Philips BDP9000 Blu-Ray Disc Player - $999.99



http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000H92QXI/

Amazon.com Product Description
The Philips BDP9000 DVD player is the first model from Philips that plays high-definition Blu-ray Discs, which takes advantage of today's flat-screen HDTVs by playing content at native 720p or 1080i video resolutions. The clarity and full-color spectrum of the vibrant video produced from Blu-ray movie discs, which provide five times the resolution of standard DVD movie discs is absolutely amazing. The Philips BDP9000 also offers backward compatibility for DVD movie and CD audio discs, and has an upconverting function that brings your favorite DVDs to near HD quality through the HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) output. The player includes one (HDMI) output, which provides uncompressed multi-channel digital audio, digital High Definition video delivered via a single cable (720p/1080p). High-definition signals up to 1080i are also available through the component video output for Bluray discs (standard DVD’s are output 480p through component video). Note that viewing high-definition Blu-ray Disc content requires an HDTV or HD-ready TV.

The user-friendly graphic interface includes a full-color, hi-def animated menu, with features such as advanced subtitle functions, video scene search and pop-ups--which provide informative tidbits and are embedded in Blu-ray Disc contents.

The unique 10-in-2 multi-format memory card slot displays 3-megapixel and larger images. It's compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia (MMC), CompactFlash, MicroDrive, XD Picture Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Duo Pro, Memory Stick Pro, RS MMC, and Mini SD. Other technical features include:

* Up to 1080p (1920 x 1080p) output through HDMI digital output
* Selectable 1080p/1080i/720p video upconversion of DVD’s through HDMI
* BD-RE, BD-ROM, DVD ROM, DVD RAM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-ROM, CD-R/RW playback compatible
* MPEG2, VC-1, H.264, HD JPEG decoding
* 12-bit/192MhZ video D/A converter; 24-bit/192KHz audio D/A converter

The BDP9000 provides a full range of audio decoding, including Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby DTS, and MP3. It has stereo outputs as well as coaxial and optical digital audio outputs for 5.1-channel home theater surround sound. It offers the following video output connection options:

* HDMI: 1
* Component Video: 1
* S-Video: 1
* Composite AV (RCA): 1

<hr>

I'll be tracking this one as well, of course.

Is that really the full range?

Philips/Magnavox hasn't been considered high quality in a while, I'd still wait for the Sony model.

I definitely wouldn't buy a $1000 BD player from a company like Phillips or Samsung that have never been known for quality. I agree the Sony or really the Pioneer Elite would be more in line with something I would want.

I agree. I won't even buy Philips batteries.

My first dvd player was a philips what a piece of shit it was...

In general, Philips is known for it's innovative products (at least, in Europe). When Philips sold Marantz everything went downhill...

My first thought was that this is just a rebadged Samsung, but the DD+ decoding (if true) contradicts that. Still, I wouldn't pay $1000 for a Philips.

$1,000 huh... well at least the player looks kind of pretty.

To me at least, it doesn't matter who makes the BD Player when it cost $1000.00. Also, the demographic is very small as to who can/will justify $1000.00 on a BD player. Lastly, both Phillips and Samsung have a so-so quality history in certain electronic products. Sony has a much better quality (my experience), but a $1000.00 still says it will appeal to a niche market.

It sounds more like Panasonic is the BD player to wait for. Neither the Sony nor the Pioneer can play CDs.

And honestly, I won't even look at a BD player that can't do DD+/DolbyTrue HD decoding inside the box and output through analog.

^ I agree completely.

The not playing CDs thing wouldn't bother me, I have a Denon for that, but the TrueHD decoding and DD+ decoding is a must. That is really not too much to ask for on a $1000 piece of hardware.

Even if you have a separate player for CD playback, don't you find it odd that machines listing over $1,000 can't play them in this day and age?

Yeah, I definately. Right or wrong, I would think that a company was trying to rip me off by not including it.

When I think of something very high end I don't really mind it being specialized. If the Pioneer Elite had all of the cost put into the ultimate Blu-ray player possible I wouldn't care that they left out CD playback.

That said the specs for all the BD players I have seen so far are not the ultimate anything. Most are missing DD+ decoding and I think all of them are missing TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding. That to me is a much bigger issue than CD playback.

Whether it be that or the lack of CD support, I just don't see what a $1000 is getting you with BD players. The Pioneer is even more expensive than that. It is an Elite and will easily be the best constructed player, but still there is no excuse not to decode every audio format possible.

Agreed on the advanced audio.

I just got my new Crutchfield catalog today and the Panasonic is in it. talk about one nice looking player:

I heard about that Crutchfield listing. Sadly, it lists no advanced audio decoding.

Many of the AVS members seem to think the Panasonic is the one to get. Now if it were only cheaper...

I guess Panasonic said they would enable DolbyTrue HD and DTS-HD Master Audio in a firmware update. But AFAIK, it has no ethernet port.

If it's a strong player I may get one when 2nd gen comes out and the prices go down, but the prices would have to go waaay down.