So, I'm about to buy a Pioneer BDP 05 FD (or maybe, if I can remain patient, a supposedly soon to arrive Oppo).

The players don't come with HDMI cables, right? (And dual-link is necessary?) You have to buy them separately and almost all retailers sell little more than overpriced Monsters. And Monoprice don't have a Canadian supplier.

Any of these assumptions incorrect?

Also, apparently the 05FD won't play standard NTSC discs properly without a firmware upgrade. Forgive what's probably an insanely stupid question, but just how does one connect a player to the internet?

Well, I'm not sure if that has an ethernet port, but if it does, that way. Again, I don't know about your player, but my HD-DVD player was able to be upgraded via firmware burned to a CD, and then loading the CD into the player after start-up.

Yeah, you'll most likely have to buy the HDMI cable yourself. I'm not sure about Canada though or where you can obtain cheap cables.

wergo,

B&H Photo ships to Canada. They have HDMI cables starting at $12.95. Try other major US camera shops, as well as Newegg maybe.

Dual-link isn't necessary as long as you don't plan on connecting to a computer with graphics larger than 1600x1200 @ 60Hz. If you're not using a computer at all for your HD viewing with your current player, then don't worry about the dual-link feature at all.

As far as connecting to the net, you'll get a typical CAT-5 or ethernet cable (should be long enough to go from anywhere in your living/viewing area to where your computer/router is. Once hooked up to your computer/router, you then connect to the manufacturer's website. You'll need to read the manual on this, but basically you'll be inputting a few numbers into the player just like it was a separate router or internet device.

I have an HDMI question as well.


I'm considering getting a PS3. My TV has 1080i, but does not have any HDMI inputs.

How would the PS3 HD component cables compare to the HDMI cable that I can't use?

Thanks!

Does your TV have a DVI input? You can do HDMI->DVI. If not, your component cables should still look pretty good.

you could try bluejeanscable,not sure if they ship to Canada though.

Oppo includes an HDMI cable with their DVD players. I'm sure they will with their Blu-ray player as well.

According to the Monoprice Web site, they ship to Canada, and take credit card payments from Canadian customers.

If you don't want to connect the player to the Internet for firmware updates, you should be able to download the firmware from Pioneer's Web site and burn it to CD, then update the player from CD.

if monoprice will ship to canada, i would recommend purchasing cables from them. they ship fast and have excellent prices.