Quality of PS3 as a DVD and Blu-ray player?

[landmonster]

Hi everyone, this is my first post.

I have several questions regarding the video quality playback of the Play Station 3.

Right now, I have a Samsung 42" 1080i TV, and a Samsung DVD player with the HD "Upconversion" feature via HDMI. I am interested in information about the PS3 as far as how it performs as a DVD and Blu-ray playback device.



Here are my specific questions about the PS3:

1) How does the image quality of Blu-Ray playback on the PS3 compare to image quality on other Blu-ray players? If the image quality differs, how big is the quality difference?

2) Will the PS3 play normal DVDs, and upconvert them to HD quality the same way my Samsung Upconversion DVD player does now? In other words, would the Samsung do anything for normal DVD playback that the PS3 cannot do?

3) Finally, since I have only a 1080i TV (and not a 1080p), will I be able to see a difference watching Blu-rays on this TV, instead of just watching upconverted normal DVDs? In other words, will Blu-ray still look "better" than an upconverted DVD on a 1080i HDTV?


Thanks for any info guys! Sorry if these questions are common, but I couldn't find any clear answers by searching.

[The Don]

1) The quality as a DVD player in regards to up-conversion is as good as any up-conversion player I've seen. (although, I have never seen an Oppo player which is said to be the best) But the PS3 up-converts fine.

2) It does up-convert as stated in the previous post...

3) The quality depends on the size...1080i is fine, but you would prefer 1080p. I think the real strength in 1080p is in the up-conversion process...

[landmonster]

Thanks, my 1st question was about how does it fare as a Blu-ray player vs. other Blu-ray players though

[Shin-Ra]

1) I haven't used a standalone player so can't really compare. All I can say is that I'm very happy with the PS3's Blu-ray picture output and I'm fussy.

2) Yes, the PS3 does a great job of upscaling DVD's to any resolution you choose. I've got a Samsung combo DVD/VHS upscaling player and it doesn't offer anything extra over the PS3's options. The PS3 has additional Frame Noise Reduction and Block Noise Reduction settings which I leave off (0).

3) Huge, huge difference in quality.

[dodgerfan]

that is incorrect. I checked and it does not upconvert at all.

[Shin-Ra]

Originally Posted by dodgerfan

that is incorrect. I checked and it does not upconvert at all.

You are misinformed. DVD upscaling has been supported since the 1.8 firmware. The PS3 now runs firmware 1.82.

Here's the official American PS3 online manual describing the DVD Upscaler option if you want proof.

[GasCat]

It's time for some links to info.

Edit: Dodgerfan, be sure you check the dates of the articles you are reading.

[desmond]

ps3 is a fine blu-ray player; wonderful picture quality, great audio (if you have the right equipment). in addition, it loads discs much faster than current standalones and it can upgrade firmware via internet. aslo it plays sacd and can access media off the network.

[Blus Brother]

Shin-Ra is correct - upscaling does not come included out of the box but does when you download the upgraded firmware. Yes I have used other standalone upconverting players, and the PS3 is just as good as those I have used. On to Blu Ray vs upconversion - The Blu Ray discs look better than the upconverted regular DVDs - not always alot better though, I have Stargate on Blu Ray and their are some scenes that dont look that good IMO.

[GasCat]

To the OP, I recommend you go to a place that has a liberal return policy. You should be able to find a store that will let you take a unit home and try it out. If you don't like it you can take it back and get a full refund. Like someone said earlier, you will need to be on the latest firmware no mater what player you get.

If you decide get a PS3 I highly recommend getting the remote control made for it. You will also need an HDMI cable if you want to view 1080p. All Blu units haven't been out there long so it is well worth gettmg an extended warranty on any model you buy.

Let us know what you think or if you have any problems with the unit.

[cawgijoe]

To the OP:

3) I have a 1080i TV...Sony KV-34XBR800 and the picture is absolutley fantastic. Do not be concerned over 1080i vs 1080p.....most people cannot tell a difference.

Ideally you would want a 1080p TV to take full advantage of the PS3's output capabilities, but worry about that with your next TV.

[buckshot]

to put it simply I have 2 hdtvs. I now have 2 ps3s, and 0 DVD players. I loved how well the ps3 upconverted dvds that I bought my friends off of him for the tv in our bedroom. plus I can play resistance real quiet when my wife's asleep, although I have been caught. woops.

[Memnoch]

I haven't seen any standalone BD player beat the PS3's BD or upconverting performance. I think it is an amazing deal for the money. Maybe one day you can get a decent quality $200 BD player that upconverts, but right now, ESPECIALLY with the recent price drop, this is the best way to spend your money to get an HD player and an upconverter. I hate to see people spending $600 plus on standalone BD when they could get all that the PS3 has to offer as well.

I have a Samsung HL-T6189S, an Onkyo 605, a PS3, and a Wii. I have always used a system to play DVDs, so getting a PS3 was a no brainer. I just had to wait until an HDMI v1.3 TV and A/V receiver hit the market. I had the PS3 before the DVD upscaling was added. I could definately see a difference. Mainly noticable around words and gird lines. They are no longer fuzzy or shadowing. Very clean and crisp now.

The dodgerfan comment above was made by an idiot. Not only does it upscale DVDs, I have an older than dirt PS1 game that looks MUCH better with the upscaler and edge smoother on. I second getting the BD remote. Grabbing an extra controller off Amazon for $40 and free shipping is a good deal. If you don't already NetFlix, you should look into them. I have been getting BDs from them and it is a great way to go.

Nine Inch Nails: Beside You In Time is the best BD I have seen. Resistance Fall of Man and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion are great games to start with. But hold off on Oblivion. There are rumors of a special edition coming out in a few months. Good luck with your purchase.