymods.com/

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/26/f...ers-available/

Gizmo

There being hacked though, right? Not something you could buy off the shelf.

Superman07

Apparently. Although it seems hardware based, which is what I suppose a "produced" player would need to follow as well to work.

dkny75

HKflix also has a couple of region free blu-ray players if anyone is interested.

lizard

A pdf for the Pioneer BDP-51FD manual has been posted by a couple of folks at AVS:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lrytex421im
http://www.mediafire.com/?tzxliyljpxm

It is 9 MB so I haven't had a chance to download it yet. I'm wading through comments and thus far it appears that there is no speaker distance setting for analog out. If true that would be disappointing for me.

Mr. Cinema

Circuit City has added the Sony BDPS350 to their website. $399. Listed as "coming soon".

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-...oductDetail.do

lizard

The Sony S350 is out. Sony Style has shipped some and the first customers expect to get them tomorrow (free FedEx shipping, I believe). User reports will probably start appearing tomorrow.


In other news:
The Panasonic BD50 apparently has limited "bass management" (BM) capability. While something of a misnomer, this refers to the settings needed when using multi-channel analog outputs: crossover frequency (the actual "bass management"), individual speaker volume adjustment, and speaker distance settings (delay). [This stuff is of no importance to those using HDMI to connect to their receivers.]

To be useful, multi-channel analog output players should allow settings for all of these because most receivers can't do these adjustments when using analog inputs (and to do it, they would have to re-digitize the signal). Reports suggest that the BD50 doesn't have all these adjustments, a surprise in a $700 player.

The owner's manual for the Pioneer 51FD also makes no mention of these adjustments. Whether that player really does not have proper BM (or it can be added later via FW updates) remains to be seen. If the Pioneer player(s) don't have proper BM for analog out, that would be an even bigger surprise than the Panny BD50 not having it.

In short, the Profile 1.1 and 2.0 players being released are proving a disappointment to those of us hoping to use analog out for lossless audio. The only Profile 1.1 player to do this stuff correctly is the $2000 Denon 3800.

Centurion

Wow, that really is a disappointment especially at those prices. Bass management is a must for calibrating a correct soundstage or for personal taste.
It's almost as if the industry is secretly "forcing" consumers to adapt to HDMI.

Mr. Cinema

The Panasonic DMP-BD30 has finally received a price drop. New price is $399. Best Buy and Circuit City both have the new price shown. The DMP-BD50 is also supposed to receive a price drop, likely to $599.

Gizmo

Panasonic had to drop the price of the BD30 to match the price of the Sony S350 (which is getting much better reviews and can go to 2.0) which is just now hitting stores.

If the $599 price is true on the BD50...wel, that combined with a 12% off coupon at Best Buy means I will be ditching my PS3. I only wish the S550 was out so it would match my HTIB. Oh well.

BTW, Where did you hear about the price drop of the BD50?

lizard

Sony S350 Operating Manual:
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/BDPS350_US.pdf

BTW, it is confirmed that the S350 does not have multi-channel analog outputs. There was some confusion on this point when the S550 and S350 were first announced. The S550, due October 1, is expected to have 7.1 analog out and decode both lossless codecs. The S350 can decode TrueHD (for output as PCM over HDMI) but not DTS-HD MA.

Disc loading times are somewhat improved over Gen 1 standalone players but a bit disappointing for those looking for a lot of improvement on that front. There was a report of 47 seconds from drawer close to first preview for Ratatouille, for example. Batman Begins has been reported to be slower to load than Ratatouille.

The S350 will not do "Source Direct", for those hoping to feed an unprocessed video signal to an external scaler. The Pioneer players will do that.

lizard

If the "industry" were really trying to force the purchase of HDMI receivers, wouldn't they just leave out the legacy outputs entirely?

Nevertheless, it is baffling to me why CE manufacturers would include analog outs but not have proper BM. Without that, what's the point?

kahuna

If anyone living on Oahu, HI. and interested in the BD30. The CC in Aiea has a either open box or floor model for $329.99. I seen it there when I went there to buy some TDK Dvd-r discs. Of course they were all sold out. It is on the shelf where the dvd players, dvd recorders, and some blu-ray players are. It is on the end shelf on the very bottom.

lizard

FWIW, there is a user report on the Sony S350 in the AVS owners thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post14258825

He compares it favorably with the Panasonic BD30.

namja

Bought a second PS3. The PS3 is first hardware by Sony that I actually love ... and the only piece of hardware that I actually bought two of.

nateman

I think this might just be the first standalone BD player for me. I just got a 32" Sharp Aquos, Pioneer receiver and a HD PVR and since February when I got the 40GB PS3; I've found myself yet again hardly playing any video games. I was going to wait for the Sony BDP - S550, but the S350 looks like it'll be a good standalone. I'll probably still end up keeping the PS3 around just encase anything happens, but I've always been a fan of standalone players. I will miss some of the features of the PS3 and I might even consider buying the new PS3 coming out in the fall just for more storage.

I do need a little help, though. I can't find the S350 anywhere. Is it out in Canada yet?

I'm one of those people who don't like shopping on the internet for some reason and I'd even ask if anyone here could find one and send it via COD (cash on delivery) for me.

You didn't like the PS2?

Gizmo

I spotted the 350 at Best Buy on Thursday. It comes in a much smaller black box. Nice looking system, but I'm waiting for the Panasonic since I need the internal DTS MA decoder...otherwise I would have snapped it up.

nateman

Should I wait for the Panasonic as well?

It is nice to have the most audio options, but my big concern is the upconverting of DVDs. The PS3 does a great job at upconversion, but how will the standalones fair? Do the new BD standalone players unconvert DVDs better than the PS3, the same or worse?

For example: Watching House, M.D. on the PS3 makes it look fantastic. It rivals the actual HD broadcasts. Will I get the same quality with the standalones, though?