Sony's Blu-Ray Player

[kelsci]

I was in Brandsmart in Deerfield Beach yesterday. They had the player playing thru 5 or so wide flat screen Sony tv sets. The so called lousy 5TH ELEMENT disc was playing. Maybe this player is better than all the others because IMO the picture quality was stunning; crisp,clear and razor sharp. Two nights ago, I was in a Magnolia store in a Bestbuy watching this movie on a $7000 large plasma Panasonic being played by Panasnic's Blu-Ray player. It looked good but I was not impressed against what I saw at Brandsmart.

[edtyct]

I doubt that the Sony's Blu-ray deck is better than Panasonic's, given the nature of the medium. However, it wouldn't surprise me that the Sony LCDs could create a better impression than the Panasonic plasma under those conditions. Sony's flat panels can look extraordinarily sharp and vivid on a showroom floor--even if, or especially if, all of their parameters are cranked to the hilt. Plasmas don't do as well under similar conditions. They need better lighting and more sympathetic setup to look their best. In a proper home theater, with both decks feeding the same display, it's more likely that their performance would converge.

[kelsci]

Hi Edtyct; What you say is very possible. One would need all current BD players hooked up to the Sony sets playing the same disc to see what the outcome might be. I think it might have been Sound and Vision that might have had a shoot out on two or three players and may have determined that kind of outcome.

[edtyct]

The one Blu-ray player that might be left in the dust in a shootout like that one is the Samsung. If I recall correctly, the firmware fix for the erroneously engaged filter may not have solved all of its problems. Then again, a player or two might add enhancements, and such things almost always do harm, unless they turn out to be a necessary evil with particular displays and software.

[rpatelrr]

I am huge Sony fan-boy, but I would not even touch a Sony Blu-Ray player now. I personally feel they pushed out the door because they wanted to release with the PS3 to encourage Blu-Ray sales. Also I would wait until CES 2007 if you want to buy a Blu-Ray or HD player.

[edtyct]

I can't muster any surprise at Sony's attempt to take maximum advantage of a new format's release. There are plenty of reasons not to invest in a Blu-ray player--not the least of them is that Blu-ray's spotty performance thus far, based solely on Samsung's entry. But Pioneer and Panasonic, which have no stake in PS3, have patiently been refining their players without any pressure to release them before they were ready. I will be surprised if these players don't improve on Samsung's. There's no reason to suspect, that with smooth production, Blu-ray won't look every bit as good as HD DVD, and that's saying something. And we know what's in store regardless of CES 2007. The wrinkle is that the cheapest of the lot for Blu-ray is $1000. You can get a Toshiba for less than $500.

[bfalls]

Hi All,
I work for Sony in their DVD plant in Terre Huate IN. We have a Media Test Center which is used primarily to test the quality of production discs and also for player compatibility testing for ARccOS copy protection. Testing is performed with over 80 different players with high market shares including HD-DVD and Blu-ray players. We have the Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and PS3 HD players. The Samsung is by far the lesser player. Since I work in another dept. I don't use the players on a daily basis, but have observed all on occasions. The dept. head says the PS3 is the best all-round player for ease of use and PQ. But the others don't fall far behind. I won't run out and buy any first generation player. The technology is too new, cost too much and my TV not to large to enjoy what I have until the price comes down and the bugs are worked out. I don't think there will be a clear "winner" any time soon, if ever at all. I understand the advantages and disadvantages of both and would be happy if universal players were available.