$400 to Spend on BD Player

[Real Maximus]

What is the best use of $400 for a BD player, the PS3 40 gig? Thanks for your suggestions. Please attach reviews if you have any.

[un4gvn94538]

i would honestly wait for the new sony players coming. they can bitstream to a recevier for decoding if your receiver is capable.

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1041

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by Real Maximus

What is the best use of $400 for a BD player, the PS3 40 gig? Thanks for your suggestions. Please attach reviews if you have any.

PS3 40 gig hands down if DTS HD MA is not important to you at the moment.

[GORT]

If you can wait a little bit get one of the new players comming out or if you cant go with a PS3

[guitarist155]

ps3 40 gig however i would wait and see if the dts-hdma firmware update comes out. unless dts-ma is not important to you

[Sylin]

Originally Posted by Real Maximus

What is the best use of $400 for a BD player, the PS3 40 gig? Thanks for your suggestions. Please attach reviews if you have any.

DEFINITELY the Sony BDP-S300. I just happen to have one for sale...

[hc666]

Panasonic DMPBD30 if you can find a deal.

Or wait for the new Sonys.

I would pass on the PS3 if you are an audio nerd type

[crackinhedz]

...just bought my second PS3.

I only use it for bluray movies...i'm not much of a gamer. Solid performance and you can internet surf, wireless from any room. No other player can do that.



But I guess a question that needs asking is what Receiver do you have? (if any)

[keene6132]

Originally Posted by Real Maximus

What is the best use of $400 for a BD player, the PS3 40 gig? Thanks for your suggestions. Please attach reviews if you have any.

The Panasonic DMP-BD50 (coming soon) will decode and bitstream all audio formats, 2.0 profile ect., ect. It basically has all the bells and whistles. You will probably have to add about $100 to your budget however.

I'll be picking one up!

https://www.blu-ray.com/players/play...=17&show=specs

[yesdup]

I'm on the fence myself..debating PS3 (40 or soon to be available 80GB) in the next 90 -120 days or waiting further tuntil the Fall for the newer Sony models available in the $400 range.

I'm not a game player, but my kids would love the PS3....having a hard time imagining it with other audio equipment though....I don't see anything in a stand alone player under $500 right now that catches my fancy...and nso I'll wait!

Good luck!

[crackinhedz]

...having a hard time imagining it with other audio equipment though.

whatcha'mean?

[yesdup]

I just looked at the specs for the new Panasonic...boy does that look like it's worth the wait! I'd been so focused on Sony that I missed that one.

thanks for the link!

I wonder if the April release date will apply here in Canada? Since I currently have a Panasonic standard DVD player, and I have great sucess with other Panasonic products I'm going to go off an do some more homework on this model.

Keep me apprised of any reviews or updates..including prices/sales...worth the drive to the US if I can get a deal south of the border.

[yesdup]

PS3 is a gaming machine, whereas everything else on my shelf is AV style...not a big fan of the looks of the PS3.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by yesdup

PS3 is a gaming machine, whereas everything else on my shelf is AV style...not a big fan of the looks of the PS3.

well I cant argue with you about the looks, its definitely not eye candy

but its way more than a gaming machine.

...as far as audio wise, it can decode Dolby TrueHD and is 7.1PCM capable...only lacking Dts-HD Ma.

But for the price you get way more than a standalone.

[darkpoet25]

Originally Posted by yesdup

PS3 is a gaming machine, whereas everything else on my shelf is AV style...not a big fan of the looks of the PS3.

I think alot of people don't want it based on looks, but for me I couldn't care less. I'm a gamer and a movie fan, so it made sense for me personally to get this. Performance wise it does everything I need it to and more. It doesn't require an ethernet port for firmware updates or for profile 1.1 and 2.0, it upconverts, surfs the net, I can download themes and wall papers, play games both online and offline. To each their own as they say. The only thing that it won't do right now is decode DTS-HD, which a lot of us are hoping for in the future.
https://www.blu-ray.com/players/play...how=comingsoon
To the OP check the link above for all the newer players that will be 1.1 and 2.0 compatible to see if these will fit the bill.

[AranhaHunter]

Originally Posted by yesdup

I'm on the fence myself..debating PS3 (40 or soon to be available 80GB) in the next 90 -120 days or waiting further tuntil the Fall for the newer Sony models available in the $400 range.

I'm not a game player, but my kids would love the PS3....having a hard time imagining it with other audio equipment though....I don't see anything in a stand alone player under $500 right now that catches my fancy...and nso I'll wait!

Good luck!

PS3, kill 2 birds with one stone:

Your kids play games on the console + you watch Blu movies on it = 1 big happy family.

[crackinhedz]

For a stand alone, the Panasonic DMP-BD50 does look to be an extremely solid player by its specifications.

[sj001]

I would say shoot for the PS3 40GB, Sony is bound to add tons of cool features over the next few months, and my gut feeling is that DTS-MA decoding will be added by summer.

[redlikefire02]

Originally Posted by Real Maximus

What is the best use of $400 for a BD player, the PS3 40 gig? Thanks for your suggestions. Please attach reviews if you have any.

wait for the new sony's or panny bd50

[X-Ninja]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

For a stand alone, the Panasonic DMP-BD50 does look to be an extremely solid player by its specifications.

Thought you were gonna wait till June for the MGS4 bundle. Just couldn't help it, could you?

Anyway, I'd say the 40 gig ps3.