Why do Oppo BD players cost more than the PS3?

[MrHT]

I don't get it. For a BD player, the Oppo units cost $500, which is more than a PS3. The PS3 is $250 and can also play games. So, why does Oppo charge more? What do the Oppo players have that the PS3 doesn't?

[solarrdadd]

have you not done the research on various players and the oppo players? that would answer your question for you. it's readily available not only on this site but on the web too.

i'm not trying to be a smartass about this either. with 20 minutes or less of searching, you would already have tons of answers both pro & con allowing you to have a more informed understanding.

[MrHT]

I did. It's faster than the PS3, but still. That doesn't justify the extra cost. It's double the price.

I've seen many Oppo vs. PS3 sites, but still, that doesn't answer my question. What justifies the 2x price tag?? I mean, the PS3 PLAYS GAMES!!!!! It can't get any better than that! You can't remove that feature and double the price tag. I need to know what the Oppo does that's better than gaming. I've yet to see what makes it so much better. Maybe I'm missing something in my research. So if you can tell me what makes the Oppo so great, I'd appreciate it.

[krazeyeyez]

Quality of build, components, chipsets, excellent handling of dvds would be the first to come to mind. Options for analog, they play sacd, i know they handle files and containers the ps3 doesn't, amazing customer service, region free (believe this is a mod however) etc.... just to name a few things.

There are many non gamers who want an excellent player and OPPO is that and some, then there are people who want to play games and have blu-ray capability, and thats the ps3.

Hope this helps and i agree with the other poster their is plenty of information out there and its beneficial to do your own research as you learn alot more along the way then just getting the cliff notes.

[ManUtd]

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

Quality of build, components, chipsets, excellent handling of dvds would be the first to come to mind. Options for analog, they play sacd, i know they handle files and containers the ps3 doesn't, amazing customer service, region free (believe this is a mod however) etc.... just to name a few things.

There are many non gamers who want an excellent player and OPPO is that and some, then there are people who want to play games and have blu-ray capability, and thats the ps3.

Hope this helps and i agree with the other poster their is plenty of information out there and its beneficial to do your own research as you learn alot more along the way then just getting the cliff notes.

Well said.

BTW, to the OP there are plenty of BD players that are way more expensive than a PS3, why single out Oppo? I have both Oppo BD player and PS3 and to reiterate what krazeyeyez said in my house they serve different purposes.

[MrHT]

Interesting how you guys say do research. Sometimes when I buy electronics, I google and look for reviews, search Amazon and read the customer reviews there, and most importantly, I look at the display models at the store. Now, it's funny when I go to places like PC Richards. I just look around to see what player looks good on display. I even look at the back of the units to make sure it has the proper ports that I needed. Then I jot down the model numbers on a piece of paper so when I get home, I can do further research. But I can tell that the employees at the store are pretty ticked off at me. So many employees walk up to me and with an angry tone, they say, "Can I help you, sir?" I can tell that they want me to just buy without being so thorough.

Anyways, if I don't do research, I get people here mad. If I try to do thorough research, I get the employees at the store mad. Can't win.

Anyways, thank you for the help. But I still think that the PS3 wins because of the gaming feature. Obviously, if they were both the same price, I may give Oppo the edge, but double the price?? Hmm. I can't see why.

[Moefiz]

To give you a short answer to your question...quality of product match with 100% great customer service.

I have the BD83, their first blu-ray player and also my first OPPO product with minor firmware update it handles everything I throw at it without a problem..I will never get another brand player beside OPPO.

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by MrHT

Interesting how you guys say do research. Sometimes when I buy electronics, I google and look for reviews, search Amazon and read the customer reviews there, and most importantly, I look at the display models at the store. Now, it's funny when I go to places like PC Richards. I just look around to see what player looks good on display. I even look at the back of the units to make sure it has the proper ports that I needed. Then I jot down the model numbers on a piece of paper so when I get home, I can do further research. But I can tell that the employees at the store are pretty ticked off at me. So many employees walk up to me and with an angry tone, they say, "Can I help you, sir?" I can tell that they want me to just buy without being so thorough.

Sounds like better customer service is reason enough to consider an OPPO. Seriously though, if a CSR approached me in the manner you described, I would never patronize them, regardless of how low their advertised prices are.

Anyways, if I don't do research, I get people here mad. If I try to do thorough research, I get the employees at the store mad. Can't win.

krazeyeyez summed up the advantages of OPPO's offerings over its mainstream competitors in his reply; whether or not the're reason enough to spend 2-5x the asking price of other players, only you can decide that. Not only that, but there are countless professional reviews on OPPO's Blu-ray players online that are worth reading; it's all part of the research process.

Anyways, thank you for the help. But I still think that the PS3 wins because of the gaming feature. Obviously, if they were both the same price, I may give Oppo the edge, but double the price?? Hmm. I can't see why.

I love my PS3, but feature-wise as a Blu-ray/DVD player, I know that there are better offerings out there, which is why I have two standalone players for movie viewing.

[aimforsilence]

Oppos are better at movies then a PS3 is. Plain and simple, plus they give more options to the audiophile community. And like already mentioned, they are the best players for Upconverting DVD's. I had a PS3 and sold it to get an Oppo. Best decision i've made regarding the Blu-ray format! Plus they play UK TV Framerate stuff (PS3 DOES NOT) and MKV files (again PS3 wont do that). Personally I think if your in the market for a good Blu-ray player, the oppo is the best choice. Though if your looking to play games and watch movies on the Side then a PS3 is fine.

[Clark Kent]

The real difference in cost lies mostly at the feet of the projected sales. The PS3 sells in the millions, while Oppo would be lucky to get 20,000 units sold.

[MrHT]

Those representative make money from commission whenever they make a sale. That is why they are the way they are. So, I don't blame them for being that way. But it does make me feel very uncomfortable at the store. It's like, going to the store just to look around is a crime.

The problem is, so many ignorant customers walk in and buy these things without research. You have no idea how many people I see walk in, ask the sales rep for advice, and then buy something right then and there just based on what the rep says. So, they get a bit ticked off at people like me that shop without asking for their advice.

[vargo]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I don't get it. For a BD player, the Oppo units cost $500, which is more than a PS3. The PS3 is $250 and can also play games. So, why does Oppo charge more? What do the Oppo players have that the PS3 doesn't?

PS3 has sold 60 million units. That brings economies of scale which allow them to sell for such a low price. And even at that price they make very little profit on the physical device (they made a loss for much of its life) because they expect to make money on software and online services.

So that's why PS3 is cheaper despite having more powerful hardware.

[mzupeman]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

The real difference in cost lies mostly at the feet of the projected sales. The PS3 sells in the millions, while Oppo would be lucky to get 20,000 units sold.

That is part of the reason but as others have said, their build quality is superb and their components aren't likely to burn out on you as fast as your PS3 might. The PS3 does games, yes, but when your dedicated Blu-ray player is also your gaming machine, you're essentially doubling the wear and tear. So, there's that to consider.

Oppo has been known to have some of the best dvd upconversion capabilities around, and they allow better audio output for true audiophiles. So the quality is better as well.

Stronger components on the inside, a heavy duty build, and some of the best a/v performance out there from a player = Worth the money for someone who demands the most from the DVD and Blu-ray collections. For some, the price might never be worth it, but if you ask around the web what the best player out there is, most people will say Oppo. There's a reason for that.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by aimforsilence

Personally I think if your in the market for a good Blu-ray player, the oppo is the best choice. Though if your looking to play games and watch movies on the Side then a PS3 is fine.

I guess the Oppo is a better choice for me since I'm more of a movie person than a gamer. But the thing is, I'm not so sure how much better the Oppo is with BDs. Every standalone BD player has an issue with a few BD titles, including Oppo. It's one of the disadvantages of buying a standalone. But with the PS3, it can play EVERY BD title on the market and will play ALL future BD titles for many years to come. No standalone is like that. The PS3 is known for being the most stable Blu-ray player available.

[aimforsilence]

Originally Posted by mzupeman

That is part of the reason but as others have said, their build quality is superb and their components aren't likely to burn out on you as fast as your PS3 might. The PS3 does games, yes, but when your dedicated Blu-ray player is also your gaming machine, you're essentially doubling the wear and tear. So, there's that to consider.

Oppo has been known to have some of the best dvd upconversion capabilities around, and they allow better audio output for true audiophiles. So the quality is better as well.

Stronger components on the inside, a heavy duty build, and some of the best a/v performance out there from a player = Worth the money for someone who demands the most from the DVD and Blu-ray collections. For some, the price might never be worth it, but if you ask around the web what the best player out there is, most people will say Oppo. There's a reason for that.

here here!! Couldn't of said it better

[MrHT]

Weren't there some Oppo players out there that were choking up on the "Game of Thrones- Season 1" BD??

[aimforsilence]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I guess the Oppo is a better choice for me since I'm more of a movie person than a gamer. But the thing is, I'm not so sure how much better the Oppo is with BDs. Every standalone BD player has an issue with a few BD titles, including Oppo. It's one of the disadvantages of buying a standalone. But with the PS3, it can play EVERY BD title on the market and will play ALL future BD titles for many years to come. No standalone is like that. The PS3 is known for being the most stable Blu-ray player available.

It really boils down to 2 things. What quality of TV do you have & same for Surround sound. I have a top end Panasonic TV and a pretty good home surround system. So I really see the Oppo diffrence!

Also to add to this. All players including the PS3 need firmware updates going into the future. That's how they stay up to date with new movies!

[aimforsilence]

Originally Posted by MrHT

Weren't there some Oppo players out there that were choking up on the "Game of Thrones- Season 1" BD??

Firmwear update fixed that. Plus I do recall the PS3 not being able to play X-Men First class last year when It released!

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by aimforsilence

Plus I do recall the PS3 not being able to play X-Men First class last year when It released!

Impossible! I bought X-Men First Class last year and it played on my Sony BD player without a problem. If a Sony standalone can play it, the PS3 can!

But anyways, the Oppo does sound convincing! I'll start saving so when my Sony BDP-S360 craps out on me, I can replace it with an Oppo.

[ZipZapo]

The Oppo is more geared to people who have a good home theater setup and really want to get the best out of it. The Oppo has more expensive parts inside that make it a better Blu-ray player for both audio and video, and anytime you use high quality parts the price will go up. I can understand not wanting to spend that much on just a player. Just going to there site and reading what outputs and all this and that that it has and can do should tell you the reason for the price.