Is PS3 Still The Best Blu-ray Player??

[kefrank]

I own and enjoy my PS3, but...

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Seriously i never want to say i cant do something with my bd player because its not compatiable, and the PS3 never fails in the category

Sure it does. Can you get lossless audio to an older receiver that only has 5.1 analog inputs? No. Can you use it with a universal IR remote out-of-the-box? No.

Reliable check

Sorry, but this one is laughable. One needs only to look at the laser replacement thread and all the YLOD reports in the tips and tricks thread to see how unreliable the PS3 hardware is. I would advise people to get a standalone on this point alone - particularly those who aren't interested in gaming.

Don't get me wrong. I really like my PS3. I don't like that the laser failed after only mild use, but even so, it's still the best home media center available in my opinion. If someone is looking for a Blu-ray player with integrated media center capability, the PS3 is by far the best choice. But if someone is only interested in a digital transport for high-quality Blu-ray and DVD playback, there are better choices than the PS3.

[amarster]

i looked at all blu players and still forked up a bit more for a slim
silent while running thru an entire movie and hd audio

[Zman2k2]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Im a dedicated fan boy of the PS3 but if someone tells me there's something out there better im not gonna ignore them, imma look into what they are saying. I love the PS3 for many reasons and i think that you are cheating yourself if you dont own one.

Seriously i never want to say i cant do something with my bd player because its not compatiable, and the PS3 never fails in the category, thats why i love it so much.
Good Quailty check
Good Audio check
Great DVD up converstion check
Easily and frequently upgradeable check
Fast Load times check
Wifi Check
If im a gamer i have the option in gaming check
Reliable check

I dont care about the energy consumption, you can drive a Bentley and put regular unleaded gas in it. Come on!!!!!

I currently own 3 ps3's one in my HT one in my Bedroom, and one on standby for a random reason. They are great machines, if they weren't they wouldnt have such a big fan base.

As for your list, the following apply to most stand alone's as well.
-Good Quality- Check
-Good audio- better than check, as depending on your model you have the option to output audio in analog for legacy receivers and pre/pro's.
-Great DVD upconversion- varies on most models, but the Oppo's don't disappoint.
-Easily and frequently upgradeable- check, with wired ethernet, CD-ROM's or memory sticks, it's just as much of a snap.
-Fast load times- check. Most stand-alones are close if not equal to the PS3 in loading now.
-Wi-Fi- you got me. I think there's one stand-alone (the Sony BDP-S460) that has wi-fi. Most others you need to buy a USB dongle for access.
Gaming isn't an important factor if you're looking at a stand-alone. One can assume that gaming isn't important to a stand-alone user, or they would be looking at a PS3.
-Reliable- really? The PS3, reliable? What about the laser failure, or the YLOD problems that some are having. The reports seem to be pretty common. But any player has problems. I think it's Samsung that has bricked a few of it's players from people doing simple firmware updates.

My point is, I'm happy for you. You have found that the PS3 is your player of choice. It does everything you want it to, and does it well. All I ask is that you be happy for me, in that I've found a player that does what I want it to, the Oppo BDP-80. I'm interested in good DVD playback, bitstreaming audio, and the ability to play SACD's and DVD-A's. That's something the PS3 can't do. That's why there's so many players on the market. There's enough choice for everyone. I've had a PS3, actually, I've had two. I had a Fat PS3, and was annoyed by the turbo-prop fan noise. Then I got a slim, and while quieter, it was not being put to use as anything but a blu/DVD player, and my wife didn't like using it and it didn't work with IR remotes. She was used to an older style player. I never used the HDD for any storage of movies or music, never bought a game, never logged onto the PSN store, nothing. It just didn't suit my needs. However, when my bro-in-law recently decided to go blu, I didn't hesitate to recommend the PS3 to him. With two boys, he'll get more than enough use out of the PS3 to warrant my recommendation of it for him. And guess what, he's super happy with it.

I didn't come in this thread waving the Oppo, or any other brand flag, saying that "my player is better than yours". It's just that I've seen plenty of threads like this devolve into a p!ssing contest between members until it gets locked.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, "there's a player for everyone". And hopefully soon, everyone will have a player.

Good day.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by kefrank

I own and enjoy my PS3, but...

Sure it does. Can you get lossless audio to an older receiver that only has 5.1 analog inputs? No. Can you use it with a universal IR remote out-of-the-box? No.

Well typically if you want the best quality in music or movies you would be smart in buying a modern receiver.

And yes you can use a universal IR remote, you just have to pay more for that feature. It uses blu tooth technology, way better than IR and RF, other companies wont adopt that technology because its too expensive.

Originally Posted by Zman2k2

As for your list, the following apply to most stand alone's as well.
-Easily and frequently upgradeable- check, with wired ethernet, CD-ROM's or memory sticks, it's just as much of a snap.

I'm interested in good DVD playback, bitstreaming audio, and the ability to play SACD's and DVD-A's. That's something the PS3 can't do.

Umm i dont know which PS3 you own but mine can bitstream audio ( whats the purpose its all the same decoding) and can play SACD's sooo. I own the fat and 2 slims.

As far as upgradeable, come on this PS3 is superior by far. If i put a bd in and it needs a firmware up date its just a click away, on standalones you have to get up put it on a flash drive or CD then load it up, by that time your company would fall asleep lol.

Better yet holla at me when you find a BD player that can take a massive firmware update that allows a 2-D blu ray player be 3-D. That alone should open you eyes to the PS3's potential in multimedia.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by amarster

i looked at all blu players and still forked up a bit more for a slim
silent while running thru an entire movie and hd audio

You will learn slowly that your system is a very advance piece of machinery. Its really outclassing itself, thats why sony is still in the Negative behind their PS3's. They are seriously worth more the 300 bucks but they have to compete with xbox and the wii

[kefrank]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Well typically if you want the best quality in music or movies you would be smart in buying a modern receiver.

That's simply not true. Believe it or not, there are plenty of receivers that offer "the best quality" sound that were manufactured before HDMI inputs were standard. It's not "smart" to buy something you don't need, when you already have an excellent receiver with multi-channel analog inputs and your choice of Blu-ray standalones that offer multi-channel analog outputs (many of which cost less than the PS3).

And yes you can use a universal IR remote, you just have to pay more for that feature. It uses blu tooth technology, way better than IR and RF, other companies wont adopt that technology because its too expensive.

Thus my use of the term "out-of-the-box." The PS3 is already more expensive than many excellent, full-featured standalone Blu-ray players. In order to use it with your existing universal remote, you have to shell out even more money for an adapter.

Again, I'm not saying the PS3 isn't good. But it's definitely not the right choice for everyone.

[phatrat1982]

the argument it is the "best bang for the buck' or the best deal or whatever is CRAP! Here is why, if ALL YOU want is to watch movies, then the BEST DEAL is the cheapest player that will play, MOVIES.

If you DO NOT GAME then paying extra money for a player that DOES is a WASTE of money.

If you use your Computer for all the streaming and online content then that defeats the need to have that feature so again you are paying money for something you do not need, a WASTE of money.


If you are POOR and do not make a lot of money and your power bill is already high, you certainly do not want to get anything that is going to increase it by too much. If in fact the PS3 does use even twice the power of a different player well again more money WASTED.

I also forgot to mention that with PS3 you have to spend even more money to buy a remote which your non-PS3 player came with and most even give you 2 batteries for free to get you started.

If you have no need or use for Bluetooth well again more money WASTED.



The thing is if you do NOT need the extra features and it is a WASTE of money to buy the player then it is NOT a bargain it is OVERKILL.


I bought a $99 Magnavox player and that was an upgrade from a used HD-DVD player I had to buy because that was all I could afford. As a gamer I am Nintendo all the way so nothing Sony ever makes will get my money as video games go. That being said I have NO use for the extra "features" when I can do EVERYTHING else the PS3 does ON MY PC which I am on most of the time so it would NOT make sense to buy a machine that would waste electricity NOT being used because as it stand I watch 1 Blu Ray movie a week, that is the only time I have to watch movies and I would not want a machine plugged in that is sucking the juice all day long.

FOR ME and MY NEEDS the PS3 is FAR FROM a bargain so accept that and stop saying that it is the best bargain because it is not. IF I would use the other features I would have no problem paying for them but I even bought a Bonus View player because for one I wanted the cheapest I could buy and for 2, I know I do not care for the extra features so PS3 or not the other point is even an Oppo would not be a bargain for me because it does things I do not need and will never use, again wasted money.

So there is not such thing as a 1 size fits all player that is the best for everyone. If you like the PS3 fine I do not hate it but for me it is a COMPLETE waste of money as the ONLY thing it does I would use it for is Blu Ray. I watch all my DVD's on my HD-DVD player because it upscales better than my blu ray player so again a feature I would not need from the PS3.

The thread is "Is the PS3 still the best Blu Ray player" and the INDISPUTABLE answer is NOT FOR EVERYONE. For you it may very well be but for OTHERS it is not so the CORRECT and ONLY answer is no it is not the best for everyone.


Not to mention that the PS3 does not come with a remote you have to once again pay more money for something. I don't know about the PS3 remote but my player not only came with a decent remote it also came with free batteries.

[Achilles3]

Originally Posted by phatrat1982

Not to mention that the PS3 does not come with a remote you have to once again pay more money for something. I don't know about the PS3 remote but my player not only came with a decent remote it also came with free batteries.

No, the PS3 controller works just fine with Blu-ray playback and it is rechargeable.

[Barnolde]

One of the best things about the PS3 is storing media on the hard drive (which is also upgradable). Works great for TV shows. It's nice being able to just pick a random episode of Futurama that's always on my hard drive. Plus I can store HD movies on it too, though my 40GB Blu-ray rip puts a hurting on even my massive 400GB hard drive.

Originally Posted by phatrat1982

the argument it is the "best bang for the buck' or the best deal or whatever is CRAP! Here is why, if ALL YOU want is to watch movies, then the BEST DEAL is the cheapest player that will play, MOVIES.

If you DO NOT GAME then paying extra money for a player that DOES is a WASTE of money.

If you use your Computer for all the streaming and online content then that defeats the need to have that feature so again you are paying money for something you do not need, a WASTE of money.


If you are POOR and do not make a lot of money and your power bill is already high, you certainly do not want to get anything that is going to increase it by too much. If in fact the PS3 does use even twice the power of a different player well again more money WASTED.

I also forgot to mention that with PS3 you have to spend even more money to buy a remote which your non-PS3 player came with and most even give you 2 batteries for free to get you started.

If you have no need or use for Bluetooth well again more money WASTED.



The thing is if you do NOT need the extra features and it is a WASTE of money to buy the player then it is NOT a bargain it is OVERKILL.


I bought a $99 Magnavox player and that was an upgrade from a used HD-DVD player I had to buy because that was all I could afford. As a gamer I am Nintendo all the way so nothing Sony ever makes will get my money as video games go. That being said I have NO use for the extra "features" when I can do EVERYTHING else the PS3 does ON MY PC which I am on most of the time so it would NOT make sense to buy a machine that would waste electricity NOT being used because as it stand I watch 1 Blu Ray movie a week, that is the only time I have to watch movies and I would not want a machine plugged in that is sucking the juice all day long.

FOR ME and MY NEEDS the PS3 is FAR FROM a bargain so accept that and stop saying that it is the best bargain because it is not. IF I would use the other features I would have no problem paying for them but I even bought a Bonus View player because for one I wanted the cheapest I could buy and for 2, I know I do not care for the extra features so PS3 or not the other point is even an Oppo would not be a bargain for me because it does things I do not need and will never use, again wasted money.

So there is not such thing as a 1 size fits all player that is the best for everyone. If you like the PS3 fine I do not hate it but for me it is a COMPLETE waste of money as the ONLY thing it does I would use it for is Blu Ray. I watch all my DVD's on my HD-DVD player because it upscales better than my blu ray player so again a feature I would not need from the PS3.

The thread is "Is the PS3 still the best Blu Ray player" and the INDISPUTABLE answer is NOT FOR EVERYONE. For you it may very well be but for OTHERS it is not so the CORRECT and ONLY answer is no it is not the best for everyone.


Not to mention that the PS3 does not come with a remote you have to once again pay more money for something. I don't know about the PS3 remote but my player not only came with a decent remote it also came with free batteries.

If you're bringing up the electric bill as a talking point, you need another hobby, ie a FREE one. May I suggest birdwatching?

[phatrat1982]

One of the best things about the PS3 is storing media on the hard drive

um I already have a device that does that, I think I mentioned that it is called my PC, like I said FOR ME it is extra money for features I do not need.



And DO NOT tell me the PS3 controller "works fine" um hell no it does, I have friends who have PS3's and THEY ALL spent the extra money on the remote, as do most sensible people because the remote SUCKS and they recognize that. Sure once you have gotten used to it you get comfortable with it but a regular remote there is no getting used to the play button ALWAYS plays the movie the STOP button ALWAYS stops the movie, it has been that way since the late 70's, PS3 changed the button layout from the PS2's DVD capabilities, which was also a pain in the ass but not half as bad as PS3's set up.

And to the guy who said the electric bill as a talking point, shut up, it was already brought up and I agreed I aid "IF that is true" as in I didn't claim it was or a factor but if it is true then YES it is a deal to ME I am out of work right now, and Blu Ray is not a HOBBY for me, I buy movies when I can, the last one I bought was AVATAR I got that day one, last movie I bought before that, was 2 months prior. Money is a BIG DEAL to me because I do not have a whole lot. Also I leave my air conditioner off to save money and turn the lights off when I do not use them and buy those light bulbs that use less power TO SAVE MONEY, if I am swapping out my light bulbs to save money and using my PC as my main media device, which means the TV and Blu Ray, HD-DVD, and cable box are not on when the PC is, that should tell you it matters to me.

Why are you even arguing damn I gave good valid points and you took one little thing out of my post and threw my whole argument away because of ONE little issue you had with it? Grow up or get a life or just get over it you are WRONG if you continue to think that my needs are met by the PS3, they are not I explained why and I gave GOOD indisputable reasons and you DISPUTE them anyways. Look what the hell does it matter to you? Are you bumbed out you won't get to play me on PSN or whatever? That would never happen anyways I don't play online gaming ever I play games locally with my real friends I go online to look up information about stuff that interests me, I tend to spend pop in here once or twice a day but as you can see I do not spend too much money on Blu Ray movies and I do not spent too much time on the forum so saying this is my hobby is very inaccurate.


Not that it matters but all of my real hobbies are FREE so you lose anyways.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by kefrank

Sorry, but this one is laughable. One needs only to look at the laser replacement thread and all the YLOD reports in the tips and tricks thread to see how unreliable the PS3 hardware is. .

I'm certainly not a sony hater (I just got an S-360 because it was so cheap, and have purchased 3 N460's or whatever they were as gifts) but I'm on my 3rd PS3...... one died having never even played a game, only movies, and the other one died shortly after I purchased my first (and only) video game....... I would say the failure rate is in fact certainly a point to not be dismissed....... I actually really enjoy sony products (and think their VEGA or WEGA series T.V.'s are virtually indestructible but I digress) and if I were in the market for an LCD the Sony Bravias or whatever they have out now would be tops on my list......

The fact that people are SO in love with their PS3 that they would actually refute the fan noise for the fats, or say the PS3 controller is somehow a better alternative to an actual remote (I did have a member here give me a PS3 Blu-ray remote, and it's 100 times better than using the controller, and If I had known, I would have purchased one the same day I bought each of my PS3s )


And before someone says it..... my PS3s have always been COMPLETELY open on top of a stand, with nothing anywhere near them..... yet they crapped out..... the first one probably died with less than 30 hours of use on it in just a few months.

EDIT:

If you don't already have a PS3, and you do in fact enjoy video games, then I think it's almost a no-brainer, and you should definitely pick on up (perhaps get a slim, although I have no experience with those) If you have one, and are thinking of adding a second player, I would go with either a cheaper model from sony, panasonic, etc... that will get regular updates..... or get an Oppo.... depending on what your requirements are.......

I have enjoyed my cheap-o S-360 more than my PS3 by far...... it does everything I need it to do in my movie room. The PS3 (that still works) is in my living room, where I have a smaller T.V., so it pulls duties for streaming netflix, and maybe someday games will be played on it again.... but It still gets used for Blu-rays quite often.

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by Achilles3

No, the PS3 controller works just fine with Blu-ray playback and it is rechargeable.

Exactly right

[kefrank]

Originally Posted by Achilles3

No, the PS3 controller works just fine with Blu-ray playback and it is rechargeable.

While it's possible to use the PS3 remote for Blu-ray playback, it is a truly awful substitute for a real remote and no self-respecting home theater should settle ever for it. The official PS3 BD remote or an adapter for your universal remote is essential for anyone using their PS3 primarily as a Blu-ray player.

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by kefrank

While it's possible to use the PS3 remote for Blu-ray playback, it is a truly awful substitute for a real remote and no self-respecting home theater should settle ever for it. The official PS3 BD remote or an adapter for your universal remote is essential for anyone using their PS3 primarily as a Blu-ray player.

I highly disagree. I bought a Sony remote as well but prefer using the control pad. It is actually easier to use than the Sony remote, especially in the dark.

[richieb1971]

If you don't use the pad for video when you first buy the PS3 I can understand why the remote would be better. But the PS3 pad is just so easy to hold and figure out because as a gamer you know where all the buttons are and what they do. It takes literally 3 minutes to figure 90% of it out and even in perfect dark, you can feel your way around it without backlighting.

[hvid]

is any player faster than the PS3?

[Bobby Henderson]

Just to throw in my 2¢ on this topic:

I would recommend an Oppo Blu-ray player for someone with a really high end home theater system (top of the line speakers, amplifiers, surround controller, projection system, etc.) and had a good collection of SACD and DVD Audio music.

The vast majority of end users do not fall into that category.

For mainstream use, the Playstation 3 is still the best Blu-ray player on the market. It may not support SACD and DVD-A playback, but it does a lot of other things other Blu-ray players can't do.

Most standalone BD players have at best very basic "media center" functions. Few standalone players have built in Wi-Fi and I'm not sure if any besides the PS3 have built in Bluetooth. The PS3 can perform more networking duties over Ethernet or Wi-Fi than other standalone players equipped with Wi-Fi.

The PS3's USB ports are more functional than those found in standalone BD players. Most standalone BD players limit their USB ports to temporary BD Live related data storage and audio playback. They often will not recognize an external hard disc drive, USB hubs, USB keyboards, etc. The PS3 can.

Here's a good example of what's wrong with many standalone BD players. A married couple I know needed help updating the firmware on their Panasonic BD-60K player. The player was not connected to the Internet and they were not interested in connecting it to the Internet (by way of running CAT-5 cable or buying a Wi-Fi game adapter). I downloaded the firmware from the Panasonic web site to a notebook computer. Despite the BD player having USB ports and a SD card slot the player wouldn't accept firmware via flash memory media. I had to burn the firmware to an ISO-9660 CD instead. What a pain. It would seem pretty silly to buy a Playstation 3 and not connect it to the Internet -especially with the Wi-Fi and Ethernet options the PS3 provides. Yet it is still do-able. You can update the PS3 via USB attached flash memory sticks or even back up the system to a USB memory stick if you want to swap the hard drive for an even bigger one.

Most people are looking for the best value for their buck. When it comes to Blu-ray players there is no disputing the PS3 by far provides the most bang for your buck.

[lDlisturb3d]

Originally Posted by phatrat1982

the argument it is the "best bang for the buck' or the best deal or whatever is CRAP! Here is why, if ALL YOU want is to watch movies, then the BEST DEAL is the cheapest player that will play, MOVIES.

If you DO NOT GAME then paying extra money for a player that DOES is a WASTE of money.

If you use your Computer for all the streaming and online content then that defeats the need to have that feature so again you are paying money for something you do not need, a WASTE of money.


If you are POOR and do not make a lot of money and your power bill is already high, you certainly do not want to get anything that is going to increase it by too much. If in fact the PS3 does use even twice the power of a different player well again more money WASTED.

I also forgot to mention that with PS3 you have to spend even more money to buy a remote which your non-PS3 player came with and most even give you 2 batteries for free to get you started.

If you have no need or use for Bluetooth well again more money WASTED.



The thing is if you do NOT need the extra features and it is a WASTE of money to buy the player then it is NOT a bargain it is OVERKILL.


I bought a $99 Magnavox player and that was an upgrade from a used HD-DVD player I had to buy because that was all I could afford. As a gamer I am Nintendo all the way so nothing Sony ever makes will get my money as video games go. That being said I have NO use for the extra "features" when I can do EVERYTHING else the PS3 does ON MY PC which I am on most of the time so it would NOT make sense to buy a machine that would waste electricity NOT being used because as it stand I watch 1 Blu Ray movie a week, that is the only time I have to watch movies and I would not want a machine plugged in that is sucking the juice all day long.

FOR ME and MY NEEDS the PS3 is FAR FROM a bargain so accept that and stop saying that it is the best bargain because it is not. IF I would use the other features I would have no problem paying for them but I even bought a Bonus View player because for one I wanted the cheapest I could buy and for 2, I know I do not care for the extra features so PS3 or not the other point is even an Oppo would not be a bargain for me because it does things I do not need and will never use, again wasted money.

So there is not such thing as a 1 size fits all player that is the best for everyone. If you like the PS3 fine I do not hate it but for me it is a COMPLETE waste of money as the ONLY thing it does I would use it for is Blu Ray. I watch all my DVD's on my HD-DVD player because it upscales better than my blu ray player so again a feature I would not need from the PS3.

The thread is "Is the PS3 still the best Blu Ray player" and the INDISPUTABLE answer is NOT FOR EVERYONE. For you it may very well be but for OTHERS it is not so the CORRECT and ONLY answer is no it is not the best for everyone.


Not to mention that the PS3 does not come with a remote you have to once again pay more money for something. I don't know about the PS3 remote but my player not only came with a decent remote it also came with free batteries.

I completely disagree with about 99% of the stuff you said. I would never in my life buy a 99 dollar blu ray player for my HT, i want the best there is. If thats the case just go buy any HD tv, HD is HD right NOOOO. There quality buddy please understand that little fact.

Put your magnavox against any PS3 and you will fall short in every category. Ill be 30 mins into the movie while your player is still loading and trying its hardest to decode lossless audio.

[hvid]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

For mainstream use, the Playstation 3 is still the best Blu-ray player on the market. It may not support SACD and DVD-A playback, but it does a lot of other things other Blu-ray players can't do.

Most standalone BD players have at best very basic "media center" functions. Few standalone players have built in Wi-Fi and I'm not sure if any besides the PS3 have built in Bluetooth. The PS3 can perform more networking duties over Ethernet or Wi-Fi than other standalone players equipped with Wi-Fi.

The PS3's USB ports are more functional than those found in standalone BD players. Most standalone BD players limit their USB ports to temporary BD Live related data storage and audio playback. They often will not recognize an external hard disc drive, USB hubs, USB keyboards, etc. The PS3 can.

Yeah, my TV can do more with its USB port than those SA players!

[scweb13]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

I completely disagree with about 99% of the stuff you said. I would never in my life buy a 99 dollar blu ray player for my HT, i want the best there is. If thats the case just go buy any HD tv, HD is HD right NOOOO. There quality buddy please understand that little fact.

That would be the OPPO 83SE, wouldn't it? Or, better yet, how about the Pioneer 09FD or the Goldmund Eidos 20.