Newbie/non-xxxPhile looking for a clue

[forumid]

Hi forum,

I've been reading all the threads on stand alone players vs. the PS3 but I think I just don't understand enough to make a smart choice for my limited ambitions.

I have an old Vizio 30" 720p capable LCD TV with no HDMI on the TV itself. It does have component in and a DVI connection which I plan to use for the video. In addition, I have an old set of Altec Lansing THX certified set of 4.1 speakers with an S/PIDF input (no AV receiver or EQ) which for a non-audiophile like me is still plenty better than the TV speakers. I have no idea what I should be looking for in a Blu Ray player to best match it to my vintage and missing Home Theater EQ.

My confusion is mostly on what will best match my audio limitations and the DVD upconversion capability of the player. I have tried to educate myself about the different profiles available as well as the audio format/decoding soup but still think I don't get it. I'm not so worried about getting something with 2.0 profile since I most likely will not be using the features much but I figure anything worth getting will at least be upgradeable to it. I just want a great looking and nice sounding movie experience at home.

Also, I am looking to spend as little as possible (no use pulling punches you know?) and have no plans to invest in any other EQ upgrades right now. That said, I don't usually just choose the cheapest thing out there since if I do decide to get some real HT EQ, I would want to try and reuse anything I can.

I have been looking at the Sony S350, Panasonic BD35K and of course the PS3 but I'm still unsure what my best choice is.

I have an HDMI to DVI cable for the video and from what I can tell, if I went with the S350 I could use a coax cable for the audio and that's all I would need. If I went with the BD35K or PS3, I would have to get a TosLink cable, a coax cable and a converter box in between them to make the connection to my speakers. Oh yeah, one more thing, the gaming aspect is a non-factor to me since I rarely play games.

Help?

forumid

[Driver_King]

Read up.

[Blu Jacket]

Originally Posted by Driver_King

Read up.

That is no help at all. He doesn't need info on home theater equipment, he's trying to find the best blu-ray player for his current set-up.

To the OP, I would personally always recommend the PS3. It has proven to be the most reliable player. It needs fewer firmware updates, it loads faster, and it is completely upgradable and has added more features via update than it originally came with 2 years ago. It also serves as a media extender from your PC if you have them networked together. And if you feel so inclined, it also has some incredible games to play.

[Driver_King]

Actually, it is very helpful. His questions weren't only related to a Blu-ray player. He can learn about the audio aspects and important parts to Blu-ray there, which is one of his main questions.

[Blu Jacket]

Originally Posted by Driver_King

Actually, it is very helpful. His questions weren't only related to a Blu-ray player. He can learn about the audio aspects and important parts to Blu-ray there, which is one of his main questions.

Well your link is all about choosing home theater equipment, and he says he's not investing in any upgrades right now. All he wants is blu-ray player info.

[Driver_King]

In part, yes. It also discussed HD audio and such.

[forumid]

I would have preferred an answer like "this is your best bet because ..." but I found part of the answers I was looking for in that thread you created. I still don't know which player has better features for the price or which one has better DVD up-conversion. I'll figure it out.

Thanks.

[forumid]

Originally Posted by Blu Jacket

To the OP, I would personally always recommend the PS3 ... It also serves as a media extender from your PC if you have them networked together.

Thank you for the reply. I learned something I didn't know about the PS3. Not sure it is enough to get me to take the plunge in that direction just yet but it has given me pause to think that a dive into the HT world will likely include a PS3.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by forumid

I would have preferred an answer like "this is your best bet because ..." but I found part of the answers I was looking for in that thread you created. I still don't know which player has better features for the price or which one has better DVD up-conversion. I'll figure it out.

Thanks.

If you have a receiver that accepts PCM over HDMI, then the PS3 is a fantastic choice. If not, there are tons of other choices such as the Sony BDP-S550, Panasonic BDP-55K, ect.

[TheTenth]

Originally Posted by forumid

I would have preferred an answer like "this is your best bet because ..." but I found part of the answers I was looking for in that thread you created. I still don't know which player has better features for the price or which one has better DVD up-conversion. I'll figure it out.

Thanks.

I'll stop there for a minute. Upconversion has been so debated that most people don't even know what it is really. DVD has been created for the SD TVs. So it might not look very good on a HD TV. I say "might" as most current gen HD TVs (especially Samsung, Panasonic and Sony) do upconvert / upscale in such a good way that even the PS3 won't make a difference and 250£ DVD players that are "the best upscaler in the market" won't even change the image a bit as your TV will bring the best with the image of your DVD.
So don't bother choosing your Blu-ray player depending on its upscaling capabilities, see if you're interested in the BD live features (special features, mini games aceesed by internet), PiP (picture in picture - sort of next gen commentary where a small image pops on the movie with the Director or actors explaining things) or even the size of the machine (don't forget the PS3 is quite big and needs space and won't fit well in many cabinets as they're too tight for the heat to go out well.

[Midnightsailor]

First, welcome to Blu-ray! I'd personally recommend the Sony S350 for you. The reason is because, out of the 3 players you mentioned, it has component inputs and an HDMI input. Also, it has a coaxial and an optical input for audio. I'd say it's the best for your setup. The only drawback is that it doesn't internally decode DTS-HD MA. Though, it will internally decode Dolby TrueHD. Also, these can only be used to their fullest over HDMI, anyway. Ultimately, it's a decision that you will have to make based upon your equipment. Down the road, you'll definitely need to upgrade to fully benefit from Blu-ray, but this will be a good start.

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by Midnightsailor

First, welcome to Blu-ray! I'd personally recommend the Sony S350 for you. The reason is because, out of the 3 players you mentioned, it has component inputs and an HDMI input. Also, it has a coaxial and an optical input for audio. I'd say it's the best for your setup. The only drawback is that it doesn't internally decode DTS-HD MA. Though, it will internally decode Dolby TrueHD. Also, these can only be used to their fullest over HDMI, anyway. Ultimately, it's a decision that you will have to make based upon your equipment. Down the road, you'll definitely need to upgrade to fully benefit from Blu-ray, but this will be a good start.

Outputs.. They Output the audio to the Inputs of the Receiver.....

[Midnightsailor]

Originally Posted by gearyt

Outputs.. They Output the audio to the Inputs of the Receiver.....

Thanks.

[Michael.Schinke]

Originally Posted by Midnightsailor

First, welcome to Blu-ray! I'd personally recommend the Sony S350 for you. The reason is because, out of the 3 players you mentioned, it has component inputs and an HDMI input. Also, it has a coaxial and an optical input for audio. I'd say it's the best for your setup. The only drawback is that it doesn't internally decode DTS-HD MA. Though, it will internally decode Dolby TrueHD. Also, these can only be used to their fullest over HDMI, anyway. Ultimately, it's a decision that you will have to make based upon your equipment. Down the road, you'll definitely need to upgrade to fully benefit from Blu-ray, but this will be a good start.

Agreed. Either the Sony mentioned or the Panny 35K will give you enough options for future upgrades. I would give the edge to the Panny as it internally decodes as well at bitstreams all available audio codecs.

[forumid]

Thanks for the feedback (and the welcome) everyone.

After MUCH reading, I have decided to buy two different stand-alones until I decide which way I will go when I finally go for a true HT setup. Right now as you can see, I am just playing with leftovers from years ago.

The Panasonic 55K is one of them because of the internal decoding of all the codecs, coaxial connection (which I need now), the analog outs in case I can find a bargain worth the hassle of all those cables and the better up-conversion reviews I have seen (while keeping in mind the up-conversion caveat pointed out in this thread).

I could have gone for the 35K instead which is less expensive but then I would have had to get a TosLink cable and a converter box to fit my current limitations of only an S/PDIF connection for audio. I figure the less connections I have to string together for the sound, the better AQ will be (yes, I am already familiar with all the abbreviations after less than 10 posts). Also, I would have to lean toward a higher end AVR with the proper HDMI pass-through to make sure I get the best sound (since the 35K doesn't have any analog outs) later on.

I bought the SONY S350 for $180 at Kmart but will be returning it once my delivery from SonyStyle.com arrives (got it there on back-order for $139.09 shipped. BF Sale coupon code "DISCOVER50BR" -$50 + -$20 EPP program through my job) to do my own comparison and in case I decide to cheap out on the player side of the equation. I am not 100% sure which way I will go later on. Higher end AVR or cheap out in which case I think I will want the additional features that the 55K will give me that the S350 will not.

In the end, I think if all those like me who are new to this game really took a look at the technology outside of the current offerings out there, they would realize there is no one answer. The answer is really a package deal. TV, AVR (speakers), Player AND movie (that last one is the part that kills me most). I could have the best set up in the world and if they mastered the disc without anything of value on it, it can still look and sound like crap.

Anyway, I wanted an easy answer when I got here and unfortunately, there are no easy answers. I pity and envy those ignorants plunking down good money on something that they have absolutely no idea about. Either I'm getting dumber as time passes by or the technology has gone so far that nowadays, you can't be a lay man and still understand what you are getting into. I'll give everyone else the benefit of the doubt and think it's me.

[Driver_King]

You can still be a "lay man" it's just you need the right people to bring it to good terms.