Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Review Thread

[Tekman]

DENVER — Pioneer will unveil at CEDIA Expo its second Blu-ray Disc player, which will be sold in October under the Elite badge at a $1,000 suggested retail price.

The Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Blu-ray Disc player offers increased bandwidth capacity affording internal decoding of high resolution audio formats for: Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+Plus, and DTS-HD as well as bit-stream output for all advanced audio formats including DTS-HD Master for 7.1 surround sound performance.

The player includes HDMI v1.3 output, and support for 1080p high definition at a 24 frames per second (fps) rate.

The Pioneer Elite Blu-ray Disc player incorporates HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) to simplify integration of operation with other HDMI-CEC-enabled high-definition theater components. The feature allows users to control a whole home theater setup with a single remote

for maximum convenience capability.

Also included is Pioneer’s Home Media Gallery that allows users to directly access and playback music, movies and photos stored on a home PC.

The home networking feature provides IP networking for immediate downloading of new digital media files from the computer through the BDP-95FD to a connected flat-screen television.

The Pioneer Elite Blu-ray Disc player is compliant with Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Windows and Apple computer video, Windows Vista or Windows Media Connect as well as Microsoft Playsforsure DRM technology.

The new BDP-95FD supports playback of CD, DVD, MP3 and WMA formats. Improvements in the new model over the previous BDP-HD1 model include: HDMI 1.3 vs. HDMI 1.1, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+Plus and DTS-HD as well as bit-stream output for all advanced audio formats including DTS-HD Master for 7.1 surround sound. The BDP-HD1 only decoded standard Dolby and DTS audio and did not support internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus or DTS-HD. The BDP-HD1 also did not offer HDMI-CEC control.

[HDTV1080P]

Thanks for the information. You forgot to post the link to Twice website where you copy and pasted the info.
http://www.twice.com/article/CA6474902.html

[JadedRaverLA]

The BDP-HD1 was the first, and the BDP-94HD was the second Pioneer Elite Blu-ray Disc player. The BDP-95HD would be the third.

Anyway, the new model seems to be a minor update to the BDP-94HD with support for bitstream audio output. Everything else listed in the specs already exists in the BDP-94HD.

[gvortex7]

If it'll be profile 1.1 compatible then this is the player to get.

[celle]

If it'll be profile 1.1 compatible then this is the player to get.

It´s a profile 1.0 player, the same as the European BDP-LX70A.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by celle

It´s a profile 1.0 player, the same as the European BDP-LX70A.

Then forget it.

[Slapper]

Originally Posted by celle

It´s a profile 1.0 player, the same as the European BDP-LX70A.

I'm not going to get a new standalone until it's Profile 2.0, HDMI 1.3, and can pass all HD audio through bitstream (for my FOX DTS-HD MA titles).

Pioneer is getting there and the only thing lacking in this model is that it looks like it's still a Profile 1.0 player. The previous model of the Elite has received some rave reviews so I expect this model and future Elite models to remain just as high quality if not better.

At this point, since I have already have a great BD player in my PS3 I see no reason in upgrading until the Pioneer Elite reaches the "final" benchmark that is Profile 2.0.

I realize that the new Daewoo player coming is Profile 2.0, but I really don't have any history with the brand name and I will not be buying the player unless it gets some seriously great reviews and we have some media with Profile 2.0 content to actually test the unit with.

[gvortex7]

At this point, since I have already have a great BD player in my PS3 I see no reason in upgrading until the Pioneer Elite reaches the "final" benchmark that is Profile 2.0.

I don't know if it's a final benchmark, but in my opinion a very important one.

[Jodi]

Well folks, here's the Blu player that both audio- and videophiles have been waiting for.........
Pioneer Elite's BDP-95FD, which arrives in October, will do ALL the following for a nice and even $1,000. Keep in mind that this player alone is an industry FIRST!!

- Bitstream output of ALL of the high resolution/high definition audio codecs.
Translation: It will decode Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus, and it will
also decode DTS-HD Master Audio (as well as the lower DTS-HD High Reso-
lution and DTS "core" 5.1 and 6.1 codecs).

Fully expect the 95's video performance to quite possibly surpass that of the already reference quality BDP-94HD.

So, in a nutshell, if you want it all in a Blu player performance-wise (sans the interactive features), this is the ticket!!!

I hope to see (and hear) this player sometime in October, and if I do, I will give you all a fully detailed analysis and review.

Jodi

[Woody]

I do not believe it internally decodes DTS HDMA. I believe it only passes it bit stream.

[Jodi]

Originally Posted by Woody

I do not believe it internally decodes DTS HDMA. I believe it only passes it bit stream.

It does pass through via bitstream.

Jodi

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Jodi

It does pass through via bitstream.

Jodi

don't all the new 1.3 HDMI BD players comming out pass the codecs along?

(Save ps3)

[Slapper]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

don't all the new 1.3 HDMI BD players comming out pass the codecs along?

(Save ps3)

Looks like some of them do. Hopefully we'll get the PS3 firmware upgrade for this soon...

[Jodi]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

don't all the new 1.3 HDMI BD players comming out pass the codecs along?

(Save ps3)

No, not all of them. As far as DTS is concerned, virtually all of the BD players announced over the past three days at CEDIA expo will, at best, be able to pass DTS-HD High Resolution ONLY. All of the above mentioned newbies will pass DD TrueHD and DD+.
Pioneer, on Thursday, announced the BDP-95FD. It will be the VERY FIRST Blu player in the industry to pass ALL codecs (including the crucial DTS-HD Master Audio).

Jodi

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Jodi

No, not all of them. As far as DTS is concerned, virtually all of the BD players announced over the past three days at CEDIA expo will, at best, be able to pass DTS-HD High Resolution ONLY. All of the above mentioned newbies will pass DD TrueHD and DD+.
Pioneer, on Thursday, announced the BDP-95FD. It will be the VERY FIRST Blu player in the industry to pass ALL codecs (including the crucial DTS-HD Master Audio).

Jodi

If they can pass DD+ or TrueHD they can pass DTSHDMA, otherwise it's decoded in player and passed as PCM.

[bootman]

The BDP-95FD will NOT decode DTS-HD Master but will pass it via bitstream.
It's a limitation of the sigma 8634 Rev A chip that is in it.

There are rumors of a BDP-96FD in the pipe that will use the "C" version of the sigma that does decode DTS-HD MA.

Morality check:
Would it be wrong to watch a HD-DVD rip of Transformers that was recoded to windows media format using the media player in this unit?

[quetzalcoatl]

Looks like the first of these bad boys has left the warehouse today.
So I can start listening to MA on all my Fox titles.

[gandley]

this one looks good

http://www.avland.co.uk/pioneer/bdplx90/bdplx90.htm

[bootman]

That will be their top tier flagship model.
I expect that one to be about $2k here.

[bootman]

Originally Posted by quetzalcoatl

Looks like the first of these bad boys has left the warehouse today.
So I can start listening to MA on all my Fox titles.

You have to give us a review.
Do you have a MA capable receiver/processor?