Blu-Ray Players

[recoveryone]

This list could become endless with suggestions, but you need to know some facts about how to get the most out of a BDP regardless of the make or model.

1. Do you have HDMI ( for max res and PQ)

2. Does your AVR support or passthrough the newer audio formats DD True, DTS HD (7.1)

3.Does you T.V. support 24fps (Flim standard)

All the rest is bells and whistle as to Wifi, netflick, voodoo, Youtube support, If you do not have the basic support gear to get the most out of it you will also wonder what if.

[Woochifer]

This list could become endless with suggestions, but you need to know some facts about how to get the most out of a BDP regardless of the make or model.

1. Do you have HDMI ( for max res and PQ)

2. Does your AVR support or passthrough the newer audio formats DD True, DTS HD (7.1)

3.Does you T.V. support 24fps (Flim standard)

All the rest is bells and whistle as to Wifi, netflick, voodoo, Youtube support, If you do not have the basic support gear to get the most out of it you will also wonder what if.

Very very true!

For anyone without a HDMI connection on their HDTV, they'd better decide which Blu-ray player they want ... and fast! The first step of the analog video phaseout went into motion at the start of this year. Any Blu-ray players introduced this year will have NO analog component video outputs, so anyone looking for something with component video outputs will have to look for an older model.

Goodbye HD Component Video: The Analog Sunset Has Begun

As for the other stuff, Netflix is rapidly becoming standard issue on Blu-ray players and those functions might finally gain some traction for internet TV services in the living room (up to this point, they've had relatively limited usage because they were largely confined to PCs).

[pixelthis]

Very very true!

For anyone without a HDMI connection on their HDTV, they'd better decide which Blu-ray player they want ... and fast! The first step of the analog video phaseout went into motion at the start of this year. Any Blu-ray players introduced this year will have NO analog component video outputs, so anyone looking for something with component video outputs will have to look for an older model.

Goodbye HD Component Video: The Analog Sunset Has Begun

As for the other stuff, Netflix is rapidly becoming standard issue on Blu-ray players and those functions might finally gain some traction for internet TV services in the living room (up to this point, they've had relatively limited usage because they were largely confined to PCs).

cart before the horse.
I HAD a receiver that was obsolete about six months or so after I bought it(maybe a little
longer), because it had component video switching.
I COULDN'T use that connection after seeing just how silly good HDMI is.
You need a monitor with an HDMI connection, not only for that best connection, but
any monitor that has all the new up to date stuff, will have HDMI.
If your set only has component, it is missing stuff like 1080p, 120hz, etc.
BUY AN OLDER BLU and you wind up with an obsolete(well, not up to date) BLU
player. This gives you two devices that need updating.
WHEN YOU get the BLU, get a new monitor with HDMI with it. COMPONENT is so
inferiour to HDMI I wouldn't even bother hooking a BLU up with it.
Solve the real problem, update your monitor.

[Woochifer]

cart before the horse.
I HAD a receiver that was obsolete about six months or so after I bought it(maybe a little
longer), because it had component video switching.
I COULDN'T use that connection after seeing just how silly good HDMI is.
You need a monitor with an HDMI connection, not only for that best connection, but
any monitor that has all the new up to date stuff, will have HDMI.
If your set only has component, it is missing stuff like 1080p, 120hz, etc.
BUY AN OLDER BLU and you wind up with an obsolete(well, not up to date) BLU
player. This gives you two devices that need updating.
WHEN YOU get the BLU, get a new monitor with HDMI with it. COMPONENT is so
inferiour to HDMI I wouldn't even bother hooking a BLU up with it.
Solve the real problem, update your monitor.

If someone already owns a HDTV, and all they want is to add a Blu-ray player, why wouldn't they just buy a Blu-ray player? Buying a new TV doesn't address the original inquiry of which Blu-ray player they should buy, especially if their budget is under $300.

And even with HDMI connections, many of the older HDMI-enabled HDTVs have noticeably worse picture quality using the digital connection than with the component video connector.

[pixelthis]

If someone already owns a HDTV, and all they want is to add a Blu-ray player, why wouldn't they just buy a Blu-ray player? Buying a new TV doesn't address the original inquiry of which Blu-ray player they should buy, especially if their budget is under $300.

And even with HDMI connections, many of the older HDMI-enabled HDTVs have noticeably worse picture quality using the digital connection than with the component video connector.

I have never seen a HDMI connection thats worse than component.
If someone already owns a HDTV set, why would they want a new one just to "add" a
BLU player? Maybe because a BLU player is just not effective with an inferiour set.
WHY buy PORSCH for a dirt road?
Back when they had live video clerks instead of a Red box, I would rent a BLU and
get the same comment, mainly that they had heard that BLU doesn't look any better than a DVD. And true, even tho there is an improvement with a 720p set and other inferiour devices, its not that much different than a decent DVD image.
Its only with a 1080p set that BLU really shines, and since they have, to the last one,
HDMI it stands to reason that you only need that on a BLU player.
If your monitor only has component, then you need a new set anyway.
BUYING an older, and probably inferiour BLU player to match your older, inferiour
monitor is throwing good money after bad.
I have an older set at the house, about five years old. And it has HDMI.
Using component is like the singer who has a great voice but "tears it up getting it out".
Get a new BLU player, and use the composite until you can afford a decent set
that doesn't belong in a MONGOLIAN VILLAGE. You will find that theres not much diff,
and you won't be compromising by getting a BLU player thats older and you will be stuck
with for awhile. COMPONENT is dead, involves two digital to analog conversions,
and you buy stuff to upgrade your system, not to accommodate obsolete tech, IMHO.
swallow hard and join the 21st century.

[pixelthis]

Or perhaps your monitor does have HDMI, and you just want to use the older component
switching on an older reciever.
This would be a horrible decision. I had an excellent 1200 dollar receiver that had component
video switching. I USED a direct connection to my monitor, and a very good universal
remote with macros that made up for my receivers shortcomings. All of this was better
than compromising my system with an inferiour connection. I tossed a 1200 dollar receiver
after only four years(cry cry) so that I could get the new codecs and video
switching. WELL WORTH IT.
BLU is the best video delivery system on the planet , and deserves some accomodation.
A BLU image thru even a cheap 1080p set is more addictive than crack mixed with
crystal meth,..silly good. PAY THE MAN.

[Woochifer]

I have never seen a HDMI connection thats worse than component.

This was the case with plenty of the early HDMI-enabled HDTVs. HDTV reviews used to run the tests using both connections and advise readers on which one provided the best picture quality, which was not always the HDMI connection.

If someone already owns a HDTV set, why would they want a new one just to "add" a
BLU player? Maybe because a BLU player is just not effective with an inferiour set.
WHY buy PORSCH for a dirt road?

But, it's still more effective than sticking with DVD, right?

Again, if somebody has a set budget of $300, why would they want to upgrade the monitor before adding a Blu-ray player, if all they want to add is the Blu-ray capability?

If your monitor only has component, then you need a new set anyway.
BUYING an older, and probably inferiour BLU player to match your older, inferiour
monitor is throwing good money after bad.

These so-called "older, and probably inferiour [sp]" Blu-ray players you're referring to are less than a year old and still being manufactured. Basically, anything introduced before the end of last year will still include component video. Are you saying that people should avoid the Oppo BDP-93 because it came out last year and includes component video outputs?

The difference in playback quality and disc compatibility between last year's models and this year's models is minimal. And that's been the case for at least the last two years. The primary changes are with the network connectivity features.

Get a new BLU player, and use the composite until you can afford a decent set
that doesn't belong in a MONGOLIAN VILLAGE. You will find that theres not much diff,
and you won't be compromising by getting a BLU player thats older and you will be stuck
with for awhile.

So, you're now claiming that there's "not much diff" between 480i (composite) and 1080p (component)? Nice advice

[pixelthis]

This was the case with plenty of the early HDMI-enabled HDTVs. HDTV reviews used to run the tests using both connections and advise readers on which one provided the best picture quality, which was not always the HDMI connection.

ANCIENT HISTORY

But, it's still more effective than sticking with DVD, right?

Not by much.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL buy BLU, but thats just because BLU is down to 68 bucks.
But my point is that an older BLU player, one with component, is not going to be as up to date as a newer one. So when you do get around to upgrading your monitor, you will
need a new BLU player, also.
BUT the most important thing is that a monitor without HDMI will be old as the sticks.
I have a five year old set that has HDMI, you would have to get one a lot older to have a monitor without one. I doubt BLU would be worth the trouble, really.

Again, if somebody has a set budget of $300, why would they want to upgrade the monitor before adding a Blu-ray player, if all they want to add is the Blu-ray capability?

BECAUSE why bother putting a CORVETTE ENGINE in a 59 STUDEBAKER?
What possible good would BLU capability be with a set so old that it doesnt have HDMI?
With a budget of three hundred bucks, you are three hundred bucks away from a 42"
1080p and a BLU player. EVER hear of penny wise and pound foolish?

These so-called "older, and probably inferiour [sp]" Blu-ray players you're referring to are less than a year old and still being manufactured. Basically, anything introduced before the end of last year will still include component video. Are you saying that people should avoid the Oppo BDP-93 because it came out last year and includes component video outputs?

No, but read the instructions, and they will tell you that component is an inferiour
way to connect your BLU player. Thats because it involves two D/A conversions.
AND AGAIN, if the reason to go component is that your TV doesnt have HDMI, that is an old honkin TV. But you lose the argument over quality.
Doesnt matter if component can carry 1080p(it can), nobody is going to say its as good as HDMI, because it isn't.
And a set that old is going to be 720p or 1080i, so its a moot point that component can carry 1080p, because it wont be 1080p at the end of the day.
I got burned with a 1200 dollar receiver with component switching, because I A/B the
HDMI/COMPONENT out from a cable box...a cable box.
The increase in PQ was so blatant that I COULD NOT STAND to use the component switching on my new receiver, and that was a flippin cable box.
WHY BOTHER buying a compromised device to accommodate a device that needs
replacing anyway? MAKES NO SENSE.

The difference in playback quality and disc compatibility between last year's models and this year's models is minimal. And that's been the case for at least the last two years. The primary changes are with the network connectivity features.

and you still wind up using an inferiour connection.

So, you're now claiming that there's "not much diff" between 480i (composite) and 1080p (component)? Nice advice

Quite a difference, but I COULD LIVE WITH COMPOSITE for awhile until I got a new
monitor, better than I could live with an out of date BLU player for years.
A monitor is one of the more important pieces of your HT, and you need to replace it
before you bother with a BLU player. BUYING a BLU player for a monitor so old
that it doesn't even have HDMI is like buying 2,000$ worth of wheels for a fifteen year old MERCURY. Cart before the horse.