What to pick?PS3 or stand alone player?

[jmy350z]

With the release of the PS3 right around the corner,I am wondering what I should do. I have the Sony 60" SXRD television and I am definately going to purchase a Blu-ray player. I am also very much into gaming. I dont know if I should use the PS3 as my Blu-ray dvd player or buy a separate dvd player all together.Its going to be tough,I guess I will wait to see the reviews on how good the PS3 is actually as a blu-ray player.

[zombie]

I would say if you can get a hold of a PS3 then got for it. Otherwise check ebay for some terrific prices on the Samsung.

[Zinn]

Buy the PS3 now (if you can) then buy a standalone when it has HDMI 1.3 and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is standard.

[vsbdtv]

Waiting for the PS3 reviews is a sound strategy at this point, given that release is less than two weeks off.

My initial interest in the PS3 was because it was a comparatively economical player that would be somewhat of a hedge against the format war since the console would still have value as a gaming machine in any case. It's also a bit of a hedge against the somewhat expensive Blu-Ray players available now.

I still have a Sony CDP-650-esD CD player that I payed $1350 for many years ago. I don't use it anymore, but it's a reminder how dramatically technology improves and gets cheaper over time.

[Blackraven]

I'd say go for PS3...since it would be the cheapest first-gen Blu-ray player.

Then just buy a newer-generation Blu-ray player in the near future. It will also be cheaper as well.

But if you ask me, I'll just stick with the PS3 until they release Blu-ray standalone players for around USD$100-USD$200 in the near future.

[JTK]

If you don't care about videogames, then a PS3 is a tougher sell.

If you're a gamer at all, then that's far and away the best way to go at least for all of first gen IMO.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by Zinn

Buy the PS3 now (if you can) then buy a standalone when it has HDMI 1.3 and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is standard.

Exactly.

And if you can't get a PS3, it might make more sense to get a Samsung for about the same price as the PS3 until the stand alones have 1.3 TrueHD and DTS-HS MA.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by vsbdtv

Waiting for the PS3 reviews is a sound strategy at this point, given that release is less than two weeks off.

You can't really afford to wait for the reviews unless you're willing to wait till spring to get the PS3. That sucker's going to sell out in a heartbeat.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by nyg

You can't really afford to wait for the reviews unless you're willing to wait till spring to get the PS3. That sucker's going to sell out in a heartbeat.

Actually I don't think it will take nearly that long!

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Rob Tomlin

Actually I don't think it will take nearly that long!

I would hope not but I think it's possible. It all depends on how quickly Sony can get PS3 out there in the stores in mass quantities.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by nyg

I would hope not but I think it's possible. It all depends on how quickly Sony can get PS3 out there in the stores in mass quantities.

I was joking...saying it wouldn't take nearly as long as a "heartbeat" (edit: for the PS3 to sell out)

[zombie]

Originally Posted by Rob Tomlin

I was joking...saying it wouldn't take nearly as long as a "heartbeat".

Oh!

[SDK]

Originally Posted by jmy350z

With the release of the PS3 right around the corner,I am wondering what I should do. I have the Sony 60" SXRD television and I am definately going to purchase a Blu-ray player. I am also very much into gaming. I dont know if I should use the PS3 as my Blu-ray dvd player or buy a separate dvd player all together.Its going to be tough,I guess I will wait to see the reviews on how good the PS3 is actually as a blu-ray player.

Seems I'm not the only one geek who considers PS3 as a Blu-ray player =)

Here is my untested yet points for PS3, please feel free to correct/add (SAP stands for Stand Alone Player):

[+] Connectivity: HDMI/1.3

• it is all around the web that PS3 will sport HDMI1.3/Deep Color feature for games, but having 1.3/DC-enabled chip means for me that the unit is capable of outputting such deep color content, so once Blu-ray specs will be revised in light of Deep Colors the unit might be able to play such revised BD discs through a single firmware upgrade

• direct 1080p/60fps output

• support of virtually all sound formats through software decoding to multi-channel uncompressed PCM, and who needs something else when there is UNCOMPRESSED sound?

• future-proof

[+] Connectivity: IRDA

• PS3 will have special Remote Controller as an accessory [+/-]

• You can use your own Universal/PocketPC/Palm-based handheld with IRDA to control your PS3

[+] Connectivity: WiFi/802.11g

• Kinda of WirelessHD might be possible

[+] Connectivity: Ethernet/1000T

• Connect to your PC and browse through your files

[+] Extension

• PS3 can utilize the Linux operating system and you can install Linux software to extend its capabilities, i.e. have DivX, XVid, WMA, DVD-Audio and other stuff supported, and maybe HD-DVD through SATA/USB stack?!

• as I know the decoding of video is made on a software level like PowerDVD, so every new feature can be updated as you update your "PowerDVD" soft, i.e. through firmware upgrade, unlike to hardware (chip-based) decoding that usually appears on SAPs, bottlenecking their capabilities

[+] Bonus

• SACD that is not usually given by SAPs

• PS1/2/3 Game intros/demos right from PS3 game discs. These are interesting to watch to stay on the front page with recent gaming advances, not possible on SAPs

[+, imho] Design: Overall

• Have you seen any SAP like this?

[-] Design: Size/Weight

• Heavy and relatively bigger than usual SAPs

[-] BD-ROM

• I don't think the built-in BD-ROM reader will support BD100/200GB discs, however Sony or other manufacturers might produce new BD-ROM so you can make replacement or SATA/USB connection can be made?!

• The manufacturing cost difference for BD-burner and BD-reader is insignificant, but with PS3 you receive BD-reader only

[vick vega]

So the PS3 will be able to decode the new audio formats and send them as PCM over 6ch. analog or hdmi I'm confused about this part of the PS3 and the BDP-S1. Can someone clarify?

[Spankey]

Originally Posted by vick vega

So the PS3 will be able to decode the new audio formats and send them as PCM over 6ch. analog or hdmi I'm confused about this part of the PS3 and the BDP-S1. Can someone clarify?

6 Channel HDMI. There are no analog outputs on the PS3.

[Bobpaule]

Originally Posted by sltmag

6 Channel HDMI. There are no analog outputs on the PS3.

Ditto, right on the money. We are years away from quality preamplifier/processors with HDMI 1.3 inputs and TrueHD and DD+ processsing, so 5.1 analog is a must. I DPLIIEX the 5.1 ins and the sound is amazing. This is why i opted for the standalone. Also console games don't hold a candle to a quality PC based game on a decent computer.